1935–36 NHL season

The 1935–36 NHL season marked the league's 19th year of operation. The St. Louis Eagles were removed from the league, reducing the number of teams to eight. The Detroit Red Wings claimed the Stanley Cup, beating the Toronto Maple Leafs three games to one in the championship series.

Before the season began, the St. Louis Eagles' owners requested permission from the league to suspend operations for a year and then move the franchise back to Ottawa. The NHL denied both requests. On October 15, 1935, the league purchased the franchise and its player contracts for $40,000 and shut it down. Chicago chose not to take part in the dispersal draft of players, and St. Louis would not see another NHL team until 1967.

During the season, the New York Americans faced financial difficulties and were put up for sale. Leo Dandurand, who had recently sold his stake in the Montreal Canadiens, showed interest, as did Joseph Cattarinich. Cattarinich stated he would buy the team if the price were acceptable, but later it was announced that no deal would happen.

The Boston Bruins changed their uniform colors from brown and gold to their now-familiar black and gold for the first time. They also placed the player's number on the front of the jersey, moving the block B to smaller B's on the shoulders.

Howie Morenz performed poorly for Chicago, angering team owner Frederic McLaughlin, and was subsequently traded to the New York Rangers.

Detroit finished first in the American Division. The Montreal Maroons topped the Canadian Division, but fan attendance at their games began to decline, worrying team president, manager, and coach Tommy Gorman. At one point, Lionel Conacher had to run the team when Gorman suffered health and nervous issues. At the midpoint of the season, with a .500 record, the Maroons traded Toe Blake for Lorne Chabot, who had been suspended by Chicago and refused a demotion to the minors. With Chabot in goal, the team started winning.

The top three teams from each division qualified for the playoffs. The two division winners met in a best-of-five Stanley Cup semifinal. The second- and third-place teams from each division played a two-game total-goals series, with the winners advancing to another two-game total-goals semifinal. Those semifinal winners then faced off in a best-of-five Stanley Cup Finals. This was the final season the league used the two-game total-goals format, replacing it with best-of-three series the following year.

In the quarterfinals, Toronto faced Boston, and Chicago played the New York Americans. In the semifinals, Detroit took on Montreal. The first game of the Maroons-Red Wings series set a record for the longest game in Stanley Cup playoff history, and the longest ice hockey game ever played. Starting at 8:30 p.m. at the Forum in Montreal, it ended at 2:25 a.m. The game remained scoreless until the sixth overtime, when Mud Bruneteau scored on Maroons goaltender Lorne Chabot. Normie Smith then shut out the Maroons in the next game, and Detroit won the series. The other semifinal saw Toronto defeat the New York Americans.

Eddie Shore won his second consecutive Hart Trophy. Frank Boucher's streak of seven Lady Byng Trophy wins ended as Doc Romnes took the award. Tiny Thompson won the Vezina Trophy for the third time in his career.

Notable players making their NHL debuts included Ray Getliffe, Woody Dumart, Mike Karakas, Mud Bruneteau, Alex Shibicky, Babe Pratt, Neil Colville, Phil Watson, and Reg Hamilton. Joe Primeau played his final NHL game.