1962–63 NHL season

Did You Know?

• In the playoffs, the first-place team played the third-place team, and the second-place team faced the fourth-place team, with both rounds being best-of-seven series.
• Hockey Night in Canada on CBC Television televised Saturday night regular season games and Stanley Cup playoff games, but games were not broadcast in their entirety until the 1968–69 season.
• This was the third consecutive season that the NHL did not have an American national broadcaster until the 1965–66 season.

Regular season

On the day of the All-Star Game, news broke that Toronto had sold Frank Mahovlich to Chicago for $1 million, with James D. Norris producing a cheque for that amount. Following advice from Conn Smythe, Leafs general manager and head coach Punch Imlach turned down the deal, stating that a million dollars does not score goals and that Mahovlich would remain a Maple Leaf. A serious incident occurred on October 23 between the Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Black Hawks, featuring a vicious stick-swinging duel between Gilles Tremblay and Reg Fleming, described as the worst since the Bernie Geoffrion–Ron Murphy fight in 1953.

Both players received match penalties and $100 fines; Tremblay suffered a bad cut on his head requiring many stitches. Montreal coach Toe Blake made caustic remarks to Fleming as he left the ice, nearly sparking another fight. The game ended in a 4–4 tie, and President Clarence Campbell suspended both Tremblay and Fleming for three games. Glenn Hall's consecutive game streak ended on November 8 when a pinched nerve in his back forced him to be relieved by Denis DeJordy in the first period of a 3–3 tie with Boston.

DeJordy played well in the next game, a 3–1 Chicago win over Montreal. Chicago moved into a first-place tie with Detroit after blanking Boston 5–0 on November 29, with Stan Mikita scoring two goals and Bobby Hull one. That same night, the Rangers shut out the Red Wings 5–0 behind a fine game from Gump Worsley. Worsley was unlucky in his next game, however, as Chicago beat the Rangers 5–1; he badly injured his shoulder and was replaced by Marcel Pelletier, spending ten days in the hospital with his shoulder in traction.

Andy Hebenton recorded a hat trick on December 16 as the Rangers beat Detroit 5–2 at Madison Square Garden, though the game was marred by a brawl involving Dave Balon, Bill Gadsby, Doug Barkley and Terry Sawchuk, all of whom were fined. Andy Bathgate scored both goals in a 2–2 tie with Montreal at the Montreal Forum on January 5, his tenth consecutive game with a goal. The streak ended when Jacques Plante shut out the Rangers 6–0 in New York.