1919 Spanish Influenza Cancelled The Stanley Cup Finals

The coronavirus is not the first of its kind in history.

Nor is it the first pandemic to impact sports.

If we go back in history, 101 years to the Spanish Flu, we’ll see a time when the Stanley Cup Championship was halted.

That year, the Montreal Canadiens were playing the Seattle Metropolitans. The series was tied 2-2-1, and the deciding game was set to be played.

The game however, could not be played as several players from both teams became sick from the influenza, with Montreal Canadiens player Joe Hall dying five days later.

Although totals are not fully known, it’s believed the Spanish Flu killed between 17-50 million people in 1918 and 1919.

If the Stanley Cup were not played this year, it wouldn’t be a first. In fact, it would be the third time in history the Cup has not been awarded – 1919 due to the Spanish Flu, and 2005 due to the NHL lockout.