After 14 years in the National Hockey League, Albert ‘Babe’ Siebert called it a career after the 1938-39 season. Siebert was to take over the head coaching role with the Montreal Canadiens in 1939-40. However, Babe’s life abruptly ended on August 25, 1939 in a Lake Huron drowning incident. A quarter century later, Siebert was finally put in his right place in hockey, inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1964.
Babe Siebert – NHL Career
Siebert played in the NHL from 1925-26 to 1938-39 with the Montreal Maroons, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens. Over that time, he played in 592 regular season games, scoring 140 and assisting on 156 for 296 points. Babe added anther 12 points over 49 Stanley Cup playoff games.
Babe excelled right from his rookie season in the National Hockey League. With the Montreal Maroons in 1925-26, he was second on the team with 16 goals and 24 points, behind Nels Stewart. Siebert tied for tenth in the NHL for goals with Hooley Smith of the Ottawa Senators. His 108 penalty minutes placed him fifth in the league.
In 1925-26, the Maroons placed second in the seven team league over the 36 game regular season. That NHL consisted of the Maroons, Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Bruins, New York Americans and Toronto St. Patricks. The Maroons won the Stanley Cup championship, beating the Senators 2-1 in a two game total goal series.
The following year, the hard-nosed Siebert finished fourth in the NHL with 116 PIM while his offensive numbers tailed off. In 1927-28, the Maroons were back at it, finishing second overall in the ten team league behind the Canadiens over the 44 game schedule. Babe’s Maroons reached the Stanley Cup finals against the New York Rangers. Despite all five games being played in Montreal, the Rangers came out on top in the series three games to two. Montreal outscored New York on the series, 6-5. That year, Siebert placed fourth in the NHL with 109 PIM.
The 1931-32 NHL season was Siebert’s most offensive season in the league and his last with the Maroons. Over 48 regular season games, he scored 21 and assisted on 18 for 39 points. He tied with Marty Barry of the Bruins for eighth in goal scoring. In the race for the overall scoring title, Babe tied for tenth with Aurel Joliat of the Canadiens and Dit Clapper of the Bruins.
With the New York Rangers in 1932-33, Siebert won his second of two Stanley Cup championships during his career. The Rangers met up with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the finals and won the series three games to one.
Team success was behind him but Siebert had one more excellent season on an individual basis. With the 1936-37 Montreal Canadiens, Babe scored eight and assisted on 20 for 28 points. His assist total tied him for eighth in the NHL and Siebert was awarded the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s MVP.
Babe announced his retirement as a player at the end of the 1938-39 season. He was to take on the head coaching role for the Canadiens but it wasn’t to be. In 1964, Siebert was posthumously inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Along with Babe, Doug Bentley, Bill Durnan and Black Jack Stewart was also honoured.
Babe Siebert – Rookie Card
There were two different Babe Siebert rookie cards but they didn’t come until 1933-34, near the end of his NHL career. Siebert was featured on the 1933-34 V129 card number 28 and the 1933-34 Ice Kings V357 number 8 card. Each of those cards has a book value of between $300 and $500. Both cards show Siebert as a member of the New York Rangers.
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1925-26 | Montreal Maroons | NHL | 35 | 16 | 8 | 24 | 108 |
| 1926-27 | Montreal Maroons | NHL | 42 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 116 |
| 1927-28 | Montreal Maroons | NHL | 40 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 109 |
| 1928-29 | Montreal Maroons | NHL | 39 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 52 |
| 1929-30 | Montreal Maroons | NHL | 41 | 14 | 19 | 33 | 94 |
| 1930-31 | Montreal Maroons | NHL | 42 | 16 | 12 | 28 | 76 |
| 1931-32 | Montreal Maroons | NHL | 48 | 21 | 18 | 39 | 64 |
| 1932-33 | New York Rangers | NHL | 42 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 38 |
| 1933-34 | New York Rangers | NHL | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 18 |
| 1933-34 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 32 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 31 |
| 1934-35 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 48 | 6 | 18 | 24 | 80 |
| 1935-36 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 46 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 66 |
| 1936-37 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 44 | 8 | 20 | 28 | 38 |
| 1937-38 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 37 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 56 |
| 1938-39 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 44 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 36 |
| NHL Totals | 593 | 140 | 156 | 296 | 982 |