alternatehistory.com

NHL President Frank Calder responded to the Hamilton Tigers' demands simply.

Their back pay was ordered held, they would be fined $200 if they didnt play, and Ottawa (who had finished fourth) would take their place in the final.

Working men of Canada felt great sympathy with the players plight, and also demanded an NHL final with the first-place Tigers.

On March 13th, 1925, the 2nd place Saint Patrick's were defeated by the third place Canadiens. On March 14th, Frank Calder delivered his ultimatum to the Tigers by telegram: accept his demands or the Canadiens would be declared NHL Champions.

He received a reply from Tom Longboat, Minister of Athletics and Culture. Minister Longboat had devised a plan for 'Canadianisation' of culture, which would involve Athletic Associations and Sports Clubs tax exempt status...and he would make it clear to President Calder that the NHL's tax-free status would be dependent on their willingness to negotiate with the players and the government.

In the end, tax free status was awarded to professional teams, based in Canada, employing majority Canadian players and playing in leagues without internationally based teams. After a lengthy court battle, the NHL purchased the Bruins back from Adams and sold the club to a Halifax-based shipping Magnate. They would play the 1925-1926 NHL season as the Halifax Wanderers.

In the meantime, all the NHL players were awarded $200 additional dollars for the regular season. The Hamilton Tigers were defeated by the Canadiens, who then lost to the Victoria Cougars in the Stanley Cup final.

During the 1925 off season, the Regina Stars relocated to Winnipeg to become the Warriors.

Since 1925, the Stanley Cup final has been played every year for the Canadian professional ice hockey championships between winners of the WCHL (the Western Conference from 1967) and the NHL (Eastern Conference from 1967).