▁finished ▁with ▁only ▁four ▁wins ▁in ▁ 2 4 ▁games . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 9 – 2 0 ▁season , ▁the ▁N HL ▁took ▁back ▁the ▁Quebec ▁franch ise ▁and ▁sold ▁the ▁team ▁to ▁the ▁Ab so ▁P ure ▁Ice ▁Company ▁of ▁Hamilton , ▁Ontario . ▁The ▁club ▁was ▁moved ▁to ▁Hamilton ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 – 2 1 ▁season ▁and ▁renamed ▁the ▁Hamilton ▁Tig ers . ▁This ▁was ▁done ▁to ▁prevent ▁the ▁startup ▁of ▁a ▁rival ▁league ▁that ▁was ▁trying ▁to ▁land ▁a ▁club ▁in ▁Hamilton . ▁( see ▁Edd ie ▁Living stone ) ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁N HL ▁had ▁no ▁teams ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁no ▁teams ▁in ▁Western ▁Canada . ▁Hamilton ▁was ▁the ▁fifth - larg est ▁city ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁and ▁third - larg est ▁in ▁Central ▁Canada ▁( pop . ▁ 1 1 4 , 2 0 0 ) ▁and ▁therefore ▁was ▁considered ▁a ▁vital ▁market . ▁Per cy ▁Thompson , ▁a ▁part - owner ▁and ▁manager ▁of ▁the ▁Bart on ▁Street ▁Arena , ▁became ▁manager ▁of ▁the ▁team . ▁ ▁The ▁move ▁to ▁Hamilton ▁did ▁not ▁improve ▁the ▁team ' s ▁record . ▁Despite ▁ear ning ▁a ▁shut out ▁in ▁their ▁first ▁game , ▁the ▁first ▁team ▁ever ▁to ▁do ▁so , ▁with ▁a ▁ 5 – 0 ▁win ▁over ▁the ▁Montreal ▁Canad iens ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁the ▁Tig ers ▁were ▁as ▁non comp et itive ▁as ▁the