▁sale ▁of ▁the ▁Quebec ▁Bul ld ogs ▁N HL ▁franch ise ▁to ▁Hamilton ▁interests . ▁After ▁years ▁of ▁struggling , ▁the ▁franch ise ▁finished ▁first ▁in ▁the ▁league ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 4 – 2 5 ▁N HL ▁season , ▁but ▁a ▁players ' ▁strike ▁before ▁the ▁play offs ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁franch ise ' s ▁dissol ution . ▁The ▁players ' ▁contract s ▁were ▁sold ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁interests ▁to ▁stock ▁the ▁expansion ▁New ▁York ▁Americans . ▁A ▁names ake ▁amateur ▁team ▁existed ▁prior ▁to ▁and ▁during ▁the ▁N HL ▁team ' s ▁existence , ▁and ▁a ▁minor ▁league ▁professional ▁team ▁named ▁the ▁Hamilton ▁Tig ers ▁existed ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 0 . ▁ ▁Fran ch ise ▁history ▁The ▁orig ins ▁of ▁the ▁team ▁go ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁old ▁Quebec ▁Hockey ▁Club ▁team ▁that ▁started ▁play ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 8 . ▁ ▁Origin ally ▁an ▁amateur ▁team , ▁it ▁turned ▁professional ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 . ▁Quebec ▁was ▁a ▁char ter ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁N HL ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁however , ▁due ▁to ▁financial ▁difficulties , ▁and ▁the ▁N HA - N HL ▁dispute , ▁the ▁franch ise ▁was ▁d orm ant ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 9 – 2 0 ▁season , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁operated ▁by ▁the ▁Quebec ▁Athlet ic ▁Club . ▁That ▁season ▁proved ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁dis mal ▁one ; ▁despite ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁Joe ▁Mal one ▁the ▁club