Tex Rickard was awarded an NHL franchise in 1926 to compete with the now-long-forgotten New York Americans. The team was immediately dubbed "Tex's Rangers", and the nickname stuck. Rickard managed to get future legendary Toronto Maple Leafs coach Conn Smythe to assemble the team, but Smythe was replaced by Lester Patrick before the inaugural season. The team turned out to be a winner; in their first season, the Rangers finished atop the American Division, but would lose to the Boston Bruins in the playoffs. Tex Rickard also founded the South America Land and Cattle Company and the Rickard Texas Oil Company.