California

California is a state on the Pacific coast of the United States. California has 15 counties and a total population of over 39.5 million and is 163,696 square miles making California the most populous and 3rd largest state in the US. The state name derives from a storied paradise people by black Amazons and ruled by Queen Califia and was home to griffins and strange beasts and rich in gold.

The capital is Sacramento and the largest city is Los Angeles.

History of hockey in California

The Mechanics’ Industrial Fair Building (also called the Mechanics’ Pavilion) featured a “real ice skating floor” by 1894. The Natural Ice Skating Rink, as it was called, opened on February 3, and the first ice polo game at the rink took place two weeks later. The California Ice Polo League, composed of the Canadians, Chicagos, Berkeley, Olympic, and the San Franciscos, was formed in April, and ran until early May. Ice polo in California was said to somewhat resemble Canadian hockey, but the ice polo teams only consisted of five players, whereas at the time, hockey was played seven-on-seven in Canada. The sport was not played again after 1894.

Ice hockey made its debut in California on May 10, 1916, after the Techau Tavern Ice Palace opened in San Francisco. Hockey games were also played at the Panama-California International Exposition rink in San Diego from May-August 1916. The Bay Counties Amateur Hockey Association staged a league at Techau Tavern from July-October. The San Francisco Winter Garden opened on October 27, 1916, the Grays beating the Maroons 3-2 in the first game. The California Hockey Association soon began play at the rink in November. The Los Angeles Ice Palace opened in 1917, and the first game of ice hockey at the facility was played on February 1, with the Los Angeles Athletic Club, made up of Canadian expats, beating the University Club 7-0. The Southern California Ice Hockey League was formed at the facility. The University of California, Stanford, and USC all had hockey teams that winter. The Montreal Canadiens and Seattle Metropolitans met in a three game series in San Francisco from March 30-April 4, 1917. There was no hockey in Los Angeles in 1917-18, but the San Francisco Ice Hockey League was organized at the Winter Garden.

Hockey returned to California in 1924-25, when the Palais de Glace opened in Los Angeles, and the California Hockey League was soon established, comprised of three teams - Monarchs, Los Angeles AC, and Hollywood AC. A Junior League, which included USC and UCLA, was also set up. The California Hockey League became professional in 1925-26, and there was a series between the New York Americans and Los Angeles All-Stars in April 1926. The Southern California Collegiate League, composed of USC, UCLA, Occidental, and Southwestern, was established for 1926-27. The San Francisco Ice Arena opened in September 1926, and the Bay Counties Ice Hockey League was formed. In 1928, the Minneapolis Millers, American Hockey Association champions, faced the Hollywood Millionaires (California League winners) for the American Professional title, the former winning the series.

The California Hockey League had franchises in Oakland (the Sheiks) and San Francisco (the Icelanders) by 1928-29, and the University of California returned to the hockey scene. The Boston Bruins and Chicago Black Hawks played exhibition games in California in the spring of 1930. Starting in 1930, the Hoover Trophy was played between California, USC, and UCLA, outdoors at Yosemite. Loyola University formed a hockey team for 1930-31, and immediately joined the Southern California Intercollegiate League, before competing for the Hoover Trophy starting in 1932. The Los Angeles Junior College began playing hockey in 1931-32. The University of California joined the Oakland Industrial League for 1934-35, and Stanford University also fielded a team, for that season only. It was also the last year of the California Hockey League.

The Oakland Clippers joined the Pacific Coast Hockey League for 1936-37, but moved to Spokane on February 11. The West Coast Professional League was formed in 1939, but only one game is recorded to have been played, the Hollywood Planets beating the Los Angeles White Wings 6-3 on January 29. The Southern California Hockey Association, composed of USC, UCLA, California, Loyola, and the Hollywood AC, was first contested in 1938-39. The Northern California Ice Hockey League replaced the Oakland Industrial League for 1939-40, and the newly formed Santa Rosa Junior College hockey team joined it. The SCHA lasted until 1941-42, when it was replaced by the Southern California Hockey League. UCLA, USC, and Loyola dropped hockey in the 1940s, but the University of California's program lasted until 1948. In more recent times, the US International University Gulls had a Division I program from 1979-1988.

The SCHL merged with the Northwest International Hockey League to form the Pacific Coast Hockey League for 1944-45, with the Los Angeles Monarchs, Hollywood Wolves, Oakland Oaks, Pasadena Panthers, San Diego Skyhawks, and San Francisco Shamrocks joining the league for its inaugural season. The Los Angeles Ramblers played in the Canadian senior Western International Hockey League in 1946-47. A re-formed PCHL, composed of four California teams, was contested in 1952-53. A new incarnation of the California Hockey League existed from 1954-1963. There were some California teams in the Western Hockey League during the 1960s and 70s. The California Western Hockey League operated from 1975-1978. Numerous California teams played in the Pacific Hockey League from 1977-1979. The Fresno Aces played as an independent team in 1968-69, changing their name to the Falcons the following year. The Bakersfield Flyers also had a team in 1968-69, facing Fresno, Reno, and Las Vegas among others. On December 22, the Flyers romped to a 14-3 win over the Los Angeles Falcons. They beat the Denver All-Stars 8-5 on January 11 and the Los Angeles All-Stars 10-8 on the 12th.

The Oakland/California Golden Seals played in the National Hockey League from 1967-1976. The Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, and Anaheim Ducks have had NHL franchises since 1967, 1991, and 1993, respectively. The Los Angeles Sharks (1972-74) and San Diego Mariners (1974-77) were both members of the World Hockey Association. California has had five franchises in the American Hockey League since 2015. The state has had numerous teams in other minor pro leagues, such as the ECHL, West Coast Hockey League, and the International Hockey League. The Pacific Southwest Hockey League, which ran from 1969-1994, and the Pacific Hockey League, which operated in 1994-95, were composed primarily of Californian teams. The Southwest Hockey League was a semi-pro loop contested in 1991-92.

List of minor professional franchises

Los Angeles Culver City - (1925-26) - (CHL)
Palais de Glace - (1925-26) - (CHL)
Richfield Oilers - (1925-28) - (CHL)
Globe Ice Cream - (1926-27) - (CHL)
Winter Garden Maroons - (1926-27) - (CHL)
Hollywood Millionaires - (1927-30, 1933-34) - (CHL)
Los Angeles Maroons - (1927-28) - (CHL)
Oakland Sheiks - (1928-33) - (CHL)
San Francisco Icelanders - (1928-29) - (CHL)
San Francisco Tigers - (1929-31) - (CHL)
Los Angeles Richfields - (1928-30) - (CHL)
Oakland Checkers - (1930-33) - (CHL)
Los Angeles Millionaires - (1930-31, 1932-33) - (CHL)
San Francisco Tigers - (1930-31) - (CHL)
San Francisco Black Hawks - (1930-31) - (CHL)
Hollywood Stars - (1931-32) - (CHL)
San Francisco Rangers - (1931-33) - (CHL)
Los Angeles Angels - (1931-32) - (CHL)
Union Oil Leaders - (1933-34) - (CHL)
Gilmore Lions - (1933-34) - (CHL)
Hollywood Sheiks - (1934-35) - (CHL)
Glendale Greyhounds - (1934-35) - (CHL)
Los Angeles Giants - (1934-35) - (CHL)
Oakland Clippers - (1936-37) - (PCHL)
Hollywood Planets - (1939) - (WCPL)
Los Angeles White Wings - (1939) - (WCPL)
Los Angeles Monarchs - (1944-50) - (PCHL)
Oakland Oaks - (1944-50) - (PCHL)
San Diego Skyhawks - (1944-50) - (PCHL)
San Francisco Shamrocks - (1944-50) - (PCHL)
Pasadena Panthers - (1944-45) - (PCHL)
Hollywood Wolves - (1944-47) - (PCHL)
Fresno Falcons - (1946-50) - (PCHL)
Los Angeles Cardinals - (1952-53) - (PCHL)
Fresno Falcons - (1952-53) - (PCHL)
Oakland Kanves - (1952-53) - (PCHL)
San Bernardino Braves - (1952-53) - (PCHL)
Pasadena Leafs - (1954-57) - (CHL)
San Bernardino Shamrocks - (1954-55) - (CHL)
Hollywood Stars - (1954-55, 1959-60) - (CHL)
Paramount Hornets - (1954-59)) - (CHL)
Hollywood Rangers - (1955-56) - (CHL)
Los Angeles Canadiens - (1955-62) - (CHL)
Le Canada Flyers - (1956-57) - (CHL)
Hollywood Bears - (1957-59) - (CHL)
Pasadena Panthers - (1957-58, 1959-60) - (CHL)
Ontario Canucks - (1958-59) - (CHL)
Long Beach Hornets - (1959-60) - (CHL)
Long Beach Paramounts - (1960-61) - (CHL)
San Diego Skyhawks - (1960-62) - (CHL)
San Gabriel Falcons - (1960-61) - (CHL)
Burbank Stars - (1961-63) - (CHL)
Long Beach Buccaneers - (1961-62) - (CHL)
Los Angeles Blades - (1961-67) - (WHL)
San Francisco Seals - (1961-67) - (WHL)
Bakersfield Kernals - (1962-63) - (CHL)
Long Beach Gulls - (1962-63) - (CHL)
LA Canucks/Torrance Olympians - (1962-63) - (CHL)
San Diego Gulls - (1966-74) - (WHL)
Los Angeles Sharks - (1972-74) - (WHA)
San Diego Mariners - (1974-77) - (WHA)
Sacramento Rebels - (1975-78) - (CWHL)
Stockton Colts - (1975-78) - (CWHL)
Twin City Flyers - (1975-78) - (CWHL)
Squaw Valley Eagles - (1975-76) - (CWHL)
Bay Blazers - (1977-78) - (CWHL)
Long Beach Sharks/Rockets - (1977-78) - (PHL)
San Diego Mariners - (1977-78) - (PHL)
San Francisco Shamrocks - (1977-79) - (PHL)
Los Angeles Blades - (1978-79) - (PHL)
San Diego Hawks - (1978-79) - (PHL)
San Diego Gulls - (1990-95) - (IHL)
Fresno Falcons - (1994-95) - (SuHL)
Bakersfield Fog/Condors - (1995-03) - (WCHL)
Fresno Falcons/Fighting Falcons/Falcons - (1995-03) - (WCHL)
Los Angeles/Long Beach Ice Dogs - (1995-00) - (IHL)
San Diego Gulls - (1995-03) - (WCHL)
San Francisco Spiders - (1995-96) - (IHL)
Long Beach Ice Dogs - (2000-03) - (WCHL)
Fresno Falcons - (2003-08) - (ECHL)
Long Beach Ice Dogs - (2003-07) - (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls - (2003-06) - (ECHL)
Bakersfield Condors - (2003-15) - (ECHL)
Stockton Thunder - (2005-15) - (ECHL)
Ontario Reign - (2008-15) - (ECHL)
San Francisco Bulls - (2012-14) - (ECHL)
Ontario Reign - (2015-present) - (AHL)
Bakersfield Condors - (2015-present) - (AHL)
San Diego Gulls - (2015-present) - (AHL)
San Jose Barracuda - (2015-present) - (AHL)
Stockton Heat - (2015-2022) - (AHL)

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California

History of hockey in California

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