Ontario
Ontario is a province located in the east-central part of Canada. Ontario is the largest province in the country by population and second largest, after Quebec, (Nunavut and the Northwest Territories are larger but are not provinces) in total area. The province has a population of approximately 14,000,000, and its capital is Toronto.
History of hockey in Ontario
The Ottawa Hockey Club was founded by a small group of like-minded hockey enthusiasts. A month after witnessing games of hockey at the 1883 Montreal Winter Carnival, Halder Kirby, Jack Kerr and Frank Jenkins met and founded the club. Being the first organized ice hockey club in Ottawa, and also the first in Ontario, the club had no other clubs to play that season. The only activities that winter were practices at the "Royal Rink" starting on March 5, 1883.
The club played at the Montreal Winter Carnival tournament in 1884 and 1885. The first recorded game to take place in the province of Ontario was between Queen's University and the Royal Military College in Kingston on March 10, 1886. Queen's won 1-0 on a goal by Lennox Irving. A year later, RMC got revenge with a 4-0 victory over Queen's. On December 8, 1886, the first championship league, the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada was founded in Montreal. It was composed of several clubs from Montreal and the Ottawa Hockey Club. Ottawa's Thomas D. Green was named the first president of the league.
The first hockey game in Toronto was played on February 16, 1888, between the Granite Curling Club and the Caledonians, and was won 4-1 by the former side. After being inactive for a year due to the closure of the Royal Rink, Ottawa HC returned in 1889 after the opening of the Rideau Skating Rink. The Rideau Rebels from Ottawa faced local teams in Lindsay and Toronto in 1890. The Ottawa City Hockey League, composed of the Ottawa HC, Rideau Club, Ottawa College, Dey's Rink and Rebels clubs, was founded for the 1890-91 season. There was also a city league formed in Kingston and a bank league created in Toronto. On November 27, 1890, at the Queen's Hotel in Toronto, delegates from 13 hockey clubs around Ontario formed the Ontario Hockey Association.
Martin's Rink was built in Sudbury in 1892, and that year a group of men created teams for the first hockey game in the town as part of a winter carnival. Sudbury beat Chapleau 2-1 in their first game against an outside team in 1893. On February 10, 1893, it was noted that hockey was a popular game in Rat Portage at that time, and practices were being held at the Princess rink on Saturdays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.[1] The first recorded ice hockey game played in Rat Portage (now Kenora) was reported on February 17, 1893, organized by the Hardisty brothers, who had recently moved from Winnipeg to take part in a minor gold rush in the region. The two local teams played a "rattling good exhibition" before a "large number of spectators".[2] Another game was set to be played, between CPR and the Town, on March 14.[3] The Rat Portage Hockey Club (which became the Kenora Thistles) was formed in 1894. Hockey was first played in Fort William and Port Arthur in 1896, and teams from the two towns were playing for the Dalton Trophy by 1899. The sport was played in North Bay, Sturgeon Falls, and Warren by around 1897.
Teams from Ottawa, Kingston, Lindsay, and Toronto played for the first Provincial Championship, organized by the OHA, in 1891. Ottawa HC won. The OHA introduced a junior competition in 1892-93 and the intermediate level of play in 1896-97. Ottawa HC, who returned to the AHAC in 1891, challenged for the Stanley Cup in 1894. The club first won the cup in 1903 and retained it until 1906. The Kenora Thistles became the second team from Ontario to claim the Stanley Cup in 1907. The Ottawa Cliffsides won the Allan Cup, awarded to the Canadian senior champions, in its first year of competition in 1909. Senior playoffs commenced in the Ottawa District and Northern Ontario in 1919-20.
The National Hockey Association was formed in 1909 with the Ottawa Senators (HC) as an original team. They lasted until the league itself folded in 1917. The leagure also featured three other Ontario teams in 1909 - Cobalt Silver Kings, Haileybury Comets, and the Renfrew Creamery Kings. Cobalt and Haileybury folded after one season, but the Creamery Kings lasted one more year.
There was no Toronto team until 1912, mainly because of the lack of a suitable arena. In 1912-13 there were two Toronto teams - Toronto Blueshirts and Toronto Tecumsehs. The Blueshirts lasted until the league collapsed in 1917. The Tecumsehs were replaced by the Toronto Ontarios in 1913-14, the Toronto Shamrocks from 1914 to 1916, and the Toronto 228th Battalion in 1916-17.
The Toronto Arenas were an original member of the National Hockey League in 1917. They were only a temporary franchise and folded at the end of the NHL's second season. They were replaced by the Toronto St. Pats in 1919. This team was renamed as the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1926-27 season. The Ottawa Senators were also an original member of the NHL and lasted until 1934, when they were moved to become the St. Louis Eagles.
The Hamilton Tigers were moved from the Quebec Bulldogs in 1920. The team lasted until 1925 when a player strike doomed the team. They were moved to New York City to become the New York Americans.
Overview
| Teams |
|---|
| Major Pro |
| Toronto Maple Leafs (1917-) (NHL) |
| Ottawa Senators (1992-) (NHL) |
| Ottawa Nationals (1972-1973) (WHA) |
| Ottawa Civics (1976) (WHA) |
| Toronto Toros (1973-1976) (WHA) |
| Ottawa Senators (original) (1917-1934) (NHL) (NHA 1910-17) |
| Hamilton Tigers (1920-1925) (NHL) |
| Sault Ste. Marie Marlboros (1904-1907) (IPHL) |
| Cobalt Silver Kings (1909-1910) (NHA) |
| Haileybury Comets (1909-1910) (NHA) |
| Renfrew Creamery Kings (1909-1911) (NHA) |
| Toronto Ontarios/Shamrocks/Tecumsehs (1912-1915) (NHA) |
| Toronto Blueshirts (1912-1917) (NHA) |
| Toronto 228th Battalion (1916-1917) (NHA) |
| Minor Pro |
| Toronto Marlies (2005-) (AHL) |
| Belleville Senators (2017-) (AHL) |
| Cornwall Aces (1993-1996) (AHL) |
| Hamilton Bulldogs (1996-2015) (AHL) |
| Hamilton Canucks (1992-1994) (AHL) |
| Newmarket Saints (1986-1991) (AHL) |
| St. Catharines Saints (1982-1986) (AHL) |
| Toronto Roadrunners (2003-2004) (AHL) |
| Brampton Beast (2013-2020) (ECHL) |
| Chatham Maroons (1949-52; 1963-64) (IHL) |
| Windsor Gotfredsons (1945-1950) (IHL) |
| Windsor Spitfires (1945-1949) IHL) |
| Brantford Smoke (1991-1998) (UHL) |
| Chatham Wheels (1992-1994) (UHL) |
| London Wildcats (1994-1995) (UHL) |
| St. Thomas Wildcats (1991-1994) (UHL) |
| Thunder Bay Thunder Cats (1991-1999) (UHL) |
| Leagues |
| Minor Pro |
| Canadian Professional Hockey League (1926-1930) |
| Canadian-American Hockey League (1926-1936) |
| International Hockey League (1929-1936) |
| Eastern Professional Hockey League (1959-1963) |
| College |
| Ontario University Athletics (1902-) (CIAU 1902-1953) |
| Major Junior |
| Ontario Hockey Association (1970-1974) |
| Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (1974-1980) |
| Ontario Hockey League (1980-) |
| Junior A |
| OHA Junior Championship (1892-1933) |
| OHA Junior A Championship (1933-1970) |
| Northern Ontario Junior Championship (1919-1970) |
| Ottawa District Junior Championship (1924-1965) |
| Central Canada Hockey League (1961-) |
| Ontario Junior Hockey League (1993-) |
| Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League (1970-1977) |
| Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (1972-1987) |
| Metro Junior A Hockey League (1991-1998) |
| Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (2006-) |
| Northern Ontario Junior Hockey Association (1962-1972) |
| Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (1970-) |
| Thunder Bay Junior Hockey League (1918-1980) |
| Superior International Junior Hockey League (2001-) |
| Junior B |
| Sutherland Cup (OHA Championship) (1933-) |
| Northern Ontario Junior B Championship (1938-1975) |
| Western Ontario Junior B Hockey League (1950-1968) |
| Eastern Ontario Junior B Hockey League (1950-1972) |
| Metro Junior B Hockey League (1950-1989) |
| Niagara District Junior B Hockey League (1954-1979) |
| Central Junior B Hockey League (1954-1993) |
| Border Cities Junior B Hockey League (1958-1964) |
| Mid-Ontario Junior B Hockey League (1970-1978) |
| Southwestern Junior B Hockey League (1976-1978) |
| Western Ontario Hockey League (1969-2007) |
| Mid-Western Junior Hockey League (1973-2007) |
| Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League (1974-2007) |
| Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (2007-) |
| Central Canada Hockey League Tier 2 (1966-) |
| Lakehead Junior Hockey League (1993-) |
| Thunder Bay Junior B Hockey League (1932-1989) |
| North of Superior Junior B Hockey League (1996-2004) |
| International Junior B Hockey League (1966-1981) |
| Northwestern Ontario Junior Hockey League (1965-1973) |
| Junior C |
| Clarence Schmalz Cup (OHA Junior Championship) (1937-) |
| Provincial Junior Hockey League (2016-) |
| Central Ontario Junior C Hockey League (1965-2016) |
| Empire B Junior C Hockey League (1989-2016) |
| Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League (1973-2016) |
| Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League (1964-2016) |
| Intercounty Junior C Hockey League (1966-1970) |
| Midwestern Junior C Hockey League (2013-2016) |
| Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League (1974-2016) |
| Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League (2012-2016) |
| Suburban Junior C Hockey League (1955-1970) |
| Western Ontario Junior C Hockey League (1966-2016) |
| Junior D |
| OHA Junior D (various leagues) (1947-2012) |
| Senior |
| OHA Senior Championship (1890-) |
| OHA Senior B Championship (1929-1982) |
| Thunder Bay Senior Championship (1914-2011) |
| Northern Ontario Senior Championship (1919-1972) |
| Ottawa District Senior Championship (1919-1968) |
| OHA Intermediate Championship (1896-1934) |
| OHA Intermediate A (Senior AA) Championship (1934-1991) |
| OHA Intermediate B (Senior A) Championship (1934-2005) |
| OHA Intermediate C (Senior B) Championship (1953-1998) |
| Ottawa District Intermediate Championship (1902-1990) |
| Northern Ontario Intermediate Championship (1922-1984) |
| Thunder Bay Intermediate Championship (1924-1982) |
| Ottawa District Senior Hockey League (1968-1978) |
| Ontario Senior AA Hockey League (Thunder Bay) (1983-1988) |
| Allan Cup Hockey (1990-) |
| Early Leagues (Pre-1910) |
| Central Canada Hockey Association (1896-1897) |
| Federal Amateur Hockey League (1904-1909) |
| Timiskaming Professional Hockey League (1907-1911) |
| New Ontario Hockey League (1907-1912) |
| Ontario Professional Hockey League (1907-1911) |
League, regional and national championships
| Championship | Times won | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Stanley Cup | 35 | Total championships |
| Stanley Cup | 17 | National Hockey League champion |
| NHA Championship | 4 | National Hockey Association champion |
| Calder Cup | 1 | American Hockey League champion |
| Memorial Cup | 47 | Canadian Major-Junior national champion |
| Allan Cup | 46 | Canadian senior national champion |
| Royal Bank Cup | 8 | Canadian Junior "A" national champion |
| Colonial Cup | 4 | United Hockey League champion |
| Keystone Cup | 1 | Western Canada Junior "B" champion |
| NWHL Championship Cup | 4 | National Women's Hockey League championship |
| University Cup | 15 | CIS national men's university champion |
| CIS Women's Championship | 2 | CIS national women's university champion |
See also
References
| Canadian Provinces | |
 Alberta -  British Columbia -  Manitoba -  Newfoundland and Labrador -  New Brunswick
| |
 Nova Scotia -  Ontario -  Prince Edward Island -  Quebec -  Saskatchewan
| |
Territories:  Northwest Territories -  Nunavut -  Yukon
| |