1909 FHL season
Encyclopedia
The 1909 Federal Hockey League
(FHL) season was the sixth and final season of the league. The league had four teams participate this season, Cornwall, returning and three new entries, Ottawa Senators
, Renfrew Creamery Kings
and Smith's Falls. Smith's Falls had previously played in the league. Renfrew was the class of the league, winning all of its games to claim the championship.
Cornwall had difficulty fielding a competitive team, signing junior-age players for several games. The Senators played an exhibition game against Edmonton after their Stanley Cup challenge of the Montreal Wanderers
, losing 4–2. The Senators did not draw at the box office, as both the Ottawa HC and the Ottawa Cliffsides
drew more fans to The Arena
in Ottawa, finishing with only 200 fans attending their last game on February 15.
Source: Ottawa Citizen, January 9–February 16, 1909
as a tune-up for a possible Stanley Cup
challenge versus Ottawa HC
of the Eastern Canada Hockey Association, winning 10–3. Renfrew played two exhibitions with the Montreal Wanderers, in Renfrew, losing 8–11, and in Brockville, losing 5–6.
Renfrew's challenge was stymied by the Stanley Cup trustees because Renfrew had signed players that were signed to other professional clubs. The trustees made those players who had joined teams after January 2 ineligible for Challenge play. Renfrew had signed Bert Lindsay
, Didier Pitre
and Steve Vair
from Edmonton after their exhibition game in Ottawa. The players themselves were 'ringers' for Edmonton, not having played in the previous season for Edmonton, only signing for the Cup challenge. Renfrew had also signed Quebec's Eddie Hogan January 11th and Jack McDonald February 13th.
Federal Amateur Hockey League
The Federal Amateur Hockey League was a Canadian men's senior-level ice hockey league that played six seasons from 1904 to 1909. The league was formed initially to provide a league for teams not accepted by the rival Canadian Amateur Hockey League . One team, the Montreal Le National, was the first...
(FHL) season was the sixth and final season of the league. The league had four teams participate this season, Cornwall, returning and three new entries, Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators (FHL)
The Ottawa Senators were a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Canada which played one season in the Federal Hockey League in 1909 before the formation of the National Hockey Association. The club was formed to help boost the rivalry between the Federal League and the Eastern Canada...
, Renfrew Creamery Kings
Renfrew Creamery Kings
The Renfrew Hockey Club, also known as the Creamery Kings and the "Renfrew Millionaires" was a founding franchise in 1909 of the National Hockey Association, the precursor to the National Hockey League...
and Smith's Falls. Smith's Falls had previously played in the league. Renfrew was the class of the league, winning all of its games to claim the championship.
Season
The season started on January 8 with a game between Smith's Falls and Cornwall. A game arranged for that night between Renfrew and the Senators was postponed, necessitating a new schedule, and the season started in full gear on January 15, with the Senators visiting Smith's Falls.Cornwall had difficulty fielding a competitive team, signing junior-age players for several games. The Senators played an exhibition game against Edmonton after their Stanley Cup challenge of the Montreal Wanderers
Montreal Wanderers
The Montreal Wanderers were a Canadian amateur, and later becoming a professional men's ice hockey team. The team played in the Federal Amateur Hockey League , the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association , the National Hockey Association and briefly the National Hockey League . The Wanderers are...
, losing 4–2. The Senators did not draw at the box office, as both the Ottawa HC and the Ottawa Cliffsides
Ottawa Cliffsides
The Ottawa Cliffsides were a senior ice hockey team that played in the Inter-Provincial Amateur Hockey Union from 1908-1911.They were the first winner of the Allan Cup in 1909 when the cup was given to the winner of the Inter-provincial Hockey League...
drew more fans to The Arena
The Arena, Ottawa
The Arena, also known as Dey's Arena was an arena for ice hockey located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was the home of the Ottawa Hockey Club from 1908 to 1923. It was the third in a series of ice hockey venues built by the Dey family of Ottawa...
in Ottawa, finishing with only 200 fans attending their last game on February 15.
Final Standing
| Team | Games Played | Wins | Losses | Ties | Goals For | Goals Against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renfrew Creamery Kings Renfrew Creamery Kings The Renfrew Hockey Club, also known as the Creamery Kings and the "Renfrew Millionaires" was a founding franchise in 1909 of the National Hockey Association, the precursor to the National Hockey League... |
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| Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators (FHL) The Ottawa Senators were a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Canada which played one season in the Federal Hockey League in 1909 before the formation of the National Hockey Association. The club was formed to help boost the rivalry between the Federal League and the Eastern Canada... |
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| Smith's Falls | |
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| Cornwall HC | |
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Results
| Month | Day | Visitor | Score | Home | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. | 8 | Smith's Falls | 4 | Cornwall | 5 |
| 14 | Cornwall | 12 | Renfrew | 24 | |
| 15 | Senators | 12 | Smith's Falls | 3 | |
| 21 | Renfrew | 9 | Senators | 2 | |
| 21 | Cornwall | 5 | Smith's Falls | 12 | |
| 29 | Smith's Falls | 3 | Renfrew | 23 | |
| 29 | Senators | 9 | Cornwall | 5 | |
| Feb. | 5 | Smith's Falls | 9 | Senators | 8 |
| 5 | Renfrew | 7 | Cornwall | 3 | |
| 10 | Renfrew | 18 | Smith's Falls | 4 | |
| 12 | Cornwall | 0 | Senators | 4 | |
| 15 | Senators | 2 | Renfrew | 12 | |
Source: Ottawa Citizen, January 9–February 16, 1909
Stanley Cup challenge
After the season, Renfrew played Cobalt of the Timiskaming Professional Hockey LeagueTimiskaming Professional Hockey League
The Timiskaming Professional Hockey League was a minor professional ice hockey league based in the area of Lake Timiskaming, Canada. Founded in 1906, the league is notable for providing teams and Ambrose O'Brien, the founder of the National Hockey Association, which became today's National Hockey...
as a tune-up for a possible Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
challenge versus Ottawa HC
Ottawa Senators (original)
The Ottawa Senators were an amateur, and later, professional, ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Canada which existed from 1883 to 1954. The club was the first hockey club in Ontario, a founding member of the National Hockey League and played in the NHL from 1917 until 1934...
of the Eastern Canada Hockey Association, winning 10–3. Renfrew played two exhibitions with the Montreal Wanderers, in Renfrew, losing 8–11, and in Brockville, losing 5–6.
Renfrew's challenge was stymied by the Stanley Cup trustees because Renfrew had signed players that were signed to other professional clubs. The trustees made those players who had joined teams after January 2 ineligible for Challenge play. Renfrew had signed Bert Lindsay
Bert Lindsay
Leslie Bertrand Lindsay was a professional ice hockey goaltender in the National Hockey Association , Pacific Coast Hockey Association and National Hockey League...
, Didier Pitre
Didier Pitre
Joseph George Didier "Cannonball" Pitre was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward. He was nicked named "Cannonball". One of the first players to join the Montreal Canadiens, Pitre's French-Canadian heritage helped give his line-mates the nickname the Flying Frenchmen, brought upon by his...
and Steve Vair
Steve Vair
Steve Vair was a professional ice hockey player who played in various professional and amateur leagues, including the National Hockey Association. Amongst the teams he for played with were the Cobalt Silver Kings, Toronto Tecumsehs, and Renfrew Creamery Kings....
from Edmonton after their exhibition game in Ottawa. The players themselves were 'ringers' for Edmonton, not having played in the previous season for Edmonton, only signing for the Cup challenge. Renfrew had also signed Quebec's Eddie Hogan January 11th and Jack McDonald February 13th.
See also
- Federal Amateur Hockey LeagueFederal Amateur Hockey LeagueThe Federal Amateur Hockey League was a Canadian men's senior-level ice hockey league that played six seasons from 1904 to 1909. The league was formed initially to provide a league for teams not accepted by the rival Canadian Amateur Hockey League . One team, the Montreal Le National, was the first...
- 1909 ECHA season
- List of pre-NHL seasons
- List of ice hockey leagues