Emmett Quinn
Encyclopedia
Thomas Emmett Quinn ) was a Canadian ice hockey
executive, coach
and referee
. Quinn served as president of the National Hockey Association
(NHA), the predecessor of today's National Hockey League
(NHL). His brother Percy Quinn
was also an ice hockey executive. At the time of his death, Quinn was a Fire Commissioner in Montreal.
in the 1906–07 season
. He was replaced after the season and worked as a referee for the 1907–08 season. He was the referee of the game, in Cornwall, Ontario
in February, 1907 in which Owen McCourt
died as a result of his on-ice injuries. He returned to coaching, for the Quebec Bulldogs
of the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association
(ECHA) in 1908–09. He also served as the ECHA's secretary-treasurer.
In 1909, he was part of the dissolution of the ECHA. He became the Canadian Hockey Association's secretary-treasurer. When that league dissolved, he joined the National Hockey Association
(NHA) as secretary-treasurer.
In 1910, he was appointed president of the NHA. He held the position until October 18, 1916 when he resigned. During his tenure, the league moved into Quebec
and Toronto
, relocating franchises in northern Ontario
that had been members of the Temiscaming Professional Hockey League. Under his tenure, the league imposed a salary cap on its players. The Pacific Coast Hockey Association
(PCHA) was founded in 1911, and it became the NHA's major competitor, albeit in western cities, while the NHA operated in eastern cities. Quinn negotiated agreements between the leagues for the first regular Stanley Cup
playoffs, holding finals between the two leagues for the Cup, ending the time period of Stanley Cup "challenges" under the control of the Cup's trustees. He also negotiated agreements to respect each league's player contracts and a controlled draft for the transfer of players between the leagues. The league also felt the pressures of World War I
, which led to many of its players joining the war effort and Quinn was president when the league allowed an army team of professional hockey players to play in the 1916–17 NHA season. Quinn resigned from his position as president of the NHA over the league's dealings with the Toronto franchise, which led to its suspension and the reformation of the league as today's National Hockey League
. He ended his involvement with hockey entirely.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
executive, coach
Coach (ice hockey)
Coach in ice hockey is the person responsible for directing the team during games and practices, prepares strategy and decides which players will participate in games....
and referee
Referee
A referee is the person of authority, in a variety of sports, who is responsible for presiding over the game from a neutral point of view and making on the fly decisions that enforce the rules of the sport...
. Quinn served as president of the National Hockey Association
National Hockey Association
The National Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey organization with teams in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is the direct predecessor organization to today's National Hockey League...
(NHA), the predecessor of today's National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). His brother Percy Quinn
Percy Quinn
John Purcell Quinn was a Canadian athlete, businessman, sports promoter and politician in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was the owner and president of the Toronto Blueshirts, winners of the Stanley Cup in 1914. He was a member of the world champion Montreal Shamrocks lacrosse team in 1896...
was also an ice hockey executive. At the time of his death, Quinn was a Fire Commissioner in Montreal.
Ice hockey career
Quinn first became notable in the field of ice hockey as a coach of the Montreal ShamrocksMontreal Shamrocks
The Montreal Shamrocks were an amateur, later professional, men's ice hockey club in existence from 1886, merging with the Montreal Crystals club in 1896. They won the Stanley Cup ice hockey championship in 1899 and 1900...
in the 1906–07 season
1907 ECAHA season
The 1907 Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association season lasted from January 3 until March 10. Teams played a ten game schedule. The Montreal Wanderers won the league championship going undefeated, with their only loss of the season coming in a Stanley Cup challenge series with...
. He was replaced after the season and worked as a referee for the 1907–08 season. He was the referee of the game, in Cornwall, Ontario
Cornwall, Ontario
Cornwall is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada and the seat of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Ontario. Cornwall is Ontario's easternmost city, located on the St...
in February, 1907 in which Owen McCourt
Owen McCourt
Owen "Bud" McCourt was a Canadian ice hockey forward noteworthy as the first player in senior North American hockey play to die as a result of on-ice injuries...
died as a result of his on-ice injuries. He returned to coaching, for the Quebec Bulldogs
Quebec Bulldogs
The Quebec Bulldogs were a men's senior-level ice hockey team officially known as the Quebec Hockey Club, later as the Quebec Athletic Club. Their recorded play goes back as far as the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada in 1889, although the Quebec Hockey Club is known to have played since 1880...
of the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association
Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association
The Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association was a men's amateur, later professional ice hockey league in Canada that played four seasons. It was founded on December 11, 1905 with six clubs: four from the Canadian Amateur Hockey League and two from the Federal Amateur Hockey League, to bring...
(ECHA) in 1908–09. He also served as the ECHA's secretary-treasurer.
In 1909, he was part of the dissolution of the ECHA. He became the Canadian Hockey Association's secretary-treasurer. When that league dissolved, he joined the National Hockey Association
National Hockey Association
The National Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey organization with teams in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is the direct predecessor organization to today's National Hockey League...
(NHA) as secretary-treasurer.
In 1910, he was appointed president of the NHA. He held the position until October 18, 1916 when he resigned. During his tenure, the league moved into Quebec
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, relocating franchises in northern Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
that had been members of the Temiscaming Professional Hockey League. Under his tenure, the league imposed a salary cap on its players. The Pacific Coast Hockey Association
Pacific Coast Hockey Association
The Pacific Coast Hockey Association was a professional men's ice hockey league in western Canada and the western United States, which operated from 1911 to 1924 when it then merged with the Western Canada Hockey League...
(PCHA) was founded in 1911, and it became the NHA's major competitor, albeit in western cities, while the NHA operated in eastern cities. Quinn negotiated agreements between the leagues for the first regular 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...
playoffs, holding finals between the two leagues for the Cup, ending the time period of Stanley Cup "challenges" under the control of the Cup's trustees. He also negotiated agreements to respect each league's player contracts and a controlled draft for the transfer of players between the leagues. The league also felt the pressures of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, which led to many of its players joining the war effort and Quinn was president when the league allowed an army team of professional hockey players to play in the 1916–17 NHA season. Quinn resigned from his position as president of the NHA over the league's dealings with the Toronto franchise, which led to its suspension and the reformation of the league as today's National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
. He ended his involvement with hockey entirely.