Haileybury Hockey Club
Encyclopedia
The Haileybury Hockey Club (also known as the Haileybury Comets) of Haileybury, Ontario, was a professional ice hockey
club established in the early 1900s, which is most notable as a member of the National Hockey Association
which it played in during the 1910 season
. Established to capitalize on the then-current mining boom in northern Ontario, it became clear that the town was too small to support major professional hockey, and the team left the NHA after that season.
(TPHL), a collection of teams sponsored by local mine owners. The club was owned by the O'Brien family, based in Renfrew, Ontario
which owned silver mines, railways and railway construction companies. The TPHL existed as entertainment for the miners in the remote towns of northern Ontario, the teams playthings for the owners to bet extravagantly on.
In 1909, Haileybury earned notoriety in ice hockey circles, luring professional players such as Con Corbeau
, Skene Ronan
and Harry Smith
away from teams in the Ontario Professional Hockey League
(OPHL) and the Eastern Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (ECHA). At the time, mine owners made large wagers on the play of the teams in the league and O'Brien could afford to entice players to break contracts and join Haileybury.
When the Federal League
Renfrew Creamery Kings
team failed to join the new Canadian Hockey Association (CHA) in November 1909, Ambrose O'Brien organized the National Hockey Association
and included Haileybury and his other TPHL team the Cobalt Silver Kings
in the league, along with the Montreal Wanderers
, Les Canadiens
and Renfrew, which he had to buy so as to enter the team in the NHA.
In 1910, Haileybury's one season in the NHA, their record was four wins and eight losses, scoring 77 goals
for and 83 goals against. Notable players included Alex Currie
, Art Ross
, Paddy Moran and Skene Ronan
. Haileybury's leading scorer was Horace Gaul
with 22 goals, good for seventh in the NHA that season.
After the 1910 season, the club's owner, Renfrew
mining tycoon Ambrose O'Brien withdrew Haileybury from the NHA. The TPHL was resurrected and Haileybury resumed play in the TPHL for the 1910–11 season, the final season of the TPHL, afterwards continuing in the Timiskaming Senior League until 1915.
The Haileybury NHA franchise itself was transferred to Montreal wrestler and sports promoter George Kennedy
, owner of the "Club Athlétique Canadien", who took over the Montreal Canadiens
hockey club. Kennedy claimed rights to the "Canadiens" name and threatened to sue O'Brien over the use of the name by O'Brien's 'Les Canadiens' club. In an unusual settlement, Kennedy took over the Haileybury franchise rather than the Canadiens franchise and O'Brien kept the Montreal franchise. The Les Canadiens players and name were transferred to Kennedy.
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...
club established in the early 1900s, which is most notable as a member 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...
which it played in during the 1910 season
1910 NHA season
The 1910 NHA season was the first season of the National Hockey Association men's ice hockey league. The season started on January 5, but was suspended immediately and the league then absorbed the Ottawa and Shamrocks teams of the Canadian Hockey Association and the season continued from January 15...
. Established to capitalize on the then-current mining boom in northern Ontario, it became clear that the town was too small to support major professional hockey, and the team left the NHA after that season.
History
The Haileybury club was founded in 1906 as one of the teams 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...
(TPHL), a collection of teams sponsored by local mine owners. The club was owned by the O'Brien family, based in Renfrew, Ontario
Renfrew, Ontario
Renfrew, Ontario, Canada, is a town on the Bonnechere River in Renfrew County. Located one hour west of Ottawa in Eastern Ontario, Renfrew is the third largest town in the county after Petawawa and Pembroke. The town is a small transportation hub connecting Ontario Highway 60 and Highway 132 with...
which owned silver mines, railways and railway construction companies. The TPHL existed as entertainment for the miners in the remote towns of northern Ontario, the teams playthings for the owners to bet extravagantly on.
In 1909, Haileybury earned notoriety in ice hockey circles, luring professional players such as Con Corbeau
Con Corbeau
Connie "Con" Corbeau was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey Association for the Toronto Blueshirts playing defence. Corbeau was with the blueshirts when they won the Stanley Cup in 1914. He was included on the 1914 Toronto Blueshirts team picture...
, Skene Ronan
Skene Ronan
Erskine Rockliffe Ronan was a Canadian professional hockey player who played 10 professional seasons. Ronan played the majority of his professional career in the National Hockey Association and played one season in its successor league, the National Hockey League in 1918–19 as a member of the...
and Harry Smith
Harry Smith (ice hockey)
Harold Henry "Harry" Smith was a professional Canadian ice hockey player who played 98 games in various professional and amateur leagues, including the National Hockey Association and Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association...
away from teams in the Ontario Professional Hockey League
Ontario Professional Hockey League
-External links:*...
(OPHL) and the Eastern Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (ECHA). At the time, mine owners made large wagers on the play of the teams in the league and O'Brien could afford to entice players to break contracts and join Haileybury.
When the Federal League
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...
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...
team failed to join the new Canadian Hockey Association (CHA) in November 1909, Ambrose O'Brien organized 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...
and included Haileybury and his other TPHL team the Cobalt Silver Kings
Cobalt Silver Kings
The Cobalt Silver Kings are a defunct ice hockey club which played in Cobalt, Ontario, Canada from 1906 to 1911, notably during the 1910 NHA season, founding season of the National Hockey Association forerunner of today's National Hockey League...
in the league, along with 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...
, Les Canadiens
Les Canadiens
Les Canadiens was the original name of the Montreal Canadiens Canadian ice hockey team in the National Hockey Association, as used in the 1910 season...
and Renfrew, which he had to buy so as to enter the team in the NHA.
In 1910, Haileybury's one season in the NHA, their record was four wins and eight losses, scoring 77 goals
Goal (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to...
for and 83 goals against. Notable players included Alex Currie
Alex Currie
Alex John Currie , was head coach of the original Ottawa Senators for the 1925/26 NHL season and, as a player for the Senators, he won the Stanley Cup in the 1910/11 NHA season.-Playing career:...
, Art Ross
Art Ross
Arthur Howey "Art" Ross was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman and executive from 1905 until 1954. Regarded as one of the best defenders of his era by his peers, he was one of the first to skate with the puck up the ice rather than pass it to a forward...
, Paddy Moran and Skene Ronan
Skene Ronan
Erskine Rockliffe Ronan was a Canadian professional hockey player who played 10 professional seasons. Ronan played the majority of his professional career in the National Hockey Association and played one season in its successor league, the National Hockey League in 1918–19 as a member of the...
. Haileybury's leading scorer was Horace Gaul
Horace Gaul
Horace Joseph Gaul was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played from 1904 until 1913 most notably with the Pittsburgh Professionals, Haileybury Comets, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Tecumsehs.-Playing career:...
with 22 goals, good for seventh in the NHA that season.
After the 1910 season, the club's owner, Renfrew
Renfrew, Ontario
Renfrew, Ontario, Canada, is a town on the Bonnechere River in Renfrew County. Located one hour west of Ottawa in Eastern Ontario, Renfrew is the third largest town in the county after Petawawa and Pembroke. The town is a small transportation hub connecting Ontario Highway 60 and Highway 132 with...
mining tycoon Ambrose O'Brien withdrew Haileybury from the NHA. The TPHL was resurrected and Haileybury resumed play in the TPHL for the 1910–11 season, the final season of the TPHL, afterwards continuing in the Timiskaming Senior League until 1915.
The Haileybury NHA franchise itself was transferred to Montreal wrestler and sports promoter George Kennedy
George Kennedy (sports promoter)
George Washington Kendall , known professionally as George Kennedy, was a Canadian sports promoter best known as the owner of the Montreal Canadiens ice hockey team from 1910 to 1921. Kennedy was a wrestler himself and after the end of his wrestling career turned to wrestling promotion...
, owner of the "Club Athlétique Canadien", who took over the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
hockey club. Kennedy claimed rights to the "Canadiens" name and threatened to sue O'Brien over the use of the name by O'Brien's 'Les Canadiens' club. In an unusual settlement, Kennedy took over the Haileybury franchise rather than the Canadiens franchise and O'Brien kept the Montreal franchise. The Les Canadiens players and name were transferred to Kennedy.