Ontario Professional Hockey League
Encyclopedia
The Ontario Professional Hockey League (OPHL), sometimes referred to as the Trolley League, and also known as the Canadian Hockey League in its time, was a professional ice hockey
league in Canada
. It was Canada's first fully professional league and consisted of teams from Toronto
and surrounding communities. The league's annual champion would challenge for the Stanley Cup
, but none were successful.
and other teams with attendances of over 1,000 per game. In early November 1907, the International League had folded, reducing the number of opponents for Toronto, who could not play any amateur teams in Ontario. At the annual meeting of the Toronto team on November 7, the first discussions of a possible league were held. A founding meeting was held in Berlin, Ontario (now Kitchener
) on November 12 where a league was formed with Berlin, Brantford
, Guelph
, and Toronto. The league's initial name was the "Canadian Hockey League" and the officers were:
The league was organized at a meeting on November 22 in Guelph where the schedule was set. The rules would be based on the Ontario Hockey Association
and the International League. Representatives of Galt had shown interest in being a part of the league but withdrew their application.
in 1908, losing to the champion Montreal Wanderers
from the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association
(ECAHA). In the 1908 off-season, Brantford left the league and was replaced by Galt and St. Catharines
. Galt would win the OPHL championship and Galt challenged for the Stanley Cup in January 1909, losing to Ottawa team of the ECAHA. After the 1909 season, Guelph, St. Catharines and Toronto left the league.
In 1910 the OPHL added the Waterloo Colts to become a four-team league. Berlin got off to such a strong start in the season, that the league decided to start a new season in later January. In March 1910, Berlin challenged the Wanderers for the Cup and were defeated. The league's final attempt to win the Cup came a year later in March 1911, with Galt again losing to Ottawa, which now played in the National Hockey Association
(NHA) .
The league disbanded after the 1911 season. The OPHL teams were raided for players by the NHA after the NHA was itself raided for players by the Pacific Coast Hockey Association
(PCHA). Players who left included Eddie Oatman
, Jack McDonald and Goldie Prodgers. The Moncton Victorias of the Maritime Professional Hockey League
(MPHL) signed nearly all of the champion Galt team's players. The Victorias would win the MPHL championship and challenge NHA champion Quebec.
A namesake league would play for one season in 1930–31 with teams in Galt, Guelph, Kitchener, Niagara Falls, Oshawa and Stratford.
† Guelph and St. Catharines withdrew after six games of the schedule.
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...
league in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It was Canada's first fully professional league and consisted of teams from 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...
and surrounding communities. The league's annual champion would challenge for the 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...
, but none were successful.
Founding
The Ontario Professional Hockey League was organized in November 1907. The Toronto Professionals had been playing exhibition games against teams of the International Professional Hockey LeagueInternational Professional Hockey League
The International Professional Hockey League was the first fully professional ice hockey league, operating from 1904 to 1907. It was formed by Jack 'Doc' Gibson, a dentist who played hockey throughout Ontario before settling in Houghton, Michigan. The IPHL was a five team circuit which included...
and other teams with attendances of over 1,000 per game. In early November 1907, the International League had folded, reducing the number of opponents for Toronto, who could not play any amateur teams in Ontario. At the annual meeting of the Toronto team on November 7, the first discussions of a possible league were held. A founding meeting was held in Berlin, Ontario (now Kitchener
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
) on November 12 where a league was formed with Berlin, Brantford
Brantford, Ontario
Brantford is a city located on the Grand River in Southern Ontario, Canada. While geographically surrounded by the County of Brant, the city is politically independent...
, Guelph
Guelph, Ontario
Guelph is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Waterloo and west of downtown Toronto at the intersection of Highway 6 and Highway 7. It is the seat of Wellington County, but is politically independent of it...
, and Toronto. The league's initial name was the "Canadian Hockey League" and the officers were:
- J. P. DowneyJoseph Patrick DowneyJoseph Patrick "Joe" Downey was an Ontario journalist and political figure. He represented Wellington South in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1902 to 1910 as a Conservative member....
, M.P.P., Guelph, Hon. President, - Alex Mine, Toronto, President
- A. B. Burnley, Brantford, Vice-President
- N. E. Irving, Guelph, Secretary
- Otto Vogelsang, Berlin, Treasurer
- J. C. Palmer, Toronto, George Roehmer, Berlin, J. A. Fitzgerald, Guelph and Roy Brown, Brantford (executive)
The league was organized at a meeting on November 22 in Guelph where the schedule was set. The rules would be based on the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
and the International League. Representatives of Galt had shown interest in being a part of the league but withdrew their application.
Seasons
The Toronto team became league champions in the OPHL's first season and challenged for the Stanley CupStanley 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...
in 1908, losing to the champion 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...
from 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...
(ECAHA). In the 1908 off-season, Brantford left the league and was replaced by Galt and St. Catharines
St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, Canada, with 97.11 square kilometres of land...
. Galt would win the OPHL championship and Galt challenged for the Stanley Cup in January 1909, losing to Ottawa team of the ECAHA. After the 1909 season, Guelph, St. Catharines and Toronto left the league.
In 1910 the OPHL added the Waterloo Colts to become a four-team league. Berlin got off to such a strong start in the season, that the league decided to start a new season in later January. In March 1910, Berlin challenged the Wanderers for the Cup and were defeated. The league's final attempt to win the Cup came a year later in March 1911, with Galt again losing to Ottawa, which now played in 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 league disbanded after the 1911 season. The OPHL teams were raided for players by the NHA after the NHA was itself raided for players by 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). Players who left included Eddie Oatman
Eddie Oatman
Edward Cole "Eddie" Oatman was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was among the elite goal scorers of his era. Among his 32 years playing professional ice hockey, Eddie was named an all-star for ten consecutive seasons by the Pacific Coast Hockey Association...
, Jack McDonald and Goldie Prodgers. The Moncton Victorias of the Maritime Professional Hockey League
Maritime Professional Hockey League
The Maritime Professional Hockey League was a professional men's ice hockey league operating in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia from around 1910 until 1915. Two of the league's champions challenged for the Stanley Cup...
(MPHL) signed nearly all of the champion Galt team's players. The Victorias would win the MPHL championship and challenge NHA champion Quebec.
A namesake league would play for one season in 1930–31 with teams in Galt, Guelph, Kitchener, Niagara Falls, Oshawa and Stratford.
Teams
| Season | Teams | Champion |
|---|---|---|
| 1908 1908 OPHL season The 1908 OPHL season was the first season of the Ontario Professional Hockey League. The Toronto Professional Hockey Club had the best record to win the league championship.-Final standings:Source: -Exhibitions:... |
Berlin Dutchmen Berlin Dutchmen The Berlin Dutchmen were an early professional ice hockey team operating out of Berlin, Ontario, from 1907 in the Ontario Professional Hockey League . The Berlin team is notable for challenging for the Stanley Cup in 1910 versus the Montreal Wanderers... , Brantford Indians, Guelph Royals Guelph Royals (hockey) The Guelph Royals were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1960 to 1963. The team was based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada and played home games at the Guelph Memorial Gardens. They were affiliated with the NHL New York Rangers... , Toronto |
Toronto (best record) |
| 1909† | Berlin, Brantford, Galt Professionals, Guelph, St. Catharines Pros, Toronto | Galt (one-game playoff against Brantford) |
| 1910 | Berlin, Brantford, Galt, Waterloo | Berlin (best record) |
| 1911 | Berlin, Brantford, Galt, Waterloo | Galt (one-game playoff against Waterloo) |
† Guelph and St. Catharines withdrew after six games of the schedule.