Amateur Hockey Leagues formed the basis of hockey as we know it today. Starting with the Amateur Hockey Association in 1893 we look at these leagues and their history over time. In addition we look at the development of the Senior Hockey Leagues throughout North America.

Canadian Amateur Hockey League (1889-1905)

The Canadian Amateur Hockey League was founded in 1898, replacing the the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada in the 1898-99 season. The league existed for seven seasons, folding in 1905 and replaced by the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association. The league had five teams for each of the first six seasons and expanded to six in its last season.

During the time the league operated the Stanley Cup was contended for on a "challenge system" but also awarded to the champions of the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada.

Canadian Amateur Hockey League
(1889-1905) Franchises

Montreal AAA (1899-1905)
Montreal Shamrocks (1899-1905)
Montreal Victorias (1899-1905)
Ottawa Hockey Club (1899-1904)
Quebec Hockey Club (1899-1905)
Montreal Nationals (1905)
Montreal Westmont (1905)

Canadian Amateur Hockey League
(1889-1905) Champions

Season Review of Challenges/Standings

Year
Champion
Runner-Up
     
1905
Montreal Victorias
Quebec Hockey Club
1904
Quebec Hockey Club
Montreal Victorias
1903
Ottawa Hockey Club
Montreal Victorias
1902
Montreal AAA
Ottawa Hockey Club
1901
Ottawa Hockey Club
Montreal Victorias
1900
Montreal Shamrocks
Montreal AAA
1899
Montreal Shamrocks
Montreal Victorias

During the years the Canadian Amateur Hockey League was in operation the Stanley Cup was awarded via the challenge system. It was also during the early 1900's that professional hockey was starting to find it's roots and an expansion of hockey leagues was occuring. This resulted in challenges occuring from the Federal Hockey League, the Manitoba Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey Association and some independent teams. Since there was also some movement of teams through the leagues and as such we have noted which league was represented by the champions.

On January 30, 1904, a league game between the Ottawa Silver Seven and the Montreal Victorias started late and both teams agreed to end the game at midnight, with the Silver Seven leading 4-1. The CAHL ordered instead the game to be replayed instead of aborted, and the ensuing debate caused the Silver Seven withdrawing from the CAHL. The CAHL hoped that, now without Ottawa, the Cup would remain with the CAHL and become the property of its Quebec team, while the Stanley Cup trustees determined otherwise. For a while, the Otawa Silver Seven were not affiliated with any league, but in 1905, they would join the rival Federal Amateur Hockey League.

Year Stanley Cup Champion How Claimed Challenge
       
1898-99 Montreal Victorias Challenge Feb.15, 1899: Montreal Victorias 2, Winnipeg Victorias 1
Feb.18, 1899: Montreal Victorias 3, Winnipeg Victorias 2
  Montreal Shamrocks Champions CAHL  
  Montreal Shamrocks Challenge March 14, 1899: Montreal Shamrocks 6, Queen's University 2
1899-1900 Montreal Shamrocks Challenge Feb.12, 1900: Montreal Shamrocks 4, Winnipeg Victorias 3
Feb.14, 1900: Winnipeg Victorias 3, Montreal Shamrocks 2
Feb.16, 1900: Montreal Shamrocks 5, Winnipeg Victorias 4 (Montreal wins series 2-1)
  Montreal Shamrocks Challenge March 5, 1900: Montreal Shamrocks 10, Halifax 2
March 7, 1900: Montreal Shamrocks 11, Halifax 0
1900-01 Winnipeg Victorias Challenge Jan. 29, 1901: at Montreal Winnipeg 4 Montreal Shamrocks (CAHL) 3
Jan. 31, 1901: at Montreal, Winnipeg 2 Montreal Shamrocks (CAHL) 1
1901-02 Winnipeg Victorias Challenge Jan. 21, 1902: at Winnipeg Winnipeg 5 Toronto Wellingtons (OHA) 3
Jan. 23, 1902: at Winnipeg Winnipeg 5 Toronto Wellingtons (OHA) 3
  Montreal AAA (CAHL) Challenge Mar. 13, 1902: at Winnipeg Winnipeg Victorias (MHL) 1 Montreal 0
Mar. 15, 1902: at Winnipeg Montreal 5 Winnipeg Victorias (MHL) 0
Mar. 17, 1902: at Winnipeg Montreal 2 Winnipeg Victorias (MHL) 1
Montreal A.A.A. defeated Winnipeg Victorias 2 games to 1
1902-03 Montreal AAA (CAHL) Challenge Jan. 29, 1903: at Montreal Montreal 8 Winnipeg Victorias (MHL) 1
Jan. 31, 1903: at Montreal Montreal 2 Winnipeg Victorias (MHL) 2
Feb. 2, 1903: at Montreal Winnipeg Victorias (MHL) 4 Montreal 2
Feb. 4, 1903: at Montreal Montreal 4 Winnipeg Victorias (MHL) 1
Montreal A.A.A. defeated Winnipeg Victorias 2 games to 1 - 1 tied.
  Ottawa Silver Seven (CAHL) Challenge Mar. 7, 1903 at Montreal Montreal Victorias (CAHL) 1 Ottawa 1
Mar. 10, 1903: at Ottawa Ottawa 8 Montreal Victorias (CAHL) 0
  Ottawa Silver Seven (CAHL) Challenge Mar. 12, 1903: at Ottawa Ottawa 6 Rat Portage 2
Mar. 14, 1903: at Ottawa Ottawa 4 Rat Portage 2
Ottawa Silver Seven defeated Rat Portage (Kenora) Thistles 10 goals to 4.
1903-04 Ottawa Silver Seven (CAHL) Challenge December 30, 1903, at Ottawa Ottawa 9 Winnipeg 1
Jan. 1, 1904: at Ottawa Winnipeg 6 Ottawa 0
Jan. 4, 1904: at Ottawa Ottawa 2 Winnipeg 0
Ottawa Silver Seven defeated Winnipeg Rowing Club 2 games to 1.
  Ottawa Silver Seven Challenge Feb. 23, 1904: at Ottawa Ottawa 6 Toronto 3
Feb. 25, 1904: at Ottawa Ottawa 11 Toronto 2
Ottawa Silver Seven defeated Toronto Marlboroughs (OHA) 17 goals to 5
  Ottawa Silver Seven Challenge Mar. 2, 1904: at Montreal Ottawa 5 Montreal Wanderers (FAHL) 5. Following the tie game, a new two game series was ordered to be played in Ottawa. Wanderers refused unless the tie game
was replayed in Montreal. No settlement could be reached. The series was abandoned and Ottawa retained the Stanley Cup. A two game challenge series from Brandon Wheat Kings was accepted.
  Ottawa Silver Seven Challenge Mar. 9, 1904: at Ottawa Ottawa 6 Brandon 3
Mar. 11, 1904: at Ottawa Ottawa 9 Brandon 3
Ottawa Silver Seven defeated Brandon Wheat Kings (MNHL) 15 goals to 6
1904-05 Ottawa Silver Seven (FAHL) Challenge Jan. 13, 1905: at Ottawa Ottawa 9 Dawson City 2
Jan. 16, 1905: at Ottawa Ottawa 23 Dawson City 2
Ottawa Silver Seven defeated Dawson City Klondikers (Dawson City Nuggets) 32 goals to 4
  Ottawa Silver Seven (FAHL) Challenge Mar. 7, 1905: at Ottawa Rat Portage 9 Ottawa 3
Mar. 9, 1905: at Ottawa Ottawa 4 Rat Portage 2.
Mar. 11, 1905: at Ottawa Ottawa 5 Rat Portage 4
Ottawa Silver Seven defeated Rat Portage (Kenora) Thistles 2 games to 1

Canadian Amateur Hockey League
(1889-1905) Seasons

1899
GP
Win
Lose
Tie
GF
GA
Points
 
Montreal Shamrocks
8
7
1
0
40
21
14
Montreal Victorias
8
6
2
0
44
23
12
Ottawa Hockey Club
8
4
4
0
21
43
8
Montreal AAA
8
3
5
0
30
29
6
Quebec Hockey Club
8
0
8
0
12
31
0
 
1900
GP
Win
Lose
Tie
GF
GA
Points
 
Montreal Shamrocks
8
7
1
0
49
26
14
Montreal AAA
8
5
3
0
34
36
10
Ottawa Hockey Club
8
4
4
0
28
19
8
Montreal Victorias
8
2
6
0
44
55
4
Quebec Hockey Club
8
2
6
0
33
52
4
               
1901
GP
Win
Lose
Tie
GF
GA
Points
               
Ottawa Hockey Club
8
7
0
1
33
20
15
Montreal Victorias
8
4
3
1
45
32
9
Montreal Shamrocks
8
4
4
0
30
25
8
Montreal AAA
8
3
5
0
28
37
6
Quebec Hockey Club
8
1
7
0
21
43
2
               
1902
GP
Win
Lose
Tie
GF
GA
Points
               
Montreal AAA
8
6
2
0
39
15
12
Ottawa Hockey Club
8
5
3
0
35
15
10
Montreal Victorias
8
4
4
0
36
25
8
Quebec Hockey Club
8
4
4
0
26
34
8
Montreal Shamrocks
8
1
7
0
15
62
2
               
1903
GP
Win
Lose
Tie
GF
GA
Points
               
Ottawa Hockey Club
8
6
2
0
47
26
12
Montreal Victorias
8
6
2
0
48
33
12
Montreal AAA
7
4
3
0
34
19
8
Quebec Hockey Club
7
3
4
0
30
46
6
Montreal Shamrocks
8
0
8
0
21
56
0
               
1904
GP
Win
Lose
Tie
GF
GA
Points
               
Quebec Hockey Club
8
7
1
0
50
37
14
Montreal Victorias
8
5
3
0
75
48
10
Montreal AAA
8
3
5
0
34
49
6
Montreal Shamrocks
8
1
7
0
32
75
2
Ottawa Hockey Club Ottawa HC resigned Feb.8/1904 and results did not count in standings. The Ottawa team then played in the Federal Amateur Hockey League (FAHL) in 1905.
               
1905
GP
Win
Lose
Tie
GF
GA
Points
               
Montreal Victorias
10
9
1
0
64
35
18
Quebec Hockey Club
10
8
2
0
78
45
16
Montreal AAA
10
7
3
0
54
42
14
Montreal Shamrocks
10
3
7
0
41
62
6
Montreal Westmount
10
3
7
0
55
75
6
Montreal Nationals
10
0
10
0
6
42
0