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
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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 |