Minor professional hockey leagues are the backbone of the NHL. These leagues over the years have served as training grounds for the NHL teams. Entertaining hockey in their own right and offering non NHL players a chance to earn a living.
Central Professional Hockey League (1963-69)
The Central Professional Hockey League (1963-69) was a minor league professional hockey in the USA. The league was known as the Central Professional Hockey League (CPHL) between 1963-69 and the Central Hockey League as of the 1969-70 season.
The original members of the league were the Omaha Knights, Minneapolis Bruins, St Paul Rangers, St Louis Braves and Cincinnati Wings (the Cincinnati franchise started in Indianapolis and moved to Cincinnati). The league was a developmental league for the NHL, with five of the six NHL teams being parent clubs in the first year.
The roots of the CHL go back to the old Eastern Professional Hockey League created by the NHL in 1959. The league essentially converted Senior Hockey teams in Ontario and Quebec into professional teams.
The league folded in 1984 with Indianapolis and Salt Lake City moving on to join the International Hockey League.
Central Professional Hockey League (1963-69) Franchises
Omaha Knights (1963-1965, 1966-1969)
Minneapolis Bruins (1963-1965)
St Paul Rangers (1963-1966)
St Louis Braves (1963-1967)
Cincinnati
Wings (1963-1964)
Tulsa Ice Oilers (1964-1969)
Memphis Wings (1964-1967)
Houston Apollos (1965-1969)
Oklahoma City Blazers (1965- 1969)
Dallas Black Hawks (1967-1969)
Ft. Worth Wings (1967-1969)
Kansas City Blues (1967-1969)
Memphis South Stars (1967- 1969)
Amarillo Wranglers (1968-1969)
Central Professional Hockey League (1963-69) Champions
The league played a championship series for the Adams Cup.
| Year
|
Playoff Champion
|
Regular Season Champion |
| 1964 |
Omaha Knights |
Omaha Knights |
1965 |
St Paul Rangers |
St Paul Rangers |
1966 |
Oklahoma City Blazers |
Minnesota Rangers |
1967 |
Oklahoma City Blazers |
Oklahoma City Blazers |
1968 |
Tulsa Oilers |
Oklahoma City Blazers |
1969 |
Dallas Black Hawks |
Oklahoma City Blazers |
Central Professional Hockey League (1963-69) Seasons
| 1964 Season | GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
PTS
|
| Omaha Knights | 72 |
44 |
19 |
9 |
311 |
218 |
97
|
| St. Paul Rangers | 72 |
38 |
30 |
4 |
259 |
230 |
80
|
| Minneapolis Bruins | 72 |
36 |
29 |
7 |
294 |
270 |
79
|
| St. Louis Braves | 72 |
33 |
32 |
7 |
316 |
275 |
73
|
| Cincinnati Wings | 72 |
12 |
53 |
7 |
207 |
394 |
31
|
| 1965 Season | GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
PTS
|
| St. Paul Rangers | 70 |
41 |
23 |
6 |
281 |
223 |
88
|
| Omaha Knights | 70 |
37 |
25 |
8 |
246 |
238 |
82
|
| Minneapolis Bruins | 70 |
36 |
27 |
7 |
239 |
193 |
79
|
| Tulsa Oilers | 70 |
35 |
27 |
8 |
254 |
224 |
78
|
| Memphis Wings | 70 |
26 |
35 |
9 |
243 |
245 |
61
|
| St. Louis Braves | 70 |
13 |
51 |
6 |
189 |
329 |
32
|
| 1966 Season | GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
PTS
|
| Minnesota Rangers | 70 |
34 |
25 |
11 |
229 |
197 |
79
|
| Oklahoma City Blazers | 70 |
31 |
26 |
13 |
188 |
203 |
75
|
| Tulsa Oilers | 70 |
29 |
29 |
12 |
218 |
198 |
70
|
| St. Louis Braves | 70 |
30 |
31 |
9 |
226 |
217 |
69
|
| Houston Apollos | 70 |
27 |
32 |
11 |
221 |
244 |
65
|
| Memphis Wings | 70 |
25 |
33 |
12 |
200 |
223 |
62
|
| 1967 Season | GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
PTS
|
| Oklahoma City Blazers | 70 |
38 |
23 |
9 |
223 |
196 |
85
|
| Omaha Knights | 70 |
36 |
24 |
10 |
262 |
203 |
82
|
| Houston Apollos | 70 |
32 |
28 |
10 |
255 |
229 |
74
|
| Memphis Wings | 70 |
30 |
32 |
8 |
230 |
259 |
68
|
| St. Louis Braves | 70 |
24 |
26 |
20 |
229 |
236 |
68
|
| Tulsa Oilers | 70 |
14 |
41 |
15 |
183 |
269 |
43
|
| 1968 Season | GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
PTS
|
| North Division | |||||||
| Tulsa Oilers | 70 |
37 |
22 |
11 |
278 |
241 |
85
|
| Kansas City Blues | 70 |
31 |
29 |
10 |
249 |
243 |
72
|
| Memphis South Stars | 70 |
24 |
34 |
12 |
206 |
244 |
60
|
| Omaha Knights | 70 |
14 |
46 |
10 |
167 |
272 |
38
|
| South Division | GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
PTS
|
| Oklahoma City Blazers | 70 |
38 |
20 |
12 |
245 |
174 |
88
|
| Fort Worth Wings | 70 |
34 |
25 |
11 |
245 |
199 |
79
|
| Dallas Black Hawks | 70 |
30 |
29 |
11 |
230 |
251 |
71
|
| Houston Apollos | 70 |
28 |
31 |
11 |
220 |
216 |
67
|
| 1969 Season | GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
PTS
|
| North Division | |||||||
| Tulsa Oilers | 72 |
28 |
28 |
16 |
250 |
240 |
72
|
| Kansas City Blues | 72 |
26 |
28 |
18 |
236 |
242 |
70
|
| Omaha Knights | 72 |
29 |
32 |
11 |
247 |
250 |
69
|
| Memphis South Stars | 72 |
14 |
41 |
17 |
208 |
304 |
45
|
| South Division | GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
PTS
|
| Oklahoma City Blazers | 72 |
40 |
19 |
13 |
295 |
225 |
93
|
| Dallas Black Hawks | 72 |
37 |
25 |
10 |
264 |
218 |
84
|
| Houston Apollos | 72 |
34 |
26 |
12 |
224 |
204 |
80
|
| Amarillo Wranglers | 72 |
29 |
32 |
11 |
238 |
252 |
69
|
| Fort Worth Wings | 72 |
23 |
29 |
20 |
210 |
237 |
66
|
Central Professional Hockey League (1963-69) Award Winners
All Star Team Selections
1964
All-Stars |
||
| Player | Team | Position |
| Marcel Pelletier | St. Paul | Goal |
| Bob Woytowich | St. Paul | Defense |
| Barclay Plager | Omaha | Defense |
| Ray Cullen | St. Louis | Center |
| Bill McCreary | Omaha | Left-wing |
| John Brenneman | St. Louis | Left-wing |
| Alain Caron | St. Louis | Right-wing |
1965
All-Stars |
||
| Player | Team | Position |
| Cesare Maniago | Minneapolis | Goal |
| Jean Gauthier | Omaha | Defense |
| Mike McMahon | St. Paul | Defense |
| Mike Walton | Tulsa | Center |
| Tom McCarthy | Tulsa | Left-wing |
| Marc Dufour | St. Paul | Right-wing |
1967
All-Stars |
||||
| First Team | Position | Second Team | ||
| Wayne Rutledge | Omaha | Goal | Dave Dryden | St. Louis |
| John Mizuk | St. Louis | Defense | Al Hamilton | Omaha |
| Mike McMahon | Houston | Defense | Serge Savard | Houston |
| Art Stratton | St. Louis | Center | Gerry Melnyk | St. Louis |
| Alex Faulkner | Memphis | |||
| George Konik | Omaha | Left-wing | Wayne Maki | St. Louis |
| Larry Mickey | Omaha | Right-wing | Oscar Gaudet | St. Louis |
1968
All-Stars |
||||
| First Team | Position | Second Team | ||
| Russ Gillow | Oklahoma City | Goal | Ernie Wakely | Houston |
| Bryan Watson | Houston | Defense | John Arbour | Oklahoma City |
| Irv Spencer | Ft. Worth | Defense | Al Lebrun | Dallas |
| Jim Lorentz | Oklahoma City | Center | Ron Ward | Tulsa |
| Ron Buchanan | Oklahoma City | |||
| Ken Campbell | Tulsa | Left-wing | Gary Veneruzzo | Kansas City |
| Len Haley | Tulsa | Right-wing | Wayne Rivers | Kansas City |
1969
All-Stars |
||||
| First Team | Position | Second Team | ||
| Marv Edwards | Amarillo | Goal | Phil Myre | Houston |
| Barry Gibbs | Oklahoma City | Defense | Doug Barrie | Amarillo |
| Barry Wilkins | Oklahoma City | Defense | Ray Fortin | Kansas City |
| Jim Lorentz | Oklahoma City | Center | Juha Widing | Omaha |
| Gary Veneruzzo | Kansas City | Left-wing | Ross Lonsberry | Oklahoma City |
| Dan Johnson | Tulsa | |||
| Steve Atkinson | Oklahoma City | Right-wing | Bill Fairbairn | Omaha |
League Scoring Champions
Year |
Player |
Team |
GP |
G |
A |
Pts. |
PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1964 |
Alain Caron |
St. Louis |
71 |
77 |
48 |
125 |
22 |
1965 |
Tom McCarthy |
Tulsa |
68 |
53 |
44 |
97 |
110 |
1966 |
Art Stratton |
St. Louis |
66 |
28 |
66 |
94 |
14 |
1967 |
Art Stratton |
St. Louis |
67 |
34 |
56 |
90 |
46 |
1968 |
Ron Ward |
Tulsa |
67 |
31 |
54 |
85 |
30 |
1969 |
Jim Lorentz |
OKC |
56 |
33 |
68 |
101 |
67 |
Most Valuable Player
Year |
Player |
Team |
|---|---|---|
1964 |
Jeannot Gilbert |
Minn. |
1965 |
Cesare Maniago |
Minn. |
1966 |
Art Stratton |
St. Louis |
1967 |
Art Stratton |
St. Louis |
1968 |
Bryan Watson |
Houston |
1969 |
Jim Lorentz |
OKC |
Most Valuable Defenseman
Year |
Player |
Team |
|---|---|---|
1964 |
Barclay Plager |
Omaha |
1965 |
Mike McMahon |
St. Paul |
1966 |
Al Labrun |
Minn. |
1967 |
Mike McMahon |
Houston |
1968 |
Bryan Watson |
Houston |
1969 |
Barry Gibbs |
OKC |
Leading Goaltenders
Year |
Players |
Team |
GAA |
|---|---|---|---|
1964 |
Ernie Wakely |
Omaha |
2.93 |
1965 |
Cesare Maniago |
Minn. |
2.75 |
1966 |
Wayne Rutledge |
Minn. |
2.81 |
1967 |
Gerry Cheevers |
OKC |
|
1968 |
Russ Gillow |
OKC |
2.16 |
1969 |
Phil Myre |
Houston |
2.83 |
Rookie of the Year
Year |
Players |
Team |
|---|---|---|
1964 |
Garry Peters |
Omaha |
Poul Popiel |
St. Louis |
|
1965 |
Mike Walton |
Tulsa |
1966 |
Doug Roberts |
Memphis |
1967 |
Serge Savard |
Houston |
1968 |
Jim Lorentz |
OKC |
1969 |
Steve Atkinson |
OKC |