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.
Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association (1906-1909)
The Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association was formed December 11, 1905, a consolidation of clubs who previously had been members of the Canadian Amateur Hockey League and the Federal Amateur Hockey League. The Ottawa Silver Seven and Montreal Wanderers were added from the FAHL. Replaced in 1909 by the Canadian Hockey Association which was short lived before merging with the National Hockey Association.
The league had six teams in each of its first three seasons but in the last season it had only four teams. The league was the last of the "so called" amateur leagues of the late 1800's to early 1900's.
Amateur leagues, like the powerful Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association (ECAHA), were quietly paying top players under the table. Finally, realizing that there was no way to stop this, the Stanley Cup was officially opened to professionals in 1906, and the first sactioned professional team to win it was the Montreal Wanderers.
Bitterness over the use of professionals grew in the ECAHA, and in 1909 the last two amateur teams, Montreal AAA and the Montreal Victorias, dropped out of the ECAHA. Within a year, a new pro league named the Canadian Hockey Association (CHA) was formed from the remaining ECAHA teams.
An Allan Cup championship had been launched in 1908 as Canada’s new true amateur trophy, replacing the Stanley Cup for the amateur clubs.
Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association (1906-1909) Franchises
Montreal AAA (1906-1909)
Montreal Shamrocks (1906-1909)
Montreal Victorias (1906-1908)
Quebec Hockey Club (1906-1908)
Quebec Bulldogs (1908-1909)
Montreal Wanderers (1906-1909)
Ottawa Silver Seven (1906-1908)
Ottawa Senators (1908-1909)
Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association (1906-1909) Champions
| The Arena Corporation of Montreal. presented the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association the “Arena Cup” which was awarded annually to the league champion. |  |
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During the years the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association 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 vatious leagues and some independent teams.
Year |
Stanley Cup Champion |
How Claimed |
Challenge |
1905-06 |
Ottawa Silver Seven
|
Challenge |
Feb. 27 at Ottawa Ottawa 16 Queen's University 7 |
|
Ottawa Silver Seven |
Challenge |
Mar. 6 at Ottawa Ottawa 6 Smith Falls 5 |
|
Montreal Wanderers (ECAHA) |
Challenge |
Mar. 14 at Montreal Montreal 9 Ottawa 1 |
|
Montreal Wanderers (ECAHA) |
Challenge |
Dec. 27 at Montreal Montreal 10 New Glasgow 3 |
1906-07 |
Kenora Thistles |
Jan. 17 at Montreal Kenora 4 Montreal 2 |
|
|
Montreal Wanderers (ECAHA) |
Challenge |
Mar. 23 at Winnipeg Montreal 7 Kenora 2 |
1907-08 |
Montreal Wanderers (ECAHA) |
Challenge |
Jan. 9 at Montreal Montreal 9 Ottawa 3 |
|
Montreal Wanderers (ECAHA) |
Challenge |
Mar. 10 at Montreal Montreal 11 Winnipeg 5 |
|
Montreal Wanderers (ECAHA) |
Challenge |
Mar. 14 at Montreal Montreal 6 Toronto Maple Leafs 4 |
|
Montreal Wanderers (ECAHA) |
Challenge |
Dec. 28 at Montreal Montreal 7 Edmonton 3 |
1908-09 |
Ottawa Senators, as champions of the Eastern Canada Hockey Association, took over the Stanley Cup in 1909. A challenge was accepted by the Cup trustees from the Winnipeg Shamrocks. The series could not be arranged because of the lateness of the season. No other challenges were made in 1909. The following season, 1909-10, the Senators accepted two challenges as defending Stanley Cup champions. In January of 1910, two game total goal series were arranged with Galt and Edmonton. |
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|
Ottawa Senators (ECAHA) |
Challenge |
Jan. 5 at Ottawa Ottawa 12 Galt 3 |
|
Ottawa Senators (ECAHA) |
Challenge |
Jan. 18 at Ottawa Ottawa 8 Edmonton 4 |
Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association (1906-1909) Standings
| 1906 | GP
|
Win
|
Lose
|
Tie
|
GF
|
GA
|
Points
|
| Ottawa Silver Seven | 10 |
9 |
1 |
0 |
90 |
42 |
18 |
| Montreal Wanderers | 10 |
9 |
1 |
0 |
74 |
38 |
18 |
| Montreal Victorias | 10 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
76 |
73 |
12 |
| Quebec HC | 10 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
57 |
70 |
6 |
| Montreal AAA | 10 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
49 |
63 |
6 |
| Montreal Shamrocks | 10 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
30 |
90 |
0 |
| 1907 | GP
|
Win
|
Lose
|
Tie
|
GF
|
GA
|
Points
|
| Montreal Wanderers | 10 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
105 |
39 |
20 |
| Ottawa Silver Seven | 10 |
7 |
3 |
0 |
76 |
54 |
14 |
| Montreal Victorias | 10 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
101 |
70 |
12 |
| Montreal AAA | 10 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
58 |
83 |
6 |
| Quebec HC | 10 |
2 |
8 |
0 |
62 |
88 |
4 |
| Montreal Shamrocks | 10 |
2 |
8 |
0 |
52 |
120 |
4 |
| 1908 | GP
|
Win
|
Lose
|
Tie
|
GF
|
GA
|
Points
|
| Montreal Wanderers | 10 |
8 |
2 |
0 |
63 |
52 |
16 |
| Ottawa Silver Seven | 10 |
7 |
3 |
0 |
86 |
51 |
14 |
| Quebec HC | 10 |
5 |
5 |
0 |
81 |
74 |
10 |
| Montreal Shamrocks | 10 |
5 |
5 |
0 |
53 |
49 |
10 |
| Montreal Victorias | 10 |
4 |
6 |
0 |
73 |
78 |
8 |
| Montreal AAA | 10 |
1 |
9 |
0 |
53 |
105 |
2 |
| 1909 | GP
|
Win
|
Lose
|
Tie
|
GF
|
GA
|
Points
|
| Ottawa Senators | 12 |
10 |
2 |
0 |
117 |
63 |
20 |
| Montreal Wanderers | 12 |
9 |
3 |
0 |
82 |
61 |
18 |
| Quebec Bulldogs | 12 |
3 |
9 |
0 |
78 |
106 |
6 |
| Montreal Shamrocks | 12 |
2 |
10 |
0 |
56 |
103 |
4 |