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.

Pacific Coast Hockey League (1944-52)

After the completion of WWII the Pacific Coast Hockey League (1936-41) was revived as a senior league. They chose to be an amateur league mainly because the NHL had claimed territorial rights to Seattle, Vancouver, and Portland. The NHL demanded a large fee for the territory, and the PCHL objected to paying it. The league restarted as a more substantial two division, nine team set up growing to a maximum of eleven teams in 1946-47 & 1949-50. In the 1945-46 season there was a North Division (New Westminster Royals, Portland Eagles, Seattle Ironmen & Vancouver Canucks) and a South Division (Hollywood Wolves, Los Angeles Monarchs, Oakland Oaks, San Diego Skyhawks and San Francisco Shamrocks). Fresno Falcons and Tacoma Rockets joined the league for the 1946-47 season. Hollywood Wolves did not return for 1947-48.

In 1948-49 the league again turned professional. When this happened, they did so under a trial arrangement under the NHL's supervision. The teams operated with limited reserve lists, players that the teams had rights over, a condition the NHL imposed on them. The league winner was awarded the President's Cup.

The Portland Eagles became Portland Penguins in 1948-49, the Victoria Cougars joined the league for the 1949-50 season but Oakland Oaks folded in December 1949 after 29 games of the same season. The league reduced to a single division and six teams for the 1950-51 season when the Fresno Falcons left to join the United States Hockey League and the Los Angeles Monarchs, San Diego Skyhawks & San Francisco Shamrocks dropped out. Portland Penguins changed their name back to Portland Eagles. In the final season (1951-52) the Portland Eagles dropped out and the Calgary Stampeders, Edmonton Flyers and Saskatoon Quakers joined from the Westen Canada Senior Hockey League.

The Pacific Coast Hockey League changed its name to the Western Hockey League for the 1952-53 season.

Pacific Coast Hockey League (1944-52) Franchises

San Francisco Shamrocks (1948-1950)
Los Angeles Monarchs (1948-1950)
San Diego Skyhawks (1948-1950)
Oakland Oaks (1948-1949)
Fresno Falcons (1948-1950)
Seattle Ironmen (1948-1952)
Portland Eagles (1948-1949, 1950-1951)
Portland Penguins (1949-1950)
Vancouver Canucks (1948-1952)
Tacoma Rockets (1948-1952)
New Westminster Royals (1948-1952)
Victoria Cougars (1949-1952)
Saskatoon Quakers (1951-1952)
Edmonton Flyers (1951-1952)
Calgary Stampeders (1951-1952)

Pacific Coast Hockey League (1944-52) Champions

The playoff championship trophy was origionally called the President's Cup. In 1960, on the death of Lester Patrick, the name was changed to the Lester Patrick Cup. The Cup was originally awarded in 1944-45 for the champion of the Pacific Coast Hockey League and then was awarded to the champion of the Western Hockey League starting in 1953.
Year
Champion
Runner Up
1949
San Diego Skyhawks
New Westminster Royals
1950
New Westminster Royals
Los Angeles Monarchs
1951
Victoria Cougars
New Westminster Royals
1952
Saskatoon Quakers
Victoria Cougars

Pacific Coast Hockey League (1944-52) Seasons

1949 Season
GP
W
L
T
GF
GA
PTs
               
Northern Division              
               
New Westminster Royals
70
39
26
5
285
229
83
Tacoma Rockets
70
34
31
5
239
262
73
Vancouver Canucks
70
33
31
6
262
256
72
Portland Eagles
70
32
31
7
246
236
71
Seattle Ironmen
70
29
36
5
225
246
63
 
Southern Division
 
Fresno Falcons
70
33
30
7
213
211
73
Oakland Oaks
70
33
33
4
241
222
70
San Diego Skyhawks
70
32
35
3
249
275
67
Los Angeles Monarchs
70
28
33
9
246
271
65
San Francisco Shamrocks
70
29
36
5
273
271
63
               
1950 Season
GP
W
L
T
GF
GA
PTs
               
Northern Division              
               
New Westminster Royals
71
36
19
16
291
233
88
Tacoma Rockets
70
34
27
9
302
238
77
Vancouver Canucks
70
33
28
9
300
263
75
Seattle Ironmen
70
32
27
11
212
237
75
Portland Penguins
71
32
30
9
237
229
73
Victoria Cougars
70
22
42
6
218
307
50
 
Southern Division
 
San Francisco Shamrocks
71
35
27
9
266
233
79
Los Angeles Monarchs
70
30
30
10
259
247
70
San Diego Skyhawks
70
27
33
10
211
236
64
Fresno Falcons
70
21
35
14
197
239
56
Oakland Oaks
29
10
14
5
89
109
29
               
Oakland withdrew from PCHL December 16, 1949
               
1951 Season
GP
W
L
T
GF
GA
PTs
               
Victoria Cougars
70
35
20
15
250
216
85
New Westminster Royals
70
38
24
8
267
205
84
Tacoma Rockets
70
27
26
17
219
222
71
Portland Eagles
70
30
32
8
266
255
68
Seattle Ironmen
70
23
36
11
214
249
57
Vancouver Canucks
70
19
34
17
216
285
55
               
1952 Season
GP
W
L
T
GF
GA
PTs
               
New Westminster Royals
70
40
19
11
286
200
91
Saskatoon Quakers
70
35
21
14
273
225
84
Tacoma Rockets
70
34
25
11
293
244
79
Seattle Ironmen
70
30
31
9
252
280
69
Edmonton Flyers
70
30
32
8
244
246
68
Victoria Cougars
70
25
38
7
242
296
57
Calgary Stampeders
70
24
37
9
278
320
57
Vancouver Canucks
70
23
38
9
226
283
55

Pacific Coast Hockey League (1944-52) Leaders

Most Valuable Player

Year Player Team
     
1948-49 Walter "Babe" Pratt New Westminster Royals
1949-50 Walter "Babe" Pratt New Westminster Raylas
1950-51 Roger Leger Victoria Cougars
1951-52 Lucien Dechene New Westminster Royal

Rookie Award

Year Player Team
     
1948-49 None Selected  
1949-50 Larry Reardon Vancouver Canucks
1950-51 Joseph Houle New Westminster Royals
1951-52 Guyle Fielder New Westminster Royals

Leading Scorer

Year Player Team Points
       
1948-49 Bobby Love New Westminster 101
1949-50 Ronnie Rowe Tacoma 91
1950-51 Eddie Dorohoy Victoria 87
1951-52 George Agar Calgary 93


Leading Goalkeeper

Year Player Team
Goals
Avg.
     
1948-49 Lucien Dechene New Westminster
229
3.27
1949-50 Jerry Cotnoir Seattle-New Westminster
220
3.05
1950-51 Lucien Dechene New Westminster
198
2.82
1951-52 Lucien Dechene New Westminster
199
2.84

Presented to Goaltender or Goaltenders who play with team with fewest goals scored against during regular season. To be eligible, player must participate in 25 complete games or a minimum of 100 minutes