The 1921-22 season signaled the entry of a new major professional hockey league. The Western Canada Hockey League was organized in the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Western Canada Hockey League (1921-1925)
The 1921-22 season signaled the entry of a new professional hockey league, the Western Canada Hockey League playing in the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta. The Western Canada Hockey League (1921-1925) was later known as the Western Hockey League (1925-26) after it's merger with the Pacific Coast Hockey Association .
Prior to 1921-22 season the teams were known as the "Big 4" senior amateur hockey league. The decision to turn inta a professional hockey league was a result of the PCHA and NHL attempted to control the "professional playing rights" of the amateur league teams. For their own protection team owners decided that the best plan of action was to create the Western Canada Hockey League. The WCHL adopted six man hockey eliminating the rover position.
For the initial season the Western Canada Hockey League played it's own schedule. Starting in the 1922-23 season the league played an interlocking schedule with the Pacific Coast Hockey Association .
With the disbanding of the Seattle Metropolitans after the 1923-24 season, the PCHA was down to two teams, the Vancouver Maroons and Victoria Cougars. The WCHL granted admission to the league of these two teams, retaining the "Western Canada Hockey League" name for the 1924-25 season. The Victoria Cougars ruled as league champion in 1924-25 and have the distinction of being the last non-NHL team to win the Stanley Cup.
The relocation of the Regina Capitols organization to Portland, Oregon for the 1925-26 season, saw the league drop "Canada" from its title, being renamed the Western Hockey League.
Western Canada Hockey League (1921-1925) Franchises
Calgary Tigers (1921-1925)
Edmonton Eskimos (hockey) (1921-1925)
Moose Jaw Sheiks (1921-1922)
Saskatoon Sheiks (1922-1923)
Saskatoon Crestens (1923-1925)
Regina Capitals (1921-1925)
Vancouver Maroons (1924-1925)
Victoria Cougars (1924-1925)
Western Canada Hockey League (1921-1925) Champions
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| 1922
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Regina Capitals |
Edmonton Eskimos |
| 1923
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Edmonton Eskimos |
Regina Capitals |
1924 |
Calgary Tigers |
Regina Capitals |
1925 |
Victoria Cougars |
Calgary Tigers |
The Western Canada Hockey League participated in the Stanley Cup playoffs beginning for the 1923 championship.
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Stanley Cup Winner Champion
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Loser |
1922
|
Toronto St.Pats (NHL) |
Vancouver Millionaires (PCHA) |
1923
|
Ottawa Senators (NHL) |
Vancouver Maroons (PCHA) |
Ottawa Senators (NHL) |
Edmonton Eskimos (WCHL) |
|
1924
|
Montreal Canadiens (NHL) |
Vancouver Maroons (PCHA) |
Montreal Canadiens (NHL) |
Calgary Tigers (WCHL) |
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1925 |
Victoria Cougars (WCHL) |
Montreal Canadiens (NHL) |
Western Canada Hockey League (1921-1925) Seasons
| 1922 Season | |||||||
GP
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
GF
|
GA
|
PTs
|
|
| Edmonton Eskimos | 24 |
15 |
9 |
0 |
117 |
76 |
30 |
| Regina Capitals | 24 |
14 |
10 |
0 |
94 |
78 |
28 |
| Calgary Tigers | 24 |
14 |
10 |
0 |
75 |
68 |
28 |
| Sask-Moose Jaw | 24 |
5 |
19 |
0 |
67 |
137 |
10 |
| 1923 Season | |||||||
| Edmonton Eskimos | 30 |
19 |
10 |
1 |
112 |
90 |
39 |
| Regina Capitals | 30 |
16 |
14 |
0 |
93 |
97 |
32 |
| Calgary Tigers | 30 |
12 |
18 |
0 |
91 |
106 |
24 |
| Saskatoon Crescents | 30 |
8 |
20 |
2 |
91 |
125 |
18 |
| 1924 Season | |||||||
| Calgary Tigers | 30 |
18 |
11 |
1 |
83 |
72 |
37 |
| Regina Capitals | 30 |
17 |
11 |
2 |
83 |
67 |
36 |
| Saskatoon Crescents | 30 |
15 |
12 |
3 |
97 |
73 |
33 |
| Edmonton Eskimos | 30 |
11 |
15 |
4 |
69 |
81 |
26 |
| 1925 Season | |||||||
| Calgary Tigers | 28 |
17 |
11 |
0 |
96 |
80 |
34 |
| Saskatoon Crescents | 28 |
16 |
11 |
1 |
102 |
75 |
33 |
| Victoria Cougars | 28 |
16 |
12 |
0 |
84 |
63 |
32 |
| Edmonton Eskimos | 28 |
14 |
13 |
1 |
97 |
109 |
29 |
| Vancouver Maroons | 28 |
12 |
16 |
0 |
91 |
102 |
24 |
| Regina Capitals | 28 |
8 |
20 |
0 |
82 |
123 |
16 |
Western Canada Hockey League (1921-1925) Leaders
Career Leaders Games Played
| Player | Years Played |
Games |
| Ty Arbour | 5 |
141 |
| Duke Keats | 5 |
137 |
| Bobby Trapp | 5 |
137 |
| Barney Stanley | 5 |
137 |
| Duke Dutkowski | 5 |
136 |
| Dick Irvin | 5 |
132 |
| Percy Traub | 5 |
132 |
| Art Gagne | 5 |
131 |
| Charlie McVeigh | 5 |
131 |
Career Scoring Leaders
| Player | Games |
Goals |
Assists |
Points |
| Duke Keats | 137 |
117 |
67 |
184 |
| George Hay | 130 |
106 |
48 |
154 |
| Bill Cook | 117 |
87 |
56 |
143 |
| Harry Oliver | 130 |
91 |
50 |
141 |
| Art Gagne | 131 |
69 |
50 |
119 |
| Dick Irvin | 132 |
89 |
29 |
118 |
| Barney Stanley | 137 |
80 |
36 |
116 |
| Ty Arbour | 141 |
82 |
32 |
114 |
| Joe Simpson | 113 |
55 |
44 |
99 |
| Spunk Sparrow | 104 |
48 |
25 |
73 |
Career Goal Scorers
| Player | Games |
Goals |
| Duke Keats | 137 |
117 |
| George Hay | 130 |
106 |
| Harry Oliver | 130 |
91 |
| Dick Irvin | 132 |
89 |
| Bill Cook | 117 |
87 |
| Ty Arbour | 141 |
82 |
| Barney Stanley | 137 |
80 |
| Art Gagne | 131 |
69 |
| Joe Simpson | 113 |
55 |
| Charlie McVeigh | 131 |
52 |
Career Assist Leaders
| Player | Games |
Assists |
| Duke Keats | 137 |
67 |
| Bill Cook | 117 |
56 |
| Harry Oliver | 130 |
50 |
| Art Gagne | 131 |
50 |
| George Hay | 130 |
48 |
| Joe Simpson | 113 |
44 |
| Barney Stanley | 137 |
36 |
| Bobby Trapp | 137 |
36 |
| Ty Arbour | 141 |
32 |
| Dick Irvin | 132 |
29 |
Career Leading Goaltenders
| Player | GP |
W |
L |
T |
GA |
Avg |
SO |
| Harry Holmes | 58 |
31 |
23 |
4 |
116 |
1.97 |
7 |
| George Hainsworth | 88 |
49 |
34 |
5 |
212 |
2.36 |
10 |
| Hal Winkler | 128 |
64 |
55 |
8 |
354 |
2.71 |
12 |
| Hugh Lehman | 41 |
17 |
22 |
2 |
120 |
2.89 |
3 |
| Charlie Reid | 82 |
42 |
39 |
1 |
245 |
2.92 |
7 |
| Bill Laird | 53 |
30 |
22 |
1 |
161 |
2.96 |
3 |
| Herb Stuart | 47 |
26 |
20 |
1 |
145 |
3.04 |
3 |
| Red McCusker | 90 |
37 |
49 |
4 |
314 |
3.44 |
5 |
| Bill Binney | 22 |
9 |
13 |
0 |
77 |
3.45 |
1 |
| Sammy Hebert | 41 |
9 |
30 |
2 |
206 |
4.87 |
0 |
Year by Year Scoring Leaders
Season |
Player | Team | GP |
G |
A |
Pts |
1921-22 |
Duke Keats | Edmonton Eskimos | 25 |
31 |
25 |
55 |
1922-23 |
Art Gagne | Edmonton Eskimos | 29 |
22 |
21 |
43 |
1923-24 |
Bill Cook | Saskatoon Crescents | 30 |
26 |
14 |
40 |
1924-25 |
Bill Cook | Saskatoon Sheiks | 28 |
27 |
6 |
33 |
1925-26 |
Bill Cook | Saskatoon Sheiks | 30 |
31 |
13 |
44 |
Year by Year Leading Goaltenders
Season |
Player | Team | GP |
W |
L |
T |
GA |
Avg |
SO |
1921-22 |
Hal Winkler | Edmonton Eskimos | 15 |
10 |
4 |
0 |
36 |
2.42 |
1 |
1922-23 |
Bill Laird | Regina Capitols | 28 |
16 |
12 |
0 |
83 |
2.93 |
3 |
1923-24 |
Red McCusker | Regina Capitols | 30 |
17 |
11 |
2 |
67 |
2.16 |
4 |
1924-25 |
Harry Holmes | Victoria Cougars | 28 |
16 |
12 |
0 |
63 |
2.25 |
3 |
1925-26 |
Harry Holmes | Victoria Cougars | 30 |
15 |
11 |
4 |
53 |
1.72 |
4 |