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.
Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (1887-1898)
Most hockey historians trace the modern game back to the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (1887-1898). This league is also sometimes referred to as the Dominion Hockey Association. Formed on December 8, 1886 by teams in Ottawa, Montreal and McGill University. The league was formed and played under the rules of the times, including no forwrd passing, seven players and a goaltender who had to remain upright.
The season was played from January 1st to March 15th. Scheduling of the league was done under one of two systems over the years. The initial season was played under a "challenge" system where no games were scheduled but teams challenged the current league champion. Games had to be played to defend the championship.
In the 1887 season this resulted in 7 official challenge games being played with the Montreal Crystals finally gaining the championship on March 11th.
For it's second season the league moved to a "series" schedule, where games were scheduled and the top team after the season was declared the champion. Twelve season games were played in 1888. The result was a tie and a championship game between the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association and the Victorias to determine the champion. From 1889 to 1892 the league reverted back to the challenge system.
In 1893 the league played for the Stanley Cup in a series format, but had to defend it under a challenge system from other teams in Canada. This sytem with five teams playing in the league continued until the 1898-1899 season when the league was changed to the Canadian Amateur Hockey League.
Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (1887-1898) Franchises
McGill University (1887-1891)
Montreal AAA (1887-1898)
Montreal Crystals (1887-1889, 1893-1895)
Montreal Dominions (1890)
Montreal Crescents (1891-1892)
Montreal Shamrocks (1891-1892, 1896-1898)
Montreal Victorias (1887-1898)
Ottawa Hockey Club (1887, 1891-1898)
Quebec Hockey Club (1889-1898)
Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (1887-1898) Champions
Season Review of Challenges/Standings
| 1887 (Challenge) | Winner | Loser |
| January 7 | Montreal Crystals-3 | McGill -1 |
| January 14 | Montreal Victorias-4 | Montreal Crystals-0 |
| January 21 | Montreal Victorias-5 | Montreal AAA - 2 |
| January 27 | Montreal Victorias-5 | Ottawa-1 |
| February 4 | Montreal Victorias-3 | Montreal Crystals-0 |
| February 24 | Montreal Victorias-2 | Montreal Crystals-1 |
| March 11 | Montreal Crystals-3 | Montreal Victorias-2 |
| 1888 (Series) | Win |
Lose |
| Montreal AAA | 5 |
1 |
| Montreal Victorias | 5 |
1 |
| Montreal Crystals | 2 |
4 |
| McGill | 0 |
6 |
| Playoff - March 15 | Montreal AAA - 2, Montreal Victorias-1 | |
| 1889 (Challenge) | Winner | Loser |
| February 2 | Montreal Crystals-3 | Montreal AAA - 2 |
| March 1 | Montreal AAA - 4 | Montreal Crystals-0 |
| March 7 | Montreal AAA - 3 | Quebec - 2 |
| March 12 | Montreal AAA - 6 | Montreal Victorias-1 |
| 1890 (Challenge) | Winner | Loser |
| January 7 | Montreal AAA - 5 | Quebec - 1 |
| January 17 | Montreal AAA - 4 | Montreal Victorias-2 |
| January 31 | Montreal AAA - 6 | Montreal Dominions-4 |
| February 11 | Montreal AAA - 6 | Montreal Dominions-2 |
| February 18 | Montreal AAA - 2 | Montreal Victorias-1 |
| February 25 | Montreal AAA - 3 | Montreal Dominions-2 |
| March 4 | Montreal AAA - 2 | Montreal Victorias-1 |
| 1891 (Challenge) | Winner | Loser |
| January 7 | Montreal AAA (Default) | Quebec |
| January 19 | Montreal AAA - 4 | Montreal Victorias-1 |
| January 28 | Montreal AAA - 4 | Montreal Shamrocks-1 |
| February 4 | Montreal AAA - 2 | Montreal Crescents-1 |
| February 12 | Montreal AAA - 2 | Montreal Victorias-1 |
| February 21 | Montreal AAA - 3 | Ottawa-0 |
| February 27 | Montreal AAA - 5 | Montreal Shamrocks-1 |
| March 5 | Montreal AAA - 8 | Montreal Crescents-2 |
| 1892 (Challenge) | Winner | Loser |
| January 8 | Ottawa-4 | Montreal AAA - 3 |
| January 15 | Ottawa-8 | Montreal Shamrocks-3 |
| January 21 | Ottawa-10 | Montreal AAA - 2 |
| January 28 | Ottawa-4 | Quebec - 3 |
| February 11 | Ottawa-3 | Montreal AAA - 1 |
| February 18 | Ottawa-2 | Quebec - 0 |
| March 7 | Montreal AAA - 1 | Ottawa-0 |
Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (1887-1898) Seasons
| 1893 | GP |
Win |
Lose |
Tie |
GF |
GA |
Points |
| Montreal AAA | 8 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
38 |
18 |
14 |
| Ottawa Hockey Club | 8 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
49 |
22 |
12 |
| Montreal Crystals | 8 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
25 |
34 |
6 |
| Quebec Hockey Club | 8 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
23 |
46 |
5 |
| Montreal Victorias | 8 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
20 |
35 |
3 |
| 1894 | GP
|
Win
|
Lose
|
Tie
|
GF
|
GA
|
Points
|
| Montreal AAA | 8 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
25 |
15 |
10 |
| Ottawa Hockey Club | 8 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
24 |
16 |
10 |
| Montreal Victorias | 8 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
36 |
20 |
10 |
| Quebec Hockey Club | 8 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
26 |
27 |
10 |
| Montreal Crystals | 8 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
10 |
43 |
0 |
| March 17 | Montreal AAA 3, Montreal Victorias 2 | ||||||
| March 22 | Montreal AAA 3, Ottawa Capitals 1 | ||||||
| 1895 | GP
|
Win
|
Lose
|
Tie
|
GF
|
GA
|
Points
|
| Montreal Victorias | 8 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
35 |
20 |
12 |
| Montreal AAA | 8 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
33 |
22 |
8 |
| Ottawa Hockey Club | 8 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
25 |
24 |
8 |
| Montreal Crystals | 7 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
21 |
39 |
6 |
| Quebec Hockey Club | 7 |
2 |
5 |
0 |
18 |
27 |
4 |
| 1896 | GP
|
Win
|
Lose
|
Tie
|
GF
|
GA
|
Points
|
| Montreal Victorias | 8 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
41 |
24 |
14 |
| Ottawa Hockey Club | 8 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
22 |
16 |
12 |
| Quebec Hockey Club | 8 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
23 |
23 |
8 |
| Montreal AAA | 8 |
2 |
6 |
0 |
24 |
33 |
4 |
| Montreal Shamrocks | 8 |
1 |
7 |
0 |
16 |
30 |
2 |
| 1897 | GP
|
Win
|
Lose
|
Tie
|
GF
|
GA
|
Points
|
| Montreal Victorias | 8 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
48 |
26 |
14 |
| Ottawa Hockey Club | 8 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
25 |
18 |
10 |
| Montreal AAA | 8 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
31 |
26 |
10 |
| Quebec Hockey Club | 8 |
2 |
6 |
0 |
22 |
46 |
4 |
| Montreal Shamrocks | 8 |
1 |
7 |
0 |
27 |
37 |
2 |
| 1898 | GP
|
Win
|
Lose
|
Tie
|
GF
|
GA
|
Points
|
| Montreal Victorias | 8 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
53 |
33 |
16 |
| Montreal AAA | 8 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
34 |
21 |
8 |
| Montreal Shamrocks | 8 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
25 |
36 |
6 |
| Quebec Hockey Club | 8 |
2 |
6 |
0 |
29 |
35 |
4 |
| Ottawa Hockey Club | 8 |
2 |
6 |
0 |
28 |
44 |
4 |
Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (1887-1898) Champions
Amateur Hockey Association of Canada Champions
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1892 |
Montreal AAA |
Challenge System |
1891 |
Montreal AAA |
Challenge System |
1890 |
Montreal AAA |
Challenge System |
1889 |
Montreal AAA |
Challenge System |
1888 |
Montreal AAA |
Montreal Victorias |
1887 |
Montreal Crystals |
Challenge System |
During the time of the Amateur Hockey Association of Canda the Stanley Cup came into play when it was donated by Govenor-General, Lord Stanley of Preston in March 1982. A challenge cup was to be held each year to determine the Champion of the Dominion of Canada. The Stanley Cup was first presented to the winner of the 1892-93 season which was Montreal AAA.
| Year | Stanley Cup Champion | How Claimed | Challenge |
| 1892-93 | Montreal AAA | Champion of AHAC | None |
| 1893-94 | Montreal AAA | Champion of AHAC | None |
| 1894-95 | Montreal Victorias
|
Champion of ACAC |
March 9, 1895: Montreal AAA beat Queen's University 5-1, allowing
Montreal Victorias as champions of ACAC to claim the Cup. |
| 1894-95 | Winnipeg Victorias | Challenge | February 14, 1896: Winnipeg Victorias
defeated Montreal Victorias, 2-0 |
| 1895-96 | Montreal Victorias | Challenge | December 30, 1896: Montreal Victorias defeated Winnipeg Victorias 6-5 |
| 1896-97 | Montreal Victorias | Challenge | December 27, 1897: Montreal Victorias 15, Ottawa Capitals 2 |
| 1897-98 | Montreal Victorias | None |