1903 CAHL season

{{Emergence of the NHL}}

• Harry Trihey, Shamrocks (President)
• P. M. Butler, Ottawa (1st vice-president)
• A. D. Scott, Quebec ( 2nd vice-president)
• Fred McRobie, Montreal (Secretary-Treasurer)

It was decided that league champions would not play for the Stanley Cup until after the season. If a challenge was ordered by the Cup trustees, Montreal would default the Cup. A challenge was ordered by the trustees and Montreal eventually agreed to play Winnipeg in January during regular season play.

This season saw the loss of several players to hockey leagues in the U.S., including Charlie Liffiton, Hod Stuart, Bruce Stuart, Eddie Hogan and George McCarron.

This season saw several impressive rookies including Frank McGee and Art Moore for Ottawa.

The season would be a two team race between Montreal Victorias and Ottawa, splitting their matches between each other. The season ended in a tie, which necessitated a playoff, won by Ottawa to win their first Stanley Cup. At the other end of the standing, Shamrocks did not win any games.

Ottawa HC and Montreal Victorias played a two-game total-goals series.

Another Montreal HC vs. Winnipeg Victorias best-of-three challenge series was held in early 1903. In game one, defending champion Montreal defeated Winnipeg, 8–1. Game two was the first Stanley Cup challenge match to be replayed. Both teams skated to a 2–2 tie before the game had to be suspended at 27:00 of overtime because of a midnight curfew. It was then decided to discard the result and replay the game two days later. In the rescheduled contest, the Victorias won, 4–2, to even the series. However, Montreal won the decisive game three, 4–1, to retain the Cup.

• Spare - Winnipeg Victorias - Dan Bain - C
• Spares - Montreal - Cecil Blachford - RW, Tom Hodge - D, Charles Liffton - RW, George Smith - RW

• Spare - Winnipeg Victorias - Dan Bain - C
• Spares - Montreal - Billy Bellingham - D, Jimmy Gardner - RW, Charles Liffton - RW, George Smith - RW

• Spare - Winnipeg Victorias - Dan Bain - C
• Spares - Montreal - Billy Bellingham - D, Jimmy Gardner - RW, Charles Liffton - RW, George Smith - RW

• Spare - Winnipeg Victorias - Dan Bain - C
• Spares - Montreal - Cecil Blachford - D, Jimmy Gardner - RW, Tom Hodge - D, Charles Liffton - RW,

Ottawa defeated the Rat Portage Thistles 6–2, 4–2 (10–4) in a two-game, total goals series in Ottawa, March 12–14, 1903.

As the new CAHL and Cup champions, the Ottawas accepted a challenge from the Rat Portage Thistles of the Manitoba & Northwestern Hockey Association (MNWHA). Entering the best-of-three challenge series, the Thistles were younger and quicker than Ottawa; only one player on the Thistles was over the age of 20. Any chance that those factors could have helped the team was negated by soft ice conditions. Ottawa swept the series with scores of 6–2 and 4–2.

For their win, the Ottawa players would each receive a silver nugget. From that point on the team would also be known as the Silver Seven.

† Postponed and not played.

Note: GP = Games played, GA = Goals against, SO = Shutouts, GAA = Goals against average

Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals scored

{{Stanley Cup champion|

year=1903|

goaltenders=*Billy Nicholson|

defence=* Billy Bellingham (point)

• Dickie Boon (cover point-captain)
• Tom Hodge (point-cover point) |

forwards=* Cecil Blachford (Winger)

• Jimmy Gardner (Winger)
• Charles Liffiton(Winger)
• Tommy Phillips (Winger)
• George Smith (Winger)
• Jack Marshall (Center)
• Archie Hooper (rover) |

non-players=

• Charles G. Chitty (President), Clarence McKerrow (manager), Desse Browne (coach)
• Harry C. Dewitt (Hon. Secretary/Treasurer), Frank Bickerdike (director),
• George A. James (director), Paul Lefebvre (trainer)

|

}}

{{Stanley Cup champion|

year=1903|

goaltenders=*John "Bouse" Hutton|

defence=*Harvey Pulford (point-Captain)

• Arthur Fraser (point-cover point)
• Arthur Moore(cover point)
• Frank Wood (point-cover point)
• Charles Spittal |

forwards=* Hamilton Billy Gilmour

• Sutherland Suddy Gilmour
• Harry Westwick (also played rover)
• Percy Sims
• Frank McGee(also played rover)
• Dave Gilmour(also played cover point)

|

non-players=

• Percy M. Butler (President), Robert T. "Bob" Shillington (manager)
• Alf Smith (coach), A.P Mutchmor (treasurer)†
• Martin Rosenthal (Secretary), Halder Kirby (club doctor), Llewellyn Bates (Vice President),
• W.H. Hutton†, Chauncy Kirby, Jack Smith, Charles Sparks (directors),
• Mac McGilton (Ass't Trainer), Pete Green (trainer)
• Alf Smith did not play for Ottawa in 1903. However he was playing-coach for Ottawa Silver Sevens next 3 Stanley Cup winning seasons.

† Two executives first name remain unknown

|

}}

{{reflist|20em}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{citation|last=Coleman|first=Charles L. | title=The Trail of the Stanley Cup, Vol. 1, 1893–1926 inc. |year=1966}}
• {{citation|last=Podnieks|first=Andrew |year=2004 |title=Lord Stanley's Cup |publisher=Triumph Books |isbn=1-55168-261-3}}

{{Refend}}

• List of Stanley Cup champions

{{s-start}}

{{succession box |

before = Montreal Hockey Club
1902 |

after = Ottawa HC
1903 |

title = Montreal Hockey Club
Stanley Cup Champions |

years = January 1903|

}}

{{succession box |

before = Montreal Hockey Club
January 1903 |

after = Ottawa Hockey Club
1904 |

title = Ottawa Hockey Club
1903 Stanley Cup Champions |

years = 1903|

}}

{{succession box |

before = 1902 CAHL season |

after = 1904-05 FAHL season |

title = CAHL seasons |

years = 1903|

}}

{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:CAHL seasons}}

1903

Category:1902–03 in Canadian ice hockey by league