Western Canada Junior Hockey League (1948–1956)
{{Short description|Canadian junior ice hockey league}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=December 2020}}
The Western Canada Junior Hockey League was a junior ice hockey based in Alberta and Saskatchewan from 1948 until 1956. It was formed by teams which sought a higher level of competition and more formal organization. Its teams were eligible for the Memorial Cup as the national junior champion of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association, and were runners-up in five seasons as the Abbott Cup junior champion of Western Canada.
History
The Western Canada Junior Hockey League (WCJHL) formed in 1948 after junior ice hockey teams from Alberta and Saskatchewan wanted to form a league with a higher level of competition with more formal organization by a dedicated league governor rather than a provincial governing body. All four teams from the Southern Alberta Junior Hockey League combined with two teams from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League to become a six-team league. The remaining junior teams in Saskatchewan reorganized as the South Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League for the 1948–49 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/258.html|title=Western Canada Junior Hockey League history and statistics|website=Hockey Database|access-date=December 16, 2020}} Earlier in 1948, the stronger junior teams based in Saskatchewan and Manitoba proposed an inter-provincial league. Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association president Jimmy Dunn was opposed to the idea since he felt it would have a negative effect on junior hockey in Winnipeg.{{cite news|title=Junior Bosses Confer On New Hockey Set-Up|date=April 13, 1948|newspaper=Winnipeg Tribune|location=Winnipeg, Manitoba|page=16|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-apr-13-1948-2108768/}}{{free access}}
The WCJHL operated under the joint jurisdiction of the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association and the Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey Association, and participated in the playoffs for the Memorial Cup as organized by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA). Teams from the WCJHL won the Abbott Cup as the junior champions of Western Canada in five seasons, which included the Regina Pats in 1950, 1952, 1955, 1956, and the Edmonton Oil Kings in 1954. In each of these seasons, the WCJHL champion lost to the Eastern Canada champion at the head-to-head Memorial Cup national junior championship.{{cite book|last1=Lapp|first1=Richard M.|last2=Macaulay|first2=Alec|title=The Memorial Cup: Canada's National Junior Hockey Championship|publisher=Harbour Publishing|date=1997|location=Madeira Park, British Columbia|isbn=1-55017-170-4|pages=89–106}}
The WCJHL and other junior teams in Western Canada addressed the imbalance in Memorial Cup competition in a meeting with CAHA president W. B. George in August 1954. The teams sought permission for the champions of any western leagues to add three players from their own league starting in the inter-provincial playoffs to determine the western representative for the Memorial Cup, and contended that the imbalance in competition caused lack of spectator interest and less prestige for the event.{{cite news|title=Three Replacements Sought For West Champs|last=Hooper|first=Al|date=August 2, 1954|newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press|location=Winnipeg, Manitoba|page=13|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-aug-02-1954-2167053/}}{{free access}}{{cite news|title=Western Junior Hockey Men Seeking Entirely New Deal|date=July 29, 1954|newspaper=Lethbridge Herald|location=Lethbridge, Alberta|page=7 |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-jul-29-1954-2164364/}}{{free access}} At the next CAHA meeting in January 1955, the request for three additional players for the Abbott Cup representative was approved.{{cite news|title=CAHA Hopes To Reduce Budget To 55 Thousand|date=January 10, 1955|newspaper=Winnipeg Tribune|location=Winnipeg, Manitoba|page=16|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-jan-10-1955-2169427/}}{{free access}}
The WCJHL folded in 1958 and three of the remaining four teams returned to their respective provincial junior leagues. The exception was the Edmonton Oil Kings, which joined the Central Alberta Hockey League, a senior ice hockey league.{{cite web |title=CAHL Seasons |website=HockeyDB |url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/48.html |access-date=2022-11-12}}
=Governors=
List of league governors:
- Red Dutton (1948 to 1951){{cite news|title=22 Home Games For Juniors|date=September 17, 1951|newspaper=Lethbridge Herald|location=Lethbridge, Alberta|page=12|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-sep-17-1951-2103278/}}{{free access}}
- Al Pickard (1951 to 1953){{cite news|title=Don Pilling|last=Pilling|first=Don|date=July 28, 1953|newspaper=Lethbridge Herald|location=Lethbridge, Alberta|page=7|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-jul-28-1953-2101275/}}{{free access}}
- Ken Doraty (1953 to 1956)
=Teams=
List of teams that played in the WCJHL:
| class="wikitable"
!Team name!!Seasons!!City | ||
| Bellevue Lions | 1948–1949 | Bellevue, Alberta |
| Crow's Nest Pass Lions | 1949–1951 | Bellevue, Alberta |
| Crow's Nest Pass Coalers | 1951–1953 | Bellevue, Alberta |
| Calgary Buffaloes | 1948–1954 | Calgary, Alberta |
| Edmonton Oil Kings | 1951–1956 | Edmonton, Alberta |
| Lethbridge Native Sons | 1948–1956 | Lethbridge, Alberta |
| Medicine Hat Tigers | 1948–1956 | Medicine Hat, Alberta |
| Moose Jaw Canucks | 1948–1955 | Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan |
| Regina Pats | 1948–1956 | Regina, Saskatchewan |
Standings
=1948–49 season=
| class="wikitable"
!Rank!!Team!!Games!!Wins!!Losses!!Ties!!Points!!{{abbreviation|GF|Goals for}}!!{{abbreviation|GA|Goals against}} | ||||||||
| 1 | Calgary Buffaloes | 32 | 20 | 9 | 3 | 52 | 188 | 123 |
| 2 | Moose Jaw Canucks | 26 | 17 | 8 | 1 | 52 | 139 | 94 |
| 3 | Regina Pats | 26 | 11 | 14 | 1 | 40 | 99 | 126 |
| 4 | Lethbridge Native Sons | 32 | 13 | 19 | 0 | 36 | 105 | 139 |
| 5 | Medicine Hat Tigers | 31 | 11 | 17 | 3 | 30 | 123 | 147 |
| 6 | Bellevue Lions | 32 | 14 | 18 | 0 | 30 | 166 | 185 |
=1949–50 season=
| class="wikitable"
!Rank!!Team!!Games!!Wins!!Losses!!Ties!!Points!!{{abbreviation|GF|Goals for}}!!{{abbreviation|GA|Goals against}} | ||||||||
| 1 | Lethbridge Native Sons | 40 | 30 | 10 | 0 | 60 | 232 | 139 |
| 2 | Moose Jaw Canucks | 40 | 22 | 18 | 0 | 44 | 162 | 180 |
| 3 | Regina Pats | 40 | 19 | 20 | 1 | 39 | 182 | 182 |
| 4 | Medicine Hat Tigers | 40 | 17 | 21 | 2 | 36 | 174 | 194 |
| 5 | Crow's Nest Pass Lions | 40 | 16 | 24 | 0 | 32 | 191 | 221 |
| 6 | Calgary Buffaloes | 40 | 14 | 25 | 1 | 29 | 139 | 160 |
=1950–51 season=
| class="wikitable"
!Rank!!Team!!Games!!Wins!!Losses!!Ties!!Points!!{{abbreviation|GF|Goals for}}!!{{abbreviation|GA|Goals against}} | ||||||||
| 1 | Lethbridge Native Sons | 40 | 29 | 10 | 1 | 59 | 226 | 130 |
| 2 | Regina Pats | 40 | 26 | 12 | 2 | 54 | 207 | 126 |
| 3 | Crow's Nest Pass Lions | 40 | 18 | 20 | 2 | 38 | 175 | 197 |
| 4 | Medicine Hat Tigers | 40 | 18 | 21 | 1 | 37 | 150 | 218 |
| 5 | Moose Jaw Canucks | 40 | 16 | 22 | 2 | 34 | 147 | 160 |
| 6 | Calgary Buffaloes | 40 | 8 | 30 | 2 | 18 | 119 | 192 |
=1951–52 season=
| class="wikitable"
!Rank!!Team!!Games!!Wins!!Losses!!Ties!!Points!!{{abbreviation|GF|Goals for}}!!{{abbreviation|GA|Goals against}} | ||||||||
| 1 | Regina Pats | 44 | 30 | 11 | 3 | 63 | 229 | 127 |
| 2 | Edmonton Oil Kings | 44 | 29 | 14 | 1 | 59 | 234 | 160 |
| 3 | Lethbridge Native Sons | 44 | 27 | 15 | 2 | 56 | 232 | 168 |
| 4 | Calgary Buffaloes | 44 | 21 | 19 | 4 | 46 | 181 | 146 |
| 5 | Moose Jaw Canucks | 44 | 21 | 23 | 0 | 42 | 178 | 171 |
| 6 | Crow's Nest Pass Coalers | 44 | 18 | 25 | 1 | 37 | 219 | 289 |
| 7 | Medicine Hat Tigers | 44 | 11 | 30 | 3 | 25 | 171 | 247 |
=1952–53 season=
| class="wikitable"
!Rank!!Team!!Games!!Wins!!Losses!!Ties!!Points!!{{abbreviation|GF|Goals for}}!!{{abbreviation|GA|Goals against}} | ||||||||
| 1 | Edmonton Oil Kings | 36 | 28 | 6 | 2 | 58 | 218 | 97 |
| 2 | Regina Pats | 36 | 23 | 11 | 2 | 48 | 165 | 135 |
| 3 | Lethbridge Native Sons | 36 | 19 | 12 | 5 | 43 | 214 | 166 |
| 4 | Calgary Buffaloes | 36 | 15 | 17 | 4 | 34 | 171 | 182 |
| 5 | Moose Jaw Canucks | 36 | 13 | 23 | 0 | 26 | 164 | 209 |
| 6 | Medicine Hat Tigers | 36 | 12 | 22 | 2 | 26 | 158 | 207 |
| 7 | Crow's Nest Pass Coalers | 36 | 8 | 27 | 1 | 17 | 145 | 239 |
=1953–54 season=
| class="wikitable"
!Rank!!Team!!Games!!Wins!!Losses!!Ties!!Points!!{{abbreviation|GF|Goals for}}!!{{abbreviation|GA|Goals against}} | ||||||||
| 1 | Edmonton Oil Kings | 36 | 33 | 3 | 0 | 55 | 263 | 84 |
| 2 | Regina Pats | 36 | 23 | 13 | 0 | 39 | 182 | 119 |
| 3 | Lethbridge Native Sons | 36 | 19 | 17 | 0 | 30 | 183 | 171 |
| 4 | Moose Jaw Canucks | 36 | 17 | 19 | 0 | 29 | 166 | 191 |
| 5 | Medicine Hat Tigers | 36 | 13 | 23 | 0 | 22 | 144 | 187 |
| 6 | Calgary Buffaloes | 36 | 3 | 33 | 0 | 5 | 121 | 307 |
=1954–55 season=
| class="wikitable"
!Rank!!Team!!Games!!Wins!!Losses!!Ties!!Points!!{{abbreviation|GF|Goals for}}!!{{abbreviation|GA|Goals against}} | ||||||||
| 1 | Regina Pats | 40 | 30 | 10 | 0 | 60 | 220 | 116 |
| 2 | Lethbridge Native Sons | 40 | 25 | 15 | 0 | 50 | 169 | 163 |
| 3 | Edmonton Oil Kings | 40 | 23 | 16 | 1 | 47 | 173 | 115 |
| 4 | Medicine Hat Tigers | 40 | 16 | 23 | 1 | 33 | 163 | 167 |
| 5 | Moose Jaw Canucks | 40 | 5 | 35 | 0 | 10 | 100 | 264 |
=1955–56 season=
| class="wikitable"
!Rank!!Team!!Games!!Wins!!Losses!!Ties!!Points!!{{abbreviation|GF|Goals for}}!!{{abbreviation|GA|Goals against}} | ||||||||
| 1 | Regina Pats | 36 | 24 | 11 | 1 | 49 | 181 | 132 |
| 2 | Edmonton Oil Kings | 36 | 17 | 19 | 0 | 34 | 150 | 143 |
| 3 | Lethbridge Native Sons | 48 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 32 | 223 | 233 |
| 4 | Medicine Hat Tigers | 48 | 18 | 29 | 1 | 29 | 173 | 219 |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Western Canada Junior Hockey League (1948-1956)}}
Category:1948 establishments in Canada
Category:1956 disestablishments in Canada
Category:Sports leagues established in 1948
Category:Sports leagues disestablished in 1956
Category:Defunct junior ice hockey leagues in Canada