Prairie Hockey League
Encyclopedia
The Prairie Hockey League (PHL) was a Canadian professional ice hockey
league in Alberta
and Saskatchewan
that was created following the demise of the Western Hockey League
in 1926. It operated for two seasons.
The creation of the league was announced in February 1926, with teams in Regina, Moose Jaw, Brandon, and Winnipeg. By the time the first season began, Brandon and Winnipeg had dropped out. Five WHL teams—the Calgary Tigers
, Edmonton Eskimos
, Saskatoon Sheiks
, Regina Capitals
, and the Moose Jaw Warriors
—played in the league's first season. Leading the PHL was president E.W. Seaborn of Moose Jaw. In the first season, the Calgary Tigers were declared the league champions when the Saskatoon Sheiks refused to continue their playoff series after complaining about the officiating in the first game. The Tigers won the game 2-1. The Tigers played the Winnipeg Maroons
of the American Hockey Association
for the Merchants Casualty Cup, presented to the top professional team in the west. During the season, there had been rumours that games in the PHL had been fixed, but Seaborn believed the league had the confidence of the public by the end of the year.
At a meeting in May 1927, Seaborn said that he expected all five teams to return for the next season, and that the league might expand into Brandon, Manitoba
. But, as it turned out, Calgary and Edmonton dropped out after one year and no new team was admitted to the league. The Moose Jaw team was renamed the Moose Jaw Maroons
. The league folded after the 1927-28
season.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
league in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
that was created following the demise of the Western Hockey League
Western Canada Hockey League
The Western Canada Hockey League , founded in 1921, was a major professional ice hockey league originally based in the prairies of Canada. It was renamed the Western Hockey League in 1925 and disbanded in 1926.-History:...
in 1926. It operated for two seasons.
The creation of the league was announced in February 1926, with teams in Regina, Moose Jaw, Brandon, and Winnipeg. By the time the first season began, Brandon and Winnipeg had dropped out. Five WHL teams—the Calgary Tigers
Calgary Tigers
The Calgary Tigers, often nicknamed the Bengals, were an ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 1920 until 1927 as members of the Big Four League, Western Canada Hockey League and Prairie Hockey League. The Tigers were revived in 1932, playing for a short-lived four years in the...
, Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos (hockey)
The Edmonton Eskimos were a Canadian amateur and later professional men's ice hockey team that existed from 1905 to 1927. The Eskimos challenged three times for the Stanley Cup, losing each time; in 1908 versus the Montreal Wanderers, in 1910 versus the Ottawa Senators, and Ottawa again in 1923...
, Saskatoon Sheiks
Saskatoon Sheiks
The Saskatoon Sheiks were a professional ice hockey team in the Western Canada Hockey League and Prairie Hockey League from 1922 to 1928. The team was based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, except for the end of the 1922 season, when they played in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.The team entered the WCHL in...
, Regina Capitals
Regina Capitals
The Regina Capitals were a professional ice hockey team originally based in the city of Regina, Saskatchewan in the Western Canada Hockey League , founded in 1921.-Franchise history:...
, and the Moose Jaw Warriors
Moose Jaw Warriors
The Moose Jaw Warriors are a major junior ice hockey team of the Western Hockey League which are based out of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The team plays its home games at Mosaic Place. The franchise moved to Moose Jaw from Winnipeg after the 1983–84 season, where they had previously been named the...
—played in the league's first season. Leading the PHL was president E.W. Seaborn of Moose Jaw. In the first season, the Calgary Tigers were declared the league champions when the Saskatoon Sheiks refused to continue their playoff series after complaining about the officiating in the first game. The Tigers won the game 2-1. The Tigers played the Winnipeg Maroons
Winnipeg Maroons (ice hockey)
The Winnipeg Maroons were an ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The 1964 team beat the Woodstock Athletics to win the Allan Cup, the championship trophy for senior hockey in Canada....
of the American Hockey Association
American Hockey Association (1926–1942)
The American Hockey Association was a minor professional hockey league that operated between 1926 and 1942. It had previously operated as the Central Hockey League , and before that as part of the United States Amateur Hockey Association. The founding president was Alvin Warren, who also owned the St...
for the Merchants Casualty Cup, presented to the top professional team in the west. During the season, there had been rumours that games in the PHL had been fixed, but Seaborn believed the league had the confidence of the public by the end of the year.
At a meeting in May 1927, Seaborn said that he expected all five teams to return for the next season, and that the league might expand into Brandon, Manitoba
Brandon, Manitoba
Brandon is the second largest city in Manitoba, Canada, and is located in the southwestern area of the province. Brandon is the largest city in the Westman region of Manitoba. The city is located along the Assiniboine River. Spruce Woods Provincial Park and CFB Shilo are a relatively short distance...
. But, as it turned out, Calgary and Edmonton dropped out after one year and no new team was admitted to the league. The Moose Jaw team was renamed the Moose Jaw Maroons
Moose Jaw Maroons
The Moose Jaw Maroons were a minor-league ice hockey team in the Prairie Hockey League. Based in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada, they existed from 1926-28...
. The league folded after the 1927-28
1927-28 PrHL season
The 1927–28 season was the second and last season of the Prairie Hockey League . Two of the league's three remaining teams played 26 games while the third team played 28.-Regular season:...
season.
Franchises
- Calgary TigersCalgary TigersThe Calgary Tigers, often nicknamed the Bengals, were an ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 1920 until 1927 as members of the Big Four League, Western Canada Hockey League and Prairie Hockey League. The Tigers were revived in 1932, playing for a short-lived four years in the...
(1926–27) - Edmonton EskimosEdmonton Eskimos (hockey)The Edmonton Eskimos were a Canadian amateur and later professional men's ice hockey team that existed from 1905 to 1927. The Eskimos challenged three times for the Stanley Cup, losing each time; in 1908 versus the Montreal Wanderers, in 1910 versus the Ottawa Senators, and Ottawa again in 1923...
(1926–27) - Moose Jaw Warriors (1926–27), Moose Jaw MaroonsMoose Jaw MaroonsThe Moose Jaw Maroons were a minor-league ice hockey team in the Prairie Hockey League. Based in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada, they existed from 1926-28...
(1927–28) - Regina CapitalsRegina CapitalsThe Regina Capitals were a professional ice hockey team originally based in the city of Regina, Saskatchewan in the Western Canada Hockey League , founded in 1921.-Franchise history:...
(1926–28) - Saskatoon SheiksSaskatoon SheiksThe Saskatoon Sheiks were a professional ice hockey team in the Western Canada Hockey League and Prairie Hockey League from 1922 to 1928. The team was based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, except for the end of the 1922 season, when they played in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.The team entered the WCHL in...
(1926–28)