back to Early
Professional Leagues
Early NHL related leagues
and standings.
Today's NHL can be traced back with the leagues below. While
the leagues
may not be connected through some of the name changes, the member
teams are.
AHA -- 1893 to 1898
CAHL -- 1899 to 1905
FAHL -- 1904 to 1906
ECAHL -- 1906
ECAHA -- 1907 to 1909
CHA -- 1909-10
NHA -- 1909-10 to 1916-17
Amateur Hockey Association (AHA)
The AHA was the first league to play for
the Stanley Cup, which was
awarded to the best amateur teams at the
time on a challenge basis.
Any amateur team could challenge the current
Champion for the Cup.
* denotes league champion.
1893 AHA
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*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
*Montreal AAA Stanley Cup champions as league champions.
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1894 AHA
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*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
*Montreal AAA Stanley Cup champions.
March 17,1894 Montreal AAA 3, Montreal Victorias 2
March 22,1894 Montreal AAA 3, Ottawa Capitals 1
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1895 AHA
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*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
*Montreal Victorias Stanley Cup champions.
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1896 AHA
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*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
Feb.14/1896 Winnipeg Victorias 2, Montreal Victorias 0
Winnipeg Victorias Stanley Cup champions.
------------------------------------------------------------------
1897 AHA
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*Montreal Victorias 8
7 1 0 48
26 14
Ottawa HC
8 5 3 0
25 18 10
Montreal AAA
8 5 3 0
31 26 10
Quebec HC
8 2 6 0
22 46 4
Montreal Shamrocks 8
1 7 0 27
37 2
Dec.30/1896 Montreal Victorias 6, Winnipeg Victorias 5
to regain Stanley Cup.
Dec.27/1897 Montreal Victorias 15, Ottawa Capitals 2
* Montreal Victorias Stanley Cup champions.
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1898 AHA
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*Montreal Victorias 8
8 0 0 53
33 16
Montreal AAA
8 4 3 0
34 21 8
Montreal Shamrocks 8
3 5 0 25
36 6
Quebec HC
8 2 6 0
29 35 4
Ottawa HC
8 2 6 0
28 44 4
*Montreal Victorias Stanley Cup champions
as winners of AHA.
No challenge was issued.
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League changes name to Canadian Amateur Hockey League.
1899 CAHL
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*Montreal Shamrocks 8
7 1 0 40
21 14
Montreal Victorias 8
6 2 0 44
23 12
Ottawa HC
8 4 4 0
21 43 8
Montreal AAA
8 3 5 0
30 29 6
Quebec HC
8 0 8 0
12 31 0
Feb.15/1899 Montreal Victorias 2, Winnipeg Victorias 1
Feb.18/1899 Montreal Victorias 3, Winnipeg Victorias 2
Montreal Victorias regain Stanley Cup.
As CAHL champions, the Shamrocks had to
defend the Cup.
March 14/1899 Montreal Shamrocks
6, Queen's University 2
*Montreal Shamrocks Stanley Cup champions.
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1900 CAHL
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*Montreal Shamrocks 8
7 1 0 49
26 14
Montreal AAA
8 5 3 0
34 36 10
Ottawa HC
8 4 4 0
28 19 8
Montreal Victorias 8
2 6 0 44
55 4
Quebec HC
8 2 6 0
33 52 4
The Montreal Shamrocks defended the Cup on several ocasions.
Feb.12/1900 Montreal Shamrocks 4, Winnipeg Victorias 3
Feb.14/1900 Winnipeg Victorias 3, Montreal Shamrocks 2
Feb.16/1900 Montreal Shamrocks 5, Winnipeg Victorias 4
(Montreal wins series 2-1)
March 5/1900 Montreal Shamrocks 10, Halifax 2
March 7/1900 Montreal Shamrocks 11, Halifax 0
*Montreal Shamrocks Stanley Cup champion.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1901 CAHL
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*Ottawa HC
8 7 0 1
33 20 15
Montreal Victorias 8
4 3 1 45
32 9
Montreal Shamrocks 8
4 4 0 30
25 8
Montreal AAA
8 3 5 0
28 37 6
Quebec HC
8 1 7 0
21 43 2
The Montreal Shamrocks lost the Stanley
Cup in 2 games to
the Winnipeg Victorias.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1902 CAHL
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*Montreal AAA
8 6 2 0
39 15 12
Ottawa HC
8 5 3 0
35 15 10
Montreal Victorias 8
4 4 0 36
25 8
Quebec HC
8 4 4 0
26 34 8
Montreal Shamrocks 8
1 7 0 15
62 2
Montreal AAA win Stanley Cup in March,
1902. Defeating Winnipeg
Victorias 2 games to 1.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1903 CAHL
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*Ottawa HC
8 6 2 0
47 26 12
Montreal Victorias 8
6 2 0 48
33 12
Montreal AAA
7 4 3 0
34 19 8
Quebec HC
7 3 4 0
30 46 6
Montreal Shamrocks 8
0 8 0 21
56 0
In a 4 game series from Jan.29 to Feb.4/1903, the Montreal AAA
retained the Stanley Cup in a 2-1-1 series win versus the
Winnipeg Victorias.
Ottawa HC or Silver Seven as they were known in 1903, defeated
the Montreal AAA by scores of 1-1 and 8-0 for a total goal
series win of 9-1. Ottawa wins Stanley Cup.
The Silver Seven then faced another challenge and won to keep
the Stanley Cup;
March 12/1903 Ottawa HC 6, Rat Portage 2
March 14/1903 Ottawa HC 4, Rat Portage 2
*Ottawa Silver Seven Stanley Cup champions.
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1904 CAHL
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*Quebec HC
8 7 1 0
50 37 14
Montreal Victorias 8
5 3 0 75
48 10
Montreal AAA
8 3 5 0
34 49 6
Montreal Shamrocks 8
1 7 0 32
75 2
**Ottawa HC
8 4 4 0
32 15 8
** Ottawa HC resigned Feb.8/1904 and results
did not count in standings.
The Ottawa team then played
in the Federal Amateur Hockey League
(FAHL) in 1905.
The Ottawa HC or Silver Seven were still
Stanley Cup champions.
Dec.30/1903 Ottawa 9, Winnipeg Rowing Club 1
Jan.1/1904 Winnipeg Rowing Club 6, Ottawa 2
Jan.4/1904 Ottawa 2, Winnipeg Rowing Club 0
(Ottawa wins series)
Feb.23/1904 Ottawa 6, Toronto Marlboros 3
Feb.25/1904 Ottawa 11, Toronto Marlboros 2 (Ottawa
wins series)
March 2/1904 Ottawa 5, Montreal Wanderers 5
After tie game, another was ordered to be played. The Wanderers
refused
unless game was played in Montreal. No settlement was reached.
March 9/1904 Ottawa 6, Brandon 3
March 11/1904 Ottawa 9, Brandon 3 (Ottawa wins series)
Federal
Amateur Hockey League
1904 FAHL
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*Montreal Wanderers 6
6 0 0 38
18 12
Montreal Nationals 6
3 3 0 27
27 6
Cornwall HC
6 2 4 0
20 27 4
Ottawa Capitals
6 1 5 0
28 41 2
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1905 CAHL
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*Montreal Victorias 10
9 1 0 64
32 18
Quebec HC
10 8 2 0
78 45 16
Montreal AAA
10 7 3 0
54 42 14
Montreal Shamrocks 10
3 7 0 41
62 6
Montreal Westmount 10
3 7 0 55
75 6
Montreal Nationals 10
0 10 0 6
42 0
1905 FAHL
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*Ottawa HC
8 7 1 0
60 19 14
Montreal Wanderers 8
6 2 0 44
27 12
Brockville HC
8 4 4 0
34 30 8
Cornwall HC
8 3 5 0
18 37 6
Ottawa Montagnards 8
0 8 0 19
62 0
*Ottawa Silver Seven Stanley Cup champions.
Jan.13/1905 Ottawa 9, Dawson City 2
Jan.16/1905 Ottawa 23, Dawson City 2 (Ottawa wins
series)
March 7/1905 Rat Portage 9, Ottawa 3
March 9/1905 Ottawa 4, Rat Portage 2
March 11/1905 Ottawa 5, Rat Portage 4 (Ottawa wins series)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The league changed it's name to the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey League.
1906 ECAHL
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*Ottawa Silver Seven 10
9 1 0 90
42 18
Montreal Wanderers 10
9 1 0 74
38 18
Montreal Victorias 10
6 4 0 76
73 12
Quebec HC
10 3 7 0
57 70 6
Montreal AAA
10 3 7 0
49 63 6
Montreal Shamrocks 10
0 10 0 30
90 0
-The Ottawa Silver Seven and Montreal Wanderers were added from the FAHL.
*Ottawa Silver Seven succesfully defended Stanley Cup.
Feb.27/1906 Ottawa 16, Queen's University 7
Feb.28/1906 Ottawa 12, Queen's University 7 (Ottawa
wins series)
March 6/1906 Ottawa 6, Smiths Falls 2
March 8/1906 Ottawa 8, Smiths Falls 2 (Ottawa wins
series)
*The Montreal Wanderers then defeated Ottawa for the Stanley
Cup.
March 14/1906 Montreal Wanderers 9, Ottawa 1
March 17/1906 Ottawa 9, Montreal Wanderers 3
(Montreal wins total goal series 12-10)
1906 FAHL
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*Smiths Falls HC 7
7 0 0 35
13 14
Ottawa Victorias 8
4 4 0 48
42 8
Brockville HC
7 3 4 0
55 32 6
Cornwall HC
6 2 4 0
16 30 4
Ottawa Montagnards 4
0 4 0 2
39 0
**This was the last FAHL season.**
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The league changed it's name to the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association.
1907 ECAHA
GP W L GF
GA PTS
*Montreal Wanderers 10
10 0 105 39
20
Ottawa Silver Seven 10
7 3 76 54
14
Montreal Victorias 10
6 4 101 70
12
Montreal AAA
10 3 7 58
83 6
Quebec HC
10 2 8 62
88 4
Montreal Shamrocks 10
2 8 52 120
4
*Montreal Wanderers defended Stanley Cup before season.
Dec.27/1906 Montreal Wanderers 10, New Glascow 3
Dec.29/1906 Montreal Wanderers 7, New Glascow 2
After the season;
Kenora (MPHL) had challenged Montreal Wanderers for Stanley
Cup.
Jan.17/1907 Kenora 4, Montreal Wanderers 2
Jan.21/1907 Kenora 8, Montreal Wanderers 6 (Kenora
wins series)
Montreal regain Stanley Cup in March.
March 23/1907 Montreal Wanderers 7, Kenora 2
March 25/1907 Kenora 6, Montreal Wanderers 5
(Montreal wins totals goals series 12-8)
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1907-08 ECAHA
GP W L GF
GA PTS
*Montreal Wanderers 10
8 2 63 52
16
Ottawa Silver Seven 10
7 3 86 51
14
Quebec HC
10 5 5 81
74 10
Montreal Shamrocks 10
5 5 53 49
10
Montreal Victorias 10
4 6 73 78
8
Montreal AAA
10 1 9 53
105 2
*Montreal Wanderers Stanley Cup champions.
Montreal defended the Cup on 4 occasions;
Jan.9/1908 Montreal 9, Ottawa Victorias 3
Jan.13/1908 Montreal 13, Ottawa Victorias 1 (Montreal
wins series)
March 10/1908 Montreal 11, Winnipeg Maple Leafs 5
March 12/1908 Montreal 9, Winnipeg Maple Leafs 3
(Montreal wins series)
March 14/1908 Montreal 6, Toronto Professionals (OPHL) 4
Before the following season, 1908-09, another challenge was issued;
Dec.28/1908 Montreal 7, Edmonton Eskimos 3
Dec.30/1908 Edmonton Eskimos 7, Montreal 6
(Montreal wins total goal series 13-10)
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1908-09 ECAHA
GP W L GF
GA PTS
*Ottawa Senators 12
10 2 117 63
20
Montreal Wanderers 12
9 3 82 61
18
Quebec Bulldogs
12 3 9 78
106 6
Montreal Shamrocks 12
2 10 56 103
4
*Ottawa Senators Stanley Cup champions.
Ottawa defended the Cup versus 2 more teams.
Jan.5/1909 Ottawa 12, Galt 3
Jan.7/1909 Ottawa 3, Galt 1
Jan.18/1909 Ottawa 8, Edmonton Eskimos 4
Jan.20/1909 Ottawa 13, Edmonton Eslimos 7
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The ECAHA appears to have changed it's
name to the Canadian Hockey
Association. This league would fold early
in the season.
1909-10 CHA
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
Ottawa Senators
2 2 0 0
29 9 4
Montreal Shamrocks 3
2 1 0 29
17 4
Quebec Bulldogs
3 2 1 0
20 22 4
All-Montreal HC
4 2 2 0
20 25 4
Montreal Nationals 4
0 4 0 25
26 0
*League folds on Jan.15/1910.
-Montreal Nationals are listed as having 1 extra GA, which could
not be as they lost 4 straight games. Most definitely
a typo.
Most of the former ACAHA and CHA teams
went on to play in the new
National Hockey Association (NHA). This
NHA would later be known
as the National Hockey League (NHL) as
we now know today.
The Stanley Cup was around long before
the formation of the NHL,
but so are the famous Montreal Canadiens.
They would play their
first season in 1909-10 in the NHA.
1909-10 NHA
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*Montreal Wanderers 12
11 1 0 91
41 22
Ottawa Senators
12 9 3 0
89 66 18
Renfrew Creamery Kings 12 8
3 1 96 54
17
Cobalt Silver Kings 12
4 8 0 79
104 8
Halleybury HC
12 4 8 0
77 83 8
Montreal Shamrocks 12
3 8 1 52
95 7
Montreal Canadiens 12
2 10 0 59
100 4
*Montreal Wanderers Stanley Cup champions.
March 12/1910 Montreal Wanderers 7, Berlin (Kitchener) 3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1910-11 NHA
GP W L GF
GA PTS
*Ottawa Senators 16
13 3 122 69
26
Montreal Canadiens 16
8 8 66 62
16
Renfrew Creamery Kings 16 8
8 91 101 16
Montreal Wanderers 16
7 9 73 88
14
Quebec Bulldogs
16 4 12 65
97 8
*Ottawa Senators Stanley Cup champions.
Ottawa defended the Cup versus 2 teams.
March 13/1911 Ottawa 7, Galt 4
March 16/1911 Ottawa 13, Port Arthur 4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1911-12 NHA
GP W L GF
GA PTS
*Quebec Bulldogs 18
10 8 81 79
20
Ottawa Senators
18 9 9 99
93 18
Montreal Wanderers 18
9 9 95 96
18
Montreal Canadiens 18
8 10 59 66
16
*Quebec Bulldogs Stanley Cup champion.
Quebec defended the Cup versus Moncton (MPHL).
March 11/1912 Quebec 9, Moncton 3
March 13/1912 Quebec 8, Moncton 0
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1912-13 NHA
GP W L GF
GA PTS
*Quebec Bulldogs 20
16 4 112 75
32
Montreal Wanderers 20
10 10 93 90
20
Ottawa Senators
20 9 11 87
81 18
Toronto Blueshirts 20
9 11 86 95
18
Montreal Canadiens 20
9 11 83 81
18
Toronto Tecumsehs 20
7 13 59 98
14
*Quebec Bulldogs Stanley Cup champions.
Quebec defended the Cup versus Sydney.
March 8/1913 Quebec 14, Sydney 3
March 10/1913 Quebec 6, Sydney 2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1913-14 NHA
GP W L GF
GA PTS
*Toronto Blueshirts 20
13 7 93 65
26
Montreal Canadiens 20
13 7 85 65
26
Quebec Bulldogs
20 12 8 111
73 24
Ottawa Senators
20 11 9 65
71 22
Montreal Wanderers 20
7 13 102 125 14
Toronto Ontarios 20
4 16 61 118
8
*Toronto Blueshirts defeat the PCHA Victoria Aristocrats for the Stanley Cup.
The Stanley Cup champions were now decided by a final series
between the NHA (and soon to be NHL) and West leagues.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1914-15 NHA
GP W L GF
GA PTS
*Ottawa Senators 20
14 6 74 65
28
Montreal Wanderers 20
14 6 127 82
28
Quebec Bulldogs
20 11 9 85
85 22
Toronto Blueshirts 20
8 12 66 84
16
Tor.Ontarios/Shamrocks 20 7
13 76 86 14
Montreal Canadiens 20
6 14 65 81
12
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1915-16 NHA
GP W L T
GF GA PTS
*Montreal Canadiens 24
16 7 1 104
76 33
Ottawa Senators
24 13 11 0
78 72 26
Quebec Bulldogs
24 10 12 2
91 98 22
Montreal Wanderers 24
10 14 0 90
116 20
Toronto Blueshirts 24
9 14 1 97
98 19
*Montreal Canadiens defeat the PCHA Portland Rosebuds for the Stanley Cup.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1916-17 NHA
FIRST HALF
GP W L GF
GA PTS
*Montreal Canadiens 10
7 3 58 38
14
Ottawa Senators
10 7 3 56
41 14
**Toronto 228th
10 6 4 70
57 12
***Toronto Blueshirts 10 5
5 50 45 10
Montreal Wanderers 10
3 7 56 72
6
Quebec Bulldogs
10 2 8 43
80 4
SECOND HALF
Ottawa Senators
10 8 2 63
22 16
Quebec Bulldogs
10 8 2 54
46 16
Montreal Canadiens 10
3 7 31 42
6
Montreal Wanderers 10
2 8 38 65
4
**Toronto 228th were called overseas.
***Toronto Blueshirts fold Feb.11/1917.
The NHA would change it's name to National
Hockey League. The NHL is the same
league we have today.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Some standings; Credit 'Total Hockey'.