List of ice hockey teams in Saskatchewan

The province of Saskatchewan is home to five Western Hockey League teams, twelve Junior A teams – eleven in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and one in the Alberta Junior Hockey League – and one Junior B league comprising thirteen teams. The province is also home to two universities teams playing in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association and one college team that plays in the Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference.

The first professional ice hockey teams in Saskatchewan were the Regina Capitals and the Saskatoon Sheiks who first played in the Western Canada Hockey League's (WCHL) inaugural season in 1921–22. After the collapse of the WCHL following the 1925–26 season, these teams and the Moose Jaw Maroons joined the Prairie Hockey League (PHL). The PHL folded after two season, which resulted in the end of professional hockey in Saskatchewan. In 1952 professional hockey returned to Saskatchewan when the Saskatoon Quakers joined the minor-pro Western Hockey League (WHL). The Quakers folded in 1956 and were replaced by the Saskatoon/St. Paul Regals who split their home games between Saskatoon and St. Paul, Minnesota for the 1957–58 season. The following season, the Regals became the second incarnation of the Saskatoon Quakers, abandoning St. Paul, but folded after just one season, leaving the province without professional hockey once again. Since then, there have been a number of attempts to return professional hockey to Saskatchewan. In 1983, a bid to buy and relocate the National Hockey League's St. Louis Blues to Saskatoon was vetoed by the NHL, who preferred to find an owner to keep the team in St. Louis.[1] In 2009, Ice Edge attempted to purchase the bankrupt Phoenix Coyotes with a plan to keep the team in Phoenix, but to also play five home games a year in Saskatoon.[2] However, The Conference Board of Canada has reported that Saskatoon's population of approximately 250,000 is well below the minimum 750,000 required for an NHL team to survive economically.[3] Additionally, Saskatoon was rumoured as a possible destination for the American Hockey League Manitoba Moose after the Atlanta Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg in 2011.[4][5] However, the Moose eventually relocated to St. John's, Newfoundland, due in part to the presence of the Saskatoon Blades occupancy of the Credit Union Centre.[5]

The first recorded Provincial Junior Hockey League was organized in the 1916–17, when E.C. Corbeau donated the Corbeau Cup. The first champions were the Regina Arenas.[6] The 1916–17 season was also the first season of the Regina Pats, who are the oldest continuously operating junior team in Canada.[7] In 1919 the Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey Association created the Abbott Cup in memory of E.L. (Hick) Abbott who died in the First World War. The Abbot Cup was originally awarded to the best Junior "A" team in Western Canada. After Western Hockey League was sanctioned as the top junior league in Western Canada and the creation of the Ed Chynoweth Cup, the Abbot Cup was awarded to the best junior "B" team in Western Canada until 1999 when the trophy was retired.[8]

Organized women's hockey has been played in Saskatchewan since at least 1912 when a women's team was set up at the University of Saskatchewan. However, as women's hockey only became a Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) sport in 1997–98, they played unsanctioned competitions against other university and local women's teams, winning the Western Canadian women’s inter-university hockey league champion in 1921 and 1922. They also won the Saskatoon women's city championship in 1929, 1932, 1939 and 1942. Women's hockey was an intramural sport between 1955 and 1976, before the creation of the Labatt Cup: Women’s Hockey Tournament, later renamed the Western Canada Cup, in 1979.[9] The University of Saskatchewan played in the first CIS sanctioned women's championship in the 1997–98 season,[10] while the University of Regina women's team joined one year later.[11] The University of Regina won their first, and only, conference title in 2000–01. In 2004, the Saskatchewan Prairie Ice began play in the minor-pro Western Women's Hockey League based out of Lumsden located near Regina. After three losing seasons the team folded in 2007 due to financial reasons. Saskatchewan has won one Abby Hoffman Cup, awarded to the Canadian senior women's "A" champion, won by the Notre Dame Hounds in 2010–11.[12]

This list does not include teams below the junior age group, or senior teams below the AAA level.

Major professional

Western Canada Hockey League

The Western Canada Hockey League was the first major-professional league on the prairies. Founded in 1921, it collapsed in 1926.[13]

Team City Existed[14] League titles[15] Notes[14][16]
Moose Jaw Sheiks Moose Jaw 1921–22 0 Relocated from Saskatoon midseason, returned to Saskatoon for 1922–23 season
Regina Capitals Regina 1921–25 1
Saskatoon Sheiks Saskatoon 1921, 22–26 0 Known as the Saskatoon Crescents from 1922–25

Minor professional

Western Hockey League

The professional Western Hockey League was formed following a merger with the Pacific Coast Hockey League and the Western Canada Senior Hockey League. The Saskatoon Quakers lost their amateur status when they joined the new league.

Team City Existed[17] Lester Patrick Cups[18] Notes[17]
Saskatoon Quakers Saskatoon 1951–56, 58–59 1
Saskatoon/St. Paul Regals Saskatoon/St. Paul 1957–58 0 Split home schedule between Saskatoon and St. Paul, MN

Junior

With no professional teams, the top level of hockey in Saskatchewan is junior. Five teams compete in the Major-Junior Western Hockey League, while the Junior-A Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League comprises 12 teams. The border city of Lloydminster competes in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

Western Hockey League

Current teams

Team City Established[19] President's Cups[20] Memorial Cups[21] Notes[19]
Moose Jaw Warriors Moose Jaw 1984 0 0 Founded in 1980 as the Winnipeg Warriors
Prince Albert Raiders Prince Albert 1982 2 1
Regina Pats Regina 1966 2 4* Franchise founded in 1917
Saskatoon Blades Saskatoon 1966 0 0 Founding predates the WHL
Swift Current Broncos Swift Current 1967–74, 1986 2 1 Founded in 1967; Existed as the Lethbridge Broncos from 1974–86

*Three of the Regina Pats' Memorial Cups predate the WHL.

Former teams

Team City Existed[19] President's Cups[20] Memorial Cups[21] Notes[19]
Estevan Bruins Estevan 1966–71 1 0 Founding predates the WHL; Became the New Westminster Bruins in 1971
Moose Jaw Canucks Moose Jaw 1966–68 1 0 Founding predates the WHL; Left WCHL to rejoin SJHL
Weyburn Red Wings Weyburn 1966–68 0 0 Founding predates the WHL; Left WCHL to rejoin SJHL

Alberta Junior Hockey League
Team City Established League titles Doyle Cups Royal Bank Cups Notes
Lloydminster Bobcats Lloydminster 1988 0 0 0 Previously the Lloydminster Lancers of the SJHL (1982–88); known as the Lloydminster Blazers 1988–05.[22][23] The team's arena lies on the Saskatchewan side of the biprovincial city, one block from the border.

Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League

Current teams

Team City Established[23] League titles[24] Anavet Cups[25] Royal Bank Cups[26] Notes[23]
Battlefords North Stars Battlefords 1973 1 1 0 Known as the Battlefords Barons (1973–83)
Estevan Bruins Estevan 1971 2 2 0
Humboldt Broncos Humboldt 1970 10 7 2
Kindersley Klippers Kindersley 1993 2 0 0 Founded in 1991 as the Saskatoon Titans
La Ronge Ice Wolves La Ronge 1998 2 0 0
Melfort Mustangs Melfort 1988 2 1 0
Melville Millionaires Melville 1970 0 0 0 Melville Millionaires' name dates back to 1915
Nipawin Hawks Nipawin 1986 1 1 0
Notre Dame Hounds Wilcox 1987 1 1 1 Only team to win the National Championship in inaugural season.
Weyburn Red Wings Weyburn 1968 8 5 2 Transferred from Western Hockey League
Yorkton Terriers Yorkton 1972 4 2 1

Former teams

Team City Existed[23] League titles[24] Anavet Cups[25] Royal Bank Cups[26] Notes[23]
Lebret Eagles Lebret 1993–2001 0 0 0
Lloydminster Lancers Lloydminster 1982–88 0 0 0 Transferred to the Alberta Junior Hockey League
Moose Jaw Canucks Moose Jaw 1968–84 0 0 0
Prince Albert Raiders Prince Albert 1972–82 8 7 2 Transferred to the Western Hockey League
Regina Blues Regina 1968–82 0 0 0
Regina Silver Foxes Regina 1972–76 0 0 0
Saskatoon Olympics Saskatoon 1968–82 0 0 0
Saskatoon Rage Saskatoon 1987–99 0 0 0 Founded in 1987 as the Minot Americans; known as the Minot Top Guns (1994–97) and Beardy's Rage (1997–98)
Swift Current Broncos Swift Current 1974–86 1 0 0 Known as the Swift Current Indians (1983–86)

Junior B Hockey leagues

The Prairie Junior Hockey League merged with the North Saskatchewan Junior B Hockey League in 2007 to create a more manageable province-wide league.

League Region Established Keystone Cup titles[27] Notes
Prairie Junior Hockey League Regina and Saskatoon region 2006 1 13 teams

Junior C Hockey leagues
League Region Established[28] Notes
Saskatchewan Junior C Hockey League Regina and Saskatoon region 1996 16 teams

Semi-professional, senior and amateur

Western Women's Hockey League

The Western Women's Hockey League (WWHL) and the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) were the top levels of women's hockey in Canada until 2007 with the creation of the Canadian Women's Hockey League.[29] In 2006, an agreement was made that the WWHL would become a division within the NWHL, but would remain an independent league. There was no competition between the winners of the two leagues to determine an overall winner.[30]

Team City Existed[31][32][33] WWHL titles[34][35][36] Notes
Saskatchewan Prairie Ice Lumsden 2004–07 0 Suspended operations for the 2007–08 WWHL season.[37]

Senior

Three senior AAA hockey teams from Saskatchewan have captured the Allan Cup as the national Senior hockey champion of Canada. the Lloydminster Border Kings are the defending Allan Cup champions.

Team City Established Allan Cups[38] Notes
Lloydminster Border Kings Lloydminster unknown–present 2 Member of the Chinook Hockey League[39]
Regina Rangers Regina unknown 1 1941 Allan Cup champions[39]
Regina Victorias Regina unknown 1 1914 Allan Cup champions[40]

University

The Canada West Universities Athletic Association was founded in 1919, representing schools across Western Canada.

Team City Established Men's conference titles[41] Women's conference titles[41] University Cups[42] Women's titles[42]
U of R Cougars Regina 1985 0 1 0 0
U of S Huskies Saskatoon 1910s 14 0 1 0

College

The Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference organizes sport at the collegiate level.

Team City Established ACAC titles[43] CCAA national titles[43] ACAC women's titles[44] Notes
Briercrest College Clippers Caronport 1997 0 0 N/A Does not play ACAC women's hockey, only men's

League, regional and national championships
Championship Times won Description
WCHL Championship 1 Western Canada Hockey League champion[15]
Lester Patrick Cup 1 Western Hockey League (minor pro) champion[18]
Ed Chynoweth Cup 7‡ Western Hockey League champion[20]
Memorial Cup 6‡ Canadian Major-Junior national champion[21]
Allan Cup 4 Canadian senior national champion[38]
Anavet Cup 29‡ Saskatchewan/Manitoba Junior "A" regional championship[25]
Royal Bank Cup 9 Canadian Junior "A" national champion[26]
Keystone Cup 10Western Canada Junior "B" champion[27]
University Cup 1 CIS national university champion[42]
‡Totals do not include any championships by the Flin Flon Bombers, as the town is predominantly based in Manitoba.

See also

References
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