OHA Senior A League (1890–1979)

The Ontario Hockey Association Senior A League was a top tier Canadian Senior ice hockey league in Ontario from 1890 until 1979. The league was sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association and its clubs competed for the Allan Cup.

OHA Senior "A" Hockey League
MembershipOntario Hockey Association
Founded1890
Folded1979
Associated Title(s)

History

The league was founded in 1890 by the Ontario Hockey Association. At the top tier of Canadian Senior hockey, the league was eligible and often competed for the Allan Cup.

In 1975, the OHA allowed Hockey Northwestern Ontario's Thunder Bay Twins, the defending Allan Cup champions to enter the league. In 1978, the league briefly changed its name to the Canadian International League, possibly to compete with Semi-Pro leagues which were rapidly gaining popularity. The league folded in 1979, when most of its teams vacated to the Continental Senior A Hockey League and Major Intermediate A Hockey League.

Over the course of the last fifty seasons, the OHA Senior A Hockey League captured 16 Allan Cups in 26 appearances in the National final. If dated back to the beginning of the Allan Cup in 1908, the OHA had 24 champions in 38 appearances over the course of the league's history. The league's tradition was followed by the Continental Senior A Hockey League in 1979, which became the OHA Senior A Hockey League in 1980 and lasted until 1987. The torch was then passed to the Southwestern Senior A Hockey League in 1990, which today is known as Major League Hockey.

The OHA Senior A Hockey League set the groundwork for much of the current Semi-Professional hockey market. The famous International Hockey League that lasted from 1945 until it merged with the American Hockey League in 2001, was founded in part by both the Windsor Bulldogs and Chatham Maroons. Both teams played at least two different stretches in the league. Also, the Sarnia Sailors spent a few seasons in the International Hockey League. As well, the Thunder Bay Twins jumped between Manitoba leagues and the different Ontario Hockey Association leagues until 1991 when the team changed their name to the Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks and joined the Colonial Hockey League as a founding member. The team has since become the Rockford IceHogs of the United Hockey League. The Thunder Bay franchise won 3 Colonial Cups as CoHL champions and in Rockton they won 1 Colonial Cup as United Hockey League champions. In 2007, the UHL has changed its name and the ownership of the Rockford IceHogs has bought the old Cincinnati Mighty Ducks franchise, making the IceHogs a member of the American Hockey League for the 2007–08 season.

Allan Cups

Champions

1910: St. Michael's Majors defeated Queen's University and Sherbrooke in two games
1917: Toronto Dentals defeated Winnipeg Victorias 13-goals-to-12
1918: Kitchener Greenshirts defeated Winnipeg Ypres 6-goals-to-4
1919: Hamilton Tigers defeated Winnipeg Selkirk 7-goals-to-6
1921: University of Toronto defeated Brandon 8-goals-to-3
1922: Toronto Granites defeated Regina Victorias 13-goals-to-2
1923: Toronto Granites defeated University of Saskatchewan 11-goals-to-2
1927: University of Toronto defeated Fort William Thundering Herd 2-games-to-1 with 1 tie
1932: Toronto National Sea Fleas defeated Fort William Blues 2-games-to-none
1950: Toronto Marlboros defeated Calgary Stampeders 4-games-to-1
1951: Owen Sound Mercurys defeated Fort Frances Canadians 4-games-to-3
1953: Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen defeated Penticton Vees 4-games-to-1
1955: Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen defeated Fort William Beavers 4-games-to-1
1957: Whitby Dunlops defeated Spokane Flyers 4-games-to-none
1958: Belleville McFarlands defeated Kelowna Packers 4-games-to-3
1959: Whitby Dunlops defeated Vernon Canadians 4-games-to-1
1960: Chatham Maroons defeated Trail Smoke Eaters 4-games-to-none with 1 tie
1961: Galt Terriers defeated Winnipeg Maroons 4-games-to-1
1963: Windsor Bulldogs defeated Winnipeg Maroons 4-games-to-1
1969: Galt Hornets defeated Calgary Stampeders 4-games-to-none
1971: Galt Hornets defeated Calgary Stampeders 4-games-to-none
1973: Orillia Terriers defeated St. Boniface Mohawks 4-games-to-1
1974: Barrie Flyers defeated Cranbrook Royals 4-games-to-2
1977: Brantford Alexanders defeated Spokane Flyers 4-games-to-1

Finalists

1912: Winnipeg Victorias defeated Toronto Eatons 2-games-to-none
1920: Winnipeg Falcons defeated Toronto Granites 11-goals-to-5
1925: Port Arthur Bearcats defeated University of Toronto 2-games-to-none
1926: Port Arthur Bearcats defeated University of Toronto 2-games-to-1 with 1 tie
1931: Winnipeg 'pegs defeated Hamilton Tigers 2-games-to-none
1946: Calgary Stampeders defeated Hamilton Tigers 4-games-to-1
1952: Fort Frances Canadians defeated Stratford Indians 4-games-to-2
1956: Vernon Canadians defeated Chatham Maroons 4-games-to-1
1964: Winnipeg Maroons defeated Woodstock Athletics 4-games-to-none
1970: Spokane Jets defeated Orillia Terriers 4-games-to-2
1972: Spokane Jets defeated Barrie Flyers 4-games-to-2
1975: Thunder Bay Twins defeated Barrie Flyers 4-games-to-2
1976: Spokane Flyers defeated Barrie Flyers 4-games-to-none
1978: Kimberley Dynamiters defeated Brantford Alexanders 4-games-to-1

Olympic Winter Games

The winner of the Allan Cup was named the top "amateur" team in Canada, this made them eligible to compete in the Olympic Winter Games. The list below includes all Ontario Hockey Association representatives from 1924 until 1960.

1924: Toronto Granites (6-0-0) Won Gold
1928: University of Toronto (3-0-0) Won Gold
1956: Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen (6-2-0) Won Bronze
1960: Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen (6-1-0) Won Silver

Ice Hockey World Championships

The winner of the Allan Cup was named the top "amateur" team in Canada, this made them eligible to compete in the Ice Hockey World Championships. The list below includes all Ontario Hockey Association representatives from 1930 until 1962.

1933: Toronto National Sea Fleas (4-1-0) Won Silver
1958: Whitby Dunlops (7-0-0) Won Gold
1959: Belleville McFarlands (7-1-0) Won Gold
1962: Galt Terriers (6-1-0) Won Silver

Teams

Teams listed ONLY in last decade played.

Champions
J. Ross Robertson Trophy, OHA Senior A Championship.

Bold denotes an Allan Cup champion.

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