Prior to the first season of the National Hockey League (NHL), which began on December 19, 1917, there had been numerous seasons of ice hockey played by various amateur and professional leagues, often concurrently, dating back to the 1880s. These early leagues laid the foundation for the NHL. Below is a list of pre-NHL seasons by ice hockey leagues that are precursors of the National Hockey League.
Amateur and professional leagues
Season Amateur leagues Professional leagues Champion /Stanley CupChampion MWCT AHAC CAHL FAHL/FHL ECAHA WPHL IPHL OPHL CHA NHA PCHA WCHL/WHL 1883 1883 McGill University 1884 1884 Montreal Victorias 1885 1885 Montreal Hockey Club 1886 Montreal Hockey ClubMontreal Crystals 1887 1887 1887 Montreal Hockey ClubMontreal Crystals 1888 1888 Montreal Hockey Club 1889 1889 1888–89 Montreal VictoriasMontreal Hockey Club 1890 1890 Montreal Hockey Club 1891 1891 Montreal Hockey Club 1892 1892 Ottawa Hockey ClubMontreal Hockey Club 1893 1893 Montreal Hockey Club 1894 1894 Montreal Hockey Club 1895 1895 Montreal Hockey ClubMontreal Victorias 1896 1896 Winnipeg Victorias 1897 1897 1896–97 Montreal Victorias 1898 1898 Montreal Victorias 1899 1899 1898–99 Montreal Shamrocks 1900 1900 1899–1900 Montreal Shamrocks 1901 1901 1901 Winnipeg Victorias 1902 1902 1902 Winnipeg VictoriasMontreal Hockey Club 1903 1903 1903 Montreal Hockey ClubOttawa Hockey Club 1904 1904 1904 1904 Ottawa Hockey Club 1905 1905 1904–05 1904–05 Ottawa Hockey Club 1906 1905–06 1906 1905–06 Ottawa Hockey ClubMontreal Wanderers 1907 1906–07 1907 1906–07 Montreal WanderersKenora ThistlesMontreal Wanderers 1908 1908 1907–08 1908 1908 Montreal Wanderers 1909 1909 1909 1909 1909 Montreal WanderersOttawa Hockey Club 1910 1910 1910 1910 Ottawa Hockey ClubMontreal Wanderers 1911 1911 1910–11 Ottawa Hockey Club 1912 1911–12 1912 Quebec Bulldogs 1913 1912–13 1912–13 Quebec Bulldogs 1914 1913–14 1913–14 Toronto Blueshirts 1915 1914–15 1914–15 Vancouver Millionaires 1916 1915–16 1915–16 Montreal Canadiens 1917 1916–17 1916–17 Seattle Metropolitans 1918 1917–18 Toronto 1919 1919 no decision 1920 1919–20 Ottawa Senators 1921 1920–21 Ottawa Senators 1922 1921–22 1921–22 Toronto St. Pats 1923 1922–23 1922–23 Ottawa Senators 1924 1923–24 1923–24 Montreal Canadiens 1925 1924–25 Victoria Cougars 1926 1925–26 Montreal Maroons
Notes The Montreal Winter Carnival ice hockey tournaments (MWCT) were a series of annual tournaments held in the 1880s in conjunction with the Montreal Winter Carnival, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. First held in 1883, these tournaments are considered to be the first championship ice hockey tournaments and the predecessor to the first championship ice hockey league, the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada. The Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (AHAC) existed from 1886 to 1898. Season series play started in 1893. The Manitoba Hockey Association existed from 1892 to 1923. The association organized the Manitoba Professional Hockey League in 1906. The Canadian Amateur Hockey League (CAHL) existed from 1899 to 1905. The Federal Amateur Hockey League (FAHL/FHL) existed from 1904 to 1909. The league was professional from 1908 onwards. The Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association (ECAHA) existed from 1906 to 1909. The league allowed professional players from 1907 onwards, becoming fully professional in the 1909 season. The Western Pennsylvania Hockey League (WPHL) existed from 1896 to 1909. It was the first league to officially allow professional players. The International Professional Hockey League (IPHL) existed from 1904 until 1907. The Ontario Professional Hockey League (OPHL) existed from 1908 until 1911. The Canadian Hockey Association (CHA) existed in 1910 for part of one season. The National Hockey Association (NHA) existed from 1910 to 1917. The Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) existed from 1911 to 1924. The Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) existed from 1921 to 1926. While the WCHL wasn't a pre-NHL league, it is generally deemed by hockey historians to have been a major league. Two years prior to its folding, the PCHA merged with it. The last season, 1925–26, it had been renamed the Western Hockey League because one of its teams had moved to the United States. The NHL would buy the rights to the WHL players as part of its disbanding. Prior to 1905 (FAHL), 1910 (NHA) and 1912 (PCHA) league play started in January and ended in March of one calendar year. The Stanley Cup was first awarded in 1893. Prior to 1915, championships could be won or lost during a season through challenge play. Hence, multiple championship holders were possible during each season.
Notes
See also List of Stanley Cup champions List of NHL seasons List of WHA seasons