American Hockey Association (1926–1942)
Encyclopedia
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 (1925-1926), and before that as part of the United States Amateur Hockey Association. The founding president was Alvin Warren, who also owned the St. Paul Saints.
Other founding owners included William Grant
, league secretary and owner of the Duluth Hornets (and Warren's successor as president in 1930), Paul Loudon of the Minneapolis Millers, and William Holmes, owner of the league's only Canadian franchise, the Winnipeg Maroons, and also owner of the Winnipeg Auditorium.
Eddie Livingstone, banished by National Hockey League team owners in 1917, owned the Chicago Cardinals. Eager to sign a new interleague agreement with the NHL in 1927, the AHA revoked Livingstone's franchise after one season when NHL president Frank Calder
threatened that no deal would be signed with the league as long as it was associated with Livingstone.
By 1930, some AHA owners, led by Walter Whiteside of the Tulsa Oilers, were questioning the league's relationship with the NHL. They approved the creation of a new Chicago franchise, the Chicago Shamrocks
, owned by James E. Norris, bringing the league into an NHL market. Renaming the league the American Hockey League, they also established a franchise in Buffalo, New York
, an IHL
city, which would have been prohibited under the previous agreement with the NHL. In October 1930, Calder declared the AHL to be an outlaw league and threatened never to allow any AHL players into the NHL. The NHL carried out its threat and denied the applications of former AHL players to join NHL teams for the 1931-32 season. In the fall of 1931, the AHL applied to the Stanley Cup
trustees to challenge for the trophy, but was unsuccessful in its attempts to force the NHL into a series.
The AHL struggled through two seasons in opposition to the NHL. The Buffalo Majors folded half-way through the 1931-32 season, leaving 12 players who unsuccessfully tried to sue team owners to recover $12,000 in unpaid salaries. By the summer of 1932, the AHL was willing to sign another affiliation agreement with the NHL and officially return to minor league status. The NHL insisted that the AHL leave Chicago, and the Shamrocks were shut down, despite having won the league championship. Norris was told that he would be welcomed into the NHL and acquired the Detroit
franchise in 1933. The AHL went back to being known as the American Hockey Association.
The AHA, led by acting president Lyle Wright of the Omaha Knights, voted to shut the league down in the fall of 1942. It returned after World War II
as the United States Hockey League
, starting with the 1945-46 season.
Other founding owners included William Grant
William Grant
Sir William Grant was a British lawyer, Member of Parliament from 1790–1812 and Master of the Rolls from 1801–1817.He was born at Elchies, Moray, Scotland...
, league secretary and owner of the Duluth Hornets (and Warren's successor as president in 1930), Paul Loudon of the Minneapolis Millers, and William Holmes, owner of the league's only Canadian franchise, the Winnipeg Maroons, and also owner of the Winnipeg Auditorium.
Eddie Livingstone, banished by National Hockey League team owners in 1917, owned the Chicago Cardinals. Eager to sign a new interleague agreement with the NHL in 1927, the AHA revoked Livingstone's franchise after one season when NHL president Frank Calder
Frank Calder
-External links:*...
threatened that no deal would be signed with the league as long as it was associated with Livingstone.
By 1930, some AHA owners, led by Walter Whiteside of the Tulsa Oilers, were questioning the league's relationship with the NHL. They approved the creation of a new Chicago franchise, the Chicago Shamrocks
Chicago Shamrocks
The Chicago Shamrocks were an ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois that played 2 seasons in the old American Hockey Association league from 1930 to 1932. They were owned by Hockey Hall of Famer James E...
, owned by James E. Norris, bringing the league into an NHL market. Renaming the league the American Hockey League, they also established a franchise in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, an IHL
International Hockey League (1929-36)
The International Hockey League was a professional ice hockey league operating in Canada and the United States from 1929 to 1936. It was a direct ancestor of the American Hockey League....
city, which would have been prohibited under the previous agreement with the NHL. In October 1930, Calder declared the AHL to be an outlaw league and threatened never to allow any AHL players into the NHL. The NHL carried out its threat and denied the applications of former AHL players to join NHL teams for the 1931-32 season. In the fall of 1931, the AHL applied to the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
trustees to challenge for the trophy, but was unsuccessful in its attempts to force the NHL into a series.
The AHL struggled through two seasons in opposition to the NHL. The Buffalo Majors folded half-way through the 1931-32 season, leaving 12 players who unsuccessfully tried to sue team owners to recover $12,000 in unpaid salaries. By the summer of 1932, the AHL was willing to sign another affiliation agreement with the NHL and officially return to minor league status. The NHL insisted that the AHL leave Chicago, and the Shamrocks were shut down, despite having won the league championship. Norris was told that he would be welcomed into the NHL and acquired the Detroit
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
franchise in 1933. The AHL went back to being known as the American Hockey Association.
The AHA, led by acting president Lyle Wright of the Omaha Knights, voted to shut the league down in the fall of 1942. It returned after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as the United States Hockey League
United States Hockey League (1945-51)
The United States Hockey League was a minor professional ice hockey league that operated from 1945 to 1951. It was a post-World War II revival of the American Hockey Association, which shut down in the fall of 1942 . The league playoff champion was awarded the Paul W...
, starting with the 1945-46 season.
Teams
- Buffalo Majors (1930-31 to 1931-32)
- Chicago Cardinals (1926-27)
- Chicago ShamrocksChicago ShamrocksThe Chicago Shamrocks were an ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois that played 2 seasons in the old American Hockey Association league from 1930 to 1932. They were owned by Hockey Hall of Famer James E...
(1930-31 to 1931-32) - Dallas Texans (1941-42; joins USHL in 1945)
- Detroit Greyhounds (1926-27)
- Duluth Hornets (1926-27 to 1932-33)
- Fort Worth RangersFort Worth RangersThe Fort Worth Rangers were a minor pro ice hockey franchise based in Fort Worth, Texas. They played in the American Hockey Association during the 1941-42 season and in the United States Hockey League from 1945-46 through 1948-49...
(1941-42; joins USHL in 1945) - Kansas City Americans (1940-41 to 1941-42)
- Kansas City Greyhounds (1932-33 to 1939-40)
- Kansas City Pla-Mors (1927-28 to 1931-32; joins USHL in 1945)
- Minneapolis MillersMinneapolis Millers (AHA)The Minneapolis Millers were a minor league professional ice hockey team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Minneapolis Arena. The Millers originated in the Central Hockey League as a semi-professional team from the 1925-26 season. The team moved to the American Hockey Association along with...
(1926-27 to 1930-31; 1936-37 to 1941-42; joins USHL in 1945) - Minneapolis Warriors (1935-36)
- Oklahoma City Warriors (1933-34 to 1935-36)
- Omaha KnightsOmaha KnightsThe Omaha Knights were a minor league professional ice hockey team from 1959 to 1975, based in Omaha, Nebraska at the Ak-Sar-Ben arena. The Knights were founded in 1959 as members of the International Hockey League...
(1939-40 to 1941-42; joins USHL in 1945) - St. Louis FlyersSt. Louis FlyersThe St. Louis Flyers were a minor league ice hockey team, based in St. Louis, Missouri, playing home games at the St. Louis Arena in the city's Central West End, across from Forest Park....
(1928-29 to 1941-42) - St. Paul Saints (1926-27 to 1929-30; 1932-33; 1935-36 to 1941-42; joins USHL in 1945)
- Tulsa Oilers (1928-29 to 1931-32; 1932-33 to 1941-42; joins USHL in 1945)
- Wichita Blue Jays (1932-33)
- Wichita Skyhawks (1935-36 to 1939-40)
- Wichita Vikings (1933-34)
- Winnipeg MaroonsWinnipeg 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....
(1926-27 to 1927-28)
Champions
The Harry F. Sinclair Trophy was awarded to the league champions.- 1926-27 — Duluth Hornets
- 1927-28 — Minneapolis Millers
- 1928-29 — Tulsa Oilers
- 1929-30 — Kansas City Pla-Mors
- 1930-31 — Tulsa Oilers
- 1931-32 — Chicago Shamrocks
- 1932-33 — Kansas City Greyhounds
- 1933-34 — Kansas City Greyhounds
- 1934-35 — St. Louis Flyers
- 1935-36 — St. Louis Flyers
- 1936-37 — Minneapolis Millers
- 1937-38 — St. Louis Flyers
- 1938-39 — St. Louis Flyers
- 1939-40 — Omaha Knights
- 1940-41 — St. Louis Flyers
- 1941-42 — Omaha Knights