The West Kootenay League, also referred to as the West Kootenay Hockey League (WKHL), is a defunct senior men's ice hockey

Ice hockey

Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...

 league that operated in eastern British Columbia

British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

 from 1922–1941, and also during the 1945-46 season. In 1946-47 the league expanded to Spokane

Spokane, Washington

Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...

 and Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

 and became the Western International Hockey League

Western International Hockey League

The Western International Hockey League was a senior level ice hockey league that featured teams from the Western United States and Western Canada. It operated from 1946–62 and 1963–88...

.

In its 20 years of operation, the West Kootenay League won every British Columbia Senior Championship (Savage Cup

Savage Cup

The Savage Cup is the trophy that is awarded to British Columbia’s senior ice hockey champions.This trophy was first presented in 1912-13 to the ice hockey team fielded by the Vancouver Rowing Club....

) after its first season (1922–23) and teams from this league won the Allan Cup

Allan Cup

The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...

 twice.

History

The West Kootenay League operated from 1922-23 through 1940-41. Many of the players resisted the idea of turning professional because, with the promise of high paying mining jobs, they had secure jobs for life and were making as much, if not more, than players in the NHL.

In 1931 the Kimberley Dynamiters

Kimberley Dynamiters

The Kimberley Dynamiters are a Junior "B" Ice Hockey team based in Kimberley, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Eddie Mountain Division of the Kootenay Conference of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League . They play their home games at Kimberley Civic Centre.The team was...

 joined the West Kootenay League, and this began an immediate rivalry with the always strong Trail Smoke Eaters

Trail Smoke Eaters

The Trail Smoke Eaters are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Trail, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League.-History:...

, a true powerhouse of senior British Columbia hockey.

In 1941 the league suspended operations for three seasons due to 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...

, and its teams merged with the Alberta Senior League to become the Alberta-British Columbia Senior League

Alberta-British Columbia Senior League

The Alberta-British Columbia Senior League is a defunct senior men's ice hockey league that operated for the 1941-42 season.-History:The West Kootenay League was a senior level hockey league that operated from 1922-23 through 1940-41; and the Alberta Senior Hockey League was a senior level league...

 for the 1941-42 season. The West Kootenay League was resurrected for the 1945-46 season, and in 1946-47 the league expanded to Spokane

Spokane, Washington

Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...

 and Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

 and became the Western International Hockey League

Western International Hockey League

The Western International Hockey League was a senior level ice hockey league that featured teams from the Western United States and Western Canada. It operated from 1946–62 and 1963–88...

.

List of champions

• 1922-23 Nelson Cubs
  Nelson Cubs
  The Nelson Cubs were a Canadian Senior ice hockey team from Nelson, British Columbia, Canada. In 1923, they became the Nelson Kokanees. The Cubs were one-time British Columbia Coy Cup Senior Champions.-History:...
  
  
• 1923-24 Rossland Miners
  Rossland Miners
  The Rossland Miners were a senior men's ice hockey team from Rossland, British Columbia. The team played in the West Kootenay League for 12 years in the 1920's and 1930's....
  
  
• 1924-25 Trail Hockey Club
• 1925-26 Trail Hockey Club
• 1926-27 Trail Hockey Club
• 1927-28 Trail Hockey Club
• 1928-29 Trail Smoke Eaters
  Trail Smoke Eaters (senior)
  The Trail Smoke Eaters were a senior level men's ice hockey team from Trail, British Columbia that played from 1926 to 1987. They are recognized as being one of the best senior hockey teams in Canadian history...
  
  
• 1929-30 Trail Smoke Eaters
• 1930-31 Trail Smoke Eaters
• 1931-32 Trail Smoke Eaters
• 1932-33 Trail Smoke Eaters
• 1933-34 Kimberley Dynamiters
  Kimberley Dynamiters (WKHL)
  The Kimberley Dynamiters are a defunct Senior Amateur ice hockey club that played prior to World War II in the West Kootenay Hockey League . In 1936 the Kimberley Dynamiters won the Allan Cup, defeating the Sudbury Falcons in the best of 3 final series with a score of 2 games to 0...
  
  
• 1934-35 Kimberley Dynamiters
• 1935-36 Kimberley Dynamiters (won the Allan Cup
  Allan Cup
  The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...
  
  )
• 1936-37 Nelson Maple Leafs
  Nelson Maple Leafs
  The Nelson Maple Leafs were a senior men's ice hockey team. They won the British Columbia Senior Championship, the Savage Cup, seven times . They played in, but lost, the 1965 Allan Cup Final....
  
  
• 1937-38 Trail Smoke Eaters (won the Allan Cup
  Allan Cup
  The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...
  
  )
• 1938-39 Kimberley Dynamiters
• 1939-40 Trail Smoke Eaters
• 1940-41 Trail Smoke Eaters
• 1945-46 Trail Smoke Eaters