Jimmy Dunn was hired as commissioner of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) in May 1964. The league had been reduced to four teams based in the Greater Winnipeg area after the withdrawal of the Brandon Wheat Kings and the Fort Frances Royals.[1] The MJHL transitioned from a draft of players in the Greater Winnipeg Minor Hockey Association, into a system where each team chose players from a set geographic district. The new "zoning" arrangement was planned to be in effect for three seasons to stimulate more localized interest in junior hockey and aimed to keep teammates together from the minor hockey level to the junior hockey level. Dunn supported the change and noted that the concept had produced forward lines on previous Memorial Cup championship teams from Winnipeg. The Charlie Gardiner Memorial Trophy series was revived as a preseason tournament for the league's teams.[2] Dunn reached an agreement to televise MJHL games on CJAY-TV, and the league experimented with playing games on Sunday evenings instead of afternoons to increase its attendance and avoid competing with televised football games.[3] Dunn requested to the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) that the MJHL waive its bye into the Abbott Cup finals and its playoffs champion meet the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League champion in the first round. He felt that the loss of gate receipts from a bye was a financial hardship for the MJHL, and shorten the league's playoffs to accommodate the change approved by the CAHA.[4]
On March 31, 1965, at the Winnipeg Arena, the Winnipeg Braves captured the MJHL championship and Turnbull Memorial Trophy.
Brandon Wheat Kings transfer to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, and Fort Frances Royals transfer to the Thunder Bay Junior Hockey League.
The St. Boniface Canadiens change their name to the Winnipeg Warriors.
The League announced that the Manitoba - Saskatchewan all-star game has been cancelled.
League shortens 48 game schedule, no reason given.
| League Standings | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | 26 | 13 | 5 | 57 | 184 | 140 | ||
| 45 | 21 | 18 | 6 | 48 | 202 | 170 | ||
| 45 | 19 | 21 | 5 | 43 | 159 | 165 | ||
| 44 | 13 | 27 | 4 | 30 | 152 | 222 |
Semi-Finals
Rangers lost to Monarchs 3-games-to-2Turnbull Cup Championship
Braves defeated Monarchs 4-games-to-noneWestern Memorial Cup Semi-Final
Braves defeated Port Arthur North Stars (TBJHL) 4-games-to-1Western Memorial Cup Final (Abbott Cup)
Braves lost to Edmonton Oil Kings (CAHL) 4-games-to-2
| Trophy | Winner | Team | |
|---|---|---|---|
| MVP | |||
| Top Goaltender | Winnipeg Braves | ||
| Rookie of the Year | Winnipeg Monarchs | ||
| Sportsmanship Award | Winnipeg Monarchs | ||
| Scoring Champion | Winnipeg Rangers | ||
| Most Goals | Winnipeg Rangers |
| First All-Star Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goaltender | Winnipeg Braves | ||||
| Defencemen | Winnipeg Monarchs | ||||
| Winnipeg Rangers | |||||
| Centreman | Winnipeg Warriors | ||||
| Leftwinger | Winnipeg Warriors | ||||
| Rightwinger | Winnipeg Warriors | ||||
| Second All-Star Team | |||||
| Goaltender | Winnipeg Warriors | ||||
| Defencemen | Winnipeg Rangers | ||||
| Winnipeg Braves | |||||
| Centreman | Winnipeg Braves | ||||
| Leftwinger | Winnipeg Braves | ||||
| Rightwinger | Winnipeg Braves | ||||