Moose Jaw Canucks Explained

Logosize:200px
Team:Moose Jaw Canucks
League:Western Hockey League
Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League
Operated:–1984
(dormant 1955–1958)
Arena:Moose Jaw Arena
(–1955)
Moose Jaw Civic Centre
(1959–1984)

The Moose Jaw Canucks were a junior ice hockey team based in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. They were one of the founding members of the original Western Canada Junior Hockey League (1948–1956), and in 1966 were founding members of a new Western Canada Junior Hockey League (known since 1978 as the Western Hockey League) following a rebellion within the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The franchise evolved from the Moose Jaw Cubs in the early 1930s.

The Canucks won the Abbott Cup in 1945 and 1947, making them the Junior "A" Champion for Western Canada and earning a playoff against the George Richardson Memorial Trophy- winning Eastern Champion for the Memorial Cup. The Canucks lost their Memorial Cup competition against the Toronto St. Michael's Majors in both years.

Franchise history

The Canucks played in the following leagues in their history:

In 1984, the Canucks folded to make room for the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors, when that franchise transferred from Winnipeg.Another team, also known as the Moose Jaw Canucks, played in the South Saskatchewan Junior B Hockey League (now known as the Prairie Junior Hockey League) from 1992–94.

The Canucks legacy is survived by the Jr. C Canucks, who have played in the Saskatchewan Junior C Hockey League since 2006.

WCJHL history

In the summer of 1966, the Canucks were one of five SJHL clubs that left the provincial league to join franchises in Calgary and Edmonton in the new Western Canada Junior Hockey League. The league was considered a "rebel league" by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association, and thus denied the right to compete for Canadian junior hockey's top prize, the Memorial Cup.

In the WCJHL's inaugural season, the Canucks won the playoff championships despite finishing 4th in the overall standings. The following year, the Canucks would lose out in the playoff semi-finals after another 4th-place finish.

Concerned about the WCJHL's poor reputation with the CAHA and hoping to once again compete for the Memorial Cup, the Canucks, along with the Regina Pats and Weyburn Red Wings, would leave the WCJHL to return to the reborn SJHL. Following the reorganization of junior hockey in 1970, which saw the Western Canada Hockey League gain Tier-I status, and the SJHL being deemed Tier-II (not Memorial Cup eligible), the Canucks attempted to rejoin the WCHL but were denied. The Canucks would remain in the SJHL until the arrival of the Warriors.

Season-by-season standings

Season GP W L T OTL GF GA P Results Playoffs
1936–37 6 3 3 0 - 25 58 6 3rd SSJHL Lost final
1937–38 6 6 0 0 - 46 11 12 1st SSJHL Won league
1938–39 10 7 2 1 - 35 20 15 1st SSJHL Won league, won SAHA
1939–40 12 6 5 1 - 57 50 13 2nd SSJHL Lost final
1940–41 18 4 13 1 - 70 96 10 4th SSJHL DNQ
1941–42 11 1 10 0 - 24 42 2 3rd SSJHL DNQ
1942–43 15 6 7 2 - 54 51 16 3rd SSJHL Lost semi-final
1943–44 22 10 9 3 - 91 85 26 4th SSJHL Lost semi-final
1944–45 16 14 2 0 - 112 41 28 1st SSJHL Won league, won SAHA, won Abbott Cup
1945–46 18 18 0 0 - 157 55 36 1st SSJHL Won league, won SAHA
1946–47 30 21 9 0 - 190 111 41 2nd SJHL Won league, won Abbott Cup
1947–48 28 21 6 1 - 177 94 43 1st SJHL Won league
1948–49 26 17 8 1 - 139 94 35 2nd WCJHLLost final, won SAHA
1949–50 40 22 18 0 - 162 180 44 2nd WCJHLLost semi-final
1950–51 40 16 22 2 - 147 160 34 5th WCJHLDNQ
1951–52 44 21 23 0 - 178 171 42 5th WCJHLDNQ
1952–53 36 13 23 0 - 164 209 26 5th WCJHLLost semi-final
1953–54 36 17 19 0 - 166 191 29 4th WCJHLLost quarter-final
1954–55 40 5 35 0 - 100 264 10 5th WCJHLDNQ
1955–58 Franchise Dormant
1958–59 48 11 36 1 - 166 328 23 7th SJHL DNQ
1959–60 59 6 52 1 - 161 378 13 7th SJHL DNQ
1960–61 60 24 26 10 - 181 212 58 4th SJHL Lost semi-final
1961–62 56 22 25 9 - 199 225 53 5th SJHL Won league
1962–63 54 25 22 7 - 212 188 57 4th SJHL Lost quarter-final
1963–64 62 26 30 6 - 290 352 58 5th SJHL Lost semi-final
1964–65 56 19 34 3 - 211 286 41 7th SJHL DNQ
1965–66 60 33 23 4 - 295 229 70 4th SJHL Lost semi-final
56 25 19 12 - 215 190 62 4th WCJHL Won league
60 31 24 5 - 263 243 67 4th WCJHL Lost semi-final
1968–69 44 19 24 1 - 223 245 39 3rd SJHLLost semi-final
1969–70 36 16 18 2 - 143 152 34 3rd SJHLLost semi-final
1970–71 Did not participate
1971–72 50 7 43 0 - 174 345 13 9th SJHL DNQ
1972–73 48 23 25 0 - 239 242 46 4th SJHL SouthLost quarter-final
1973–74 50 23 27 0 - 253 251 46 4th SJHL SouthLost quarter-final
1974–75 58 16 42 0 - 278 333 32 6th SJHL SouthDNQ
1975–76 58 22 33 3 - 264 299 47 6th SJHL NorthDNQ
1976–77 60 42 18 0 - 362 208 84 2nd SJHL SouthLost quarter-final
1977–78 60 41 19 0 - 351 262 82 1st SJHL SouthLost final
1978–79 60 34 24 2 - 322 263 70 2nd SJHL SouthLost final
1979–80 60 44 15 1 - 343 245 89 1st SJHL South Lost final
1980–81 60 40 14 0 - 406 268 92 1st SJHL SouthLost final
1981–82 60 29 29 2 - 262 248 60 2nd SJHL South Lost quarter-final
1982–83 64 27 34 3 - 299 345 57 6th SJHL Lost semi-final
1983–84 64 35 28 1 - 344 314 71 4th SJHL Lost quarter-final

Playoffs

Regina Pats defeated Moose Jaw Canucks 4-games-to-none

Weyburn Red Wings defeated Moose Jaw Canucks 4-games-to-none

Weyburn Red Wings defeated Moose Jaw Canucks 4-games-to-1

Estevan Bruins defeated Moose Jaw Canucks 4-games-to-none

Melville Millionaires defeated Moose Jaw Canucks 4-games-to-2

Moose Jaw Canucks defeated Weyburn Red Wings 4-games-to-1

Moose Jaw Canucks defeated Regina Blues 4-games-to-1

Prince Albert Raiders defeated Moose Jaw Canucks 4-games-to-1

Moose Jaw Canucks defeated Regina Blues 4-games-to-1

Moose Jaw Canucks defeated Melville Millionaires 4-games-to-none

Prince Albert Raiders defeated Moose Jaw Canucks 4-games-to-2

Moose Jaw Canucks defeated Melville Millionaires 4-games-to-1

Moose Jaw Canucks defeated Estevan Bruins 4-games-to-2

Prince Albert Raiders defeated Moose Jaw Canucks 4-games-to-2

Moose Jaw Canucks defeated Weyburn Red Wings 4-games-to-1

Moose Jaw Canucks defeated Estevan Bruins 4-games-to-none

Prince Albert Raiders defeated Moose Jaw Canucks 4-games-to-3

Weyburn Red Wings defeated Moose Jaw Canucks 4-games-to-2

Moose Jaw Canucks defeated Humboldt Broncos 4-games-to-none

Weyburn Red Wings defeated Moose Jaw Canucks 4-games-to-3

Lloydminster Lancers defeated Moose Jaw Canucks 4-games-to-1

Notable alumni

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Fred Sasakamoose, Indigenous NHL pioneer, dead at 86 – Can Press.