St. James Canadians Explained

Team:St. James Canadians
Colour:
  1. ff0000
Colour Text:
  1. 003366
Logosize:125px
City:Winnipeg, Manitoba
League:Manitoba Junior Hockey League
Operated:1956-2004
Arena:St. James Civic Centre
Colours:Red, Blue, White
Championships:1959 Memorial Cup Champions
Name1:Winnipeg Braves
Dates1:1956–1966
Name2:St. James Braves
Dates2:1966-1967
Name3:St. James Canadians
Dates3:1967-2003
Name4:St. James Canucks
Dates4:1978-present

The St. James Canadians were a Canadian junior hockey team in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League until 2003, folding officially in 2004. The Canadians played out of the St. James Civic Centre, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. As the Winnipeg Braves, they won the 1959 Memorial Cup as National Junior Hockey champions.

History

Winnipeg Braves

The Winnipeg Braves were founded in 1956 and affiliated with the Winnipeg Warriors (minor pro) of the Western Hockey League. The Braves played regular season games at Winnipeg's Olympic Rink and won 2 Turnbull Cup Championships as Manitoba Junior Champions (1959 and 1965).

The 1958-59, Braves won the Abbott Cup as Western Canadian Junior ‘A’ Champions, and were the last team from Winnipeg to win the Memorial Cup as National Champions. Under the leadership of manager Bill Addison and coach Bill Allum, the Braves defeated the Peterborough Petes coached by 25-year-old Scotty Bowman. In the championship series, the Petes won the first game 5-4, and the Braves came back to win four straight games 5-2, 5-2, 5-3 and 6-2. The final game of the series was played in Brandon, Manitoba due to the Shrine Circus appearing at Winnipeg Arena. The team included future NHL'ers Ted Green and Ernie Wakely.

Roster: Pat Angers, Don Atamanchuk, Al Baty, Gary Bergman, Ernie Bradawaski, Rene Brunel, Ted Green, Howie Hughes, Allan Ingimundson, Ken King, Ted Knight, Jerry Kruk, Laurie Langrell, Wayne Larkin, Al LeBlanc, Bob Leiter, Doug Monro, Zenon Moroz, Lew Mueller, John Rodger, Paul Sexsmith, John Sutherland, Bob Wales, Wayne Winstone, Ernie Wakely, J. D. (Jack) Perrin Jr. (President), Bill Addison (Manager), Bill Allum (Coach), Jim Drury (Trainer).

The Memorial Cup Championship team was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 2003, and inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in the team category.

Prior to the 1966-67 season, the team moved to St. James and changed its name to the St. James Braves.

St. James Canadians

During the summer of 1967, a community-minded sports group purchased the St. James Braves from Ben Hatskin. The team relocated to the brand new St. James Civic Centre, where they played as the St. James Canadians.

The Canadians won the Turnbull Cup three times (1968, 1996, 1997) throughout their 35 years in the MJHL. They played until the end of the 2002-03 season. The team took a one-year leave of absence from the MJHL in 2003-04 before ceasing operations .

St. James Canucks

The St. James Junior Canucks joined the league in 1978-1979 to help complement the St. James Junior Canadians of the MJHL. The team moved to the Civic Centre and had a dressing room built on the home side of the rink and occupied that until the St. James Canadians folded and the Canucks, with the blessing of Diane Woods, president of the Canadians, took over the dressing room the Canucks call home today.

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Season GP W L T OTL GF GA Points Finish Playoffs
1957-58 30 13 16 1 - 146 135 27 3rd MJHL
1958-59 31 22 7 2 - 177 111 46 1st MJHL Won League, won AbC, won MC
1959-60 31 16 14 1 - 141 126 33 3rd MJHL
1960-61 32 18 14 0 - 145 117 36 3rd MJHL
1961-62 40 9 23 8 - 110 177 26 5th MJHL
1962-63 39 14 22 3 - 127 156 31 4th MJHL
1963-64 30 11 16 3 - 92 120 25 5th MJHL
1964-65 44 26 13 5 - 184 140 57 1st MJHL Won League
1965-66 48 20 24 4 - 207 219 44 3rd MJHL
1966-67 56 21 34 1 - 254 361 43 5th MJHL
1967-68 39 16 21 2 - 155 165 34 4th MJHL Won League
1968-69 34 16 14 4 - 142 146 36 5th MJHL
1969-70 34 16 12 6 - 146 136 38 4th MJHL
1970-71 48 21 22 5 - 170 184 47 5th MJHL
1971-72 48 31 16 1 - 256 191 63 3rd MJHL
1972-73 48 27 20 1 - 225 187 55 2nd MJHL
1973-74 48 19 27 2 - 216 223 38 6th MJHL
1974-75 48 29 19 0 - 281 238 58 3rd MJHL
1975-76 52 29 22 1 - 259 227 59 3rd MJHL
1976-77 51 21 30 0 - 239 249 44 7th MJHL
1977-78 52 25 27 0 - 265 258 50 7th MJHL
1978-79 48 30 18 0 - 273 219 60 1st MJHL
1979-80 47 28 18 1 - 236 191 57 4th MJHL
1980-81 47 38 8 1 - 353 210 77 2nd MJHL
1981-82 48 26 20 2 - 305 261 54 5th MJHL
1982-83 48 12 34 2 - 221 301 26 7th MJHL
1983-84 48 11 37 0 - 201 312 22 7th MJHL
1984-85 48 29 18 1 - 266 224 59 2nd MJHL
1985-86 48 29 18 1 - 276 221 59 4th MJHL
1986-87 47 23 22 2 - 226 230 48 7th MJHL
1987-88 48 21 25 2 - 223 215 44 6th MJHL
1988-89 48 10 35 3 - 186 305 23 8th MJHL
1989-90 52 24 28 0 - 253 275 48 7th MJHL
1990-91 48 25 20 3 - 267 249 53 4th MJHL
1991-92 48 30 16 1 1 242 207 62 3rd MJHL
1992-93 48 25 20 2 1 241 233 53 4th MJHL
1993-94 55 32 19 3 1 -- -- 68 2nd MJHL
1994-95 54 21 27 2 4 199 221 48 7th MJHL
1995-96 56 34 21 1 0 266 194 69 4th MJHL Won League
1996-97 55 31 22 0 2 226 183 64 4th MJHL Won League
1997-98 62 29 30 2 1 254 247 61 5th MJHL
1998-99 62 35 25 1 1 262 229 72 4th MJHL
1999-00 64 38 23 - 3 285 243 79 3rd MJHL
2000-01 64 26 31 - 7 224 240 59 10th MJHL
2001-02 64 33 25 - 6 228 200 72 6th MJHL
2002-03 63 6 56 - 1 166 405 13 11th MJHL
2003-04 Did Not Participate
St James Canucks
2004 - 2022 seasons not entered
2022-23 45 40 4 - 1 270 175 81 1st of 10Won quarterfinal, 4-1 (Riels
Won semifinals, 4-1 (Railer Express)
Won League Finals, 4-0 (Victorias)
MMJHL CHAMPIONS
2023-24 45 37 7 - 1 220 110 75 1st of 10Won quarterfinal, 4-0 (Railer Express)
Won Div Semifinal, 4-0 (Hawks)
Won League Finals 4-1 (Twisters)
MMJHL CHAMPIONS

Playoffs

St. James Canadians defeated Winnipeg Monarchs 4-games-to-2

St. Boniface Saints defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-none

St. James Canadians defeated Winnipeg Monarchs 4-games-to-2

West Kildonan North Stars defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1

St. James Canadians defeated West Kildonan North Stars 9-points-to-7

St. Boniface Saints defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-none

St. Boniface Saints defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-2

St. James Canadians defeated St. Boniface Saints 4-games-to-none

West Kildonan North Stars defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-2

St. James Canadians defeated St. Boniface Saints 4-games-to-1

West Kildonan North Stars defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-3

Kildonan North Stars defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1

Kenora Thistles defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1

St. Boniface Saints defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1

St. James Canadians defeated Fort Garry Blues 4-games-to-2

Kildonan North Stars defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-2

St. James Canadians defeated Fort Garry Blues 4-games-to-1

St. Boniface Saints defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1

St. Boniface Saints defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-2

Fort Garry Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-none

Fort Garry Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1

St. James Canadians defeated Thunder Bay Hornets 4-games-to-2

Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1

St. James Canadians defeated St. Boniface Saints 4-games-to-3

Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-none

Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-none

St. James Canadians defeated St. Boniface Saints 4-games-to-1

Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-2

Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1

St. James Canadians defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-none

Kildonan North Stars defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-3

St. James Canadians defeated St. Boniface Saints 4-games-to-3

Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1

St. James Canadians defeated Neepawa Natives 4-games-to-1

St. James Canadians defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-none

Winkler Flyers defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1

Fifth and eliminated in 1992 Centennial Cup round robin (1-3)

Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-2

St. James Canadians defeated Southeast Blades 4-games-to-1

St. Boniface Saints defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1

Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-2

St. James Canadians defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-3

St. James Canadians defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-none

St. James Canadians defeated Neepawa Natives 4-games-to-3 MJHL CHAMPIONS

Melfort Mustangs (SJHL) defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-none

St. James Canadians defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-1

St. James Canadians defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-none

St. James Canadians defeated OCN Blizzard 4-games-to-1 MJHL CHAMPIONS

Weyburn Red Wings (SJHL) defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1

St. James Canadians defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-2

St. James Canadians defeated Winnipeg South Blues

Winkler Flyers defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1

St. Boniface Saints defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-2

Winkler Flyers defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-3

St. James Canadians defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-3

Winkler Flyers defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-none

External links