National Hockey Association

The National Hockey Association (December 2, 1909 - December 11, 1918) was a professional ice hockey organization with teams in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is the direct predecessor organization to today's National Hockey League.
==History==
At the time of the league's founding in 1910, the Eastern Canada Hockey Association which dated from 1906 and was itself the successor of the first recognized major hockey league, the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada, was in the midst of a political battle. In an effort to freeze out the Montreal Wanderers franchise, the ECHA disbanded and a new league formed to be called the Canadian Hockey Association, deliberately designed to exclude the Wanderers. After numerous rejections and snubs from the ECHA, Ambrose O'Brien and his father, Michael J. O'Brien, created their own league, calling it the National Hockey Association (NHA). The O'Briens financed four teams in the league: the Renfrew Creamery Kings which became known as the Renfrew Millionaires, Cobalt, Haileybury and Les Canadiens of Montreal. Within a month, the Montreal Wanderers also joined to became the fifth team.
A bidding war for players immediately started, and Frank Patrick and Lester Patrick were each signed by the Renfrew Millionaires for $3,000 apiece, the highest salaries recorded to that time. It became readily apparent that two leagues could not be sustained -- there were five teams in Montreal alone -- and after eight games the CHA folded, the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Shamrocks being admitted to the NHA.
Labour unrest was a hallmark of the league, the 1910-1911 season almost foundering because of widespread dissatisfaction amongst the players at the salaries on offer, and players' unions were rumored to be on the verge of creation at several points. However, the league put forth several innovations, among them the abolition of the rover position in 1912, the inclusion of numbers on jerseys, the institution of match penalties and allowing line changes on the fly.
The championship trophy of the NHA was the O'Brien Trophy, donated by the O'Brien family and which survived to become the championship trophy of the NHL. However, as the Ottawa Senators joined the league as the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the first five seasons of the league had the Cup awarded to the league champions, which then defended it against outside challenges.
Starting in the 1914-1915 season, the Stanley Cup was awarded exclusively to the winner of a playoff between the NHA and the PCHA regular season winners. The league championship was decided by a two-game total goal playoff between the Wanderers and the Senators. Ottawa won the championship, and the right to defend the Cup against Vancouver in a three game series in which Vancouver won in dominating fashion. The notion of a league champion being awarded the Cup to defend ceased with that season, as the Portland Rosebuds were the PCHA champions in 1915-1916 but were not automatically accorded the Cup. Instead, they played the Montreal Canadiens for the trophy (and became the first American team to do so), which the Canadiens won in a five game series.
===The Fateful last season===
A historical oddity was the admission for the 1916-1917 season of the 228th Battalion, which had a number of hockey players enlisting with World War I. Also known as the Northern Fusiliers, the team played wearing khaki military uniforms and was the league's most popular and highest scoring club until the regiment was ordered overseas in February 1917 and the team was forced to withdraw. A scandal ensued when several stars were subsequently discharged and alleged they had been promised commissions solely to play hockey.
At the time the Battalion dropped out the league held a meeting on February 11, 1917 where the league suspended the Toronto franchise also, and dispersed its players to the other clubs. The league also made a demand on Toronto's owner Eddie Livingstone to sell the franchise between April and June 1917. There were three factors at work; the owners disliked a five-team league because one club would be idle, the shortage of players due to the war, and disputes with Livingstone over several players. Instead of selling, Livingstone launched lawsuits against the NHA related to the suspension.
The season would prove the NHA's last. The other owners met in November of 1917 to form the National Hockey League, using the exact constitution and playing rules of the NHA. The Wanderers' owner was quoted as saying, "We didn't throw Livingstone out; he's still got his franchise in the old National Hockey Association. He has his team, and we wish him well. The only problem is he's playing in a one-team league."
The NHA did not suspend immediately. They had launched a lawsuit against the Battalion to have it pay $3000 for leaving the league and this had yet to be heard in court. The NHL could operate in the meantime, without Livingstone.
The NHA's officials met nearly a year later, on September 20, 1918, when a vote was taken to permanently suspend operations over Livingstone's objections. The final meeting of the NHA took place on December 11 where Livingstone tried unsuccessfully to get the league's shareholders to resume operations. The NHA organization was not formally dissolved for several years afterwards and Frank Calder held the presidency in both organizations.
==Teams==
===Season by Season record===
Season 	Teams 	Champion
1910 	Cobalt Silver Kings, Haileybury Hockey Club, Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Shamrocks, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Renfrew Creamery Kings	Montreal Wanderers†
1910-11	Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Quebec Bulldogs, Renfrew Creamery Kings 	Ottawa Senators†
1911-12	Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Quebec Bulldogs 	Quebec Bulldogs†
1912-13	Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Quebec Bulldogs, Toronto, Toronto Tecumsehs 	Quebec Bulldogs†
1913-14	Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Quebec Bulldogs, Toronto, Toronto Ontarios 	Toronto† (won playoff over Canadiens)
1914-15	Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Quebec Bulldogs, Toronto, Toronto Shamrocks 	Ottawa Senators (won playoff over Wanderers)
1915-16	Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Quebec Bulldogs, Toronto, Toronto Shamrocks 	Montreal Canadiens†
1916-17	Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Quebec Bulldogs, Toronto*, Toronto 228th Battalion* 	Montreal Canadiens† (won playoff over Ottawa)
† Stanley Cup Champions
*228th Battalion dropped out after first half of season. Toronto was suspended by league after first half.
===Team History===
Note: The league's first season started in January of 1910 but to make formatting consistant the two calendar year format is used below (i.e. 1909-10).
Team 	Location 	Arena 	Tenure 	Notes
Cobalt Silver Kings 	Cobalt, Ontario 	The Sports Palace 	1909-1910	league franchise rights go to Quebec Bulldogs; rejoin Temiscaming Professional Hockey League
Haileybury Comets 	Haileybury, Ontario	Cobalt-Haileybury Curling Club Curling Rink 	1909-1910	rejoin Temiscaming Professional Hockey League
Les Canadiens 	Montreal, Quebec 	Jubilee Arena 	1909-1910	renamed Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Shamrocks 	Montreal, Quebec 	Victoria Rink 	1909-1910	withdrew; join Montreal City Hockey League for 1912-1913 season
Montreal Wanderers 	Montreal, Quebec 	Westmount Arena 	1909-1917	join National Hockey League
Ottawa Hockey Club 	Ottawa, Ontario 	Dey's Arena 	1909-1912	renamed Ottawa Senators
Renfrew Creamery Kings 	Renfrew, Ontario 	Renfrew Hockey Arena 	1909-1911	fold
Montreal Canadiens 	Montreal, Quebec 	Jubilee Arena (1910-1911), Westmount Arena (1911-1917) 	1910-1917	join National Hockey League
Quebec Bulldogs 	Quebec City, Quebec	Quebec Skating Rink (1910-1913) Quebec Arena (1913-1917)	1910-1917	
suspend operations for 1918-19 season; join National Hockey League for 1919-20 season
Ottawa Senators 	Ottawa, Ontario 	Dey's Arena 	1912-1917	join National Hockey League
Toronto Blueshirts 	Toronto, Ontario 	Mutual Street Arena 	1912-1917	suspended by league to keep league number of teams even (and dislike of team owner); left in league by themselves when balance of teams form National Hockey League; players form nucleus of Toronto Arenas
Toronto Tecumsehs 	Toronto, Ontario 	Mutual Street Arena 	1912-1913	renamed Toronto Ontarios
Toronto Ontarios 	Toronto, Ontario 	Mutual Street Arena 	1913-1914	renamed Toronto Shamrocks
Toronto Shamrocks 	Toronto, Ontario 	Mutual Street Arena 	1914-1915	fold
Toronto 228th Battalion	Toronto, Ontario 	Mutual Street Arena 	1916-1917	withdrew February 1917 when unit was deployed overseas
===Team Origins===
Team 	Years 	Origin
Cobalt Silver Kings 	1909-10	new, players taken over by Quebec Bulldogs in 1911
Haileybury Hockey Club 	1909-10	new, players taken over by Montreal Canadiens for 1911
Montreal Canadiens 	1909-17	new, known as Les Canadiens in 1910 season
Montreal Shamrocks 	1910 	from ECHA, joined January 1910
Montreal Wanderers 	1909-17	from ECHA, joined December 1909
Ottawa Senators 	1910-17	from ECHA, joined January 1910
Quebec Bulldogs 	1910-17	from ECHA, joined December 1910
Renfrew Creamery Kings 	1909-11	from Federal League, joined December 1909
Toronto Blueshirts 	1912-17	new, former O'Brien franchise
Toronto Tecumsehsrenamed Toronto Ontarios, 1913-1914renamed Toronto Shamrocks, 1915	1912-16	new, former O'Brien franchise
Toronto 228th Battalion 	1916-17	new, took place of Tecumsehs/Ontarios/Shamrocks for 1916-17 season, composed of professional hockey players in military
The two franchises of Renfrew and Les Canadiens were owned by Mr. O'Brien. After the 1910 season, his two franchises were transferred to Toronto interests. The Haileybury HC was transferred to Montreal and took on the Canadiens name.
==References==
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==See also==
* Stanley Cup
* List of Stanley Cup champions
* O'Brien Trophy
* List of pre-NHL seasons
Category:Leagues