There have been other hockey leagues on the West Coast and Rocky Mountains. I have tried to include as many of these leagues I could find. I believe it to be complete.
The first in this series was the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA). The PCHA played 13 seasons from 1911-1924. It played in six cities in the Pacific Northwest, BC's Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. In its 13 years, it provided two Stanley Cup Champions and eight runner-ups.
| Team | Seasons | Origin, Fate or High Points |
|---|---|---|
| New Westminster Royals | 11/12 - 13/14 | became the Portland Rosebuds |
| Portland Rosebuds | 14/15 - 17/18 | came from the New Westminster Royals, became the Victoria Aristocrats, Stanley Cup runner-up 1916 |
| Seattle Metropolitains | 15/16 - 23/24 | Stanley Cup Champions 1917, runner-up 1920 |
| Spokane Canaries | 16/17 | became the Victoria Aristocrats |
| Vancouver Maroons | 22/23 - 23/24 | came from the Vancouver Millionaires, Stanley Cup runner-up 1923 & 1924 |
| Vancouver Millionaires | 11/12 - 22/23 | became the Vancouver Maroons, Stanley Cup Champions 1915, runner-up 1918, 1921 & 1922 |
| Victoria Aristocrats | 12/13 - 15/16 | came from the Victoria Senators, became the Spokane Canaries, Stanley Cup Runner-up 1914 |
| Victoria Aristocrats | 18/19 - 19/20 | came from the Portland Rosebuds, became the Victoria Cougars |
| Victoria Cougars | 20/21 - 23/24 | |
| Victoria Senators | 11/12 | became the Victoria Aristocrats |
The next in the series of leagues had three names. The Western Canada Hockey League (WCdHL) played 4 seasons from 1921-1925. In its first three seasons, it played in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. With the folding of the PCHA in 1924, it added teams in British Columbia.
With the addition of the Portland Rosebuds in 1926, the league changed its name to the Western Hockey League (WHL). This only lasted a year. Portland moved to Chicago and became the Black Hawks. Victoria moved to Detroit. A few years later, this franchise would change its name to the Red Wings. Both of these teams became part of the NHL.
With the loss of Portland, Vancouver and Victoria, the league again changed its name to the Prairie Hockey League (PrHL). This league lasted another 2 seasons playing from 1926-1928.
All in all, this progression of leagues lasted a total of 7 seasons. It gave us 2 of the present day NHL teams. It also gave us 1 Stanley Cup Champion and 3 Runners-up
| Team | Leagues Played In | Seasons | Origin, Fate or High Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary Tigers | WCdHL, WHL, PrHL | 21/22 - 26/27 | Stanley Cup Runner-up 1924 |
| Edmonton Eskimos | WCdHL, WHL, PrHL | 21/22 - 27/28 | Stanley Cup Runner-up 1923 |
| Moose Jaw Sheiks | WCdHL | 21/22 | came from and went back to the Saskatoon Sheiks |
| Moose Jaw Warriors | PrHL | 26/27 | became the Moose Jaw Maroons |
| Moose Jaw Maroons | PrHL | 27/28 | came from the Moose Jaw Warriors |
| Portland Rosebuds | WHL | 25/26 | came from the Regina Capitals, became the Chicago Black Hawks of the NHL |
| Regina Capitals | WCdHL | 21/22 - 24/25 | became the Portland Rosebuds |
| Regina Capitals | PrHL | 26/27 - 27/28 | |
| Saskatoon Crestens | WCdHL, WHL | 23/24 - 25/26 | |
| Saskatoon Sheiks | WCdHL | 21/22 and 22/23 | were the Moose Jaw Sheiks for a while, became the Saskatoon Crestens |
| Saskatoon Sheiks | PrHL | 26/27 - 27/28 | |
| Vancouver Maroons | WCdHL | 24/25 | |
| Victoria Cougars | WCdHL, WHL | 24/25 - 25/26 | became the Detroit Cougars of the NHL, who in 1930 became the Falcons and in 1933 became the Red Wings, 1925 Stanley Cup Champions and 1926 Runner-up |
There have been two more attempts to start professional hockey leagues on the West Coast. One is gone, and the other is still in operation. In addition, there is a very successful major-junior league in operation.
The Pacific Hockey League was in operation for two seasons from 1977-1979.
| Team | Seasons | Origion or Fate |
|---|---|---|
| Long Beach Rockets | 78/79 | came from the Long Beach Sharks |
| Long Beach Sharks | 77/78 | became the Long Beach Rockets |
| Los Angeles Blades | 77/78 | became the Los Angeles Monarchs |
| Los Angeles Monarchs | 78/79 | came from the Los Angeles Blades |
| Phoenix Roadrunners | 77/78 - 78/79 | |
| San Diego Hawks | 78/79 | |
| San Diego Mariners | 77/78 | |
| San Francisco Shamrocks | 77/78 - 78/79 | |
| Spokane Flyers | 78/79 | |
| Tuscon Rustlers | 78/79 |
The West Coast Hockey League is the latest attempt at pro hockey on the West Coast. The 1995/96 season was its first. It had six teams. In addition, the Russian Red Army East team played each of the teams twice. These games counted in the league standings.
| Team | Season | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska Gold Kings | 95/96-96/97 | Played in Fairbanks; Team will start the 98/99 season in Colorado Springs |
| Anchorage Aces | 95/96-Present | |
| Bakersfield Fog | 95/96-Present | |
| Fresno Falcons | 95/96-Present | |
| Phoenix Mustangs | 97/98 | |
| Reno Renegades | 95/96-Present | |
| Idaho Stealheads | 97/98 | Play in Boise |
| San Diego Gulls | 95/96-Present | |
|
97/98 | |
| Tucson Gila Monsters | 97/98 |
WHL Homepage, WHL Homepage by Rinknet
Probably one of the most successful attempts at a hockey league in the West is the hockey league currently know as the Western Hockey League. It started in 1966 as a renegade junior hockey league, known as the Western Canadian Hockey League (WCHL) in Saskatchewan and Alberta. Over the years it gained credibility and grew. The league spread into Manitoba and finally British Columbia. It gained participation in the Canadian Hockey League's Memorial cup in the early 70s.
In 1976, something radical was tried. The Edmonton Oil Kings pulled up stakes and moved to Portland, Oregon, becoming the Portland Winterhawks. This successful franchise is still playing to this day. A year later teams were added in Seattle and Billings. In 1978, the league dropped the Canadian from their name and now is known as the Western Hockey League (WHL).
So successful has the WHL been, there has only been one team go defunct (the Spokane Flyers). The league has had franchises in twenty-nine cities in the NW US and Western Canada.
Some of the players to come through the WHL include Grant Fuhr, the Courtnalls, Cam Neeley, Joe Sakic, Petr Nedved and many others.
| Team | Seasons | Came From | Went To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings Bighorns | 77/78 - 81/82 | Calgary Centennials | Nanaimo |
| Brandon Wheat Kings | 67/68 - present | expansion team | N/A |
| Calgary Buffaloes | 66/67 | original team | Calgary Centennials |
| Calgary Centennials | 67/68 - 76/77 | Calgary Buffaloes | Billings Bighorns |
| Calgary Hitmen | 95/96 - present | expansion team | N/A |
| Calgary Wranglers | 77/78 - 86/87 | Winnipeg Monarchs | Lethbridge Hurricanes |
| Edmonton Ice | 96/97 - present | expansion team | N/A |
| Edmonton Oil Kings | 66/67 - 75/76 | original team | Portland Winterhawks |
| Edmonton Oil Kings | 78/79 | Flin Flon Bombers | Great Falls Americans |
| Estevan Bruins | 66/67 - 70/71 | original team | New Westminster Bruins |
| Flin Flon Bombers | 67/68 - 77/78 | expansion team | Edmonton Oil Kings |
| Great Falls Americans | 79/80 | Edmonton Oil Kings | restructured as the Spokane Flyers |
| Kamloops Blazers | 84/85 - present | Kamloops Junior Oilers | N/A |
| Kamloops Chiefs | 73/74 - 76/77 | Vancouver Nats | Seattle Breakers |
| Kamloops Junior Oilers | 81/82 - 83/84 | New Westminster Bruins | Kamloops Blazers |
| Kelowna Wings | 82/83 - 84/85 | expansion team | Spokane Cheifs |
| Kelowna Rockets | 95/96 - present | Tacoma Rockets | N/A |
| Lethbridge Broncos | 74/75 - 85/86 | Swift Current Broncos | Swift Current Broncos |
| Lethbridge Hurricanes | 87/88 - present | Calgary Wranglers | N/A |
| Medicine Hat Tigers | 70/71 - present | expansion team | N/A |
| Moose Jaw Canucks | 66/67 - 67/68 | original team | pulled out of league |
| Moose Jaw Warriors | 84/85 - present | Winnepeg Warriors | N/A |
| Nanaimo Islanders | 82/83 | Billings Big Horns | New Westminster |
| New Westminster Bruins | 71/72 - 80/81 | Estevan Bruins | Kamloops Junior Oilers |
| New Westminster Bruins | 83/84 - 87/88 | Nanaimo | Tri-Cities Americans |
| Portland Winterhawks | 76/77 - present | Edmonton Oil Kings | N/A |
| Prince Albert Raiders | 82/83 - present | expansion team | N/A |
| Prince George Cougars | 94/95 - present | Victoria Cougars | N/A |
| Red Deer Rebels | 92/93 - present | expansion team | N/A |
| Regina Pats | 66/67 - 67/68 | original team | pulled out of league |
| Regina Pats | 70/71 - present | came back into league | N/A |
| Saskatoon Blades | 66/67 - present | original team | N/A |
| Seattle Breakers | 77/78 - 84/85 | Kamloops Chiefs | Seattle Thunderbirds |
| Seattle Thunderbirds | 85/86 - present | Seattle Breakers | N/A |
| Spokane Cheifs | 85/86 - present | Kelowna | N/A |
| Spokane Flyers | 80/81 - 81/82 | Great Falls | folded after 26 games |
| Swift Current Broncos | 67/68 - 73/74 | expansion team | Lethbridge Broncos |
| Swift Current Broncos | 86/87 - present | Lethbridge Broncos | N/A |
| Tacoma Rockets | 91/92 - 94/95 | expansion team | Kelowna Rockets |
| Tri-City Americans | 88/89 - present | New Westminster | N/A |
| Vancouver Nats | 71/72 - 72/73 | expansion team | Kamloops Chiefs |
| Victoria Cougars | 71/72 - 93/94 | expansion team | Prince George Cougars |
| Weyburn Red Wings | 66/67 - 67/68 | original team | team went back to the SJHL |
| Winnipeg Clubs | 73/74 - 75/76 | Winnepeg Jets | Winnepeg Monarchs |
| Winnipeg Jets | 67/68 - 72/73 | expansion team | Winnepeg Clubs |
| Winnipeg Monarchs | 76/77 | Winnipeg Clubs | Calgary Wranglers |
| Winnipeg Warriors | 80/81 - 83/84 | expansion team | Moose Jaw Warriors |
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