Vancouver Millionaires

Last updated
Vancouver Millionaires
Vancouver Millionaires maroon with cream lettering logo.svg
City Vancouver, British Columbia
League PCHA (1911–1924)
WCHL (1924–1926)
Operated1911–1926
Home arena Denman Arena
ColoursMaroon, cream
  
Owner(s) Frank Patrick
Head coachFrank Patrick
Franchise history
1911 to 1922Vancouver Millionaires
1922 to 1926Vancouver Maroons
Championships
Stanley Cups1 (1915)
Playoff championships6 (1915, 1918, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924)

The Vancouver Millionaires (later known as the Vancouver Maroons) were a professional ice hockey team that competed in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and the Western Canada Hockey League between 1911 and 1926. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, they played in Denman Arena, the first artificial ice surface in Canada and the largest indoor ice rink in the world at the time it opened. [1]

Contents

The Millionaires/Maroons succeeded as PCHA champions six times (1915, 1918, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924) and won the Stanley Cup once, in 1915, against the Ottawa Senators of the NHA.

Their jerseys were maroon, featuring a white V with "Vancouver" spelled down one side of the V and up the other. Hall of Famers Fred "Cyclone" Taylor, Mickey MacKay and Didier Pitre were among the most significant players to don the Millionaires/Maroons uniform in the team's history.

On October 1, 2010, the Vancouver Canucks president and management officially announced that the Vancouver Canucks had purchased the rights to logos, jerseys and trademarks of the Vancouver Millionaires. Since that time, the Canucks have worn Millionaires throwback uniforms on a few occasions, most notably on March 2, 2014 in the 2014 Heritage Classic against the Ottawa Senators.

Team history

In 1911, the Patrick brothers, Frank and Lester, inaugurated their own professional ice hockey league on the west coast, the Pacific Coast Hockey Association, giving birth to three teams, one of which was the Vancouver Millionaires. Frank aligned himself with Vancouver, playing for, coaching and managing the team. In order to earn credibility as a league, the PCHA lured players from the NHA, and in 1912, the Millionaires acquired the highly touted Cyclone Taylor, who would play for and star in Vancouver for the following ten seasons — the remainder of his career. During his tenure in Vancouver, Taylor tallied 263 points in 131 games.

The 1915 Stanley Cup winning team. Vancouver Millionaires 1915.jpg
The 1915 Stanley Cup winning team.

Upon the 1914–1915 season, the NHA and PCHA came to an agreement that each league's respective champion would play for the Stanley Cup; in the first year of this agreement, the Millionaires — led by Patrick and Taylor — emerged as league champion and defeated the Ottawa Senators to earn their first and only Stanley Cup championship. In a best-of-five series played at Denman Arena, the Millionaires swept Ottawa by scores of 6–2, 8–3, and 12–3; Taylor led the team with 6 goals. At the time, it was the furthest west the Cup had been awarded and is Vancouver's only Stanley Cup champion.

In 1918, Vancouver would once again compete for the Stanley Cup, defeating the Seattle Metropolitans in a two-game final for the PCHA title, but would be defeated by the Toronto Arenas of the NHL (evolved from the NHA) three games to two. Between 1918 and 1924, Vancouver would win the PCHA title in five of seven seasons. In 1921 and 1922, they were defeated by the Ottawa Senators and Toronto St. Pats in back-to-back Cup Finals, respectively. In 1922, the team changed its name to the Vancouver Maroons and, although league champion in the PCHA's final two seasons, Vancouver would not compete for the Stanley Cup. As a result of the newly founded Western Canada Hockey League, the PCHA champion would have to defeat the WCHL champion en route to a Cup series against the NHL champion; the Maroons would fall to the Edmonton Eskimos in 1923 and the Calgary Tigers in 1924.

Following the 1923–1924 season, the Maroons were absorbed by the WCHL upon the PCHA's demise, but would not achieve the same success of the previous years. In 1926, the WCHL suffered the same fate of the PCHA, and after 15 years, the team subsequently folded, as well.

Tributes

In 1999, musician and bodybuilder Jon Mikl Thor started VM Sports, a company to market a line of Millionaires apparel. Since there were no genuine Millionaires sweaters in existence since a fire destroyed Denman Arena in 1936, Thor trademarked the Vancouver Millionaires name and the "Victory V" logo. On May 1, 2008, the BC Sports Hall Of Fame was donated one such Millionaires sweater from VM Sports, which is now featured in the Hall's Cyclone Taylor display. [2] On October 1, 2010 the Vancouver Canucks parent company, Canucks Sports & Entertainment, acquired the Vancouver Millionaires trademark from Thor. [3]

In honour of the Millionaires as the city's only Stanley Cup-winning team, the Vancouver Giants, a major junior Western Hockey League (WHL) team, wore Millionaires jerseys during their November 21, 2008 game against the Kamloops Blazers on the team's "Stanley Cup Legends Night". [4] That same month, the Canucks unveiled their new third jerseys, including a new shoulder logo that pays tribute to the Millionaires by including a "V". [5]

In the 2012–13 season the Vancouver Canucks added the Millionaires' "V" to their jersey. They wore a modified version of the Millionaires jersey on March 16, 2013 against the Detroit Red Wings. [6] They again wore the Millionaires jersey for the 2014 Heritage Classic on March 2, 2014, against the Ottawa Senators, who wore a version of the original Senators jersey. The Millionaires jersey was worn a third time on March 26, 2015, against the Colorado Avalanche. [7]

Season-by-season record

Vancouver Millionaires for the 1913-14 season. 1914 Vancouver Millionaires.jpg
Vancouver Millionaires for the 1913–14 season.

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF= Goals For, GA = Goals Against

SeasonNameLeagueGPWLTGFGAFinishPlayoffs
1912 MillionairesPCHA15780102942nd-
1912–13 1679084892nd-
1913–14 1569076833rd-
1914–15 171340115711stWon Stanley Cup
1915–16 1899075692nd-
1916–17 241490711242nd-
1917–18 1899070602ndLost in Cup final
1918–19 20128072551stLost league playoff
1919–20 221111075652nd-
1920–21 241311086791stLost in Cup final
1921–22 241212077682ndLost in Cup final
1922–23 Maroons29 [8] [9] 16121116881stLost in Cup Semi-final
1923–24 301316187802ndLost in Cup semi-final
1924–25 WCHL2812160911025th-
1925–26 WHL301018264906th-

Hall of Fame players

See also

Related Research Articles

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The Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) was a professional ice hockey league in western Canada and the western United States, which operated from 1911 to 1924 when it then merged with the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). The PCHA was considered to be a major league of ice hockey and was important in the development of the sport of professional ice hockey through its innovations.

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Frederick Wellington "Cyclone" Taylor, MBE was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and civil servant. A cover-point and rover, he played professionally from 1906 to 1922 for several teams, and is most well-known for his time with the Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA). Acknowledged as one of the first stars of the professional era of hockey, Taylor was recognized during his career as one of the fastest skaters and most prolific scorers, winning five scoring championships in the PCHA. He also won the Stanley Cup twice, with Ottawa in 1909 and Vancouver in 1915, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1947.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Patrick (ice hockey)</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Francis Alexis Patrick was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, head coach, manager, and executive. Along with his brother Lester, he founded the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA), the first major professional hockey league in Western Canada. Patrick, who also served as president of the league, took control of the Vancouver Millionaires, serving as a player, coach, and manager of the team. It was in the PCHA that Patrick would introduce many innovations to hockey that remain today, including the blue line, the penalty shot, and tracking assists, among others.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1915 Stanley Cup Finals</span> Ice hockey championship series

The 1915 Stanley Cup Finals was played from March 22–26, 1915. The Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) champion Vancouver Millionaires swept the National Hockey Association (NHA) champion Ottawa Senators three games to none in a best-of-five game series. The finals were played in Vancouver, with games one, three and five played under PCHA rules. The Millionaires became the first team from the PCHA to win the Cup. This was the second Stanley Cup championship series between the champions of the NHA and the PCHA and the first held in a PCHA rink.

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The 1912–13 PCHA season was the second season of the professional men's ice hockey Pacific Coast Hockey Association. Season play ran from December 10, 1912, to March 18, 1913. Like the previous season, teams were to play a 16-game schedule, but one game was cancelled. The Victoria Senators were the PCHA champions. After the season the club played, and won, an exhibition series against the National Hockey Association champion Quebec Bulldogs.

The 1913–14 PCHA season was the third season of the professional men's ice hockey Pacific Coast Hockey Association league. Season play ran from December 5, 1913, until February 24, 1914. Like the previous two seasons, teams were to play a 16-game schedule, but one game was cancelled. The Victoria Aristocrats club would be the PCHA champions. After the season, Victoria travelled to Toronto to play the Toronto Hockey Club, National Hockey Association (NHA) champions, in a challenge series for the 1914 Stanley Cup. Toronto won the series.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1922–23 PCHA season</span> Professional ice hockey league season

The 1922–23 PCHA season was the 12th season of the professional men's ice hockey Pacific Coast Hockey Association league. Season play ran from November 13, 1922, until March 2, 1923. The Vancouver Maroons club would be regular-season PCHA champions, and won the play-off with Victoria Aristocrats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smokey Harris</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Thomas Wilfred "Smokey, Fred" Harris was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Harris played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA), the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). Harris was born in Port Arthur, Ontario. His brother Henry was also a professional ice hockey player. Harris scored the first goal in Boston Bruins' franchise history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1914–15 Vancouver Millionaires season</span>

The 1914–15 Vancouver Millionaires season was the fourth season of the professional men's ice hockey Vancouver Millionaires team of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association league. The Millionaires were the PCHA champions. After the season the club faced off against the Ottawa Senators, NHA champions for the Stanley Cup. The Millionaires won the series to become the first west-coast team to win the Cup. This was the first time that a team from Vancouver won the Stanley Cup.

References

  1. ↑ Tourism Vancouver (2007). "Vancouver's History". Tourism Vancouver. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-22.
  2. ↑ Mackin, Bob (2008-05-02). "Back in the money". 24 Hours Vancouver. Archived from the original on 2012-07-20. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
  3. ↑ "Canucks Sports & Entertainment announces acquisition of Vancouver Millionaires trademarks". Vancouver Canucks. 1 October 2010.
  4. ↑ "Cup, legends coming to Giants". The Province. 2008-11-05. Archived from the original on April 30, 2009. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
  5. ↑ "Vancouver Canucks unveil new third jersey". Georgia Straight. 2008-11-14. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
  6. ↑ "Millionaires landing page". Archived from the original on 2016-08-27.
  7. ↑ "Colorado Avalanche - Vancouver Canucks". canucks.nhl.com. March 26, 2015.
  8. ↑ February 2 game against Victoria was stricken from the record after the Cougars protested the result, initially a 4-3 overtime victory by Vancouver. The game was never replayed because it would not have affected the standings.
  9. ↑ "Hockey Protest Is Successful". The Daily Colonist. 1923-02-23. Retrieved 2021-11-05.

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