1971 Memorial Cup

Last updated

1971 Memorial Cup
Tournament details
DatesMay 1971
Teams4
Venue(s) Colisée de Québec
(Quebec City, Quebec)
Final positions
Champions Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) (1st title)
←  1970
1972  →
The Memorial Cup trophy Memorial Cup at the 2015 championship.jpg
The Memorial Cup trophy

The 1971 Memorial Cup was the 53rd annual Memorial Cup competition, organized by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) to determine the champion of major junior A ice hockey. It was a best-of-three series between the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). Quebec won the series in two games, both held at the Colisée de Québec, to win the first Memorial Cup championship in the city's history.

Contents

The national playdowns were marred by controversy as the Remparts advanced to the championship series when the Ontario Hockey Association's (OHA) St. Catharines Black Hawks forfeited the eastern championship series after five games rather than return to Quebec City for a sixth game in the face of a hostile and violent crowd and threats from the Front de libération du Québec. The Remparts agreed to a challenge from the Oil Kings for an abbreviated national championship and a best-of-three series to be held rather than the typical best-of-seven.

National playdowns

The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) reorganized junior A hockey prior to this season, splitting this top level into two tiers. The OHA, QMJHL and WCHL formed the "Tier I Major Junior A" rank (simply "Major Junior" starting in 1980). The Memorial Cup became the national championship of the new tier. [1] The remaining teams and leagues remained in the Junior A rank. A new championship, the Manitoba Centennial Trophy, was created for teams at this level. [2]

The Memorial Cup tournament remained in an east versus west format for 1971. The champions of the OHA and QMJHL were to play for the Eastern championship and then face the WCHL winner for the national title. This format lasted only one year, as for 1972, the CAHA reorganized the Memorial Cup into a three-team round-robin tournament between the winner of each league. [3]

East championship

The George Richardson Memorial Trophy was the championship trophy for junior ice hockey in Eastern Canada. George Richardson Memorial Trophy.jpg
The George Richardson Memorial Trophy was the championship trophy for junior ice hockey in Eastern Canada.

The Remparts were led by Guy Lafleur, who in 1970–71 set league records with 130 goals and 209 points. He added another 22 goals in the playoffs to lead Quebec to the QMJHL's President's Cup championship. [4] In a best-of-seven series for the Eastern championship, they faced OHA champion St. Catharines, led by Marcel Dionne, who was the Ontario league's top scorer with 143 points. [5] The teams split the first two games, held in St. Catharines, before the Remparts took a 2–1 series lead in the third game, held in Quebec. [6] The game was violent at times with over 102 penalties in minutes given out by the referee – 77 to the Black Hawks. [7]

Quebec moved to within one win of winning the series with a 6–1 victory in game four, also held in Quebec. As with the third game, the Black Hawks attempted to intimidate their smaller Remparts opponents physically. [6] The crowd grew increasingly hostile towards the visitors, pelting the players with eggs, potatoes and golf balls, while one fan threw a knife. [7] Dionne's parents were assaulted in the stands over the fact that he had left the Quebec league to play in Ontario. [8] Mike Bloom inadvertently struck a police officer with his stick trying to hit a fan who spat on him. [6] The Black Hawk players were escorted out of the building by police following the game as a mob of angry fans threw bottles at them and then milled around the team's motel until the early hours of the following morning. [7] Threats were made against the players by the Quebec Liberation Front, a group that precipitated the October Crisis of 1970 that resulted in the Canadian government invoking the War Measures Act. [7] [8]

The fifth game was held in a neutral location. St. Catharines defeated Quebec 6–3 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, but refused to return to Quebec City for the sixth and seventh games. The Black Hawks offered to play the remainder of the series in Montreal, which the Remparts refused. [9] Fearing for their safety, the players voted to forfeit the sixth game. [8] CAHA president Earl Dawson then declared the series a forfeit in favour of Quebec. [9]

West championship

The Abbott Cup was the championship trophy for junior ice hockey in Western Canada. Abbott Cup.jpg
The Abbott Cup was the championship trophy for junior ice hockey in Western Canada.

In the west, The Edmonton Oil Kings were led by 60-goal scorer Don Kozak and 43-goal scorers Darcy Rota and Dan Spring. [10] They won the Western Canada Hockey League championship over the Flin Flon Bombers four games to one, with one tie. They had previously eliminated the New Westminster Bruins in five games and then the Calgary Centennials in six. [11]

It was the first Western championship for the Oil Kings since they made seven consecutive appearances in the Memorial Cup between 1960 and 1966. [12] Their streak ended when they helped create the WCHL in 1966 over the objection of the CAHA who declared them outlaws and ineligible to compete for the national championship. [13] The WCHL gained CAHA sanction prior to the 1970–71 season, allowing the Oil Kings to return to the Memorial Cup Final. [9]

Memorial Cup final

In August 1970, OHA president Tubby Schmalz announced that teams from the OHA and the QMJHL would not play against any team from the WCHL for the 1971 Memorial Cup, due to disagreements over travel allowances given to team at the Memorial Cup and the higher number of over-age players allowed on WCHL rosters. [14] Nonetheless, the Oil Kings extended a challenge to the Eastern champion and proposed a best-of-seven series to open in the east, then move to Edmonton for two games and then finish out east. [15] The eastern leagues were also upset that the CAHA offered a $10,000 travel subsidy to the western champion for the Memorial Cup vs. $6,000 to the eastern champion. [9]

Oil Kings' owner, general manager and coach, Bill Hunter, implored the eastern leagues to participate in a championship series calling it the "burning ambition" of all Canadian junior players while invoking the actions of the government during the October Crisis: "If the Prime Minister wants to do something right for the west for a change, he'll use the War Measures Act to enforce a Memorial Cup final." [9] The Oil Kings and the Remparts agreed to a shortened best-of-three series for the Memorial Cup, with all games in Quebec as approved by the CAHA and Earl Dawson. [16]

Edmonton was met by a much different crowd when they arrived in Quebec City than the one St. Catharines faced. A crowd of 2,000 people welcomed the Oil Kings at the airport as they arrived. [10] Quebec won the first game easily, 5–1, on the strength of four points by Lafleur. The Remparts then won the title with a 5–2 victory in the second game before a crowd of 11,401. It was the first Memorial Cup championship for the Remparts, and the first for Quebec City. [16]

Players

Lafleur was hailed by the fans in Quebec as the best junior player in the world, [9] and was selected first overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1971 NHL Entry Draft three weeks after winning the Memorial Cup. [17] He won five Stanley Cup championships in Montreal as part of a Hall of Fame career. [18] Lafleur's teammates Jacques Richard, Andre Savard, Richard Grenier and Charlie Constantin also went on to play in the National Hockey League. [16]

Darcy Rota, Tom Bladon and Phil Russel went on to long NHL careers after graduating from the Oil Kings. Dave Kryskow, Ron Jones and John Rogers also went on to play in the NHL after leaving Edmonton. [16] Marcel Dionne was selected second overall by the Detroit Red Wings from the St. Catharines Black Hawks in 1971 and played 18 years before joining Lafleur in the Hall of Fame. [19]

Winning roster

1970-71 Quebec Remparts [20]

Goaltenders

  • – Michel DeGuise  
  • 1 – Serge Gaudreault 
  • 30 – Raynald Fortier 

Defencemen

Wingers

Centres

[21]

National playoff tree

Number in parentheses indicates number of tie game.

Semifinals Finals
      
OHA St. Catharines Black Hawks 2
QMJHL Quebec Remparts 3
QMJHL Quebec Remparts 2
WCHL Edmonton Oil Kings 0
WCHL Edmonton Oil Kings 4 (1)
WCHL Flin Flon Bombers 1 (1)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Hockey League</span> Sports league

The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada, alongside the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Teams play for the Ed Chynoweth Cup, with the winner moving on to play for the Memorial Cup, Canada's national junior championship. WHL teams have won the Memorial Cup 19 times. Many players have been drafted from WHL teams, and have found success at various levels of professional hockey, including the National Hockey League (NHL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Memorial Cup</span> Championship trophy of the Canadian Hockey League

The Memorial Cup is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League, a consortium of three major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tournament played between the champions of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and Western Hockey League (WHL), and a fourth, hosting team, which alternates between the three leagues annually. The Memorial Cup trophy was established by Captain James T. Sutherland to honour those who died in service during World War I. It was rededicated during the 2010 tournament to honour all soldiers who died fighting for Canada in any conflict.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcel Dionne</span> Canadian ice hockey player (born 1951)

Marcel Elphège "Little Beaver" Dionne is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers between 1971 and 1989. A prolific scorer, he won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer in 1979–80, and recorded 50 goals or more in a season six times, and 100 points or more in a season 8 times during his career. Internationally Dionne played for the Canadian national team at two Canada Cups and three World Championships. Dionne was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992. In 2017 Dionne was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Catharines Black Hawks</span> Canadian junior ice hockey team

The St. Catharines Black Hawks were a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1962 to 1976. The team was based in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl Dawson</span> Canadian ice hockey administrator, politician and civil servant

Earl Phillip Dawson was a Canadian ice hockey administrator, politician and civil servant. He rose to prominence in Canadian hockey when he served as president of the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association from 1958 to 1963. He established a council to reverse the decline of hockey in rural Manitoba and saw the association continually increase its registrations by spending more per player to develop minor ice hockey than other provinces in Canada. Dawson became chairman of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) rules committee and organized the first nationwide clinic for referee instructors to standardize the interpretation of hockey rules. Dawson became vice-president of the CAHA in 1966 then served as its president from 1969 to 1971. The International Ice Hockey Federation had approved a limited use of professionals at the 1970 Ice Hockey World Championships, but later reversed the decision when the International Olympic Committee objected. Dawson and the CAHA perceived the situation to be a double standard since the Europeans were believed to be state-sponsored professionals labelled as amateurs, and withdrew the Canada men's national ice hockey team from international competitions until it was allowed to use its best players.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. Ross Robertson Cup</span> Canadian ice hockey trophy

The J. Ross Robertson Cup is a Canadian ice hockey trophy. It is awarded annually in junior ice hockey to the champion of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. It was donated by John Ross Robertson to the Ontario Hockey Association in 1910, and is the third of three similarly named trophies he established. His other eponymous trophies for the OHA include, the J. Ross Robertson Cup awarded to the annual champions of Allan Cup Hockey, and the J. Ross Robertson Cup which was awarded to the annual champions of the discontinued intermediate division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montreal Junior Canadiens</span> Ice hockey team in Montreal, Quebec

The Montreal Junior Canadiens were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Junior Hockey League from 1933 to 1961, and the Ontario Hockey Association from 1961 to 1972. They played out of the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

In 1970, the Junior A level was divided into two more levels, Tier I and Tier II. In 1974, the "Major Junior A" division of the OHA became the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL) and began to operate independently of the OHA. Finally in 1980, the OMJHL became the Ontario Hockey League.

The 1970–71 WCHL season was the fifth season of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). Ten teams completed a 66-game season, with the Edmonton Oil Kings winning the President's Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed Chynoweth Cup</span> Western Hockey League trophy

The Ed Chynoweth Cup is an ice hockey club championship trophy awarded to the playoff champion of the Western Hockey League (WHL). Originally called the President's Cup when the league was founded in 1966, the trophy was renamed in 2007 to honour Ed Chynoweth's long service to junior hockey in Canada. The WHL champion earns a berth into the Memorial Cup tournament, Canada's junior hockey championship. The Kamloops Blazers have won the most championships with six, followed by the Medicine Hat Tigers with five. The Spokane Chiefs were the first team to win the renamed trophy in the 2007–08 WHL season. The current (2022-23) holders of the Ed Chynoweth Cup are the Seattle Thunderbirds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Richardson Memorial Trophy</span> Canadian junior ice hockey trophy

The George Richardson Memorial Trophy was presented annually from 1932 until 1971, by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. It represented the Eastern Canada junior hockey championship, and a berth in the Memorial Cup final versus the Abbott Cup champion from Western Canada. The George Richardson Memorial Trophy was retired in 1971, when the Memorial Cup became a round-robin series between the winners of the three major junior hockey leagues in Canada; the Western Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The trophy was named for Captain George Taylor Richardson, a hockey player who died while serving in World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1983 Memorial Cup</span> Canadian junior mens ice hockey championship

The 1983 Memorial Cup was held May 7–14 at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon. It was the 65th annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Participating teams were the host team Portland Winter Hawks along with the Oshawa Generals, Verdun Juniors and Lethbridge Broncos who had won the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and Western Hockey League (WHL) championships respectively. Portland won their first Memorial Cup, defeating Oshawa in the final game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1974 Memorial Cup</span> Canadian junior mens ice hockey championship

The 1974 Memorial Cup occurred May 5–12 at the Stampede Corral in Calgary, Alberta. It was the 56th annual Memorial Cup competition, organized by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) to determine the champion of major junior A ice hockey. Participating teams were the winners of the Ontario Hockey Association, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League which were the St. Catharines Black Hawks, Quebec Remparts and Regina Pats. Regina won their 4th Memorial Cup, defeating Quebec in the final game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1973 Memorial Cup</span> Canadian junior mens ice hockey championship

The 1973 Memorial Cup occurred May 7–12 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. It was the 55th annual Memorial Cup competition, organized by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) to determine the champion of major junior A ice hockey. Participating teams were the winners of the Ontario Hockey Association, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League which were the Toronto Marlboros, Quebec Remparts and Medicine Hat Tigers. Toronto won their 6th Memorial Cup, defeating Quebec in the final game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972 Memorial Cup</span> 1972 Canadian junior mens ice hockey championship

The 1972 Memorial Cup occurred May 8–14 at the Ottawa Civic Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was the 54th annual Memorial Cup competition, organized by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) to determine the champion of major junior A ice hockey. Participating teams were the winners of the Ontario Hockey Association, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League which were the Peterborough Petes, Cornwall Royals and Edmonton Oil Kings. Cornwall won their 1st Memorial Cup, defeating Peterborough in the final game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1969–70 QMJHL season</span>

The 1969–70 QMJHL season was the first season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Eleven teams formed the new league, ten from Quebec and one from Ontario. Eight teams came from the Quebec Junior Hockey League, the Drummondville Rangers, Quebec Remparts, Saint-Jérôme Alouettes, Shawinigan Bruins, Sherbrooke Castors, Sorel Éperviers, Trois-Rivières Ducs and Verdun Maple Leafs; two from the Metropolitan Montreal Junior Hockey League, the Rosemont National and Laval Saints; and the Cornwall Royals from the Central Junior A Hockey League. The teams played 56 games each in the schedule.

The 1970–71 QMJHL season was the second season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Ten teams played 62 games each in the schedule. The league dissolves East and West Divisions. The Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy is first awarded to the most sportsmanlike player, after being the trophy for the West Division champions for the previous season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Dumont</span> Canadian ice hockey administrator

Paul Dumont was a Canadian ice hockey administrator. He was associated with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) from its founding in 1969 to 1984. He served as the general manager of the Quebec Remparts, then as the league's executive director and president. He established the first league office, and oversaw the development of its policies and procedures. He previously co-founded the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament and managed the junior Quebec Aces. He is the namesake of the Paul Dumont Trophy, and was inducted into both the Hockey Québec, and the QMJHL Halls of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tubby Schmalz</span> Canadian ice hockey administrator

Clarence Vincent "Tubby" Schmalz was a Canadian ice hockey administrator. He served as vice-president of the Western Ontario Athletic Association from 1940 to 1950, and coached and managed the senior ice hockey team in Walkerton, Ontario. He was elected to the Ontario Hockey Association executive (OHA) in 1956, and served as its president from 1969 to 1972. He was the first commissioner of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL), serving from 1974 to 1978. He became vice-chairman of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) in 1979, and was elected its chairman in 1981. He was a graduate of St. Jerome's College, and operated the Hartley House hotel in Walkerton. He served on the Walkerton Town Council for 17 years, including three years as reeve from 1979 to 1981.

References

  1. ↑ "Memorial Cup". Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on February 3, 2002. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Manitoba Centennial Trophy". Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on July 6, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  3. ↑ Lapp & Macaulay (1997), p. 160
  4. ↑ Shea, Kevin (March 16, 2003). "one on one with Guy Lafleur". Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on July 3, 2010. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  5. ↑ Lapp & Macaulay (1997), p. 156
  6. 1 2 3 Hall, Vicki; Myers, Sean (May 14, 2010). "In 1971, politics and hockey proved a toxic mix". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Lapp & Macaulay (1997), p. 157
  8. 1 2 3 Macfarlane, Steve (May 13, 2010). "MacMillan gets 'another' chance". Calgary Sun. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lapp & Macaulay (1997), p. 158
  10. 1 2 Morrissey, Bob (May 17, 1971). "Oil Kings find Quebec natives friendly". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  11. ↑ Flett, Cory; Watts, Jessie (eds.). 2008–09 WHL Guide. Western Hockey League. p. 188.
  12. ↑ Lapp & Macaulay (1997), p. 280
  13. ↑ Lapp & Macaulay (1997), p. 141
  14. ↑ "OHA Won't Play Western Juniors". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. August 18, 1970. p. 21. Lock-green.svg
  15. ↑ "Oil Kings challenge for trophy". Montreal Gazette. May 7, 1971. p. 17. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Lapp & Macaulay (1997), p. 159
  17. ↑ "Lafleur picked by Canadiens". Rock Hill Herald. June 11, 1971. p. 7. Retrieved May 22, 2010.[ permanent dead link ]
  18. ↑ "Guy Lafleur biography". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  19. ↑ "Marcel Dionne biography". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  20. ↑ "MemorialCup.ca - Winning Rosters". Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  21. ↑ "LHJMQ – Incluant la couverture en direct des matchs, des clips audio et vidéo nouvelles exclusives, billets, statistiques, classements, horaires et autres".

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.