Amateur Hockey Association of Canada
| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 8 December 1886 |
| Inaugural season | 1 January 1887 |
| Ceased | 1898 |
| Country |
 Canada
|
| Last champion(s) |
Montreal Victorias |
| Most titles | Montreal Hockey Club |
The Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (AHAC) was an amateur men's ice hockey league founded on 8 December 1886, in existence until 1898. It was the second ice hockey league organized in Canada, after one in Kingston, Ontario started in 1883. It was organized to provide a longer season to determine the Canadian champion. Prior to its founding the Canadian championship was determined in a tournament in Montreal. It is the first championship ice hockey league.
The 1893 champion of the league, Montreal Hockey Club were the first winner of the newly introduced Stanley Cup, who were awarded the Cup as the champions of the AHAC since the AHAC was considered the top league of Canada.
A meeting was called, for those in favor of the formation of a Dominion hockey association, for the evening of 8 December 1886. Mr. J.G. Monk of the Victoria Hockey Club was asked to send a written invitation to Ottawa Hockey Club and the Quebec Hockey Club, asking each to send a representative to the meeting, Only Ottawa had responded. The meeting was held at the Victoria Skating Rink in Montreal and attended by the following delegates with Mr. J. Arnton acting as Chairman and Mr, J. G. Monk as Secretary:
With all strongly in favor of forming the new association, the name given was the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada and a constitution similar to the one governing Lacrosse was adopted but modified to suit hockey. Afterwards, officers were elected for the upcoming inaugural season, who were:
They agreed that the season should run from 1 January 1887 until 15 March 1887.
...
Wikipedia