U Sports men's ice hockey is the highest level of play of men's ice hockey at the university level and operates under the auspices of U Sports, Canada's governing body for university sports.[1] As of the 2018 season, 48 teams from Canadian universities are divided into three athletic conferences, drawing from three regional associations of U Sports: Canada West Universities Athletic Association, Ontario University Athletics, and Atlantic University Sport.[1] At the end of every season, eight teams compete for the David Johnston University Cup, awarded to the U Sports Men's Hockey Championship team.
 | |
| Formerly | CIAU men's ice hockey, CIS men's ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Founded | 1961 |
| No. of teams | 35 |
| Country | Canada |
| Most recent champion(s) | UNB Reds (2024) |
| Most titles | Alberta Golden Bears (16) |
| TV partner(s) | Sportsnet TVA Sports |
| Official website | U Sports men's ice hockey |
History
edit
The Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union was established in 1961 by Major W.J. McLeod, Athletic Director of the Royal Military College of Canada.[2][3] By the 1962-63 season, the CIAU had created a National Championship for their ice hockey playoffs: the David Johnston University Cup.
The first ever national championship was competed for in Kingston, Ontario between the UBC Thunderbirds and the McMaster Marlins. The Marlins won the game 3-2.
The CIAU had competition in Canadian post-secondary varsity hockey at a national level, but rivalries only existed on an exhibition basis. The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association, now Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association, held national championships between 1975 and 2001. At one time, seven conferences in the CCAA sanctioned hockey, but only two do today — the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference and the Quebec Student Sport Federation (now known by its French initialism of RSEQ).
In 1978, the governing body of the league changed its name to the Canadian Interuniversity Athletics Union. The body's name was changed in 2001 to Canadian Interuniversity Sport, and most recently in 2016, to the current U Sports.
The most successful team in U Sports history is the Alberta Golden Bears with 16 David Johnston University Cup titles, winning 28% of all championships awarded to date. This is followed by the Toronto Varsity Blues (last in 1984) and the UNB Reds (last in 2024) with 10 championships apiece. The reigning champions are the UNB Reds, who defeated the UQTR Patriotes 4-0 in Toronto, Ontario in March 2024.
On April 4, 2016, St. Thomas University announced the discontinuation of their men's hockey program, reducing the teams participating in the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference to seven.[4]
On August 12, 2016, Kori Cheverie was announced as an assistant coach for the Ryerson Rams men’s ice hockey team, making her the first female full-time assistant coach in U Sports men’s hockey history.[5]
The MacEwan Griffins and Trinity Western Spartans joined the Canada West conference beginning with the 2020-21 season.[6][7] However, the Lethbridge Pronghorns announced the discontinuation of their hockey programs following the 2019-20 season due to budgetary constraints.[8] Furthermore, following the cancellation of the 2020–21 season, the Laurentian Voyageurs discontinued their men's ice hockey program in 2021 leaving U Sports with 35 men's ice hockey teams.[9]
Teams
editAtlantic University Sport
edit| University | Varsity Name | City | Province | Founded | Arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia University | Axemen | Wolfville | NS | 1838 | Andrew H. McCain Arena | 1,800 |
| Dalhousie University | Tigers | Halifax | NS | 1818 | Halifax Forum | 6,300 |
| St. Francis Xavier University | X-Men | Antigonish | NS | 1853 | Charles V. Keating Millennium Centre | 1,501 |
| Saint Mary's University | Huskies | Halifax | NS | 1802 | Halifax Forum | 6,300 |
| Université de Moncton | Aigles Bleu | Moncton | NB | 1864 | Jean-Louis Lévesque Arena | 1,516 |
| University of New Brunswick | Varsity Reds | Fredericton | NB | 1785 | Aitken University Centre | 3,278 |
| University of Prince Edward Island | Panthers | Charlottetown | PEI | 1969 | MacLauchlan Arena | 1,400 |
Canada West Universities Athletic Association
edit| University | Varsity Name | City | Province | Founded | Arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacEwan University | Griffins | Edmonton | AB | 1938 | Downtown Community Arena | 1,000 |
| Mount Royal University | Cougars | Calgary | AB | 1910 | Kenyon Court | 1,940 |
| Trinity Western University | Spartans | Langley | BC | 1962 | Langley Events Centre | 5,276 |
| University of Alberta | Golden Bears | Edmonton | AB | 1908 | Clare Drake Arena | 3,009 |
| University of British Columbia | Thunderbirds | Vancouver | BC | 1906 | Thunderbird Sports Centre | 7,500 |
| University of Calgary | Dinos | Calgary | AB | 1966 | Father David Bauer Olympic Arena | 1,750 |
| University of Manitoba | Bisons | Winnipeg | MB | 1877 | Max Bell Centre | 1,600 |
| University of Regina | Cougars | Regina | SK | 1974 | The Co-operators Centre | 1,300 |
| University of Saskatchewan | Huskies | Saskatoon | SK | 1907 | Merlis Belsher Place | 2,700 |
Ontario University Athletics
editFormer teams
editThe following schools previously sponsored ice hockey but currently do not field a varsity men's team.
| University | Varsity Name | City | Province | Years Active | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of St. Joseph's College | Memramcook | NB | 1934–1949 † | Program suspended | |
| Technical University of Nova Scotia | Halifax | NS | 1923–1964 | Program suspended | |
| Saint Dunstan's University | Saints | Charlottetown | PEI | 1935–1969 | Amalgamated into Prince Edward Island |
| Mount Allison University | Mounties | Sackville | NB | 1895–1998 | Program suspended |
| St. Thomas University | Tommies | Fredericton | NB | 1938–2016 † | Program suspended |
| Memorial University of Newfoundland | Beothuks | St. John's | NL | 1964–1982 | Program suspended |
| Cape Breton University | Capers | Sydney | NS | 1968–1995 | Program suspended |
| University of King's College | Blue Devils | Halifax | NS | 1919–1948 | Program suspended |
† only includes years of collegiate play
Awards
editThe following are annual U Sports trophies and awards:[10]
- David Johnston University Cup - Awarded annually to the U Sports men's ice hockey champions
- Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy – Annual "Player of the Year" awarded to the most outstanding player in U Sports.
- U Sports Defenceman of the Year - Awarded annually to the most outstanding defenceman in U Sports.
- U Sports Goaltender of the Year – Awarded annually to the most outstanding goaltender in U Sports.
- Clare Drake Award - Annual "Rookie of the Year" award presented to "the most outstanding first-year player in U Sports who has exhibited exemplary skill and leadership".
- R.W. Pugh Award – Awarded annually to the most sportsmanlike player in U Sports.
- Dr. Randy Gregg Award - Awarded annually to reward excellence in the student-athlete. The player who receives this award has exhibited outstanding achievement in ice hockey, academics, and community involvement.
- Father George Kehoe Memorial Award – Coach of the Year award.
- U Sports All-Canadian Teams - Each year U Sports names a "First Team", "Second Team", and "All-Rookie Team".
References
edit- Knowles, Steve (2000), "Canadian University Hockey", in Diamond, Dan (ed.), Total Hockey (Second ed.), pp. 69–78, ISBN 1-892129-85-X