Our Hockey Heritage

Newfoundland & Labrador's Hockey Heritage is rich and diverse, reflecting the contributions of those who established and developed the game. From the introduction of the modern game of hockey to Newfoundland in 1896 on a frozen Quidi Vidi Lake to the founding of the Newfoundland Amateur Hockey Association and the iconic Herder Memorial Trophy Championship in 1935, Newfoundland & Labrador's hockey history is filled with significant milestones and memorable moments. Our hockey heritage includes medals, awards and trophies, organizations, arenas, equipment, game records and rules. Our heritage also includes priceless photographs, audio and video records, and oral histories. A large amount of this hockey history is preserved in formal settings like museums and archives such as the Rooms in St. John's and our Hall of Fame in Corner Brook, but a significant amount is held in private collections. 

Unfortunately, some of our history is lost. Historic photos and artifacts were misplaced or destroyed, and many personal experiences were undocumented. A significant amount of irreplaceable history was lost in the fire that burned to the ground our first hockey arena, the Prince's Rink, on November 28, 1941. The Evening Telegram reported the following day that the arena was burned to the ground and valuable records, equipment and trophies were destroyed. In that fire perhaps we lost the Hunter Cup, our first hockey trophy donated by Francis J. Hunter in early 1900. The Hunter Cup was owned outright by the Victorias (Reid Railway team) after three consecutive wins. The last known location was the window of the ticket office of the Reid Newfoundland Company on March 19, 1902. 

The Rooms in St. John's (Provincial Archives) and the Newfoundland & Labrador Hockey Hall of Fame in Corner Brook hold the largest collections of NL hockey artifacts. Let's continue the work of our past hockey historians to collect and preserve as much we can.