1964–65 MJHL season

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Jimmy Dunn was hired as commissioner of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) in May 1964. The league had been reduced to four teams based in the Greater Winnipeg area after the withdrawal of the Brandon Wheat Kings and the Fort Frances Royals.[1] The MJHL transitioned from a draft of players in the Greater Winnipeg Minor Hockey Association, into a system where each team chose players from a set geographic district. The new "zoning" arrangement was planned to be in effect for three seasons to stimulate more localized interest in junior hockey and aimed to keep teammates together from the minor hockey level to the junior hockey level.[1] Dunn supported the change and noted that the concept had produced forward lines on previous Memorial Cup championship teams from Winnipeg.[1] The Charlie Gardiner Memorial Trophy series was revived as a preseason tournament for the league's teams.[2] Dunn reached an agreement to televise MJHL games on CJAY-TV, and the league experimented with playing games on Sunday evenings instead of afternoons to increase its attendance and avoid competing with televised football games.[3] Dunn requested to the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) that the MJHL waive its bye into the Abbott Cup finals and its playoffs champion meet the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League champion in the first round. He felt that the loss of gate receipts from a bye was a financial hardship for the MJHL, and shorten the league's playoffs to accommodate the change approved by the CAHA.[4]

Champion[edit]

On March 31, 1965, at the Winnipeg Arena, the Winnipeg Braves captured the MJHL championship and Turnbull Memorial Trophy.

League notes[edit]

Brandon Wheat Kings transfer to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, and Fort Frances Royals transfer to the Thunder Bay Junior Hockey League.
The St. Boniface Canadiens change their name to the Winnipeg Warriors.
The League announced that the Manitoba - Saskatchewan all-star game has been cancelled.
League shortens 48 game schedule, no reason given.

Regular season[edit]

League Standings GP W L T Pts GF GA
Winnipeg Braves 44 26 13 5 57 184 140
Winnipeg Rangers 45 21 18 6 48 202 170
Winnipeg Monarchs 45 19 21 5 43 159 165
Winnipeg Warriors 44 13 27 4 30 152 222

Playoffs[edit]

Semi-Finals

Rangers lost to Monarchs 3-games-to-2

Turnbull Cup Championship

Braves defeated Monarchs 4-games-to-none

Western Memorial Cup Semi-Final

Braves defeated Port Arthur North Stars (TBJHL) 4-games-to-1

Western Memorial Cup Final (Abbott Cup)

Braves lost to Edmonton Oil Kings (CAHL) 4-games-to-2

Awards[edit]

Trophy Winner Team
MVP Wayne Stephenson Winnipeg Braves
Top Goaltender Wayne Stephenson Winnipeg Braves
Rookie of the Year Bill Ramsay Winnipeg Monarchs
Sportsmanship Award Bill Scott Winnipeg Monarchs
Scoring Champion Ken Sucharski Winnipeg Rangers
Most Goals Terry Jones Winnipeg Rangers

All-Star Teams[edit]

First All-Star Team
Goaltender Wayne Stephenson Winnipeg Braves
Defencemen Al Dylcer Winnipeg Monarchs
Jim Lane Winnipeg Rangers
Centreman Ken Sucharski Winnipeg Warriors
Leftwinger Doug Overton Winnipeg Warriors
Rightwinger Bill Cooper Winnipeg Warriors
Second All-Star Team
Goaltender Gary Thornton Winnipeg Warriors
Defencemen Mike Kolody Winnipeg Rangers
Brian Dyck Winnipeg Braves
Centreman Bill Heindl Jr. Winnipeg Braves
Leftwinger Dunc Rousseau Winnipeg Braves
Rightwinger George Anderson Winnipeg Braves

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "MJHL zones city; hires Jimmy Dunn". Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. May 16, 1964. p. 14.Free access icon
  2. ^ "Juniors revive trophy series". Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. September 17, 1964. p. 46.Free access icon
  3. ^ "Open Sunday". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. October 23, 1964. p. 54.Free access icon
  4. ^ "MJHL waives bye into western final". Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. January 25, 1965. p. 41.Free access icon