1954-55 to 1968-69 Montreal Metropolitan Junior Hockey League

[Canadiens1958]

Very solid Jr A league from the 1955-56 season onwards, the MMJHL produced a fair number of HHOF and NHL quality players between 1954 and 1969. Also a number of future NHL coaches and GMs.

Lacked franchise stability but featured quality hockey.

http://icehockey.wikia.com/wiki/Metropolitan_Montreal_Junior_League

The MMJHL was Memorial Cup eligible.

Click to read more...

 

[Killion]

Thats for sure, some great players coming up through that league, Juniors & Seniors. Mainly a feeder league for the Ontario Major Junior League, though looks like in a great many cases they stayed playing in Quebec as opposed to moving west while still eligible to play Jr.... were or did the Verdun Maple Leafs have some sort of loose affiliation with Toronto? Or was that name & logo selected for purely altruistic reasons? They appear to have previously just worn a big 'V' on their jerseys, team logo, and it looks like they had close rivals in the Verdun Terriers for some time as well.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Verdun Maple Leafs

Thats for sure, some great players coming up through that league, Juniors & Seniors. Mainly a feeder league for the Ontario Major Junior League, though looks like in a great many cases they stayed playing in Quebec as opposed to moving west while still eligible to play Jr.... were or did the Verdun Maple Leafs have some sort of loose affiliation with Toronto? Or was that name & logo selected for purely altruistic reasons? They appear to have previously just worn a big 'V' on their jerseys, team logo, and it looks like they had close rivals in the Verdun Terriers for some time as well.

Verdun Maple Leafs were semi independent with links to the Montreal Canadiens - Bob Berry, Guy Lapointe, Guy Charron, Judes Drouin amongst others went the Verdun Maple Leafs ---> Junior Canadiens, Peterborough route.

Do not recall the Toronto Maple Leafs sponsoring a Quebec based junior team in any league. A few players would make it to St. Mike's via the Catholic schools or the "old boys" The other NHL teams tended to have junior teams in central Quebec. Rangers in Quebec City, Drummondville, with some contacts in Montreal, sponsored some east end Montreal teams called the Rangers or Biltmores, also s bit in Lac St. Jean getting Jean Ratelle, Boston in Victoriaville plus some in Montreal - Bernie Parent, Gilles Marotte.
Detroit and Chicago did very little with teams but had scouts getting players for their OHA teams.

 

[Killion]

Verdun Maple Leafs were semi independent with links to the Montreal Canadiens...

Interesting. I have a friend who lived on Nuns Island in the Verdun area for many years. As I understand it, the region was predominantly English in the early part of the 20th Century which might explain the "Maple Leafs" name & logo. By 1960'ish however, about 50/50 English/French, now like 30/70 or better.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Verdun

Interesting. I have a friend who lived on Nuns Island in the Verdun area for many years. As I understand it, the region was predominantly English in the early part of the 20th Century which might explain the "Maple Leafs" name & logo. By 1960'ish however, about 50/50 English/French, now like 30/70 or better.

Verdun Auditorium is the oldest junior arena in the Montreal area. It was an independent city surrounded by Montreal on three sides. Many Montreal juniors played Junior hockey out of the Verdun Auditorium pre WWII thru the 1960s.

Not sure about the ratios. Most of the large grade schools built pre WWI were French Catholic. Bit of a reputation for "addresses" since two English high schools - Verdun Catholic and Verdun Protestant were closer to the SW Montreal districts than the central or west English high schools in Montreal.

Nun's Island development started post Expo 1967.

 

[Killion]

^^^ Ya. He'd grown up in the area in the late 50's & 60's/70's, then bought a condo on Nuns in the 80's. Member of the Quebec Air Force & Canadian National Team in the 70's. Dare Devil. Family going back decades in the area. I figured Maple Leafs mightve been settled upon as it mightve been appealing to some of the english in the area, though that might be stretching it a bit. Maybe it was settled upon for diabolical reasons. Who in Verdun or from St.Laurent, NDG or wherever wouldnt want to see a team called "the Maple Leafs" get hammered? Never mind a young Maurice Richard played for them. That was before he was a Genuine Superstar & even been ready for Launch, Rockets installed.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Mmjhl

^^^ Ya. He'd grown up in the area in the late 50's & 60's/70's, then bought a condo on Nuns in the 80's. Member of the Quebec Air Force & Canadian National Team in the 70's. Dare Devil. Family going back decades in the area. I figured Maple Leafs mightve been settled upon as it mightve been appealing to some of the english in the area, though that might be stretching it a bit. Maybe it was settled upon for diabolical reasons. Who in Verdun or from St.Laurent, NDG or wherever wouldnt want to see a team called "the Maple Leafs" get hammered? Never mind a young Maurice Richard played for them. That was before he was a Genuine Superstar & even been ready for Launch, Rockets installed.

Actually the maple leaf was part of the early Canadiens uniform pre Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL. Used by various Quebec based teams in various sports. Also the name was common in other sports - NDG Maple Leafs were a Junior football powerhouse for app 25 years post WWII.

Back to the MMJHL. The league was a model of adaptability. At various times stretching to Quebec City or into Ontario. It also served to bring various Quebec communities into the hockey mainstream while developing future players, coaches and administrators especially at the youth hockey level. You still see the heritage of the teams today across the Island of Montreal - NDG, Verdun, Lakeshore/West Island, Rosemount, St. Laurent and off island - Sorel, St. Jerome.

 

[Killion]

Actually the maple leaf was part of the early Canadiens uniform pre Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL.

Yes, I am aware of that C58. I dont like it.... No Sir, not one bit.... And youve just decided to point that out?.. what next? Santa Claus is a fraud? Damn you people from the province of Quebec. All I hafta say on the subject... beyond your excellent taste in hockey & wine, incredibly beautiful women, why do I bother?.