Iced: The Lost History of Hockey at the University of Winnipeg - Documentary

[The Fist]

I'm a relatively new poster on the Jets forum, I'm a winnipeg native and I work at the University of Winnipeg, several years ago I came across an idea for a documentary film, the story of our university hockey team, a team that hasn't existed for over thirty years. It took several years of research and two in overall production to bring you Iced: The Lost History of Hockey at the University of Winnipeg. I hope you guys enjoy it and have questions, I'll try and answer any as best I can.

Click to read more...

 

[cishockeyfan]

Thank you for sharing this, and all the hard work that must have went into this outstanding.

I've always wondered about the lack of a hockey program at various Canadian universities and Winnipeg was one of those.

 

[The Fist]

Thank you for sharing this, and all the hard work that must have went into this outstanding.

I've always wondered about the lack of a hockey program at various Canadian universities and Winnipeg was one of those.

Yeah, it was a good deal of research and that research is still ongoing in a few respects, in the 50s there was some collegiate action going on, there's a trophy in our trophy case in Wesley Hall that alludes to a 1957 collegiate championship hockey team, there is nothing in the University archives about it at all, totally erased.

I think in Uwinnipeg's case there is a determining factor, the administration really hated hockey and actively attempted to kill it in several instances, succeeding each time, I have a number of articles and interviews that allude to this but that doesn't add up to absolute proof so I wasn't able to include that in the film.

 

[northvanman]

Thanks for posting. I'm sure this was a labour of love. Really enjoyed viewing this.

 

[Rob]

Yeah, it was a good deal of research and that research is still ongoing in a few respects, in the 50s there was some collegiate action going on, there's a trophy in our trophy case in Wesley Hall that alludes to a 1957 collegiate championship hockey team, there is nothing in the University archives about it at all, totally erased.

I think in Uwinnipeg's case there is a determining factor, the administration really hated hockey and actively attempted to kill it in several instances, succeeding each time, I have a number of articles and interviews that allude to this but that doesn't add up to absolute proof so I wasn't able to include that in the film.

Any talk of bringing the team back? Or would that even be possible?

 

[The Fist]

Any talk of bringing the team back? Or would that even be possible?

They've tried a few times, Axworthy (when he was President) made two concerted attempts, which inspired this film as it happens. The first idea was to reform Men's and Women's Wesmen hockey and have them play out of the MTS Centre, but the money to rent the facility clearly wasn't viable, then the idea to build the recplex came along, it was originally going to be an iceplex, but Axworthy was scared off by the huge outlay costs of the ice plant, maintenance and the fact that the community couldn't be expected to afford rink time, whereas they can afford soccer pitch time in the recplex currently.

The standard issues currently preclude a return at this time, CIS isn't viable until realignment, it's got to be a bus league for the Wesmen to come back. Phil Cyrenne has been in discussions the last few years about his NCAA idea, which I think is more viable but we still need a rink to play in at home.

 

[The Fist]

Thanks for posting. I'm sure this was a labour of love. Really enjoyed viewing this.

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

 

[Hollywood3]

They've tried a few times, Axworthy (when he was President) made two concerted attempts, which inspired this film as it happens. The first idea was to reform Men's and Women's Wesmen hockey and have them play out of the MTS Centre, but the money to rent the facility clearly wasn't viable, then the idea to build the recplex came along, it was originally going to be an iceplex, but Axworthy was scared off by the huge outlay costs of the ice plant, maintenance and the fact that the community couldn't be expected to afford rink time, whereas they can afford soccer pitch time in the recplex currently.

The standard issues currently preclude a return at this time, CIS isn't viable until realignment, it's got to be a bus league for the Wesmen to come back. Phil Cyrenne has been in discussions the last few years about his NCAA idea, which I think is more viable but we still need a rink to play in at home.

They need to bring back the MCAC hockey league, which would likely happen if Winnipeg and Brandon started out. They could have 5 teams in Winnipeg (Winnipeg, Red River, and CMU) and Brandon (Brandon and Assiniboine). And they have some NJCAA and ACHA teams in North Dakota (e.g. Minot State, Williston State, Jamestown, Bottineau) who would like a short trip for games.

 

[The Fist]

They need to bring back the MCAC hockey league, which would likely happen if Winnipeg and Brandon started out. They could have 5 teams in Winnipeg (Winnipeg, Red River, and CMU) and Brandon (Brandon and Assiniboine). And they have some NJCAA and ACHA teams in North Dakota (e.g. Minot State, Williston State, Jamestown, Bottineau) who would like a short trip for games.

I'm unfamiliar with the MCAC, could you provide a reference? Sounds like the right way to go in any case, I'll mention it to Phil Cyrenne.

 

[Hollywood3]

I'm unfamiliar with the MCAC, could you provide a reference? Sounds like the right way to go in any case, I'll mention it to Phil Cyrenne.

The Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference. Their aim is to join the CCAA. The MCAC last had hockey in 2010 with only 3 teams: Assiniboine CC beat CMU in the final and USB folded because they were not competitive. The previous years the 3rd team was Providence but they are very small and cannot be relied upon to have a full team every year. Red River did not enter hockey but are in the league. Brandon enters in soccer and entered in volleyball before joining the CWUAA. Winnipeg entered in soccer before joining the CWUAA and currently enter a College team in other sports.

See: http://icehockey.wikia.com/wiki/Manitoba_Colleges_Athletic_Conference

 

[The Fist]

The Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference. Their aim is to join the CCAA. The MCAC last had hockey in 2010 with only 3 teams: Assiniboine CC beat CMU in the final and USB folded because they were not competitive. The previous years the 3rd team was Providence but they are very small and cannot be relied upon to have a full team every year. Red River did not enter hockey but are in the league. Brandon enters in soccer and entered in volleyball before joining the CWUAA. Winnipeg entered in soccer before joining the CWUAA and currently enter a College team in other sports.

See: http://icehockey.wikia.com/wiki/Manitoba_Colleges_Athletic_Conference

Thanks for that, just finished reading up. Seems like a good bet but my feeling is that each team needs a home arena, and I like the idea of including RRC, there isn't much on Rebels history, I did find a photo of the Wesmen vs Rebels hockey, though it's undated.

 

[Hollywood3]

Thanks for that, just finished reading up. Seems like a good bet but my feeling is that each team needs a home arena, and I like the idea of including RRC, there isn't much on Rebels history, I did find a photo of the Wesmen vs Rebels hockey, though it's undated.

Not even wikia has much on Red River:
http://icehockey.wikia.com/wiki/Red_River_Rebels

 

[The Fist]

This is the only reference to the rebels I could find during my Wesmen research

 

[Hollywood3]

This is the only reference to the rebels I could find during my Wesmen research

The Rebels never did very well at the Intermediate level so this was a rare opportunity for the Wesmen to be a favourite. I do remember there being media coverage for these games back then. I believe Red River also entered the Christmas basketball tournament at least once. As did the St. Andrew's Super Saints.

 

[The Fist]

The Rebels never did very well at the Intermediate level so this was a rare opportunity for the Wesmen to be a favourite. I do remember there being media coverage for these games back then. I believe Red River also entered the Christmas basketball tournament at least once. As did the St. Andrew's Super Saints.

I don't have my subscription to the newspaper archive currently so I can't check on print media coverage on rrc but I don't doubt it, Wesmen and Bisons had really good coverage back then. I just wish more of the coverage exists, like recordings of games that were broadcast on radio or any footage from the year the Bison's played at Winnipeg Arena...I'd love to see that stuff.

 

[Hollywood3]

I don't have my subscription to the newspaper archive currently so I can't check on print media coverage on rrc but I don't doubt it, Wesmen and Bisons had really good coverage back then. I just wish more of the coverage exists, like recordings of games that were broadcast on radio or any footage from the year the Bison's played at Winnipeg Arena...I'd love to see that stuff.

There was almost no radio. If any it would be campus radio. Video was done semi-regularly. CRTC required local content and CTV (CKY) and CKND usually had a Saturday afternoon tape of a game played Friday. CKND had one live game between the Bisons and Wesmen on a night when the Jets were off.

 

[The Fist]

I'd do just about anything to get a hold of those tapes if they still exist. I doubt they do at the broadcasters end, CKND dumped their archive when they moved and became Global, CTV I'm pretty confident they don't have as I've been through the archive.