Championship Huskie Men's Hockey Teams

by P. J. Kennedy, Ph.D

As Huskies arrive in Ottawa for the 2025 University Cup championship tournament, they build on a championship history that is extensive. Yes, the 1983 Canadian university championship team is the only Saskatoon contingent to have captured a University Cup, but many previous teams have worn the crown among western Canadian universities.

University of Saskatchewan’s first men’s hockey team took to the ice during the 1909-10 season. The Varsity seven played various college teams within the University in intramural competition. In subsequent years, the Varsity pucksters competed against various senior teams in the city and ultimately initiated interuniversity competition with University of Alberta on 27 February 1911 for what was the first inter-university game in western Canada. A two game series followed in 1912-13, also vs the Alberta squad, with Alberta again coming out on top. In a two-game most goals series versus Alberta in 1918-19, the Saskatchewan team upended Alberta 5-2 playing what were then new rules with six players on each side. A return game in the home-and-home series was played using the old seven-man per side rules and Alberta won 2-1. Thus providing Saskatchewan with its first unofficial western Canadian university crown.

The founding of the Western Canada Intercollegiate Athletic Union in 1919 saw University of Manitoba enter the fray as the three prairie provinces recognized a formal league with the winner each year receiving the Halpenny Cup. Manitoba took home the Halpenny. The following year, Alberta did not compete officially, but Saskatchewan was WCIAU champion based on a two-game total goals 9-5 differential versus Manitoba. In 1921-22 Manitoba took the Halpenny with Alberta not competing. In the next year, Manitoba forfeited its game with Saskatchewan, since it had ineligible players; Halpenny went to Saskatchewan as Alberta again did not ice a team. The 1923-24 western Canadian championship was a one-game affair with Manitoba beating the Saskatchewan team 8-1 for its third Halpenny Cup. Alberta returned to the league in 1924-25 and lost 6-2 to host Saskatchewan in a one-game series, but Manitoba could not schedule a game, so officially, the Halpenny was not awarded. There was no inter-university play the next year for any of the three teams since all had senior league commitments.

The 1926-27 season, Saskatchewan beat Alberta 4-1 but then lost to Manitoba 14-1 so in best goals for and against, the Winnipeg university took the Halpenny Cup. There was no inter-university competition the following season, but in 1928-29 the Green and White upended Alberta in the only university game that year. With the new Rutherford Rink officially opened in 1929-30, University of Saskatchewan topped the two other western universities and was awarded the Halpenny Cup. The Depression years saw interuniversity play limited with regular Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union (later Association) play resuming in 1933-34 with Alberta beginning a twelve year reign as champions.

The University of Saskatchewan “Varsity” was officially re-named “Huskies” in 1932, but the Dogs did not win another western championship until after the Halpenny Cup was retired to Alberta in 1951. Officially, University of Saskatchewan had captured five Halpenny Cups during the period 191919-20 to 1950-51. Huskies captured what has become the new championship trophy, the W.C. Hardy Trophy, in its first year, 1951-52 and again in 1952-53. Subsequent Canada West Universities Athletic Association championships were captured by the Huskies in 1959, co-winners 1966-67, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2007, 2012, 2016, 2020, and this year’s 2024 crown.

As Huskies line up against the best university teams from across Canada representing the Atlantic, Ontario and Quebec, and Western Canadian regions, they can do so knowing they have a championship heritage and a current season of success from which to compete. With twenty-two appearances at University Cup and 15 since 1999-2000, this could well be the year the David Johnston University Cup comes back to Saskatoon after forty-two years.

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Editorial Add-on for Alumni:

Their first game is Friday, March 21 @ 7pm ET (5:00 pm SK time). Huskies vs Queen's Gaels.

The Rabbit Hole off Ruth Street (2405 Melrose Ave) is showing the game and will have tables reserved for the alumni.