No non-NHL team has won the Stanley Cup since the 1925 Victoria Cougars, whose roster included two 1920 Olympic gold medalists.
photo: © BC Sports Hall of Fame
It’s a feat that may never be repeated. When the Victoria Cougars won the 1925 Stanley Cup, it was the last time a non-NHL club hoisted pro hockey’s most famous trophy. And over the last weekend of March this year, the British Columbia capital celebrated that centennial with well-attended events and festivities around the city.
“It’s the culmination of 10 years of dreaming something would happen,” said Helen Edwards, the author of The History of Professional Hockey in Victoria BC: 1911-2011 and a “Century Celebration” organizer with the Victoria Hockey Legacy Society.
The 1925 finals featured a showdown between a Victoria club representing the original, non-junior incarnation of the Western Hockey League and the NHL’s most storied franchise in the Montreal Canadiens. Both the original victory and the 2025 celebrations included IIHF angles aplenty.
The Cougars won the best-of-five series 3-1, hammering the Habs 6-1 in Game Four on 30 March, 1925 at the Patrick Arena (reportedly the site of the first pro game on artificial ice in Canada and sadly destroyed by fire in 1929). Frank Fredrickson led the way with two goals and Haldor “Slim” Halderson added a single. Both men were also members of the 1920 Winnipeg Falcons, who earned gold for Canada at the inaugural Olympic men’s hockey tournament in Antwerp.
“It’s the culmination of 10 years of dreaming something would happen,” said Helen Edwards, the author of The History of Professional Hockey in Victoria BC: 1911-2011 and a “Century Celebration” organizer with the Victoria Hockey Legacy Society.
The 1925 finals featured a showdown between a Victoria club representing the original, non-junior incarnation of the Western Hockey League and the NHL’s most storied franchise in the Montreal Canadiens. Both the original victory and the 2025 celebrations included IIHF angles aplenty.
The Cougars won the best-of-five series 3-1, hammering the Habs 6-1 in Game Four on 30 March, 1925 at the Patrick Arena (reportedly the site of the first pro game on artificial ice in Canada and sadly destroyed by fire in 1929). Frank Fredrickson led the way with two goals and Haldor “Slim” Halderson added a single. Both men were also members of the 1920 Winnipeg Falcons, who earned gold for Canada at the inaugural Olympic men’s hockey tournament in Antwerp.
photo: © Lucas AYKROYD
Several ex-NHLers showed up for Friday’s unveiling of a refurbished monument to the 1925 Cougars at the former Patrick Arena site, now home to Oak Bay High School. Brothers Geoff and Russ Courtnall both starred for the 1980’s-era major junior Cougars and won silver medals with Canada at the 1991 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Finland. Russ was a 1984 Olympian, while Geoff captured the 1988 Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers.
Also on hand was Brian Burke, who served as the silver medal-winning U.S. general manager at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, as well as three Worlds (1993, 2009, 2010).
The star power in the 1925 finals was similarly very special. In total, some 11 future Hockey Hall of Famers took part. These ranged from Fredrickson, Haldorson and innovative Cougars GM-coach Lester Patrick to Howie Morenz, Aurele Joliat, and goalie Georges Vezina – after whom the NHL’s best goalie trophy is named – with Montreal.
Also on hand was Brian Burke, who served as the silver medal-winning U.S. general manager at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, as well as three Worlds (1993, 2009, 2010).
The star power in the 1925 finals was similarly very special. In total, some 11 future Hockey Hall of Famers took part. These ranged from Fredrickson, Haldorson and innovative Cougars GM-coach Lester Patrick to Howie Morenz, Aurele Joliat, and goalie Georges Vezina – after whom the NHL’s best goalie trophy is named – with Montreal.
photo: © Lucas AYKROYD
Another highlight on Sunday was the chance for Victoria fans to view the Stanley Cup outside the Oak Bay Recreation Centre. This, incidentally, was also where Bob Nicholson founded the skills development-focused Novice Hockey League in the 1970’s, decades before becoming CEO of Hockey Canada and an IIHF Vice-President.
A banner for the 1925 team was raised in the Oak Bay Rec rink, while youngsters enjoyed playing hockey in the parking lot.
A banner for the 1925 team was raised in the Oak Bay Rec rink, while youngsters enjoyed playing hockey in the parking lot.
Paul Gatien and Gareth Hurwood won $5,000 in a song competition celebrating the ‘25 run with their original song “Cougars’ Mighty Roar.” Meanwhile, a gala evening at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel supported the Courtnall Mental Health Foundation.
To put the icing on the cake, Victoria was named a Sports Heritage Community by the BC Sports Hall of Fame. “The celebrations of the Cougars winning the Stanley Cup 100 years ago this weekend fit in perfectly with our announcement,” said chair Tom Mayenknecht.
Even though the Cougars would ultimately relocate to Detroit in 1926, morphing into the modern-day Red Wings, their legacy lives on. Only two teams from British Columbia have ever won the Stanley Cup, the other being the (also pre-NHL) 1915 Vancouver Millionaires.
IIHF fans have recently cultivated a fondness for the “City of Gardens.” Victoria co-hosted the 2019 World Juniors with Vancouver, showcasing future NHL stars like U.S. defenceman Quinn Hughes and forward Anton Lundell from the gold medal-winning Finns.
Notably, Canada is slated to host five IIHF women’s tournaments between 2026 and 2030, including two Women’s Worlds (2027, 2030) and three U18 Women’s Worlds (2026, 2028, 2030). If Vancouver Island’s largest city successfully applies for one of those tournaments, perhaps there will be another celebration here in the happy tradition of Victoria’s historic 1925 Stanley Cup.
To put the icing on the cake, Victoria was named a Sports Heritage Community by the BC Sports Hall of Fame. “The celebrations of the Cougars winning the Stanley Cup 100 years ago this weekend fit in perfectly with our announcement,” said chair Tom Mayenknecht.
Even though the Cougars would ultimately relocate to Detroit in 1926, morphing into the modern-day Red Wings, their legacy lives on. Only two teams from British Columbia have ever won the Stanley Cup, the other being the (also pre-NHL) 1915 Vancouver Millionaires.
IIHF fans have recently cultivated a fondness for the “City of Gardens.” Victoria co-hosted the 2019 World Juniors with Vancouver, showcasing future NHL stars like U.S. defenceman Quinn Hughes and forward Anton Lundell from the gold medal-winning Finns.
Notably, Canada is slated to host five IIHF women’s tournaments between 2026 and 2030, including two Women’s Worlds (2027, 2030) and three U18 Women’s Worlds (2026, 2028, 2030). If Vancouver Island’s largest city successfully applies for one of those tournaments, perhaps there will be another celebration here in the happy tradition of Victoria’s historic 1925 Stanley Cup.