The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) was formed on December 4, 1914, at the
Château Laurier hotel in
Ottawa. The desire to set up a national body for hockey came from the
Allan Cup trustees who were unable to keep up with organizing its annual challenges. The Allan Cup then became recognized as the annual championship for amateur
senior ice hockey in Canada.[1] In 1919, the CAHA became trustees of the
Memorial Cup, awarded as the annual championship for
junior ice hockey in Canada.[2]
The CAHA negotiated an agreement with the
National Hockey League (NHL) in 1940, which recognized junior hockey in Canada as a source of talent for the NHL and provided financial compensation to the CAHA for developing amateur players who were signed to professional contracts.[3] The agreement included allowing the NHL to sign a limited number of junior age players and began a regulated relationship between amateur and professional hockey.[4]
Hockey Canada was formed in 1969 to operate the national team and oversee Canada's involvement in international competition. The CAHA and Hockey Canada had a troubled relationship since a clear definition of responsibilities was never established, and the CAHA's authority over amateur hockey in Canada and its membership within the
International Ice Hockey Federation were questioned.[8][9] In 1994, CAHA president
Murray Costello and Hockey Canada president
Bill Hay, negotiated a merger between the two organizations. Originally called the Canadian Hockey Association, it has operated as Hockey Canada since 1998.[10] Combining the two organizations allowed for the profits from the
Canada Cup and the
Summit Series to be invested into
minor ice hockey in Canada, and also allowed professionals into international competition at the World Championships and eventually the Olympics.[11]
Member branches
List of CAHA member branches from 1914 to 1994:[12]
The CAHA agreed to establish an Order of Merit at the 1960 general meeting, to recognize an individual who "made outstanding contributions to Canadian amateur hockey". The first groups of recipients were named in January and May 1962.[15][16][17]
List of notable recipients of the Order of Merit:[17]
The CAHA established the Gordon Juckes Award in 1981, to recognize an individual for outstanding contribution to the development of amateur hockey at the national level in Canada.[18]
List of recipients of the Gordon Juckes Award:[18]