Pacific Coast Hockey League
The Pacific Coast Hockey League (PCHL) was a western United States and western Canada minor league that existed in three periods: 1928–1931, 1936–1941, and 1944–1952. The first version started with four teams; the Vancouver Lions won all three seasons. It was founded and run by Frank and Lester Patrick, with financial backing from their father Joseph Patrick. The Victoria Cubs played in Patrick Arena, which burned in 1929; after one season as a traveling team, they moved to Tacoma, Washington, to become the Tacoma Tigers.
From 1932 to 1935 there was no PCHL, and its teams joined the Western Canada Hockey League or the North West Hockey League. In 1936 the league re-formed when the Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver franchises from the North West Hockey League joined with the Oakland Clippers. The Clippers moved to Spokane in the first year. The Spokane Clippers later became the Spokane Bombers. The league disbanded after the 1941 season, largely due to World War II. The champions in the 1937–1941 period were: 1937 Portland Buckaroos, 1938 Seattle Seahawks, 1939 Portland Buckaroos, 1940 Vancouver Lions, and 1941 Vancouver Lions.
The final incarnation, led by Hockey Hall of Fame member Al Leader, grew from teams in the Southern California Hockey League and the Northwest International Hockey League. The PCHL began as an amateur league because the NHL recognized Lester Patrick as the territorial rights holder for professional hockey in Vancouver, Portland, and Seattle. In 1948 the league voted to turn professional, and the NHL recognized it as such.
By 1951–1952 the league had six teams, and three teams from the neighboring Western Canada Senior Hockey League joined for that season. The three WCSHL franchises then moved to the PCHL for 1951–1952. In 1952 the PCHL renamed itself the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the 1952–1953 season. The league’s championship trophy was the President’s Cup. Notable champions included the 1945 Seattle Ironmen, 1946 Vancouver Canucks, 1947 Los Angeles Monarchs, 1948 Vancouver Canucks, 1949 San Diego Skyhawks, 1950 New Westminster Royals, 1951 Victoria Cougars, and 1952 Saskatoon Quakers.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 13:40 (CET).