The most popular sport in Canada is ice hockey. The sport was officially named the national sport in Canada.
The Canadian Hockey League
Three Canadian-based major junior hockey leagues fall under the umbrella of the Canadian Hockey League, the governing body. Major Junior Hockey is the highest level of amateur hockey in Canada.
The three major junior leagues are:
- Ontario Hockey League
- Western Hockey League
- Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The CHL was founded in 1975.
The 2019-20 CHL Season
The 2019-20 season encompasses 60 teams within its three leagues. 52 teams represent Canadian provinces while 8 teams represent some of the American States. The top four teams play in the Memorial Cup tournament in a round-robin which will determine the national championship. Many NHL scouts watch CHL games looking for players to recruit.
The Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies play in the American Hockey League even though they are a professional Canadian ice hockey team. The Toronto Marlies are the top affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs NHL team.
History of the Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies history dates back to 1978 as the New Brunswick Hawks. They were a farm team that was jointly owned by the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Chicago Black Hawks. In 1982, the New Brunswick Hawks became the St. Catherines’ Saints when they relocated to St.Catherines, Ontario. Four seasons later, the Saints relocated once again to Newmarket, Ontario and were then known as the Newmarket Saints. They played in Newmarket for five seasons until moving to St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. At that time the team was named the St.John’s Maple Leafs. They were the very first professional hockey team in Newfoundland and Labrador. In 2005 the team relocated to Toronto and became the Toronto Marlies, named after Toronto’s junior team, the Toronto Marlboros. The Marlboros played from 1904 to 1989.