[citation needed] Don Johnson was elected president of the NAHA in 1966 and wanted to expand minor ice hockey as one of its permanent programs.

[2] In May 1966, Johnson reached an agreement with CAHA president Lionel Fleury who accepted the NAHA as a branch member for the 1966–67 season.

Johnson stated that despite Newfoundland becoming Canada's tenth province in 1949, the NAHA took 17 years to affiliate with the CAHA "through lack of information, misinterpretation of correspondence and other factors".

The Howie Clouter Memorial Trophy is presented to the most gentlemanly and effective player in NL senior hockey in the regular season.

[4][5] In 1968 Corner Brook businessman Elias Tuma donated a trophy as a memorial to his late father Simon to be presented annually to the most prolific scorer in the Newfoundland Senior Hockey League (NSHL).