Ice hockey in Ottawa

Today, Ottawa hockey clubs are represented in all age brackets, in both men's and women's, in amateur and professional.

The club played its first competitive matches in the Montreal Winter Carnival tournament of 1884, and helped form the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada in 1886.

The team went into hiatus from 1887 until 1889, when the new Rideau Skating Rink opened, and P. D. Ross helped to rebuild the hockey club.

When Lord Stanley was named Governor-General to Canada, he and his sons and daughter developed a keen interest in hockey, and games were played on a natural rink at Rideau Hall.

On March 8, 1889, the first recorded organized women's ice hockey match took place at Rideau Skating Rink.

From 1903 to 1906, the Silver Seven would defeat all challengers in Stanley Cup play, losing in March 1906 to rival Montreal Wanderers in the 1906 ECAHA championship.

In 1909, the Ottawa Cliffsides were the first champions of the Allan Cup, by virtue of winning the Inter-provincial Hockey League.

Ottawa HC played in the league before it became professional, but a second Senators professional team composed of former Silver Seven players, played in the then Federal Hockey League along with future NHA founders, the Renfrew Creamery Kings during the 1909 season.

The club would continue until 1954, dissolving after crowds dwindled, citing the rise of hockey on television.

The team, based at Dey's Arena was not in a league, but played exhibitions in a circuit from Montreal to Renfrew.

[2] Eva Ault of the Ottawa Alerts is crediting with helping to popularize women's hockey during the early 20th century.

The clubs played in the Quebec Senior Hockey League, and the Ottawa Commandos (war-time name for the Senators) and the Ottawa RCAF Flyers won the Allan Cup senior men's Canadian ice hockey championship.

After World War II, Ottawa's RCAF Flyers, a senior amateur team, played in the 1948 Winter Olympics, representing Canada and winning the gold medal.

While unaffiliated with any NHL team, Senators players were often the property of the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs or former Ottawa-born NHLers reinstated as amateurs.

Larry Regan, future GM of the Los Angeles Kings played for the Senators before moving to the American Hockey League.

By then, Tommy Gorman, who had owned the club when it was a member of the NHL, was back as owner of the team and the Ottawa Auditorium.

In the face of national broadcasts on Saturday nights of the Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs, he suspended the club in December 1954.

The Senators were revived in 1990 after Bruce Firestone and Terrace Investments were granted an expansion franchise by the NHL.

A recession in the early 1990s and a low Canadian dollar put pressure on the club's finances also.

The club expanded the seating capacity of Scotiabank Place and built the nearby Bell Sensplex arena facility.

The costs associated to joining adult hockey leagues in Ottawa vary from league to league and they are based on the following factors: quality of ice surface, the age of the arena, time of play (peak or non-peak hours), level of arena maintenance, the services provided by organizers (referees, time keepers, live statistics tracking and prizes awarded following each game).

The main goal of these leagues is to have fun, get some exercise and spend time with friends therefore they encourage safe play and mutual respect between players and referees.

Winning your division championship comes with a photo with the house trophy, bragging rights and a team prize of some kind.

Note: Seven other teams play in the Ottawa Valley and surrounding area: Brockville Braves, Carleton Place Canadians, Cornwall Colts, Hawkesbury Hawks, Kemptville 73's, Pembroke Lumber Kings, and Smiths Falls Bears.