Minor professional hockey leagues are the backbone of the NHL. These leagues over the years have served as training grounds for the NHL teams. Entertaining hockey in their own right and offering non NHL players a chance to earn a living.

Eastern Professional Hockey League (1959-63)

The Eastern Professional Hockey League (1959-63) (EPHL) was a minor pro league that operated for four seasons.

The NHL had established working relationships with teams in leagues such as the AHL and WHL but these leagues were not fully under the control of the NHL. The Eastern Professional Hockey League was created in 1959 as the first farm league fully run and controlled by the NHL. While the league proved to be a success on the ice, it largely failed off the ice. Attendance in these small communities could not support professional hockey. By 1962, the league was reduced to just four teams.

Eastern Professional Hockey League (1959-1963) Franchises

Hull-Ottawa Canadiens (1959-1963)
Kingston Frontenacs (1959-1963)
Montreal Royals (1959-1961)
Soo Thunderbirds (1959-1961)
Sudbury Wolves (1959-1963)
Trois Rivieres Lions (1959-1960)
Kitchener Waterloo Dutchmen (1960-1961)
Kitchener Beavers (1961-1962)
Soo Greyhounds (1961-1962)
Soo Thunderbirds (1960-1961)
North Bay Trappers (1961-1962)
Syracuse Braves (1962-1963)
St Louis Braves (1962-1963)


Trois Rivieres franchise moved to Kitchener for 1960-61 season
Sault Ste. Marie franchise moved to Syracuse for 1962-63 season
Syracuse franchise moved to St. Louis during the 1962-63 season

Eastern Professional Hockey League (1959-1963) Champions

The league played each season for the Tom Foley Memorial Trophy.

Year
Champion
Runner Up
1960
Montreal Royals
Sudbury Wolves
1961
Hull - Ottawa Canadiens
Soo Thunderbirds
1962
Hull - Ottawa Canadiens
Kingston Frontenacs
1963
Kingston Frontenacs
Sudbury Wolves

Eastern Professional Hockey League (1959-1963) Seasons

1960
GP
Win
Lose
Tie
GF
GA
Points
 
Sudbury Wolves
70
36
26
8
310
283
80
Montreal Royals
70
30
26
14
215
198
74
Ottawa-Hull Canadiens
70
31
28
11
249
241
73
Trois-Rivieres Lions
70
30
31
9
226
235
69
Soo Thunderbirds
70
27
32
11
248
262
65
Kingston Frontenacs
70
28
39
3
297
326
59
               
1961
GP
Win
Lose
Tie
GF
GA
Points
               
Ottawa-Hull Canadiens
70
41
20
9
268
187
91
Soo Thunderbirds
70
32
29
9
236
234
73
Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen
70
31
28
11
220
215
73
Kingston Frontenacs
70
29
33
8
259
269
66
Sudbury Wolves
70
28
33
9
236
257
65
Montreal Royals
70
19
37
14
167
224
52
               
1962
GP
Win
Lose
Tie
GF
GA
Points
               
Ottawa-Hull Canadiens
70
38
21
11
223
172
87
Kingston Frontenacs
70
38
24
8
274
224
84
Kitchener Beavers
70
36
24
10
263
217
82
Sudbury Wolves
70
27
31
12
235
271
66
North Bay Trappers
70
23
37
10
186
229
56
Soo Greyhounds
70
17
42
11
207
285
45
               
1963
GP
Win
Lose
Tie
GF
GA
Points
               
Kingston Frontenacs
72
42
19
11
300
229
95
Ottawa-Hull Canadiens
72
40
25
7
279
224
87
Sudbury Wolves
72
27
32
13
294
305
67
St.Louis Braves
72
26
37
9
275
304
61
               
The EPHL played games vs the International Hockey League (IHL). These games counted in the standings for both leagues.

Eastern Professional Hockey League (1959-1963) Award Winners

Most Valuable Player

Year
Most Valuable Player
1960
J.C. Tremblay Hull-Ottawa
1961
Cliff Pennington Hull-Ottawa
Fred Burchell Montreal
1962
Orval Tessier Kingston
1963
Harry Sinden Kingston


Top Defenceman Award

Year
Top Defenceman
1960
Gerry Odrowski Sudbury
1961
Al MacNeil Hull-Ottawa
1962
Jean Gauthier Hull-Ottawa
Harry Sinden Kingston
1963
Harry Sinden Kingston

Rookie of the Year

Year
Rookie of the Year
1960
Denis DeJordy S.S. Marie
1961
Cliff Pennington Hull-Ottawa
1962
Jim Neilson Kitchener-Waterloo
1963
Marc Dufour Sudbury

Top Goaltender

Year
Top Goaltender
1960
Gerry McNeil Montreal
1961
Ed Johnston Hull-Ottawa
1962
Cesare Maniago Hull-Ottawa
1963
Ernie Wakely Hull-Ottawa

Gentlemanly Player Award

Year
Gentlemanly Player
1960
Bill Carter Hull-Ottawa
1961
Cliff Pennington Hull-Ottawa
1962
Orval Tessier Kingston
1963
Bill Carter Hull-Ottawa

Year by Year Scoring Leaders

Year Player Team
Games
Goals
Assists
Points
     
1960 Orval Tessier Kingston Frontenacs
70
59
67
126
1961 Cliff Pennington Hull-Ottawa Canadiens
65
33
69
102
1962 Orval Tessier Kingston Frontenacs
66
54
60
114
1963 Gord Labossiere Sudbury Wolves
72
34
67
101

Year by Year Leading Goatenders

Year Goaltender Team
Games
Goals
Goals Average
     
1960 Gerry McNeil Montreal Royals
28
67
2.39
1961 Ed Johnston Hull-Ottawa Canadiens
70
187
2.67
1962 Ceasare Maniago Hull-Ottawa Canadiens
68
168
2.47
1963 Ernie Wakely Hull-Ottawa Canadiens
41
122
2.97

Career Leaders Games Played

Player
Games Played
Bill Carter
264
Merv Kuryluk
240
Pete Panagabko
214
Milan Marcetta
209
Fred Hilts
208
Leon Rochefort
204
Harry Sinden
193
Jim Farelli
186
Tom McCarthy
185
Jack Hendrickson
181

Career Scoring Leaders

Player
Games
Goals
Assists
Points
 
Bill Carter
264
122
189
311
Orval Tessier
170
135
148
283
Tom McCarthy
185
129
131
260
Fred Hilts
208
116
110
226
Sam Bettio
167
94
128
222
Merv Kuryluk
240
95
125
220
Bob Courcy
174
103
109
212
Milan Marcetta
209
77
122
199
Keke Mortson
164
68
131
199
Gerry Ouellette
178
94
99
193

Career Goal Scoring Leaders

Player
Games
Goals
Orval Tessier
170
135
Tom McCarthy
185
129
Bill Carter
264
122
Fred Hilts
208
116
Bob Courcy
174
103
Merv Kuryluk
240
95
Sam Bettio
167
94
Gerry Ouellette
178
94
Alain Caron
114
82
Leon Rochefort
204
82

Career Assist Leaders

Player
Games
Assists
Bill Carter
264
189
Harry Sinden
193
153
Orval Tessier
170
148
Keke Mortson
164
131
Tom McCarthy
185
131
Sam Bettio
167
128
Pete Panagabko
214
126
Merv Kuryluk
240
125
Milan Marcetta
209
122
Fred Burchell
135
119

Career Leading Goaltenders

Goaltender
Games
Goals
Goals Average
 
Cesare Maniago
107
255
2.38
Ed Johnston
70
187
2.67
Jack McCartan
122
362
2.97
Charlie Hodge
81
244
3.01
Ed Chadwick
67
214
3.19

Career Games Played Goaltenders

Goaltender
Games
Jack McCartan
122
Gerry McNamara
111
Cesare Maniago
107
Denis DeJordy
102
Charlie Hodge
81

All Star Team Selections

1960
 
First Team
Position
Second Team
 
 
Gerry McNeil Montreal
Goal
Claude Evans Trois Rivieres
J.C. Tremblay Hull - Ottawa
Defense
Gary Blaine S.S. Marie
Moe Mantha Montreal
Defense
Gerry Odrowski Sudbury
Tom McCarthy Sudbury
Left Wing
Gilles Tremblay Hull - Ottawa
Cal Gardner Kingston
Center
Bill Carter Hull - Ottawa
Bob Courcy Hull - Ottawa
Right Wing
Orval Tessier Kingston

 

1961
 
First Team
Position
Second Team
 
 
Ed Johnston Hull
Goal
Gerry McNamara Sudbury
Al MacNeil Hull - Ottawa
Defense
Pat Stapleton S.S. Marie
Jean Gauthier Hull - Ottawa
Defense
Jack Bownass Kitchener - Waterloo
Fred Hilts S.S. Marie
Left Wing
Sam Bettio Sudbury
Cliff Pennington Hull - Ottawa
Center
Fred Burchell Montreal
Bobby Rousseau Hull - Ottawa
Right Wing
Ed Kachur S.S. Marie

 

1962
 
First Team
Position
Second Team
 
 
Cesare Maniago Hull - Ottawa
Goal
Jack McCartan Kitchener - Waterloo
Jean Gauthier Hull - Ottawa
Defense
Jack Bownass Kitchener - Waterloo
Harry Sinden Kingston
Defense
Jim Neilson Kitchener - Waterloo
Tom McCarthy Kingston
Left Wing
Len Ronson Kitchener - Waterloo
Orval Tessier Kingston
Center
Bob Attersley Kingston
Keith McCreary Hull - Ottawa
Right Wing
Leon Rochefort Kitchener - Waterloo

 

1963
 
First Team
Position
Second Team
 
 
Bruce Gamble Kingston
Goal
Ernie Wakely Hull - Ottawa
Harry Sinden Kingston
Defense
Jacques Laperriere Hull - Ottawa
Pat Stapleton Kingston
Defense
Terry Harper Hull - Ottawa
Don Blackburn Kingston
Left Wing
Keith McCreary Hull - Ottawa
Jeannot Gilbert Kingston
Center
Murray Hall St. Louis
Alain Caron St. Louis
Right Wing
Marc Dufour Sudbury