1974–75 OMJHL season

The 1974–75 OMJHL season was the first season of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League. The league operated semi-autonomously while still being part of the Ontario Hockey Association. The OMJHL inaugurated the William Hanley Trophy, awarded to the most sportsmanlike player. Eleven teams each played 70 games. The Toronto Marlboros won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Hamilton Fincups.

League business

The Major Junior A Series of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) was rebranded as the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL) in 1974.[1][2] The league began operating semi-autonomously from the OHA, and later became fully independent.[3] Tubby Schmalz was appointed the first commissioner of the OMJHL on September 23, 1974.[4]

Schmalz set about to implement a revised mandatory player contract. It included a clause in which 20 per cent of a player's earnings during his first three professional seasons would go back to the junior clubs to recuperate development costs.[5] He explained that the clause was a result of Mark Howe and Marty Howe both departing in the summer for the Houston Aeros, and there was nothing in the OHA junior contract to cover development payments by professional teams.[6] The new clause was a basis for potential legal action against the World Hockey Association (WHA) which had not made payments to the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) or OHA.[5]

Schmalz confirmed in January 1975, that development payments from the National Hockey League (NHL) were coming, and that the WHA was holding a meeting in February to discuss the issue. WCHL president Ed Chynoweth said his league's governors agreed to withdraw from the CAHA if the payment issue was not resolved, and foretold the possibility of Canada's three major junior leagues banding together under one umbrella. The NHL and WHA were delinquent in $600,000 in payments as per the existing professional-amateur agreement.[7][8] The Winnipeg Free Press reported that the WCHL was negotiating a separate deal with the WHA for development fees, and the WCHL would break away from the CAHA after the 1975 Memorial Cup. Schmalz was angered at the report and called for the three major junior league to remain unified.[9]

In February 1975, the NHL and the WHA agreed to stop drafting underage junior players. Mark Napier of the Toronto Marlboros who was not drafted, signed a professional contract with the Toronto Toros later that month to take effect in the following season. Schmalz stated he would seek legal advice on the matter, with the possibility of suspending Napier for the remainder of the junior season.[10] During a game against the Marlboros, St. Catharines Black Hawks owner Hap Emms ordered his players to wear their jerseys backwards and play with their sticks upside down in protest of Napier's contract.[11] Schmalz later ruled Napier eligible to play, and suspended Emms for the remainder of the season and fined him $1,000.[12]

Regular season

Standings
Team GP W L T Pts GF GA
y-Toronto Marlboros7048139105469303
x-Peterborough Petes7037201387311254
x-Hamilton Fincups703724983337271
x-Ottawa 67's703330773379382
x-Sudbury Wolves7031291072324281
x-St. Catharines Black Hawks703033767284300
x-Oshawa Generals702833965288306
x-Kingston Canadians7025351060297345
London Knights702637759296368
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds702536959312367
Kitchener Rangers701747640239351

Scoring leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Bruce BoudreauToronto Marlboros69689716552
Tim YoungOttawa 67's7056107163127
Dennis MarukLondon Knights65667914553
John TonelliToronto Marlboros70498613585
Doug JarvisPeterborough Petes69458813339
Mark NapierToronto Marlboros616664130106
Peter LeeOttawa 67's70685812682
Dale McCourtHamilton Fincups69527412657
Cary FarelliSault Ste. Marie Greyhounds69566512135
Paul WoodsSault Ste. Marie Greyhounds623784121116

Playoffs

Quarterfinals

Toronto Marlboros defeat Kingston Canadians 4–3, 1 tie

Peterborough Petes defeat Oshawa Generals 4–1

Hamilton Fincups defeat St. Catharines Black Hawks 4–0

Sudbury Wolves defeat Ottawa 67's 4–3

Semifinals

Toronto Marlboros defeat Sudbury Wolves 4–3, 1 tie

Hamilton Fincups defeat Peterborough Petes 4–2

J. Ross Robertson Cup

Toronto Marlboros defeat Hamilton Fincups 4–3

Awards
J. Ross Robertson Cup:Toronto Marlboros
Hamilton Spectator Trophy:Toronto Marlboros
Red Tilson Trophy:Dennis Maruk, London Knights
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy:Bruce Boudreau, Toronto Marlboros
Matt Leyden Trophy:Bert Templeton, Hamilton Fincups
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy:Mark Napier, Toronto Marlboros
Max Kaminsky Trophy:Mike O'Connell, Kingston Canadians
Dave Pinkney Trophy:Greg Millen, Peterborough Petes
Emms Family Award:Danny Shearer, Hamilton Fincups
William Hanley Trophy:Doug Jarvis, Peterborough Petes

See also

References
  1. Ferguson, Bob (2005). Who's Who in Canadian Sport, Volume 4. Markham, Ontario: Fitzhenry & Whiteside Ltd. p. 394. ISBN 1-55041-855-6.
  2. Jackson, Jonathon (April 26, 2005). "The man behind the Tubby Schmalz Cup". Owen Sound Sun Times. Owen Sound, Ontario. p. B1.
  3. "Schmalz Cup Trophy". Pointstreak. Ontario Hockey Association. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  4. "Schmalz Now Commissioner". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. September 23, 1974. p. 42.icon of an open green padlock
  5. "OHA Junior Players Remain Unsigned". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. September 25, 1974. p. 71.icon of an open green padlock
  6. "Junior owners file suit". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. September 21, 1978. p. 80.icon of an open green padlock
  7. "Junior teams to get paid". Brandon Sun. Brandon, Manitoba. January 25, 1975. p. 6.icon of an open green padlock
  8. "No compromise says president". Medicine Hat News. Medicine Hat, Alberta. January 27, 1975. p. 11.icon of an open green padlock
  9. "WCHL Proposal Angers Schmalz". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. February 12, 1975. p. 60.icon of an open green padlock
  10. "Signing turmoil continues". Medicine Hat News. Medicine Hat, Alberta. February 26, 1975. p. 15.icon of an open green padlock
  11. Ludzik, Steve (2013-11-08). "Hap Emms will never be forgotten". Niagara Falls Review. Archived from the original on 2017-12-23. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  12. "Emms fined $1,000". Lethbridge Herald. Lethbridge, Alberta. March 6, 1975. p. 15.icon of an open green padlock
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