With the @NHLJets back on the ice, and lockdown time on my hands, I started wondering about Winnipeg’s hockey history. In particular, how it began, and the buildings they played in, during the early days of the city, more than a century ago.
A thread: 1/20
Winnipeg’s first arena was a roller rink converted with ice for the granite Curling Club. It became the city's main hockey arena after the Granite built a new home at Ellice and Hargrave in 1893. Known as the McIntyre Rink, it sat on Albert Street where a parkade is today. 2/20
Winnipeg’s first arena was a roller rink converted with ice for the granite Curling Club. It became the city's main hockey arena after the Granite built a new home at Ellice and Hargrave in 1893. Known as the McIntyre Rink, it sat on Albert Street where a parkade is today. 2/20
Winnipeg’s first arena was a roller rink converted with ice for the granite Curling Club. It became the city's main hockey arena after the Granite built a new home at Ellice and Hargrave in 1893. Known as the McIntyre Rink, it sat on Albert Street where a parkade is today. 2/20
Only 10 years after the sport was introduced to the city, first played on a cleared section of a frozen Red River, the Winnipeg Victoria’s would be recognized as one of the best hockey teams in the Dominion, heading east to Montreal in 1896 to challenge for the Stanley Cup. 3/20
The young team would upset the veteran easterners from 'the metropolis'. Accounts of the ‘Famous Victory’ in the Manitoba Free Press, by the ‘blizzards from the land of the setting sun’ read like a combination of news and poetry. 4/20
The young team would upset the veteran easterners from 'the metropolis'. Accounts of the ‘Famous Victory’ in the Manitoba Free Press, by the ‘blizzards from the land of the setting sun’ read like a combination of news and poetry. 4/20
The young team would upset the veteran easterners from 'the metropolis'. Accounts of the ‘Famous Victory’ in the Manitoba Free Press, by the ‘blizzards from the land of the setting sun’ read like a combination of news and poetry. 4/20
The Manitoba Free Press description of how Winnipeggers gathered in hotel bars waiting score for updates on the CPR wire, paints an amazing picture of being a western hockey fan in 1896. 5/20
The Manitoba Free Press description of how Winnipeggers gathered in hotel bars waiting score for updates on the CPR wire, paints an amazing picture of being a western hockey fan in 1896. 5/20
The Manitoba Free Press description of how Winnipeggers gathered in hotel bars waiting score for updates on the CPR wire, paints an amazing picture of being a western hockey fan in 1896. 5/20
The Manitoba Free Press description of how Winnipeggers gathered in hotel bars waiting score for updates on the CPR wire, paints an amazing picture of being a western hockey fan in 1896. 5/20
Winnipeg teams brought key innovations to hockey in the 1800's - the first to:
Use goal pads (cricket pads) and goal sticks
Use wrist shots instead of field hockey style shots
Modern faceoffs (from lacrosse)
Curved corner rink boards (quirk of McIntyre Rink that caught on)
6/20
Later in 1896, Montreal would make the long journey west to play again for the cup. This time they would return the victors. The 1,200 seat McIntyre Rink was expanded to 2,000, in preparation of hosting the first Stanley Cup match ever played in the West. 7/20
‘The Montreal boys had many sympathizers in the audience’ – The Manitoba Free Press lamented after the deciding game in the 1886 Stanley Cup Final.
Some things never change. 8/20
In 1898, A new building called the Winnipeg Auditorium was built at the intersection of Garry Street and York Avenue, to be the city’s new hockey home. At a cost of $20,000 it was celebrated as the finest arena in the west, seating 3,500 people. 9/20
In 1901, The Victoria’s would again take the cup west. They would defend it in 1902 against the Toronto Wellingtons, making the Winnipeg Auditorium the first arena outside of Montreal to host a Stanley Cup victory for the home team. 10/20
The first 15 Stanley Cups handed out, 12 went to teams in Montreal and 3 to the Winnipeg Victoria’s. The Vic's were the powerhouse of the west challenging for the cup 8 times. 11/12
In 1907, the Kenora Thistles became the smallest city to ever win the Stanley Cup (population 4,000), taking victory on Winnipeg Auditorium ice because the Kenora arena wasn’t big enough. The victory is the only one engraved in the bowl of the cup. 12/20
The location of centre ice of the Winnipeg Auditorium, where so many Stanley Cup games were played and won, is today a stall in a parkade. It should be celebrated with a marking of some kind. Maybe a painted logo. 13/20
In 1909, the Winnipeg Amphitheatre was built as a replacement for the Auditorium. It was the only artificial ice hockey rink between Toronto and Vancouver, seating 5,000 people. It stood where the giant surface parking lot for Great West Life is today. 14/20
In 1909, the Winnipeg Amphitheatre was built as a replacement for the Auditorium. It was the only artificial ice hockey rink between Toronto and Vancouver, seating 5,000 people. It stood where the giant surface parking lot for Great West Life is today. 14/20
In 1909, the Winnipeg Amphitheatre was built as a replacement for the Auditorium. It was the only artificial ice hockey rink between Toronto and Vancouver, seating 5,000 people. It stood where the giant surface parking lot for Great West Life is today. 14/20
The new rink created a sports hub in the city, sitting beside Osborne Stadium, home to baseball and football, including the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and the Granite Curling Club. 15/20
In 1929, The Winnipeg Amphitheatre would host the Allen Cup and be the first major arena to use a hockey score clock that showed fans the score and period time. This innovation would soon spread across North America. 16/20
In 1929, The Winnipeg Amphitheatre would host the Allen Cup and be the first major arena to use a hockey score clock that showed fans the score and period time. This innovation would soon spread across North America. 16/20
In 1929, The Winnipeg Amphitheatre would host the Allen Cup and be the first major arena to use a hockey score clock that showed fans the score and period time. This innovation would soon spread across North America. 16/20
In 1955, The Winnipeg Amphitheatre was replaced with Winnipeg Arena. The 10,100 seat arena would become the home of hockey in the city for the next 40 years, expanded to 15,400 seats when the Winnipeg Jets entered the NHL. Today the site is a retail and office building. 17/20
In 1955, The Winnipeg Amphitheatre was replaced with Winnipeg Arena. The 10,100 seat arena would become the home of hockey in the city for the next 40 years, expanded to 15,400 seats when the Winnipeg Jets entered the NHL. Today the site is a retail and office building. 17/20
In 1955, The Winnipeg Amphitheatre was replaced with Winnipeg Arena. The 10,100 seat arena would become the home of hockey in the city for the next 40 years, expanded to 15,400 seats when the Winnipeg Jets entered the NHL. Today the site is a retail and office building. 17/20
The Arena would host many famous games, including the third game of the 1972 series between Canada and the Soviet Union. The game would end in a 4-4 tie which would make the 8 game series a best of 7, leading to the famous Paul Henderson goal in Moscow. 18/20
The arena is fondly remembered as the birthplace of the Winnipeg Jets. Its portrait of the Queen, steep upper decks and intimate atmosphere made it a special place for the Winnipeg Whiteout. (photo is from my last Jets 1.0 game) 19/20
The 15,100 seat MTS Centre was built in 2004, and is today the centre of Winnipeg’s hockey world, as dedicated fans hope to end the 119 year drought since the last time the Stanley Cup was raised by a Winnipeg team. 20/20
A fun fact to add. Kenora, Ontario is the only city represented on the Stanley Cup under two different names. Kenora and Rat Portage. The city changed its name in 1905. Rat Portage lost to Ottawa in 1903. Kenora beat Montreal in 1907.
Adding to the list of Winnipeg innovations. When the team arrived at old Union Station from Montreal in 1896, their train was decorated with hockey sticks and a Union Jack, a huge crowd carried them away in a parade of open sleighs along Main Street. The first Stanley Cup Parade! https://twitter.com/brent_bellamy/status/1350995967588388873
Winnipeg’s first enclosed skating rink was built in 1874 on the Red River at the foot of Lombard Avenue. Their first attempt collapsed on the shifting ice but the structure was rebuilt and became a social hub in the city. Coincidentally there is a rink cleared there today!
Winnipeg’s first enclosed skating rink was built in 1874 on the Red River at the foot of Lombard Avenue. Their first attempt collapsed on the shifting ice but the structure was rebuilt and became a social hub in the city. Coincidentally there is a rink cleared there today!
Winnipeg’s first enclosed skating rink was built in 1874 on the Red River at the foot of Lombard Avenue. Their first attempt collapsed on the shifting ice but the structure was rebuilt and became a social hub in the city. Coincidentally there is a rink cleared there today!
Winnipeg’s first enclosed skating rink was built in 1874 on the Red River at the foot of Lombard Avenue. Their first attempt collapsed on the shifting ice but the structure was rebuilt and became a social hub in the city. Coincidentally there is a rink cleared there today!
A couple photos from @MBHHOF of Winnipeg’s first two main hockey arenas.

McIntyre Arena on Albert Street in the early 1890’s. The recognizable Telegram Building (1882) at McDermot on the right.

Circa 1915 view of Winnipeg Auditorium on Garry Street, seen from Fort Garry Hotel.
A couple photos from @MBHHOF of Winnipeg’s first two main hockey arenas.McIntyre Arena on Albert Street in the early 1890’s. The recognizable Telegram Building (1882) at McDermot on the right.Circa 1915 view of Winnipeg Auditorium on Garry Street, seen from Fort Garry Hotel.
A couple photos from @MBHHOF of Winnipeg’s first two main hockey arenas.McIntyre Arena on Albert Street in the early 1890’s. The recognizable Telegram Building (1882) at McDermot on the right.Circa 1915 view of Winnipeg Auditorium on Garry Street, seen from Fort Garry Hotel.
Last post of the thread. If you want to fill in the blanks about the Winnipeg Jets 1.0. Check out this great read by @geoffkirbyson
You can follow @brent_bellamy.
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