Winnipeg Braves
The Winnipeg Braves were a Canadian Junior A hockey team from St. James, Manitoba. They were members of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League for 10 seasons. The Braves entered the MJHL in 1957 as an expansion team. They were owned by Jack Perrin Jr. and affiliated with his Winnipeg Warriors of the Western Hockey League. Team colors were black and orange, the same as the Warriors. In 59, Perrin affiliated all of his teams with the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. In 66, the Team was rename the St. James Braves.
They played in the Winnipeg Arena because of its artificial ice, until the St. James Civic Centre opened in 1967.
The Braves were crowned MJHL champions in 1959 and 1965, winning the Turnbull Cup. In 59, the Team went on to win the Abbott Cup as Western Canada Junior A Champions, and the Memorial Cup as Canada Junior A Champions. The 59 Braves were inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. In 65, they advanced to the Western Canada Final for the Abbott Cup.
In the fall of 1967, Perrin would sell both his MJHL teams (Winnipeg Warriors) to Ben Hatskin. With the NHL mandating the end of professional teams sponsoring junior teams, the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association did not want the newly created major junior to do so either. Before granting Hatskin’s Jets permission to play in the Western Canada Junior League, demanded he sell his 3 MJHL teams to community-minded groups. The new owners renamed the franchise the St. James Canadians. This ended an era of junior hockey in Manitoba.
Season-by-Season Record[]
Note: click on season for team rosters or on league for direct link to that season.
| Season | League | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Points | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1957-58 | MJHL | 30 | 13 | 16 | 1 | 144 | 135 | 27 | 3rd | Lost Semi Final |
| 1958-59 | MJHL | 31 | 22 | 7 | 2 | 177 | 111 | 46 | 1st | Won League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958-59 | Memorial Cup | 11 | 8 | 3 | - | 46 | 31 | - | - | Won Abbott Cup |
| Memorial Cup | 5 | 4 | 1 | - | 25 | 14 | - | - | Won Memorial Cup | |
| 1959-60 | MJHL | 31 | 16 | 14 | 1 | 141 | 126 | 33 | 3rd | Lost Semi Final |
| 1960-61 | MJHL | 32 | 18 | 14 | 0 | 145 | 117 | 36 | 3rd | Lost Semi Final |
| 1961-62 | MJHL | 40 | 9 | 23 | 8 | 110 | 177 | 26 | 5th | DNQ |
| 1962-63 | MJHL | 39 | 14 | 22 | 3 | 127 | 156 | 31 | 4th | Lost Semi Final |
| 1963-64 | MJHL | 30 | 11 | 16 | 3 | 92 | 120 | 25 | 5th | DNQ |
| 1964-65 | MJHL | 45 | 27 | 13 | 5 | 184 | 140 | 59 | 1st | Won League |
| 1964-65 | Memorial Cup | 11 | 6 | 5 | - | 52 | 48 | - | - | Lost West Final |
| 1965-66 | MJHL | 48 | 20 | 24 | 4 | 207 | 219 | 44 | 3rd | Lost Final |
| 1966-67 | MJHL | 56 | 21 | 34 | 1 | 254 | 361 | 43 | 5th | Lost Quarter Final |
League Record[]
| Season | Player | Category | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958-59 | Laurie Langrell | Most Goals--Left Winger | 42 |
Award Winners, League Leaders, & All-Stars[]
NHL Alumni[]
| Bill Allum | Gary Bergman | Ted Green | Bill Heindl |
| Howie Hughes | Ted Irvine | Bob Leiter | John Marks |
| Wayne Stephenson | John Stewart | Andy Van Hellemond | Ernie Wakely |
NHL Draft Picks[]
| Draft Year | Player | Drafted by | Round | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Cam Allison | New York Rangers | 4 | 20 |
| 1968 | Jim Benzelock | Minnesota North Stars | 1 | 5 |
| John Marks | Chicago Blackhawks | 1 | 9 | |
| Bruce Buchanan | New York Rangers | 2 | 19 | |
| 1969 | Bruce Van Hellemond | New York Rangers | 4 | 47 |
| Warren Harrison | Oakland Seals | 5 | 53 | |
| 1970 | John Stewart | Pittsburgh Penguins | 2 | 21 |