NAHA History & Eras

Our story begins with two rich business men in 1918 who meet in New York City. American Walter May, 56, of Cambridge, MA and Canadian Ronald Kennedy, 51, of Halifax, NS meet in the shadow of 15 Park Row to discuss plans to expand professional hockey across the United States and Canada. Though an ambitious project for the time, the pair of businessmen were able to round up a small group of initial investors to fund and serve as fundamental members of the league board.

Despite being right before the beginning of the Great Depression, Kennedy and May were able to leverage extreme fortunes into their passion, NAHA. As a result, the pair were able to prop up their league in a way in which it was able to withstand financial ruin during the first 10 years of league inception. Each team owner, their coaching staff, and a handful of other necessary personnel  are essentially covered by the two independently wealthy owners of the league.

The inaugural NAHA season was the 1920-1921 season, starting in the Fall of 1920 and concluding in the Spring of 1921.

The original 8 teams would compete in a 28 game schedule, playing one another 4 times throughout the year. The playoffs would see the top four teams from the regular season face off in a two-round, best of seven playoff for the Kennedy Cup.

With that, the basis of the league is set. Walter May is appointed as the first Commissioner of the NAHA and George Alberts is appointed as the Head of League Operations. May organizes a player combine for May 27th 1919, and over 300 prospective athletes arrive for tryouts. Players are divided between 3 categories; professional players, amateur 18+ players, and 18 U players. Teams were permitted to sign any of the players invited to the combine, though those under 18 were barred from professional play until their 18th birthday. Of the group of players eligible for the draft, the percentage of nationalities are as follows: 70-73% Canadian-Born, 20-22% American Born, and 5-10% other nationalities. Of the 5-10% outside of US and Canada, the overwhelming majority are from Finland or Sweden.