The West Toronto Nationals were a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) from 1928 to 1936. The Nationals wore red-coloured sweaters. Home games were played at Arena Gardens, and later at Maple Leaf Gardens.
The Nationals won the J. Ross Robertson Cup as champions of the OHA in 1930, and defeated the Niagara Falls Cataracts by an 11–9 combined score in two games. The Nationals won the Eastern Canada junior playoffs by defeating teams from Sault Ste. Marie, and Ottawa to earn a berth in the 1930 Memorial Cup. Travelling to Winnipeg for a best-of-three series at Shea's Amphitheatre, the Nationals lost game one to the Regina Pats by 3–1 score, were leading game two by a 2–0 score, then conceded three goals to lose the game and the series.Lapp & Macaulay (1997), pp. 39–41
The Nationals were finalists for the J. Ross Robertson Cup in 1931, and were defeated by the Niagara Falls Cataracts by a 12–7 combined score in two games.
In the 1935–36 season, the National were managed by Harold Ballard and coached by Hap Day. The team had not lost a regular season game since February, and defeated the Oshawa Red Devils in the OHA semifinal.Lapp & Macaulay (1997), p. 53 The Nationals won the J. Ross Robertson Cup in 1936, by defeating the Kitchener Greenshirts in two games in a best-of-three series. The Nationals were led by Peanuts O'Flaherty, who was the league's leading scorer. The Nationals won the George Richardson Memorial Trophy as Eastern Canada junior playoffs champions by defeating the South Porcupine Porkies, the Junior Quebec Aces, and the Pembroke Lumber Kings. The Nationals earned a berth in the 1936 Memorial Cup played in Toronto, and defeated the Saskatoon Wesleys in two games, by scores of 5–1 and 4–2.Lapp & Macaulay (1997), pp. 53–54
National Hockey League alumni Roy Conacher played three seasons for the Nationals from 1933 to 1936, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1998.
List of alumni who played in the National Hockey League:
Norman Collings Roy Conacher Jack Crawford John Doran Jimmy Fowler Bob Gracie Red Heron Bill Jennings Peanuts O'Flaherty George Parsons Bill Thoms
Season-by-season results Regular season and playoffs results:
Legend: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Memorial Cup championsMemorial Cup finalistsOHA championsOHA finalists
Season Regular season Playoffs Finish1928–2912930180.75057241st Group 5Lost group final (Toronto Young Rangers) 8–51929–309900181.00063141st Group 6Won group final (Toronto Victorias) 5–2Won second round (University of Toronto Schools) 14–4Won third round (Oshawa Shamrocks) 17–1Won quarterfinals (Kingston Frontenacs) 15–0Won semifinal (Toronto Varsity Blues) 8–5Won OHA final (Junior Niagara Falls Cataracts) 11–9Won Eastern Canada semifinal (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds) 6–4Won Eastern Canada championship (Ottawa Rideaus) 6–5Lost 1930 Memorial Cup final (Regina Pats) 2–01930–319720140.77843161st Group 6Won group final (Toronto Native Sons) 5–1Won second round (Toronto Canoe Club) 8–4Won quarterfinal (Oshawa Majors) 4–3Won semifinal (Owen Sound Greys) 11–5Lost OHA final (Junior Niagara Falls Cataracts) 12–71931–3210640120.60044272nd Group 5Won group semifinal (Junior Toronto National Sea Fleas) 3–2Lost group final (Toronto Marlboros) 2–1–11932–33Did not operate during season1933–3412210040.16725945th Group 7Did not qualify1934–3512110130.12524554th Group 1Did not qualify1935–3610820160.80059172nd Group 1Won group semifinal (Toronto Young Rangers) 6–3Won group final (Toronto St. Michael's Majors) 3–0Won semifinal (Oshawa Red Devils) 2–0Won OHA final (Kitchener Greenshirts) 2–0Won Eastern Canada quarterfinal (South Porcupine Porkies) 2–0Won Eastern Canada semifinal (Junior Quebec Aces) 2–0Won Eastern Canada final (Pembroke Lumber Kings) 2–0Won 1936 Memorial Cup (Saskatoon Wesleys) 2–0
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