New Westminster Royals

the Canadian hockey teams from New Westminster

The New Westminster Royals was the name of several professional ice hockey teams based in New Westminster, British Columbia, first established in 1911 for the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA). Though nominally based in New Westminster, the team played its home games at the Denman Arena in nearby Vancouver, as an arena was not available; the team would never play a PCHA home game in New Westminster as a result. They won the inaugural PCHA championship in 1912, though financial difficulties saw the team relocated to Portland, Oregon in 1914 and become the Portland Rosebuds.

The first team played from 1911–1914 in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) which was established in 1911. The team was notable as it was the inaugural 1911–12 champion of the PCHA. It would be the only league championship the Royals would earn. Their home arena was the Denman Arena in Vancouver. The name was revived for a club that played in the Pacific Coast Hockey League from 1945 to 1952 and the Western Hockey League from 1952 to 1959. The Royals won the President's Cup in 1949–1950 as PCHL champions.

The New Westminster Royals name was revived for a junior level franchise in the Pacific Coast Junior Hockey League (PCJHL) in 1962, winning five straight PCJHL championships before movingwith league mates Victoria Cougarsinto the British Columbia Junior Hockey League (BCJHL) for the 1967–68 season. The Royals played on and off from 1962 to 1991 in the years when the major junior New Westminster Bruins were not playing. In 1991, the Royals relocated across the Pattullo Bridge to neighbouring Surrey, changing their name to Surrey Eagles.

Season League Division GP W L T GF GA Pts Finish Playoffs 1912 PCHA – 15 9 6 0 78 77 name=PCHA 1st name=PCHA 1912–13 PCHA – 15 6 9 0 67 74 name=PCHA 3rd name=PCHA 1913–14 PCHA – 16 7 9 0 80 67 name=PCHA 2nd name=PCHA Team relocated to Portland in 1914. Team re established in 1945 1945–46 PCHL North 58 26 32 0 228 268 52 4th did not qualify 1946–47 PCHL North 60 29 29 2 257 270 60 4th Lost First Round v. Seattle Ironmen (1–3) 1947–48 PCHL North 66 27 38 1 293 322 55 4th Lost First Round v. Seattle Ironmen (2–3) 1948–49 PCHL North 70 39 26 5 285 229 83 1st Portland Eagles, Tacoma Rockets (1946–1953), Tacoma Rockets, Lester Patrick Cup, Final 1949–50 PCHL North 71 36 19 16 291 233 88 1st 1950–51 PCHL – 70 38 24 8 267 205 84 2nd Tacoma Rockets (1946–1953), Tacoma Rockets, Lester Patrick Cup, Final, Victoria Cougars 1951–52 PCHL – 70 40 19 11 286 200 91 1st Lost First Round v. Victoria Cougars (3–4) 1952–53 WHL – 70 29 33 8 217 254 66 6th Lost First Round v. Saskatoon Quakers (3–4) 1953–54 WHL – 70 28 34 8 218 261 64 6th Lost First Round v. Vancouver Canucks (2–5) 1954–55 WHL – 70 29 32 9 249 299 67 5th did not qualify 1955–56 WHL Coast 70 31 37 2 238 258 64 3rd Lost First Round v. Victoria Cougars (0–4) 1956–57 WHL Coast 70 34 31 5 215 235 73 2nd Victoria Cougars (1949–1961), Victoria Cougars, Seattle Americans, Lester Patrick Cup, Final 1957–58 WHL Coast 70 39 28 3 254 224 81 2nd Lost First Round v. Seattle Americans (1–3) 1958–59 WHL Coast 70 23 45 2 237 301 73 5th did not qualify