The Ontario University Athletic Association ice hockey tournament was an annual conference championship held between member teams.
History After the realignment of the Quebec–Ontario Athletic Association, Ontario Intercollegiate Athletic Association and Ottawa-St. Lawrence Conference in 1971, the Ontario University Athletic Association was born. The league began with 14 teams arranged into four divisions. The inaugural postseason tournament invited eight teams with the top four from each division automatically qualifying for the playoffs. The quarterfinal matches were all played within the same division while the semifinals were played cross-division.
Three division league Beginning in 1976, the OUAA was divided into three divisions: East, Central and West. The inaugural tournament under this new arrangement was a convoluted affair. The top two teams from each division would make the tournament while the third place team with the best record would also be allowed entry. The team with the best record would receive a bye into the semifinal round, however, there was a slight issue. Because the teams played an unbalanced schedule with the central playing three games against division foes, the east four games and west five, the divisional records were not interchangeable. However, despite this, the OUAA still used the point system to determine the league champion rather than winning percentage. This resulted in Western Ontario receiving a bye while Toronto had the best overall record. The seeding was set up so that the two other division winners were placed in the same semifinal bracket. The two second-place teams with the worst record were set against one another and placed in the bracket with the team that received the bye. Of the remaining two teams, the one with the worst record was set against the second-best division winner. This convoluted process was abandoned after one season and replaced with another that was just as unfathomable. In 1977 the bye was eliminated and instead the best two third place teams would make the tournament. The third place teams were set against the second place teams from their own divisions in the quarterfinal round while the top two division winners were placed on opposite sides of the bracket. In order to reduce travel, the division that did not advance a third place team was separated so that they would play the nearest of the other division winners. This resulted in York and Ryerson (both located in Toronto) being set against one another in the quarterfinal round despite both being division champions. This rather unique arrangement persisted for three seasons before the loss of three conference members caused the league to revert to a single division with six teams making the postseason.
Over the course of a decade, the OUAA began to shift from single-elimination rounds to best-of-three. 1978 saw the final round become a 3-game series with the semifinal following in 1980. It wasn't until the tournament was expanded back to an eight-team bracket in 1987 that the quarterfinal round became best-of-three as well. The following season, The QUAA collapsed and all four teams were absorbed into the OUAA. The league reverted to three divisions and expanded the playoffs to include twelve teams. The format was arranged so that the top four teams in each division would play in their respective division brackets. The winners would advance to the league semifinal along with the losing team with the best record. The first two rounds were best-of-three series while the final two were single-elimination. This setup lasted two years and was altered when McMaster suspended its program. Beginning in 1990, the OUAA switched to two divisions and alternated its postseason between 12- and 8-team formats. The additional first round series were single-elimination while the succeeding round remained best-of-three. Starting in 1992, the championship game was switched to single-elimination.
Four division league In 1994, the two 8-team divisions were split and the league was now arranged into four 4-team divisions. The top three teams from each division made the postseason with the division champions advancing to the quarterfinal round. First and second round matches were all played within the divisions and the final four was arranged so that both the eastern and western halves would be represented in the championship game. In this format, only the quarterfinal round was best-of-three with all other round being single-elimination. The OUAA changes its name to Ontario University Athletics (OUA) in 1998.
Tournaments
1972 EastWestSeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 York 16–1–2 1 Western Ontario 11–5–3 2 Toronto 15–1–3 2 Guelph 11–7–1 T–3 Ottawa 11–7–0 3 McMaster 10–8–1 T–3 Laurentian 10–6–2 4 Windsor 8–8–3 5 Queen's 8–10–1 5 Waterloo 7–10–2 6 Carleton 4–13–2 6 Waterloo Lutheran 5–10–4 7 Ryerson 2–17–0 7 Brock 2–17–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1973 EastWestSeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 Toronto 17–0–0 1 Western Ontario 14–3–0 2 Laurentian 11–5–1 2 Waterloo 10–5–2 T–3 Queen's 10–6–1 3 Guelph 9–6–2 T–3 York 10–6–1 4 Windsor 9–8–0 5 Ottawa 7–7–3 5 McMaster 8–9–0 6 Carleton 3–12–2 6 Waterloo Lutheran 3–14–0 7 Ryerson 0–17–0 7 Brock 2–15–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1974 EastWestSeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 Toronto 18–0–1 1 Waterloo 12–2–3 2 York 16–2–1 2 Western Ontario 13–4–0 3 Laurentian 10–6–3 3 Guelph 10–6–2 4 Queen's 10–7–2 4 Wilfrid Laurier 8–9–1 5 Ottawa 8–9–2 5 McMaster 6–11–1 6 Carleton 4–12–2 6 Windsor 2–14–2 T–7 Ryerson 4–14–1 7 Brock 1–16–0 T–7 Royal Military College 3–12–3
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1975 EastWestSeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 York 9–2–3 1 Waterloo 14–2–1 2 Toronto 9–4–1 2 Western Ontario 11–4–2 3 Laurentian 8–4–2 3 Wilfrid Laurier 11–5–1 4 Ottawa 8–5–1 4 McMaster 9–5–3 5 Queen's 6–6–2 5 Guelph 7–8–2 6 Royal Military College 2–11–1 6 Brock 3–14–0 7 Ryerson 2–15–0 8 Windsor 1–15–1
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1976 EastCentralWestSeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 Toronto 13–3–0 1 McMaster 9–2–1 T–1 Western Ontario 14–6–0 2 York 10–4–0 2 Ryerson 7–3–2 T–1 Guelph 14–6–0 3 Queen's 9–5–2 3 Royal Military College 6–5–1 3 Waterloo 9–10–1 4 Laurentian 4–10–2 4 Trent 4–8–0 4 Wilfrid Laurier 6–10–4 5 Ottawa 1–12–3 5 Brock 0–11–1 5 Windsor 3–14–3
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1977 EastCentralWestSeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 York 16–2–1 1 Ryerson 11–3–1 1 Wilfrid Laurier 13–6–1 2 Toronto 12–5–1 2 Brock 8–7–0 2 Guelph 9–7–4 3 Laurentian 8–9–3 3 McMaster 7–9–0 T–3 Waterloo 9–9–2 4 Ottawa 8–10–0 4 Trent 4–9–2 T–3 Western Ontario 9–9–2 5 Queen's 4–14–1 5 Royal Military College 1–13–1 5 Windsor 5–12–1
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1978 EastCentralWestSeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 Toronto 18–1–1 1 McMaster 11–3–2 1 Wilfrid Laurier 17–2–1 2 York 10–8–2 2 Ryerson 9–6–1 2 Western Ontario 14–3–3 3 Laurentian 8–10–0 3 Brock 5–7–3 3 Windsor 6–9–5 4 Queen's 7–9–4 4 Trent 4–10–2 4 Waterloo 7–11–2 5 Ottawa 3–16–1 5 Royal Military College 2–13–0 5 Guelph 3–15–2
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1979 EastCentralWestSeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 Toronto 11–2–3 1 McMaster 13–2–1 1 Guelph 10–3–3 2 Laurentian 8–3–5 2 Windsor 8–7–1 2 Wilfrid Laurier 9–5–2 3 York 5–7–4 3 Ryerson 3–11–2 3 Western Ontario 7–5–4 4 Ottawa 5–9–2 4 Brock 0–14–2 4 Waterloo 4–7–5 5 Queen's 2–10–4
Note: Only partial information is available. Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1980 SeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 Toronto 17–2–3 7 Western Ontario 11–9–2 2 Queen's 17–3–2 8 York 8–11–3 3 McMaster 15–2–5 9 Wilfrid Laurier 5–14–3 T–4 Laurentian 13–6–3 10 Brock 5–16–1 T–4 Guelph 13–6–3 T–11 Ryerson 1–20–1 6 Waterloo 10–7–5 T–11 Windsor 1–20–1
Note: Only partial information is available. Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1981 SeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 Queen's 14–3–5 7 Wilfrid Laurier 12–8–2 2 Western Ontario 14–4–4 8 Windsor 8–13–1 3 Toronto 15–6–1 9 Laurentian 6–15–1 4 Guelph 13–6–3 10 Waterloo 4–17–1 T–5 York 12–7–3 T–11 Ryerson 3–17–2 T–5 McMaster 13–7–2 T–11 Brock 2–16–4
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1982 SeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 Toronto 18–0–4 7 Western Ontario 12–9–1 2 Guelph 14–6–2 8 Laurentian 9–10–3 T–3 Queen's 13–7–2 T–9 Windsor 7–13–2 T–3 McMaster 13–7–2 T–9 Waterloo 7–13–2 T–5 York 13–8–1 11 Brock 2–20–0 T–5 Wilfrid Laurier 12–7–3 12 Ryerson 1–21–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1983 SeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 Toronto 22–1–1 T–8 Windsor 11–12–1 2 Western Ontario 20–4–0 T–8 Laurentian 11–12–1 3 Wilfrid Laurier 19–4–1 10 Brock 7–15–2 4 Queen's 15–8–1 T–11 Royal Military College 3–21–0 5 McMaster 14–10–0 T–11 Ryerson 3–21–0 6 York 13–11–0 13 Waterloo 2–21–1 7 Guelph 11–11–2
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1984 SeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 Toronto 20–1–3 T–8 McMaster 7–13–4 2 Wilfrid Laurier 15–3–6 T–8 Brock 7–13–4 3 Western Ontario 15–8–1 10 Windsor 8–15–1 T–4 Guelph 14–10–0 T–11 York † 10–13–1 T–4 Laurentian 12–8–4 T–11 Royal Military College 5–14–5 6 Queen's 11–9–4 13 Ryerson 4–20–0 7 Waterloo 10–11–3 † York was penalized 5 points in the standings for using an ineligible player.
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1985 SeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 Toronto 19–2–3 8 McMaster 11–12–1 2 Wilfrid Laurier 18–2–4 9 Queen's 7–13–4 3 Western Ontario 15–7–2 T–10 Brock 6–16–2 4 Laurentian 14–7–3 T–10 Royal Military College 5–15–4 5 York 15–9–0 12 Waterloo 6–18–0 6 Guelph 13–8–3 13 Ryerson 0–24–0 7 Windsor 12–8–4
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1986 SeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 Wilfrid Laurier 20–3–1 8 Guelph 9–13–2 2 Toronto 19–5–0 9 Brock 7–16–1 3 York 18–5–1 10 Queen's 6–16–2 4 Western Ontario 17–5–2 T–11 Ryerson 5–17–2 5 Windsor 13–6–5 T–11 McMaster 5–17–2 6 Waterloo 11–11–2 13 Royal Military College 5–19–0 7 Laurentian 11–13–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1987 SeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 Western Ontario 20–2–2 8 Guelph 8–14–2 2 York 19–2–3 9 Brock 8–15–1 T–3 Toronto 17–5–2 T–10 Queen's 4–15–5 T–3 Waterloo 16–4–4 T–10 Royal Military College 6–17–1 5 Wilfrid Laurier 14–6–4 12 Ryerson 3–18–3 6 Windsor 9–9–6 13 Laurentian † 5–17–2 7 McMaster 8–13–3 † Laurentian was penalized 4 points in the standings for using an ineligible player.
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1988 EastCentralWestSeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 Quebec–Trois-Rivières 19–4–2 1 York 20–1–5 1 Windsor 16–7–3 2 McGill 13–8–4 2 Western Ontario 17–4–5 2 Brock 13–10–3 3 Concordia 12–11–2 3 Waterloo 14–6–6 3 Laurentian 10–15–1 4 Ottawa 12–12–1 4 Wilfrid Laurier 13–9–4 4 Ryerson 9–15–2 5 Queen's 6–18–1 5 Toronto 8–13–5 5 McMaster 2–22–2 6 Royal Military College 3–20–2 6 Guelph 6–18–2
‡ Western Ontario advanced due to having the most regular season points of the Division Final losers. Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1989 EastCentralWestSeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 Quebec–Trois-Rivières 20–3–3 1 Western Ontario 19–2–5 1 Brock 16–9–1 2 McGill 19–4–3 2 Waterloo 15–8–3 2 Windsor 14–11–1 3 Concordia 14–10–2 3 York 14–9–3 3 Ryerson 13–12–1 4 Queen's 12–12–2 4 Wilfrid Laurier 13–10–3 4 Laurentian 3–22–1 5 Ottawa 8–18–0 5 Toronto 11–12–3 5 McMaster 2–23–1 6 Royal Military College 2–22–2 6 Guelph 7–15–4
‡ York advanced due to being the defending conference champion. Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1990 EastWestSeedSchoolStandingsSeedSchoolStandings 1 Quebec–Trois-Rivières 15–5–2 1 Wilfrid Laurier 19–3–0 T–2 Ottawa 13–8–1 2 Waterloo 17–4–1 T–2 York 13–8–1 3 Windsor 12–9–1 4 McGill 12–8–2 4 Western Ontario † 11–9–2 5 Toronto 10–12–0 T–5 Guelph 10–12–0 6 Concordia 9–13–0 T–5 Brock 9–11–2 7 Queen's 8–14–0 7 Laurentian 3–19–0 8 Ryerson 7–15–0 8 Royal Military College 2–20–0