The Canada West men's ice hockey tournament is an annual conference championship held between member teams. The tournament champion received an automatic bid to participate in the University Cup tournament.
History In 1972, the Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Association (WCIAA) decided to divide itself into two separate conferences due to the sizable area that the conference covered. The Great Plains Athletic Association (GPAA) was created for eastern schools while the western colleges were placed in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CWUAA). Originally a five-team league, the conference was soon down to four members when Victoria dropped its program in 1973.
1984 saw the conference expanded for the first time, adding Lethbridge to the league roster. The next season, due to the collapse of the since-renamed Great Plains Athletic Conference's (GPAC) hockey division, Canada West absorbed the three remaining schools. With the conference doubling its size in just two years, the playoff was expanded to include four teams for the first time in 1986. The conference tournament remained unchanged until 1996 when Canada West expanded the format. The league was reorganized into two divisions with three teams from each grouping now qualifying for the playoffs. This came due mostly to three teams failing to make the postseason virtually every season for a decade. From 1986 through '95, Brandon, Lethbridge and UBC combined for a total of three appearances. In 2000, a third place series was instituted for the first time and would be held in years when needed to determine a wild-card berth.
Brandon, after having spent most of its existence dwelling in the conference cellar, decided to suspend its program in 2002. Because the divisions were now lopsided, the league changed the qualifications for the Great Plains third seed; whichever team that finished last in the two divisions had the better record would receive the final spot in the Great Plains bracket. Only once (2007) did the fourth-place Mountain team qualify for the postseason. The very next year, the conference abandoned the divisional format and returned to a singular division. For over a decade, the conference remained a 7-team league. The quarterfinal round was dropped in 2010 but returned three years later when Mount Royal joined.
After the 2020 season, Lethbridge terminated both its men's and women's ice hockey program due to budget cuts. The following season ended up being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, when the league finally reconvened in the fall of 2021, Canada West had actually grown. The addition of MacEwan and Trinity Western brought the conference up to its greatest size at nine teams.
Throughout its history, the league had been dominated by Alberta; the Golden Bears have won 29 championships in 51 years of conference play (as of 2024) and gone on to capture 16 national championships, the most in the history of U Sports.
Tournaments
1973 Seed School Standings 1 Alberta 17–7–0 T–2 Calgary 16–8–0 T–2 British Columbia 16–8–0 4 Saskatchewan 11–13–0 5 Victoria 0–24–0 No playoff
1974 Seed School Standings 1 Calgary 14–4–0 2 Alberta 11–7–0 3 British Columbia 9–9–0 4 Saskatchewan 2–16–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1975 Seed School Standings 1 Alberta 20–4–0 2 British Columbia 12–11–1 3 Calgary 11–12–1 4 Saskatchewan 4–20–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1976 Seed School Standings 1 Calgary 17–7–0 2 Alberta 16–8–0 3 British Columbia 12–12–0 4 Saskatchewan 3–21–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1977 Seed School Standings 1 Alberta 21–3–0 2 British Columbia 14–10–0 3 Calgary 8–16–0 4 Saskatchewan 5–19–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1978 Seed School Standings 1 Alberta 20–4–0 2 British Columbia 14–10–0 3 Calgary 11–13–0 4 Saskatchewan 3–21–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1979 Seed School Standings 1 Alberta 20–4–0 2 Calgary 15–9–0 3 British Columbia 7–17–0 4 Saskatchewan 6–18–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1980 Seed School Standings 1 Alberta 20–9–0 2 Calgary 18–11–0 3 Saskatchewan 14–15–0 4 British Columbia 12–17–0 Note: Canada West played an interlocking schedule with the GPAC.
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1981 Seed School Standings 1 Calgary 18–6–0 2 Saskatchewan 15–9–0 3 Alberta 10–14–0 4 British Columbia 5–19–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1982 Seed School Standings 1 Saskatchewan 17–7–0 2 Calgary 14–10–0 3 Alberta 11–13–0 4 British Columbia 6–18–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1983 Seed School Standings 1 Saskatchewan 16–8–0 2 Alberta 13–11–0 3 Calgary 10–14–0 4 British Columbia 9–15–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1984 Seed School Standings 1 Alberta 20–4–0 2 Saskatchewan 14–10–0 3 Calgary 11–13–0 4 British Columbia 3–21–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1985 Seed School Standings 1 Alberta 20–4–0 2 Saskatchewan 16–8–0 3 British Columbia 12–12–0 4 Calgary 8–16–0 5 Lethbridge 4–20–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1986 SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Alberta 20–8–0 5 Brandon 13–15–0 2 Calgary 19–9–0 6 British Columbia 12–16–0 3 Manitoba 18–10–0 7 Regina 8–20–0 4 Saskatchewan 16–12–0 8 Lethbridge 6–22–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1987 SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Calgary 23–5–0 5 British Columbia 9–17–2 2 Alberta † 19–8–1 6 Brandon 10–18–0 3 Manitoba 17–10–1 7 Regina 9–18–1 4 Saskatchewan 16–11–1 8 Lethbridge 6–22–0 † Alberta was unable to compete in the tournament due to being Canada's representative in the World University Games.
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1988 SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Calgary 23–5–0 5 British Columbia 10–16–2 T–2 Alberta 22–5–1 6 Brandon 8–18–2 T–2 Saskatchewan 22–5–1 7 Lethbridge 6–21–1 4 Manitoba 14–14–0 8 Regina 3–24–1
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1989 SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings T–1 Alberta 21–7–0 5 British Columbia 13–14–1 T–1 Calgary 21–7–0 6 Regina 9–16–3 3 Saskatchewan 19–9–0 7 Brandon 6–21–1 4 Manitoba 16–9–3 8 Lethbridge 3–25–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1990 SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Calgary 21–6–1 T–4 Manitoba 14–14–0 2 Alberta 20–6–2 6 Brandon 12–16–0 3 British Columbia 16–11–1 7 Saskatchewan 10–16–2 T–4 Regina 13–13–2 8 Lethbridge 1–25–2
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1991 SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Calgary 22–5–1 5 Manitoba 11–15–2 2 Alberta 19–7–2 6 British Columbia 8–15–5 3 Saskatchewan 12–12–4 7 Lethbridge 10–18–0 4 Regina 13–14–1 8 Brandon 7–16–5
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1992 SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Regina 19–6–3 T–5 Lethbridge 12–13–3 2 Alberta 17–6–5 T–5 Saskatchewan 13–14–1 3 Calgary 15–11–2 7 British Columbia 11–14–3 4 Manitoba 14–13–1 8 Brandon 1–25–2
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1993 SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Alberta 18–6–4 5 Manitoba 13–13–2 2 Regina 16–7–5 6 Lethbridge 9–16–3 3 Calgary 17–8–3 7 British Columbia 7–19–2 4 Saskatchewan 16–9–3 8 Brandon 3–21–4
Note: * denotes overtime period(s) 1994 SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Lethbridge 19–7–2 5 Manitoba 11–12–5 2 Calgary 17–7–4 6 British Columbia 7–17–4 3 Alberta 15–6–7 7 Saskatchewan 7–19–2 4 Regina 16–11–1 8 Brandon 5–18–5
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1995 SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Calgary 20–6–2 5 Alberta 11–12–5 2 Regina 17–9–2 6 British Columbia 10–13–5 3 Manitoba 15–11–2 7 Brandon 8–18–2 4 Lethbridge 14–13–1 8 Saskatchewan 7–20–1
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1996 Great PlainsMountain SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Manitoba 16–10–2 1 Calgary 18–9–1 2 Regina 12–11–5 2 Alberta 17–10–1 3 Saskatchewan 11–14–3 3 Lethbridge 14–11–3 4 Brandon 6–21–1 4 British Columbia 9–17–2
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1997 Great PlainsMountain SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Saskatchewan 15–9–2 1 Calgary 21–2–3 2 Manitoba 12–11–3 2 Alberta 20–5–1 3 Regina 7–17–2 3 Lethbridge 8–16–2 4 Brandon 5–19–2 4 British Columbia 7–16–3
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1998 Great PlainsMountain SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Saskatchewan 19–4–5 1 Alberta 19–4–5 2 Manitoba 14–7–7 2 Calgary 13–12–3 3 Brandon 10–17–1 3 British Columbia 9–15–4 4 Regina 4–22–2 4 Lethbridge 8–15–5
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
1999 Great PlainsMountain SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Saskatchewan 18–9–1 1 Alberta 20–6–2 2 Manitoba 13–11–4 2 Calgary 13–10–5 3 Brandon 12–13–3 3 Lethbridge 13–13–2 4 Regina 4–20–4 4 British Columbia 7–18–3
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
2000 Great PlainsMountain SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Saskatchewan 22–3–3 1 Alberta 20–3–5 2 Manitoba 11–15–2 2 Calgary 16–9–3 3 Brandon 11–17–0 3 Lethbridge 12–14–2 4 Regina 4–21–3 4 British Columbia 5–19–4
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
2001 Great PlainsMountain SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Manitoba 17–8–3 1 Alberta 25–1–2 2 Saskatchewan 14–10–4 2 Calgary 13–12–3 3 Regina 9–14–5 3 Lethbridge 11–14–3 4 Brandon 4–21–3 4 British Columbia 6–19–3
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
2002 Great PlainsMountain SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Saskatchewan 17–8–3 1 Alberta 21–3–4 2 Manitoba 14–12–2 2 Calgary 16–11–1 3 Regina 12–12–4 3 Lethbridge 9–14–5 4 Brandon 5–20–3 4 British Columbia 5–19–4
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
2003 Great PlainsMountain SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Saskatchewan 16–10–2 1 Alberta 24–2–2 2 Manitoba 12–13–3 2 Calgary 14–12–2 3 Regina 11–16–1 3 Lethbridge 10–16–2 4 British Columbia 5–23–0
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
2004 Great PlainsMountain SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Saskatchewan 15–9–4 1 Alberta 26–0–2 2 Regina 10–14–4 2 Calgary 16–10–2 3 Manitoba 8–14–6 3 British Columbia 7–19–2 4 Lethbridge 4–20–4
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
2005 Great PlainsMountain SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Saskatchewan 19–6–3 1 Alberta 24–3–1 2 Manitoba 15–8–5 2 Calgary 12–10–6 3 Regina 6–17–5 3 British Columbia 5–17–6 4 Lethbridge 3–23–2
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
2006 Great PlainsMountain SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Saskatchewan 17–7–4 1 Alberta 21–5–2 2 Manitoba 12–13–3 2 Calgary 13–13–2 3 Regina 10–16–2 3 British Columbia 12–15–1 4 Lethbridge 4–20–4
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
2007 Great PlainsMountain SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Saskatchewan 16–9–3 1 Alberta 20–4–4 2 Regina 13–12–3 2 Lethbridge 14–9–5 3 Manitoba 10–16–2 3 British Columbia 14–13–1 4 Calgary 11–13–4
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
2008 SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Alberta 21–5–2 5 British Columbia 12–16–0 2 Saskatchewan 17–5–6 6 Regina 10–15–3 3 Calgary 16–8–4 7 Lethbridge 9–18–1 4 Manitoba 13–13–2
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
2009 SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Alberta 22–4–0–2 5 British Columbia 11–14–1–2 2 Saskatchewan 17–9–1–1 6 Regina 11–15–0–2 3 Manitoba 13–9–1–5 7 Calgary 10–16–2–0 4 Lethbridge 14–13–0–1
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
2010 SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Alberta 23–4–0–1 5 Lethbridge 13–11–2–2 2 Saskatchewan 16–8–3–1 6 Regina 9–17–2–0 3 Manitoba 16–10–0–2 7 British Columbia 8–19–0–1 4 Calgary 13–9–3–3
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
2011 SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Alberta 19–6–2–1 5 Lethbridge 13–10–2–3 2 Calgary 17–8–1–2 6 British Columbia 11–12–4–1 3 Saskatchewan 17–11–0–0 7 Regina 8–18–0–2 4 Manitoba 13–9–3–3
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
2012 SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Manitoba 20–5–3–0 5 British Columbia 12–12–1–3 2 Alberta 20–6–1–1 6 Lethbridge 7–18–3–0 3 Saskatchewan 19–6–3–0 7 Regina 5–20–2–1 4 Calgary 15–11–1–1
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
2013 SeedSchool Standings SeedSchool Standings 1 Alberta 23–4–0–1 5 British Columbia 14–11–1–2 2 Saskatchewan 19–8–0–1 6 Regina 13–12–3–0 3 Manitoba 17–7–2–2 7 Mount Royal 7–19–2–0 4 Calgary 17–11–0–0 8 Lethbridge 2–22–4–0