Edmonton Flyers
The Edmonton Flyers are a historic hockey team whose origins date back to the 1930s. The Flyers moniker was used by a few teams in Edmonton, beginning with an Alberta Senior League team in 1939. It was picked up again by a Western Canada Senior League team - but this was back when senior really meant junior. Both Al Rollins and Bud MacPherson got their starts on this team, and these Flyers won the 1948 Allan Cup.Â
The most well known iteration of the Flyers started in 1951 as part of the famed Western Hockey League (WHL). These Flyers won three WHL titles in their 12 seasons in the league and competed as a professional minor league team with ties to the Red Wings. They played at Edmonton Gardens. Given their success, it's no surprise these Flyers had a lot of big timers pass through their ranks. Starts of mid-century hockey such as Al Arbour, Forbes Kennedy, Tony Leswick, Johnny Bucyk, Vic Stasiuk, and Bronco Horvath all played for the Flyers. The Flyers closed up shop in 1963 when the Red Wings pulled their affiliation and western league travel proved too costly to continue.Â
