Renfrew in Renfrew County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

Renfrew, The O'Briens, and the Founding of the Montreal Canadians

Renfrew, les O'Brien et la Naissance des Canadiens de Montréal

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., May 15, 2025

1. Renfrew, The O'Briens, and the Founding of the Montreal Canadians Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

In the early 1900s, the Stanley Cup was awarded to the top team in the Eastern Canadian Hockey League (ECHA), which then defended the cup against challengers from outside the league. Challenges from the Renfrew Creamery Kings were turned down in 1907 and 1909, as was the team's bid to join the ECHA. The Creamery Kings' wealthy backers, M.J. O'Brien and his son Ambrose, were frustrated by these rejections. In December of 1909 they joined forces with the owners of the Montreal Wanderers, a former ECHA team, to form a new league, the National Hockey Association (NHA). To stimulate intra-city rivalry with the Wanderers, the O'Brien's [sic] also bankrolled a new French-Canadian team called the Montreal Canadiens. The NHA, soon the premier hockey league in the country, later developed into the National Hockey League. The Canadiens, founded by the Irish O'Briens, became the pride of French Canada.

Au début du XX^e siècle, la coupe Stanley est remportée par la meilleure équipe de la Ligue de hockey de l'Est du Canada (ECHA), qui la défend contre des challengers non membres de la Ligue. En 1907 et 1909, les Creamery Kings

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de Renfrew se voient refuser la compétition, et même leur demande d'entrer dans l'ECHA. Ces refus irritent leurs riches commanditaires, M.J. O'Brien et son fils Ambrose, qui, en décembre 1909, se joignent aux propriétaires des Wanderers de Montréal, ancienne équipe de l'ECHA, pour constituer une nouvelle ligue, l'Association nationale de hockey (ANH). En vue de susciter, à Montréal même, une rivalité avec les Wanderers, les O'Brien financent une nouvelle équipe canadienne-française, les Canadiens. L'ANH, bientôt principale ligue nationale, deviendra la Ligue nationale de hockey (LNH). Les Canadiens de Montréal, créés par les Irlandais O'Brien, deviendront la fierté du Canada français.

Erected by Heritage Renfrew and the Town of Renfrew/la Ville et la société de défense du patrimoine ontairen.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Sports. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1909.

Location. 45° 27.941′ N, 76° 41.679′ W. Marker is in Renfrew, Ontario, in Renfrew County. It is on Ma Te Way Park Drive close to Lisgar Avenue (Highway 132), on the left when traveling south. Marker is near the My FM Centre

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., May 15, 2025

2. Renfrew, The O'Briens, and the Founding of the Montreal Canadians Marker

Mounted on wall to right of entrance

entrance, in Ma Te Way Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Ma Te Way Park Drive, Renfrew ON K7V 4J4, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Haliburton Highlands to Ottawa Valley

and in Eastern Ontario.

It is also in Central Canada.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Renfew "Millionaires["]/« Les Millionaires » de Renfrew (here, next to this marker); The Flying Frenchmen/Les « Flying Frenchmen » (here, next to this marker); The Book Tree (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); War Memorial (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); Renfrew Public Library (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); First Municipal Council Meeting (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); The Founding of Renfrew (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); Renfrew Fire Bell (approx. 1.1 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map

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of all markers in Renfrew.

Also see . . . NHA/NHL Birthplace Museum. (Submitted on May 19, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)

Credits. This page was last revised on May 19, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 19, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 135 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 19, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.