50 years ago, Birch Island elder helped found Little NHL
TORONTO—Former Whitefish River First Nation Chief Jim McGregor was presented with a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey signed by all members of the team by captain John Tavares after Mr. McGregor addressed the team prior to a practice on Saturday morning, prior to that evening’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. Mr. McGregor was on hand for the Toronto Maple Leafs second annual Indigenous Celebration held Saturday.
“Thank you as team captain in coming to speak to us this morning and sharing your story,” said Mr. Tavares. “It is an honour to have you here this morning on this amazing day of celebration of Indigenous and First Nations people like you who are such a part of the game of hockey. Thank you for coming to talk to us.”
Mr. McGregor was one of the founding members of the first Little Native Hockey League (Little NHL) tournament. He told members of the Leafs that the tournament, “started in 1971 in Little Current, a little town on Manitoulin Island.” The annual tournament, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, “is kind of an inspiration for them (participants). When they are at home there is nothing for them like this, and they look forward to the tournament every year.”
“Teams and players come back to the tournament every year from all over Ontario,” added Mr. McGregor.
Mr. McGregor was accompanied on the trip to Toronto by his son and his great-granddaughter. “My son Jerry is involved with the Little NHL, he is a member on the executive and he took me down to Toronto. And my great-granddaughter Sunshine Toulouse was with us as well. She plays for the Manitoulin girls U16 hockey team that plays all over Northern Ontario.”
“I ended up going to the Maple Leafs dressing room to talk to the players about the Little NHL,” said Mr. McGregor. “There was a fellow who introduced me to the Leafs, but they already knew who I was.”
Mr. McGregor said he, along with Earl Abotossaway of Aundeck Omni Kaning, Norm Debassige and Jim Debassige, both of M’Chigeeng First Nation and Rev. Leonard Self, SJ (all four predeceased) were the founding members of the Little NHL.
“It all started in Little Current. That’s where it all began in 1971,” said Mr. McGregor. “There were 16 teams in that first tournament. A team from Moosonee travelled the furthest, and they won the championship in their division.”
“That first LNHL had teams in three divisions, atom, peewee and bantam,” said Mr. McGregor. “After a few years we added a novice division. And now we have girls’ team divisions at all levels, from the smallest to the midgets. These girls always put on a real show, they are very talented.”
Mr. McGregor also played for Manitoulin Hockey League’s famed Sheg Bears team, which won the coveted Pearson Trophy—donated by Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, MP for Algoma East, of which Manitoulin was a part—three consecutive years, the last time in 1961. The trophy remains at the Northeast Town arena to this day and while many of the original team has passed away, those that remain share a great pride in having donned the Bears jersey those 50 years ago.
As for meeting the Maple Leafs team Mr. McGregor said, “I’m sure I was more excited than they were. I couldn’t believe I was in the Maple Leafs dressing room talking to the players. I was wondering how many other people get this opportunity. And it was great because they really took time to listen to my story about the Little NHL.”
