Winnipeg Warriors (minor pro)

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The Winnipeg Warriors of the minor professional Western Hockey League (minor pro) played from 1955 to 1961.

The Warriors, coached by Alfie Pike, assembled an outstanding team for its debut season. Billy Mosienko, the Winnipegger famous for scoring the fastest 3 goals in NHL history (in 21 seconds) with the Chicago Blackhawks, was lured home to anchor the team. Points leaders were Barry Cullen, Paul Masnick, Eddie Mazur, Hugh Barlow, 'Skippy' Burchell, Brian Cullen, Mosienko, Mike Nykoluk, Gary Aldcorn, and Fred Shero. Other team mates included Garry Blaine, Danny Summers, Bill Burega, Eric Nesterenko, Bill Juzda, Ed Chadwick, and Mickey Keating.

The Warriors went on in that first season to win the Edinburgh Cup, emblematic of the world's minor professional hockey championship. The team also set Western Hockey League attendance records in that season.

Founded by John D. (Jack) Perrin, Jr., as Vice President and General Manager and his father J. D. Perrin, a wealthy Winnipeg-based gold mining financier as President, the Warriors were the first tenant in the then-new 9,500 seat Winnipeg Arena. The grand opening of the arena was held in conjunction with the first game played in the new building featuring the Warriors against the Calgary Stampeders (hockey). J. D. Perrin dropped the puck for the first ceremonial face-off before a sold-out crowd of 9,500. This occasion marked the return of professional hockey to Winnipeg after a prolonged absence.

The Warriors were the first Winnipeg team to use the name "Warriors" and developed the distinctive crest design featuring a traditional aboriginal warrior seated straddling a skate blade, wearing hockey shin pads and carrying a hockey stick in one hand and a raised tomahawk in the other hand. This design was later used by other teams. Interestingly, the Warriors was also one of the first teams in hockey to introduce the innovation of printing the team crest on the hockey puck.

The Warriors organization developed two MJHL teams, the St. Boniface Canadians and the Winnipeg Braves, and acquired Winnipeg's Olympic Rink to provide a venue for junior hockey in Winnipeg. The 1958-59 Braves were the last team from Winnipeg to win the Memorial Cup.

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