Eastern Professional Hockey League (1959–1963)

The Eastern Professional Hockey League (EPHL) was a professional ice hockey league based primarily in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec in Canada, and briefly in the United States. It operated from 1959 to 1963.

Founded as a response to the dwindling number of professional hockey leagues and the need for a development league for the National Hockey League (NHL), the EPHL aimed to provide quality hockey at a lower cost than the established major professional leagues. Several of its teams were affiliated with NHL clubs, serving as farm teams for player development.

Teams participating in the EPHL included the Belleville McFarlands, Brockville Canadiens, Hull-Ottawa Canadiens, Kingston Frontenacs, Kitchener-Waterloo Beavers, North Bay Trappers, Peterborough Petes, and Sudbury Wolves. Team affiliations shifted throughout the league's history.

The EPHL was known for its rough and physical style of play, a characteristic that both attracted fans and contributed to its relatively short lifespan. Financial instability, stemming from low attendance and rising operating costs, proved to be a significant challenge for many teams.

The league folded in 1963, with some teams moving on to other leagues, and some ceasing operations altogether. Despite its brief existence, the EPHL played a role in developing players who would later go on to successful careers in the NHL. It also provided entertainment for hockey fans in smaller communities underserved by major professional hockey. Its legacy is as a hard-nosed, cost-conscious league that ultimately failed to sustain itself financially.