Originally there was supposed to be a combined Manitoba - Thunder Bay senior league. However the Winnipeg Maroons joined the Central Amateur Hockey League and took most of the best Manitoba senior players with them. This prevented the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association from fulfilling its obligations to this combined senior league. Both the Fort William and Port Arthur teams were invited to join the Central League but they refused. Port Arthur, as the defending Allan Cup champion, felt a special obligation to stay in the Allan Cup playoffs. Fort William stayed as well.