Peter Svela was the original catalyst for starting the Elliot Lake Vikings. The team was fairly competitive until 1970 under the coaching of Barry Johnston, at a time when from 1966 to 1971 the dominant teams in the league were the Chapleau Huskies, the Blind River Beavers, and the Soo Michigan Indians. From 1971 to 1973, the team was poorly managed, was not competitive, and was on the verge of bankruptcy. The original charter for the team was set up as a non-profit organization and relied on various fundraising activities to meet its financial requirements.