Canadian Junior A Hockey League
Encyclopedia
The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), an association of Canadian
Junior A
ice hockey
leagues and teams, formed in November 1993, emerging from the Canada West Association of Junior 'A' Hockey. The champion of the Canadian Junior Hockey League wins the Royal Bank Cup
.
The CJHL spans the majority of Canada, from the Pacific Coast
to the Atlantic Coast
. The only regional organizations of Hockey Canada
to currently not have member teams or a league are Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador
and Hockey North
. In addition to Hockey NL and Hockey North, Hockey New Brunswick
and Hockey PEI do not have their own leagues, but have teams from their region playing under Hockey Nova Scotia
with the Maritime Junior Hockey League.
, and Western Canada Hockey League
tore away from the major branches of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
and became its own governing body (what would become the Canadian Hockey League
). These "Major Junior" Leagues only competed against each other and did not include other Junior "A" leagues that were left behind. The Major Junior League also were permitted to exclusively compete for the Memorial Cup
, a right given to all Junior "A" leagues prior to 1970.
In May 1970, Frank McKinnon
tabled a motion at the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
AGM to allow the remaining Junior "A" Leagues to compete at a national level for a national championship. The motion was granted and McKinnon and the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association
donated the Manitoba Centennial Trophy to the new championship in honour of 100 years of ice hockey in Manitoba
.
In 1971, the Newfoundland Amateur Hockey Association
jumped on board by allowing their provincial Junior champion to compete in the Centennial Cup playdowns. This lasted until 1977. Also in 1971, the Maritime Junior A Hockey League folded, leaving the Charlottetown Islanders (the defending Hewitt-Dudley Memorial Trophy champions) to enter the Centennial Cup playdowns as an independent team. Also in 1971, the Newfoundland Junior A Hockey League
entered the fray. In 1972, the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey Association
folded when two of its teams (Sudbury Wolves
and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
) jumped to Major Junior. The Charlottetown Islanders closed their doors after a marginal performance in the 1972 playdowns. Two new leagues came in 1972, the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League
was created as a rival league to the Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League. The SOJHL was more in Southwestern Ontario
, while the OPJHL focused more on the Greater Toronto Area
. The other new league was the Quebec Junior A Hockey League
.
In 1973, the Island Junior Hockey League
of Prince Edward Island
made the jump from Junior B to Junior A. In 1975, the Eastern Junior A Hockey League
ascended to Junior A from the Junior B ranks in Cape Breton Island
. Then, in 1977, the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League
jumped from Junior B to Junior A in mainland Nova Scotia
. After one year of playing head-to-head for the provincial Junior A title, the EJHL folded and left the MVJHL as the only league in Nova Scotia. After various attempts to create a stable Junior A system in Newfoundland, the NAHA and its teams pulled out of National play in 1977. The Southern Ontario league folded in 1977, the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League
was promoted to Junior A in 1978 and the NorMan Junior Hockey League
was promoted to Junior A in Manitoba
in 1979. A second league was founded in British Columbia
in 1974, the Pacific Coast Junior Hockey League
was created to compete with the British Columbia Junior Hockey League - this league was absorbed by the BCJHL in 1979. A year later, the Peace-Cariboo Junior Hockey League was promoted from Junior B in East-Central British Columbia. That same year, the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League folded. They were replaced by a single team, the Thunder Bay Kings
later to be the two-time Centennial Cup champion Thunder Bay Flyers
.
The summer of 1982 saw the folding of the Quebec Junior A League. In 1983, the New Brunswick Junior Hockey League
folded and merged with the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League. In 1985, the NorMan Junior Hockey League faltered and folded. In 1987, the OPJHL, then known as the Ontario Junior Hockey League, folded after dropping to only four teams. During the 1988 Centennial Cup playoff run, the Black Lake Miners of Quebec
were allowed to enter as an independent team. That summer, the Quebec Provincial Junior Hockey League was formed, rebranded the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League
in 1997. In 1989, Newfoundland would take a second shot at Junior A with the promotion of the St. John's Junior Hockey League. The league dropped back to Junior B in 1991. Also in 1991, the Island Junior Hockey League
folded and merged with the Metro Valley league. The Metro Valley League now had all three Maritime provinces incorporated in it and decided to change its name to the Maritime Junior A Hockey League
. Out West in 1991, the Peace-Cariboo league expanded south into the Kootenays
and rebranded itself as the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League
. In 1993, Southern Ontario
came back in a big way with two leagues—the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League
and the Metro Junior A Hockey League
. By 1998, the two leagues would merge under the Ontario Provincial banner with 37 teams under its belt. In 1999, the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League folded. In 2000, the Thunder Bay Flyers folded, having competed strictly in the United States Hockey League
since the 1996-97 season. A year later, their void was filled by the Superior International Junior Hockey League
. In 2008, the Ontario Provincial League rebranded itself the Ontario Junior Hockey League, just two be divided into two leagues in 2009 (Central Canadian Hockey League and Ontario Junior A Hockey League), and be reunited in time for playoffs that year under the Ontario Junior Hockey League banner. In 2010, the Central Junior A Hockey League became the Central Canada Hockey League.
The leagues/entities making up the original CJAHL in 1993:
(Eastern Region - Maritimes
, Quebec
, Ottawa District), the Dudley Hewitt Cup
(Central Region - Southern Ontario
, Northeastern Ontario
, Northwestern Ontario
), the Anavet Cup
(Western Region - Manitoba
and Saskatchewan
), and the Doyle Cup
(Pacific Region - Alberta
and British Columbia
). The winners of the four regionals playoff with a host city for the Royal Bank Cup
to determine the National Champion.
There are a variety of trophies no longer used in the national playdown system. The Abbott Cup
and Hewitt-Dudley Memorial Trophy were awarded to Western and Eastern Canadian Champions respectively, then those two teams would square off for the Manitoba Centennial Cup, the National Championship. The Abbott Cup was no longer a major trophy after the 1989 Centennial Cup when both the Doyle Cup
and Anavet Cup
champions were granted entrance into the Centennial Cup round robin. The Hewitt-Dudley Memorial Trophy fell out of use after the 1978 Centennial Cup, but might have been brought back briefly after 1982. The Manitoba Centennial Cup was the Grand Championship of Junior A hockey in Canada from 1970 until 1995, when it was replaced by the corporately sponsored Royal Bank Cup
. In the early 1990s, the Callaghan Cup was replaced by the Fred Page Cup
. The Callaghan Cup was originally awarded to the Atlantic Junior A Champion between the winner of Newfoundland
, Prince Edward Island
, New Brunswick
, and Nova Scotia
, but after the three major Maritime
leagues merged and Newfoundland's final league departed the trophy had no real use. In 1995, the Quebec Provincial Junior Hockey League donated the Fred Page Cup
to create an Eastern Canadian championship between the Maritimes, Quebec, and the Ottawa District of Ontario
. The Dudley Hewitt Cup
used to represent all of Ontario and Quebec, but with so many leagues in that region in the mid-1990s and the MJAHL's champion getting a direct ride to the National Championship, the Fred Page Cup became a necessity.
In 2005, the CJAHL created the CJAHL Prospects Game (now called the CJHL Prospects Game) where top players compete in a Team West versus Team East format for the President's Cup in front of the scouting community. In 2006, in conjunction with the Hockey Canada
, the World Junior A Challenge
was formed. At the WJAC, a prospects team from the five western leagues and the five eastern leagues of the CJHL host national prospect teams from around the world in an international tournament hosted by a town with a CJHL franchise. From 2011 on, the CJHL Prospects Game became an event at the World Junior A Challenge.
Click Here
to see the Canadian Junior A Hockey League's Playoff and National Championship.
or World Hockey Association
Draft. Any league or independent team with a grey background is defunct. These numbers do not include the hundreds of players who played in the CJHL, moved up to Canadian Hockey League
, NCAA, or United States Hockey League
and were then drafted.
Other notable players to be drafted directly from Junior A hockey include: Al MacAdam
, Ken Houston, Cam Botting
, Troy Murray
, Chris Chelios
, Dave Ellett, Ray Ferraro
, Tony Hrkac
, Brett Hull
, Tom Tilley
, Danton Cole
, Mike Eastwood
, Garry Valk
, Dixon Ward
, Greg Johnson, Anson Carter
, Ryan Johnson, and Bates Battaglia
.
At the 2011 Royal Bank Cup
it was announced that starting with the 2011 World Junior A Challenge
that the CJHL Prospects Game would take place at the WJAC.
Single Game Event
Two Game Series
Quebec
Ontario
Manitoba
British Columbia
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Junior A
Junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
leagues and teams, formed in November 1993, emerging from the Canada West Association of Junior 'A' Hockey. The champion of the Canadian Junior Hockey League wins the Royal Bank Cup
Royal Bank Cup
The Royal Bank Cup is an annual ice hockey tournament held to determine the Canadian Junior A champion. The winner of the tournament wins the Royal Bank Cup...
.
The CJHL spans the majority of Canada, from the Pacific Coast
Pacific Coast
A country's Pacific coast is the part of its coast bordering the Pacific Ocean.-The Americas:Countries on the western side of the Americas have a Pacific coast as their western border.* Geography of Canada* Geography of Chile* Geography of Colombia...
to the Atlantic Coast
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. The only regional organizations of Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada, formally known as the Canadian Hockey Association, is the national governing body of ice hockey in Canada and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. Hockey Canada controls a vast majority of ice hockey in Canada, with a few exceptions...
to currently not have member teams or a league are Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador
Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador
Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador is the governing body of all ice hockey in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador is a branch of Hockey Canada.-Leagues:*Newfoundland Senior Hockey League*Central Newfoundland Hockey League*St...
and Hockey North
Hockey North
Hockey North is the governing body of all ice hockey in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, Canada.-History:Hockey North is a branch of Hockey Canada. The organization is divided into two regional bodies: the Northwest Territories Hockey Association and the Nunavut Hockey Association...
. In addition to Hockey NL and Hockey North, Hockey New Brunswick
Hockey New Brunswick
Hockey New Brunswick is the governing body of all ice hockey in New Brunswick, Canada. Hockey New Brunswick is a branch of Hockey Canada.-Leagues & Entities:*Maritime Junior A Hockey League*New Brunswick Junior B Hockey League...
and Hockey PEI do not have their own leagues, but have teams from their region playing under Hockey Nova Scotia
Hockey Nova Scotia
Hockey Nova Scotia is the governing body of all ice hockey in Nova Scotia, Canada. Hockey Nova Scotia is a branch of Hockey Canada.-Leagues:*Maritime Junior A Hockey League Tier II Junior "A"*Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League Junior "B"...
with the Maritime Junior Hockey League.
Beginning
In reality, the CJHL received its start in 1970 when the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey LeagueQuebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...
, and Western Canada Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
tore away from the major branches of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey play in Canada from 1914 until 1994 when it merged with the Canadian Hockey Association or Hockey Canada....
and became its own governing body (what would become the Canadian Hockey League
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canadian-based major junior ice hockey leagues for players 16 to 20 years of age. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey...
). These "Major Junior" Leagues only competed against each other and did not include other Junior "A" leagues that were left behind. The Major Junior League also were permitted to exclusively compete for the Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
, a right given to all Junior "A" leagues prior to 1970.
In May 1970, Frank McKinnon
Frank McKinnon Scholarship
Frank McKinnon served 18 years as a member of the MAHA and five year as a member of the CAHA. He was a Vice-President and Director of the Sports Federation of Canada, a Vice-President of the Canadian Olympic Association, a Congress member of the International Ice Hockey Federation and a Trustee...
tabled a motion at the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey play in Canada from 1914 until 1994 when it merged with the Canadian Hockey Association or Hockey Canada....
AGM to allow the remaining Junior "A" Leagues to compete at a national level for a national championship. The motion was granted and McKinnon and the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association
Hockey Manitoba
Hockey Manitoba is the governing body of all amateur ice hockey in Manitoba, Canada. Hockey Manitoba is a branch affiliate of Hockey Canada. Hockey Manitoba was founded in 1914 as the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association.-Leagues:...
donated the Manitoba Centennial Trophy to the new championship in honour of 100 years of ice hockey in Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
.
Leagues
The leagues that would be involved in that first year were:- British Columbia Junior Hockey LeagueBritish Columbia Hockey LeagueThe British Columbia Hockey League is a Junior "A" ice hockey league from British Columbia under Hockey Canada, a subsection of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Founded in Vernon in 1961, the BCHL now includes 16 teams. These teams play in two conferences, known as the Coastal and the Interior...
(BCJHL) - Alberta Junior Hockey LeagueAlberta Junior Hockey LeagueThe Alberta Junior Hockey League is an Alberta-based Junior A hockey league that belongs to the Canadian Junior Hockey League . It was formed as a five-team league in 1964. There are currently 16 teams in the league. The regular season league champions receive the Dave Duchak Trophy...
(AJHL) - Saskatchewan Amateur Junior Hockey LeagueSaskatchewan Junior Hockey LeagueThe Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under Hockey Canada, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Open to North American-born players 20 years of age or younger, the SJHL's 12 teams play in two divisions: the Bauer and Sherwood conferences...
(SAJHL) - Manitoba Junior Hockey LeagueManitoba Junior Hockey LeagueThe Manitoba Junior Hockey League is a Junior 'A' ice hockey league operating in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The MJHL is one of eleven Junior 'A' Hockey Leagues in Canada and is a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League ....
(MJHL) - Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey LeagueThunder Bay Junior A Hockey LeagueThe Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league that existed from circa 1920 to 1980. The TBJHL operated in Northwestern Ontario, primarily in the Thunder Bay region....
(TBJHL) - Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey LeagueSouthern Ontario Junior A Hockey League----The Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League was a Tier II Junior "A" ice hockey that lasted from the late 1960s until 1977 in Southern Ontario, Canada. The league was swallowed by what is now called the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League in 1977....
(SOJHL) - Central Junior A Hockey LeagueCentral Junior A Hockey LeagueThe Central Canada Hockey League is a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey league operating in eastern Ontario, Canada. The league is sanctioned by the Ottawa District Hockey Association and Hockey Canada and is a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League...
(CJHL) - Northern Ontario Junior Hockey AssociationNorthern Ontario Junior Hockey AssociationThe Northern Ontario Junior Hockey Association was a Junior A ice hockey league based in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. The league lasted from 1962 until 1972 and competed for the Memorial Cup from 1962 until 1970 and the Manitoba Centennial Trophy from 1970 until 1972.-History:The Northern Ontario...
(NOJHA) - Maritime Junior A Hockey LeagueMaritime Junior A Hockey League (1968–1971)The original Maritime Junior A Hockey League was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league from 1968 until 1971 in the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island...
(MJAHL) - New Brunswick Junior Hockey LeagueNew Brunswick Junior Hockey LeagueThe New Brunswick Junior C Hockey League was a Junior ice hockey league in New Brunswick, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada. The winner of the playoffs competed in the Maritime-Hockey North Junior C Championships.-History:...
(NBJHL)
In 1971, the Newfoundland Amateur Hockey Association
Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador
Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador is the governing body of all ice hockey in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador is a branch of Hockey Canada.-Leagues:*Newfoundland Senior Hockey League*Central Newfoundland Hockey League*St...
jumped on board by allowing their provincial Junior champion to compete in the Centennial Cup playdowns. This lasted until 1977. Also in 1971, the Maritime Junior A Hockey League folded, leaving the Charlottetown Islanders (the defending Hewitt-Dudley Memorial Trophy champions) to enter the Centennial Cup playdowns as an independent team. Also in 1971, the Newfoundland Junior A Hockey League
Newfoundland Junior A Hockey League
The Newfoundland Junior A Hockey League was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league in the province of Newfoundland. The NJAHL was in competition for the Callaghan Cup and the Canadian National Junior A Championship, the Centennial Cup.-History:...
entered the fray. In 1972, the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey Association
Northern Ontario Junior Hockey Association
The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey Association was a Junior A ice hockey league based in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. The league lasted from 1962 until 1972 and competed for the Memorial Cup from 1962 until 1970 and the Manitoba Centennial Trophy from 1970 until 1972.-History:The Northern Ontario...
folded when two of its teams (Sudbury Wolves
Sudbury Wolves
The Sudbury Wolves are the name of the ice hockey team from Sudbury, Ontario. Sudbury has had a hockey team known as the "Wolves" nearly every year since World War I. The Sudbury Wolves, the senior men's AAA team, have twice been chosen to be Canada's representatives at the Ice Hockey World...
and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the Essar Centre. The present team was founded in 1962 as a team in the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. The Greyhounds name has been used by several ice hockey...
) jumped to Major Junior. The Charlottetown Islanders closed their doors after a marginal performance in the 1972 playdowns. Two new leagues came in 1972, the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League
Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (1972-1987)
The Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league based in Ontario and sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The league operated from 1972 until 1987. This league was the forerunner to the current Ontario...
was created as a rival league to the Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League. The SOJHL was more in Southwestern Ontario
Southwestern Ontario
Southwestern Ontario is a subregion of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario, centred on the city of London. It extends north to south from the Bruce Peninsula on Lake Huron to the Lake Erie shoreline, and east to south-west roughly from Guelph to Windsor. The region had a population...
, while the OPJHL focused more on the Greater Toronto Area
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
. The other new league was the Quebec Junior A Hockey League
Quebec Junior A Hockey League
The Quebec Junior A Hockey League was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league from Quebec that operated from 1972 until 1982. The QJAHL was a member of Hockey Quebec and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association and was eligible for the Dudley Hewitt Cup and Centennial Cup.-History:The Quebec Junior A...
.
In 1973, the Island Junior Hockey League
Island Junior Hockey League (1973–1991)
The Island Junior Hockey League , also sometimes called the PEI Junior A Hockey League, was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league in Prince Edward Island. Originally a Junior B team, the league was promoted to Junior A in 1973 after the folding of the Charlottetown Islanders in 1972.-History:The...
of Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
made the jump from Junior B to Junior A. In 1975, the Eastern Junior A Hockey League
Eastern Junior A Hockey League
The Eastern Junior A Hockey League was a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey league from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. The Eastern Junior A Hockey League was in competition for the Manitoba Centennial Cup, the National Junior A Championship from 1975 until 1978.-History:In the mid-1970s,...
ascended to Junior A from the Junior B ranks in Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
. Then, in 1977, the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League
Maritime Junior A Hockey League
The Maritime Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under Hockey Canada, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. It consists of four teams from New Brunswick and one team from Prince Edward Island, which make up the Roger Meek Division, and six teams from Nova Scotia which make...
jumped from Junior B to Junior A in mainland Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. After one year of playing head-to-head for the provincial Junior A title, the EJHL folded and left the MVJHL as the only league in Nova Scotia. After various attempts to create a stable Junior A system in Newfoundland, the NAHA and its teams pulled out of National play in 1977. The Southern Ontario league folded in 1977, the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League
Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League
The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under the supervision of the Canadian Junior Hockey League, the Northern Ontario Hockey Association, and Hockey Canada. The winner of the NOJHL playoffs competes for the Dudley Hewitt Cup with the winners of the Ontario...
was promoted to Junior A in 1978 and the NorMan Junior Hockey League
NorMan Junior Hockey League
The NorMan Junior Hockey League was Junior A hockey league in Northern Manitoba, Canada from 1978 until 1985. The NJHL was a member of the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association, a part of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association...
was promoted to Junior A in Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
in 1979. A second league was founded in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
in 1974, the Pacific Coast Junior Hockey League
Pacific Coast Junior Hockey League
The Pacific Junior A Hockey League was a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey league operating in British Columbia from 1971 until 1979.-History:...
was created to compete with the British Columbia Junior Hockey League - this league was absorbed by the BCJHL in 1979. A year later, the Peace-Cariboo Junior Hockey League was promoted from Junior B in East-Central British Columbia. That same year, the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League folded. They were replaced by a single team, the Thunder Bay Kings
Thunder Bay Flyers
The Thunder Bay Flyers were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.-History:On July 6, 1980, the Degagne Buccaneers and Thunder Bay North Stars were informed by the TBAHA that they would not be permitted to field teams in the 1980-81 City League...
later to be the two-time Centennial Cup champion Thunder Bay Flyers
Thunder Bay Flyers
The Thunder Bay Flyers were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.-History:On July 6, 1980, the Degagne Buccaneers and Thunder Bay North Stars were informed by the TBAHA that they would not be permitted to field teams in the 1980-81 City League...
.
The summer of 1982 saw the folding of the Quebec Junior A League. In 1983, the New Brunswick Junior Hockey League
New Brunswick Junior Hockey League
The New Brunswick Junior C Hockey League was a Junior ice hockey league in New Brunswick, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada. The winner of the playoffs competed in the Maritime-Hockey North Junior C Championships.-History:...
folded and merged with the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League. In 1985, the NorMan Junior Hockey League faltered and folded. In 1987, the OPJHL, then known as the Ontario Junior Hockey League, folded after dropping to only four teams. During the 1988 Centennial Cup playoff run, the Black Lake Miners of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
were allowed to enter as an independent team. That summer, the Quebec Provincial Junior Hockey League was formed, rebranded the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League
Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League
The Ligue de Hockey Junior AAA Quebec or Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League is a Hockey Quebec Junior "AAA" ice hockey league and is a member of Hockey Canada and the Canadian Junior Hockey League...
in 1997. In 1989, Newfoundland would take a second shot at Junior A with the promotion of the St. John's Junior Hockey League. The league dropped back to Junior B in 1991. Also in 1991, the Island Junior Hockey League
Island Junior Hockey League (1973–1991)
The Island Junior Hockey League , also sometimes called the PEI Junior A Hockey League, was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league in Prince Edward Island. Originally a Junior B team, the league was promoted to Junior A in 1973 after the folding of the Charlottetown Islanders in 1972.-History:The...
folded and merged with the Metro Valley league. The Metro Valley League now had all three Maritime provinces incorporated in it and decided to change its name to the Maritime Junior A Hockey League
Maritime Junior A Hockey League
The Maritime Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under Hockey Canada, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. It consists of four teams from New Brunswick and one team from Prince Edward Island, which make up the Roger Meek Division, and six teams from Nova Scotia which make...
. Out West in 1991, the Peace-Cariboo league expanded south into the Kootenays
Kootenays
The Kootenay Region comprises the southeastern portion of British Columbia. It takes its name from the Kootenay River, which in turn was named for the Ktunaxa First Nation first encountered by explorer David Thompson.-Boundaries:The Kootenays are more or less defined by the Kootenay Land...
and rebranded itself as the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League
Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League
The Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League was a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey league in British Columbia.In 1975, the Quesnel Millionaires and Prince George Spruce Kings joined the Peace Junior B Hockey League. The PJBHL already included the Fort St. John Huskies, Dawson Creek Canucks, and Grande...
. In 1993, Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
came back in a big way with two leagues—the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League
Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League
The Ontario Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under the supervision of the Ontario Hockey Association and the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The league dates back to 1954 as the Central Junior B Hockey League. In 1993, the Central Junior B Hockey League was promoted to the...
and the Metro Junior A Hockey League
Metro Junior A Hockey League
----The Metro Junior "A" Hockey League was a junior level ice hockey league based out of Southern Ontario. The league originated in 1956 as the Metro Junior "B" Hockey League, which lasted until 1991, when it changed its designation from Junior B to Junior A. It remained a Jr...
. By 1998, the two leagues would merge under the Ontario Provincial banner with 37 teams under its belt. In 1999, the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League folded. In 2000, the Thunder Bay Flyers folded, having competed strictly in the United States Hockey League
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
since the 1996-97 season. A year later, their void was filled by the Superior International Junior Hockey League
Superior International Junior Hockey League
The Superior International Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under the supervision of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Hockey Canada. The winner of the SIJHL playoffs competes for the Dudley Hewitt Cup with the winners of the Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Northern...
. In 2008, the Ontario Provincial League rebranded itself the Ontario Junior Hockey League, just two be divided into two leagues in 2009 (Central Canadian Hockey League and Ontario Junior A Hockey League), and be reunited in time for playoffs that year under the Ontario Junior Hockey League banner. In 2010, the Central Junior A Hockey League became the Central Canada Hockey League.
Governance
In 1990, the western Junior A leagues in Canada would form the Canada West Association. This organization would be the catalyst for the creation of the Canadian Junior A Hockey League in 1993. In 2008, the league was rebranded the "Canadian Junior Hockey League".The leagues/entities making up the original CJAHL in 1993:
- British Columbia Hockey LeagueBritish Columbia Hockey LeagueThe British Columbia Hockey League is a Junior "A" ice hockey league from British Columbia under Hockey Canada, a subsection of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Founded in Vernon in 1961, the BCHL now includes 16 teams. These teams play in two conferences, known as the Coastal and the Interior...
- Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey LeagueRocky Mountain Junior Hockey LeagueThe Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League was a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey league in British Columbia.In 1975, the Quesnel Millionaires and Prince George Spruce Kings joined the Peace Junior B Hockey League. The PJBHL already included the Fort St. John Huskies, Dawson Creek Canucks, and Grande...
- Alberta Junior Hockey LeagueAlberta Junior Hockey LeagueThe Alberta Junior Hockey League is an Alberta-based Junior A hockey league that belongs to the Canadian Junior Hockey League . It was formed as a five-team league in 1964. There are currently 16 teams in the league. The regular season league champions receive the Dave Duchak Trophy...
- Saskatchewan Junior Hockey LeagueSaskatchewan Junior Hockey LeagueThe Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under Hockey Canada, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Open to North American-born players 20 years of age or younger, the SJHL's 12 teams play in two divisions: the Bauer and Sherwood conferences...
- Manitoba Junior Hockey LeagueManitoba Junior Hockey LeagueThe Manitoba Junior Hockey League is a Junior 'A' ice hockey league operating in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The MJHL is one of eleven Junior 'A' Hockey Leagues in Canada and is a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League ....
- Thunder Bay FlyersThunder Bay FlyersThe Thunder Bay Flyers were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.-History:On July 6, 1980, the Degagne Buccaneers and Thunder Bay North Stars were informed by the TBAHA that they would not be permitted to field teams in the 1980-81 City League...
(Representative of Hockey Northwestern OntarioHockey Northwestern OntarioHockey Northwestern Ontario is the governing body of all ice hockey in Northern Ontario, Canada. Hockey Northwestern Ontario is a branch of Hockey Canada.-Jurisdiction:...
) - Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey LeagueOntario Provincial Junior A Hockey LeagueThe Ontario Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under the supervision of the Ontario Hockey Association and the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The league dates back to 1954 as the Central Junior B Hockey League. In 1993, the Central Junior B Hockey League was promoted to the...
- Metro Junior A Hockey LeagueMetro Junior A Hockey League----The Metro Junior "A" Hockey League was a junior level ice hockey league based out of Southern Ontario. The league originated in 1956 as the Metro Junior "B" Hockey League, which lasted until 1991, when it changed its designation from Junior B to Junior A. It remained a Jr...
- Northern Ontario Junior Hockey LeagueNorthern Ontario Junior Hockey LeagueThe Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under the supervision of the Canadian Junior Hockey League, the Northern Ontario Hockey Association, and Hockey Canada. The winner of the NOJHL playoffs competes for the Dudley Hewitt Cup with the winners of the Ontario...
- Central Junior A Hockey LeagueCentral Junior A Hockey LeagueThe Central Canada Hockey League is a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey league operating in eastern Ontario, Canada. The league is sanctioned by the Ottawa District Hockey Association and Hockey Canada and is a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League...
- Quebec Provincial Junior Hockey League
- Maritime Junior A Hockey LeagueMaritime Junior A Hockey LeagueThe Maritime Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under Hockey Canada, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. It consists of four teams from New Brunswick and one team from Prince Edward Island, which make up the Roger Meek Division, and six teams from Nova Scotia which make...
Trophies
To determine a National Champion, the winners of each league playdown in four regional championships—the Fred Page CupFred Page Cup
The Fred Page Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy, won by tournament, conducted by the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The award is given to the winner of a round robin and playoff between the Bogart Cup champions of the Central Junior Hockey League, the Kent Cup champions of the Maritime...
(Eastern Region - Maritimes
Maritimes
The Maritime provinces, also called the Maritimes or the Canadian Maritimes, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. On the Atlantic coast, the Maritimes are a subregion of Atlantic Canada, which also includes the...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Ottawa District), the Dudley Hewitt Cup
Dudley Hewitt Cup
The Dudley Hewitt Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy, won by tournaments conducted by the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The trophy was first awarded in 1979. The winner of the Dudley Hewitt Cup competes at the 2011 Royal Bank Cup.-History:...
(Central Region - Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
, Northeastern Ontario
Northeastern Ontario
Northeastern Ontario is the region within the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north and east of Lakes Superior and Huron.Northeastern Ontario consists of the districts of Algoma, Sudbury, Cochrane, Timiskaming, Nipissing and Manitoulin; and the single-tier municipality of Greater...
, Northwestern Ontario
Northwestern Ontario
Northwestern Ontario is the region within the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north and west of Lake Superior, and west of Hudson Bay and James Bay. It includes most of subarctic Ontario. Its western boundary is the Canadian province of Manitoba, which disputed Ontario's claim to the...
), the Anavet Cup
Anavet Cup
The Anavet Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy, won through a best-of-7 series, conducted by the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The series is played between the Turnbull Cup champions of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and the Credential Cup champions of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League...
(Western Region - Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
and Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
), and the Doyle Cup
Doyle Cup
The Doyle Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy, won through a best-of-7 series, conducted by the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The series is played between the Fred Page Cup champions of the British Columbia Hockey League and the Enerflex Cup champions of the Alberta Junior Hockey League...
(Pacific Region - Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
). The winners of the four regionals playoff with a host city for the Royal Bank Cup
Royal Bank Cup
The Royal Bank Cup is an annual ice hockey tournament held to determine the Canadian Junior A champion. The winner of the tournament wins the Royal Bank Cup...
to determine the National Champion.
There are a variety of trophies no longer used in the national playdown system. The Abbott Cup
Abbott Cup
The Abbott Memorial Cup, commonly referred to as the Abbott Cup, was awarded annually from 1919 through 1999 to the Junior "A" ice hockey Champion for Western Canada....
and Hewitt-Dudley Memorial Trophy were awarded to Western and Eastern Canadian Champions respectively, then those two teams would square off for the Manitoba Centennial Cup, the National Championship. The Abbott Cup was no longer a major trophy after the 1989 Centennial Cup when both the Doyle Cup
Doyle Cup
The Doyle Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy, won through a best-of-7 series, conducted by the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The series is played between the Fred Page Cup champions of the British Columbia Hockey League and the Enerflex Cup champions of the Alberta Junior Hockey League...
and Anavet Cup
Anavet Cup
The Anavet Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy, won through a best-of-7 series, conducted by the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The series is played between the Turnbull Cup champions of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and the Credential Cup champions of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League...
champions were granted entrance into the Centennial Cup round robin. The Hewitt-Dudley Memorial Trophy fell out of use after the 1978 Centennial Cup, but might have been brought back briefly after 1982. The Manitoba Centennial Cup was the Grand Championship of Junior A hockey in Canada from 1970 until 1995, when it was replaced by the corporately sponsored Royal Bank Cup
Royal Bank Cup
The Royal Bank Cup is an annual ice hockey tournament held to determine the Canadian Junior A champion. The winner of the tournament wins the Royal Bank Cup...
. In the early 1990s, the Callaghan Cup was replaced by the Fred Page Cup
Fred Page Cup
The Fred Page Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy, won by tournament, conducted by the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The award is given to the winner of a round robin and playoff between the Bogart Cup champions of the Central Junior Hockey League, the Kent Cup champions of the Maritime...
. The Callaghan Cup was originally awarded to the Atlantic Junior A Champion between the winner of Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, and Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, but after the three major Maritime
Maritimes
The Maritime provinces, also called the Maritimes or the Canadian Maritimes, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. On the Atlantic coast, the Maritimes are a subregion of Atlantic Canada, which also includes the...
leagues merged and Newfoundland's final league departed the trophy had no real use. In 1995, the Quebec Provincial Junior Hockey League donated the Fred Page Cup
Fred Page Cup
The Fred Page Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy, won by tournament, conducted by the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The award is given to the winner of a round robin and playoff between the Bogart Cup champions of the Central Junior Hockey League, the Kent Cup champions of the Maritime...
to create an Eastern Canadian championship between the Maritimes, Quebec, and the Ottawa District of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. The Dudley Hewitt Cup
Dudley Hewitt Cup
The Dudley Hewitt Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy, won by tournaments conducted by the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The trophy was first awarded in 1979. The winner of the Dudley Hewitt Cup competes at the 2011 Royal Bank Cup.-History:...
used to represent all of Ontario and Quebec, but with so many leagues in that region in the mid-1990s and the MJAHL's champion getting a direct ride to the National Championship, the Fred Page Cup became a necessity.
In 2005, the CJAHL created the CJAHL Prospects Game (now called the CJHL Prospects Game) where top players compete in a Team West versus Team East format for the President's Cup in front of the scouting community. In 2006, in conjunction with the Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada, formally known as the Canadian Hockey Association, is the national governing body of ice hockey in Canada and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. Hockey Canada controls a vast majority of ice hockey in Canada, with a few exceptions...
, the World Junior A Challenge
World Junior A Challenge
The World Junior A Challenge is an annual under-20 international ice hockey tournament sponsored by Hockey Canada, the Canadian Junior Hockey League , and the International Ice Hockey Federation . The tournament showcases Junior A level players and is modeled after the IIHF World U20...
was formed. At the WJAC, a prospects team from the five western leagues and the five eastern leagues of the CJHL host national prospect teams from around the world in an international tournament hosted by a town with a CJHL franchise. From 2011 on, the CJHL Prospects Game became an event at the World Junior A Challenge.
Current leagues
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2011 Royal Bank Cup
2011 Royal Bank Cup
The 2011 Royal Bank Cup was the Junior "A" 2011 ice hockey National Championship for the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The 2011 Royal Bank Cup marked the 41st consecutive year a national championship has been awarded to this skill level since the breakaway of Major Junior hockey in 1970.The Royal...
to see the Canadian Junior A Hockey League's Playoff and National Championship.
2011 Championships
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National Hockey League/World Hockey Association Draft
This is a list of players per league/independent team drafted since the inception of Junior A in 1970 directly from a Junior A team into the National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
or World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
Draft. Any league or independent team with a grey background is defunct. These numbers do not include the hundreds of players who played in the CJHL, moved up to Canadian Hockey League
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canadian-based major junior ice hockey leagues for players 16 to 20 years of age. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey...
, NCAA, or United States Hockey League
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
and were then drafted.
| Top 30 Overall Picks from CJHL:
Top 30 Overall Picks Prior to CJHL:
|
Other notable players to be drafted directly from Junior A hockey include: Al MacAdam
Al MacAdam
Reginald Allan MacAdam is a retired professional ice hockey player who spent 12 seasons in the National Hockey League between 1973 and 1985, and was twice selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game. He is best known for his time with the Minnesota North Stars, where he was one of the franchise's...
, Ken Houston, Cam Botting
Cam Botting
Cameron Allan Botting is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played two games in the National Hockey League for the Atlanta Flames.-External links:...
, Troy Murray
Troy Murray
Troy Norman Murray is a former professional ice hockey centre who played in the NHL. He is currently the color analyst on WGN-AM broadcasts of Chicago Blackhawks hockey games.-Amateur career:...
, Chris Chelios
Chris Chelios
Christos Kostas Tselios is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman. He is currently the Executive Advisor to Ken Holland, the general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, a role that Steve Yzerman held before leaving to become general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning.Chelios played...
, Dave Ellett, Ray Ferraro
Ray Ferraro
Raymond Ferraro is a retired professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League for the Hartford Whalers , New York Islanders , New York Rangers , Los Angeles Kings , Atlanta Thrashers and St. Louis Blues...
, Tony Hrkac
Tony Hrkac
Anthony J. "Tony" Hrkac is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played eighteen season of professional hockey. He is currently head coach of the Concordia University Men's Ice Hockey Team.-College:...
, Brett Hull
Brett Hull
Brett Andrew Hull is a former Canadian-American NHL player and the former Executive Vice President of the Dallas Stars. He is the son of Bobby Hull and nephew of Dennis Hull, both former NHL players. Hull is also known as "The Golden Brett," which is a play off of his father's nickname, "The...
, Tom Tilley
Tom Tilley
Thomas R. Tilley is a retired professional hockey player who played in the NHL with the St. Louis Blues. He played defense and shot right-handed....
, Danton Cole
Danton Cole
Danton E. Cole is a retired professional hockey player and current Head Coach at the USA Hockey Under 18 Developmental National Program, who played in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets, Tampa Bay Lightning, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, and Chicago Blackhawks...
, Mike Eastwood
Mike Eastwood
Michael Barry Eastwood is a retired Canadian ice hockey centre who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, New York Rangers, St...
, Garry Valk
Garry Valk
Garry Valk is a retired Canadian ice hockey player. He was selected 108th overall in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. Valk went on to have a distinguished NHL career spanning over a decade, debuting with the Vancouver Canucks in the 1990–91 season, scoring ten goals and eleven assists for twenty-one...
, Dixon Ward
Dixon Ward
Dixon McRae Ward is a former National Hockey League right wing. He was drafted in the seventh round, 128th overall, by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft....
, Greg Johnson, Anson Carter
Anson Carter
Anson Carter is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger of Barbadian descent who last played for HC Lugano in the Swiss Nationalliga A. In the past, he has played for eight different National Hockey League teams, most notably with the Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver...
, Ryan Johnson, and Bates Battaglia
Bates Battaglia
-International:-Personal life:Battaglia lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, the home of his former team, the Carolina Hurricanes. He owns a neighborhood bar called "Lucky B's Around The Corner," located in the heart of Raleigh's Glenwood South District. He is the grandson of Chicago Outfit loanshark...
.
CJHL Prospects Game
The President's Cup is awarded to the winning team at the CJHL Prospects Game. Team East (CHL, MHL, NOJHL, OJHL, and QJAAAHL players) and Team West (AJHL, BCHL, MJHL, SJHL, and SIJHL players) playoff in an annual event for the President's Cup at a predetermined host city in front of scores of fans and scouts. From 2005 until 2008, the event ran as a single game, but starting in 2009 the President's Cup will be played for in a two game series where the combined score of the games determines the winner of the event.At the 2011 Royal Bank Cup
2011 Royal Bank Cup
The 2011 Royal Bank Cup was the Junior "A" 2011 ice hockey National Championship for the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The 2011 Royal Bank Cup marked the 41st consecutive year a national championship has been awarded to this skill level since the breakaway of Major Junior hockey in 1970.The Royal...
it was announced that starting with the 2011 World Junior A Challenge
2011 World Junior A Challenge
The 2011 World Junior A Challenge was an international Junior "A" ice hockey tournament organized by Hockey Canada. It was hosted in Langley, British Columbia, from November 7–13, 2011, at the Langley Events Centre...
that the CJHL Prospects Game would take place at the WJAC.
Single Game Event
- 2005 Team West defeated Team East 5-4 in Yorkton, SaskatchewanYorkton, SaskatchewanYorkton is a city located in southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada, near the Manitoba border. Founded and incorporated in 1882 by a group of settlers from Ontario, it has grown to 15,038 residents as of the 2006 census. The city is bordered by the Rural Municipality of Orkney No. 244 and the Rural...
- 2006 Team West defeated Team East 6-2 in Vernon, British ColumbiaVernon, British ColumbiaVernon is a city in the south-central region of British Columbia, Canada. Named after Forbes George Vernon, a former MLA of British Columbia who helped found the famed Coldstream Ranch, the City of Vernon was incorporated on December 30, 1892. The City of Vernon has a population of 35,944 , while...
- 2007 Team East defeated Team West 5-3 in Winkler, ManitobaWinkler, ManitobaWinkler is a small city with a population of about 9,900 located in southern Manitoba, Canada in the Rural Municipality of Stanley...
- 2008 Team East defeated Team West 6-3 in Summerside, Prince Edward IslandSummerside, Prince Edward IslandSummerside is a Canadian city in Prince County, Prince Edward Island. It is the second largest city in the province and the principal municipality for the western part of the island.- History :...
Two Game Series
- 2009 Team West defeated Team East 8-3 (8-1, 0-2) in Winkler, ManitobaWinkler, ManitobaWinkler is a small city with a population of about 9,900 located in southern Manitoba, Canada in the Rural Municipality of Stanley...
- 2010 Team East defeated Team West 9-2 (2-1 SO, 7-1) in Dauphin, ManitobaDauphin, ManitobaDauphin is a small city in Manitoba, Canada, with a population of 7,906 as of 2006. The nearby lake was given the name "Dauphin" by the explorer Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye in 1741 in honour of the heir to the French throne...
- 2011 Team West defeated Team East 9-6 (4-3 OT, 5-3) in Langley, British ColumbiaLangley, British Columbia (city)The City of Langley is a municipality in Metro Vancouver. It lies directly east of the City of Surrey, adjacent to Cloverdale, and surrounded on the north, east and south by Township of Langley.-History:...
at 2011 World Junior A Challenge2011 World Junior A ChallengeThe 2011 World Junior A Challenge was an international Junior "A" ice hockey tournament organized by Hockey Canada. It was hosted in Langley, British Columbia, from November 7–13, 2011, at the Langley Events Centre... - 2012 in Yarmouth, Nova ScotiaYarmouth, Nova ScotiaYarmouth is a town and fishing port located on the Gulf of Maine in rural southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada. It is the shire town of Yarmouth County. The town is located in the heart of the world's largest lobster fishing grounds and has Canada's highest lobster catch.- History :The townsite may...
at 2012 World Junior A Challenge
Player of the Year Award
- 1971-1978 Unknown
- 1979 Tom Manley - Nepean RaidersNepean RaidersThe Nepean Raiders are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team from Nepean, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Central Canada Hockey League. The town of Nepean was granted expansion after the Cornwall Royals and the Hull Hawks left the CJHL for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League...
(CJHL) - 1980 Bruce Campbell - North River North Stars (IJHL)
- 1981 James Patrick - Prince Albert RaidersPrince Albert RaidersThe Prince Albert Raiders are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. The Raiders play in the East Division of the Eastern Conference. They are based in the Saskatchewan city of Prince Albert...
(SJHL) - 1982-1988 Unknown
- 1989 Greg Johnson - Thunder Bay FlyersThunder Bay FlyersThe Thunder Bay Flyers were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.-History:On July 6, 1980, the Degagne Buccaneers and Thunder Bay North Stars were informed by the TBAHA that they would not be permitted to field teams in the 1980-81 City League...
(USHL) - 1990 Duane Saulnier - Halifax Jr. Canadians (MVJHL)
- 1991 Devin Edgerton - Humboldt BroncosHumboldt BroncosThe Humboldt Broncos are an ice hockey team from Humboldt, Saskatchewan, Canada. The Broncos are two-time Royal Bank Cup national champions.-History:...
(SJHL) - 1992 Paul KariyaPaul KariyaPaul Tetsuhiko Kariya is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey winger who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League . Known as a skilled and fast-skating offensive player, he played in the NHL for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators and St...
- Penticton Panthers (BCHL) - 1993 Derek Cormier - Moncton BeaversMoncton BeaversThe Dieppe Commandos are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team from Dieppe, New Brunswick, Canada. They play in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League.-History:The Moncton Hawks were New Brunswick Junior Hockey League Junior A champions in 1981, 1982, and 1983....
(MJAHL) - 1994 Martin Duval - Chateauguay Elites (QPJHL)
- 1995 Cory CyrenneCory CyrenneCory Cyrenne is a former professional ice hockey player. He was named the Canadian Junior A Hockey Player of the Year in 1995 and received a hockey scholarship to Colorado College. He was also named the CHL's Sportsmanlike player of the year in 1998.Cyrenne was at times a controversial player...
- St. Boniface Saints (MJHL) - 1996 Trent Walfort - Newmarket 87's (OPJHL)
- 1997 Darryl Moxam - Rayside-Balfour SabrecatsRayside-Balfour SabrecatsThe Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Rayside-Balfour, Ontario, Canada. This defunct hockey team was a part of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.-History:...
(NOJHL) - 1998 Mike ComrieMike ComrieMichael William "Mike" Comrie is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre.He is married to Hilary Duff.-Playing career:Mike Comrie was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta and attended Jasper Place High School...
- St. Albert SaintsSt. Albert SaintsThe St. Albert Saints were a junior ice hockey franchise based in St. Albert, Alberta, for twenty-seven seasons from 1977 to 2004. Before 1977, the team played in nearby Spruce Grove as the Spruce Grove Mets, and in 2004 the team again moved to Spruce Grove where they now play as the Spruce Grove...
(AJHL) - 1999 Dany HeatleyDany HeatleyDaniel James Heatley is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger, and alternate captain for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League . Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the top NHL rookie in 2002...
- Calgary CanucksCalgary CanucksThe Calgary Canucks are a junior ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. They play in Calgary, Alberta, Canada at the Max Bell Centre, capacity 3500....
(AJHL) - 2000 Junior LessardJunior LessardLucien Lessard, Jr known as Junior Lessard is a professional ice hockey player currently playing for Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL.-Playing career:...
- Portage TerriersPortage TerriersThe Portage Terriers are a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey team from Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada. They are members of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, a part of the Canadian Junior A Hockey League and Hockey Canada.-History:...
(MJHL) - 2001 Tyler Brosz - Olds GrizzlysOlds GrizzlysThe Olds Grizzlys are an ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. They play in Olds, Alberta, Canada at the Olds & District Sports Complex, capacity 2200.The Grizzlys enjoyed a dynasty in the mid 1990s that culminated in a Centennial Cup title as national champions, won on home ice, in...
(AJHL) - 2002 Jeff TambelliniJeff TambelliniJeff Tambellini is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger playing for the ZSC Lions of the National League A . Originally selected 27th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, he joined the NHL in 2005. During his rookie season, he was traded to the New York Islanders...
- Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL) - 2003 Mark BomersbackMark BomersbackMark Bomersback is a Canadian ice hockey player who is currently playing with Rauman Lukko in the SM-liiga.As an amateur player Bomersback set the all time scoring record in the Alberta Junior Hockey League completing his AJHL career tallying 396 points in 250 games.-AJHL career:An Alberta born...
- Canmore EaglesCanmore EaglesThe Canmore Eagles are an ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. They play in Canmore, Alberta, Canada at the Canmore Recreation Centre, capacity 1000.-Season-by-season record:...
(AJHL) - 2004 Nick Johnson - St. Albert SaintsSt. Albert SaintsThe St. Albert Saints were a junior ice hockey franchise based in St. Albert, Alberta, for twenty-seven seasons from 1977 to 2004. Before 1977, the team played in nearby Spruce Grove as the Spruce Grove Mets, and in 2004 the team again moved to Spruce Grove where they now play as the Spruce Grove...
(AJHL) - 2005 Sam Colizza - Kingston VoyageursKingston VoyageursThe Kingston Voyageurs are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Kingston, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Ontario Junior A Hockey League.-History:The Voyageurs entered the Metro Junior B Hockey League in 1974...
(OPJHL) - 2006 Jordan Knox - Summerside Western CapitalsSummerside Western CapitalsThe Summerside Western Capitals are a Junior "A" hockey team based out of Summerside, Prince Edward Island. They play out of the Maritime Junior A Hockey League. The team currently plays their home games at the Consolidated Credit Union Place, but played at the Cahill Stadium for every other...
(MJAHL) - 2007 Kyle TurrisKyle TurrisKyle Turris is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre with the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League . He was selected third overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.-Playing career:...
- Burnaby ExpressBurnaby ExpressThe Coquitlam Express are a Junior "A" ice hockey team based in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League...
(BCHL) - 2008 Joe ColborneJoe ColborneJoe Colborne is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the first round, 16th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.-Playing career:...
- Camrose KodiaksCamrose KodiaksThe Camrose Kodiaks are a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. They play in Camrose, Alberta, Canada at the Edgeworth Centre's Encana Arena, capacity 2500+....
(AJHL) - 2009 Eric Delong - Portage TerriersPortage TerriersThe Portage Terriers are a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey team from Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada. They are members of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, a part of the Canadian Junior A Hockey League and Hockey Canada.-History:...
(MJHL) - 2010 Cody Kunyk - Sherwood Park CrusadersSherwood Park CrusadersThe Sherwood Park Crusaders are an ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. They play in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, at the Sherwood Park Arena, capacity 1800....
(AJHL) - 2011 Zach Hyman - Hamilton Red WingsHamilton Red Wings Jr. AThe Hamilton Red Wings are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League...
(OJHL)
RBC National Junior A Scholarship
Every year, each of the ten leagues of the CJHL choose their scholastic player of the year. One of these ten players is chosen to win the $5000 CAD RBC National Junior A Scolarship.- 2001 Mathiew Shank - Sudbury Jr. Wolves (NOJHL)
- 2002 Jeff Ellis - Charlottetown AbbiesCharlottetown AbbiesThe Charlottetown Abbies were a Junior "A" team based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. They played in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League. Their home rink was the MacLauchlan Arena on the campus of UPEI.-History:...
(MJAHL) - 2003 Donald Johnstone - Truro BearcatsTruro BearcatsThe Truro Bearcats are a Junior "A" team based out of Truro, Nova Scotia. The Bearcats are one of six Nova Scotian teams in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League.-History:The Truro Bearcats were formed in 1997 as a member of the Maritime Jr A Hockey League...
(MJAHL) - 2004 Adam Kinnaird - Fort Saskatchewan TradersFort Saskatchewan TradersThe Fort Saskatchewan Traders were an ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. They played in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada at the Jubilee Recreation Centre, capacity 2000....
(AJHL) - 2005 Sam Coliza - Kingston VoyageursKingston VoyageursThe Kingston Voyageurs are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Kingston, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Ontario Junior A Hockey League.-History:The Voyageurs entered the Metro Junior B Hockey League in 1974...
(OPJHL) - 2006 TJ Sutter - Nipawin HawksNipawin HawksThe Nipawin Hawks are a Junior "A" team based out of Nipawin, Saskatchewan. They play out of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. They play their home games at the Centennial Arena which has a seating capacity of 1,500. The team colors are black and yellow...
(MJHL) - 2007 Ian Macdonald - Kingston VoyageursKingston VoyageursThe Kingston Voyageurs are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Kingston, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Ontario Junior A Hockey League.-History:The Voyageurs entered the Metro Junior B Hockey League in 1974...
(OPJHL) - 2008 Danny Mireault - Joliette ActionJoliette ActionLe Rangers de Montreal-Est are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team from Montréal-Est, Quebec, Canada. They are a part of the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League.-2004-05 season:...
(QJAAAHL) - 2009 Kevin Ross - Alberni Valley BulldogsAlberni Valley BulldogsThe Alberni Valley Bulldogs are a Junior "A" ice hockey team based in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League . They play their home games at Weyerhaeuser Arena.-History:...
(BCHL) - 2010 Samuel MacCormick - Bridgewater Lumberjacks (MJAHL)
- 2011 Geoffrey Gieni - Soo ThunderbirdsSoo ThunderbirdsThe Soo Thunderbirds are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.-History:The Soo Thunderbirds will host the 2010 Dudley Hewitt Cup....
(NOJHL)
Former Competing Leagues & Entities
Atlantic Region- Eastern Junior A Hockey LeagueEastern Junior A Hockey LeagueThe Eastern Junior A Hockey League was a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey league from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. The Eastern Junior A Hockey League was in competition for the Manitoba Centennial Cup, the National Junior A Championship from 1975 until 1978.-History:In the mid-1970s,...
- Island Junior Hockey LeagueIsland Junior Hockey League (1973–1991)The Island Junior Hockey League , also sometimes called the PEI Junior A Hockey League, was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league in Prince Edward Island. Originally a Junior B team, the league was promoted to Junior A in 1973 after the folding of the Charlottetown Islanders in 1972.-History:The...
- Maritime Junior A Hockey League (1968–1971)Maritime Junior A Hockey League (1968–1971)The original Maritime Junior A Hockey League was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league from 1968 until 1971 in the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island...
- New Brunswick Junior Hockey LeagueNew Brunswick Junior Hockey LeagueThe New Brunswick Junior C Hockey League was a Junior ice hockey league in New Brunswick, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada. The winner of the playoffs competed in the Maritime-Hockey North Junior C Championships.-History:...
- Newfoundland Junior A Hockey LeagueNewfoundland Junior A Hockey LeagueThe Newfoundland Junior A Hockey League was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league in the province of Newfoundland. The NJAHL was in competition for the Callaghan Cup and the Canadian National Junior A Championship, the Centennial Cup.-History:...
- St. John's Junior Hockey League
Quebec
- Quebec Junior A Hockey LeagueQuebec Junior A Hockey LeagueThe Quebec Junior A Hockey League was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league from Quebec that operated from 1972 until 1982. The QJAHL was a member of Hockey Quebec and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association and was eligible for the Dudley Hewitt Cup and Centennial Cup.-History:The Quebec Junior A...
Ontario
- Metro Junior A Hockey LeagueMetro Junior A Hockey League----The Metro Junior "A" Hockey League was a junior level ice hockey league based out of Southern Ontario. The league originated in 1956 as the Metro Junior "B" Hockey League, which lasted until 1991, when it changed its designation from Junior B to Junior A. It remained a Jr...
- Northern Ontario Junior Hockey AssociationNorthern Ontario Junior Hockey AssociationThe Northern Ontario Junior Hockey Association was a Junior A ice hockey league based in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. The league lasted from 1962 until 1972 and competed for the Memorial Cup from 1962 until 1970 and the Manitoba Centennial Trophy from 1970 until 1972.-History:The Northern Ontario...
- Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (1972–1987)
- Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey LeagueSouthern Ontario Junior A Hockey League----The Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League was a Tier II Junior "A" ice hockey that lasted from the late 1960s until 1977 in Southern Ontario, Canada. The league was swallowed by what is now called the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League in 1977....
- Thunder Bay FlyersThunder Bay FlyersThe Thunder Bay Flyers were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.-History:On July 6, 1980, the Degagne Buccaneers and Thunder Bay North Stars were informed by the TBAHA that they would not be permitted to field teams in the 1980-81 City League...
(USHLUnited States Hockey LeagueThe United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
) - Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey LeagueThunder Bay Junior A Hockey LeagueThe Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league that existed from circa 1920 to 1980. The TBJHL operated in Northwestern Ontario, primarily in the Thunder Bay region....
Manitoba
- NorMan Junior Hockey LeagueNorMan Junior Hockey LeagueThe NorMan Junior Hockey League was Junior A hockey league in Northern Manitoba, Canada from 1978 until 1985. The NJHL was a member of the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association, a part of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association...
British Columbia
- Pacific Junior A Hockey League
- Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey LeagueRocky Mountain Junior Hockey LeagueThe Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League was a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey league in British Columbia.In 1975, the Quesnel Millionaires and Prince George Spruce Kings joined the Peace Junior B Hockey League. The PJBHL already included the Fort St. John Huskies, Dawson Creek Canucks, and Grande...
See also
- Royal Bank CupRoyal Bank CupThe Royal Bank Cup is an annual ice hockey tournament held to determine the Canadian Junior A champion. The winner of the tournament wins the Royal Bank Cup...
- Dudley Hewitt CupDudley Hewitt CupThe Dudley Hewitt Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy, won by tournaments conducted by the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The trophy was first awarded in 1979. The winner of the Dudley Hewitt Cup competes at the 2011 Royal Bank Cup.-History:...
- Fred Page CupFred Page CupThe Fred Page Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy, won by tournament, conducted by the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The award is given to the winner of a round robin and playoff between the Bogart Cup champions of the Central Junior Hockey League, the Kent Cup champions of the Maritime...
- Anavet CupAnavet CupThe Anavet Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy, won through a best-of-7 series, conducted by the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The series is played between the Turnbull Cup champions of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and the Credential Cup champions of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League...
- Doyle CupDoyle CupThe Doyle Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy, won through a best-of-7 series, conducted by the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The series is played between the Fred Page Cup champions of the British Columbia Hockey League and the Enerflex Cup champions of the Alberta Junior Hockey League...
- World Junior A ChallengeWorld Junior A ChallengeThe World Junior A Challenge is an annual under-20 international ice hockey tournament sponsored by Hockey Canada, the Canadian Junior Hockey League , and the International Ice Hockey Federation . The tournament showcases Junior A level players and is modeled after the IIHF World U20...
- Ontario Hockey AssociationOntario Hockey AssociationThe Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
- List of ice hockey leagues