Junior ice hockey
Encyclopedia
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. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each country.
In Canada, the highest level is major junior, and is governed by the Canadian Hockey League
, which itself has three constituent leagues: the Ontario Hockey League
, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
and the Western Hockey League
. The second tier is Junior A, governed nationally by the Canadian Junior Hockey League.
In the United States, the top level is Tier I, represented by the United States Hockey League
in the midwest. Tier II is represented by the North American Hockey League
, and there are various Tier III leagues throughout the country. In Europe, junior teams are often sponsored by professional teams, and act as development and feeder associations for those organizations.
Junior hockey is not to be confused with youth or minor hockey
.
is enacting rules designed to limit the number of 16-year-olds allowed to play junior hockey, preferring most remain at the midget level.
, which acts as the governing body for its three constituent leagues:
The CHL currently places a cap of three 20-year-old or overage players per team, while only four 16-year-olds are permitted. While fifteen-year-old players were formerly permitted to play a limited number of games per season at the CHL level, they are now permitted to play only if they are deemed exceptional by the CHL. Two players to date have qualified under this rule: center John Tavares in 2005 and defenseman Aaron Ekblad in 2011. CHL teams are currently permitted two imports, or European players each, though this cap is expected to be reduced to one within a couple of seasons.
CHL teams are considered professional by the NCAA; thus any player who plays a game at the Major Junior level loses his eligibility to play for American universities. He retains eligibility for Canadian universities however, and all three leagues have programs in place to grant scholarships for any player who plays in these leagues provided he does not turn professional once his junior career ends. Many of the top North American prospects for the NHL play in the CHL.
The champion of each league competes in an annual tournament with a predetermined host team for the Memorial Cup
, Canada's national Major Junior championship.
Up until 1970, the leagues that became Major Junior and Junior A today were both known as Junior A. In 1970 they were divided into Tier I Junior A or Major Junior A and Tier II Junior A. In 1980, the three Major Junior A leagues opted for self control over being controlled by the branches of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
and became Major Junior hockey, Tier II Junior A became the top tier of hockey in these branches and became Junior A hockey.
and Major Junior hockey, at this time, the term Tier II was dropped from what is now Junior A hockey. It is governed by the Canadian Junior Hockey League, which oversees eleven constituent leagues across Canada. The national championship is the Royal Bank Cup
. This level of hockey was created in 1970 when the Major Junior level broke away from the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association, although the affiliation was later amended.
Junior A teams are considered amateur by the NCAA, thus players intending to go to American universities tend to choose this route rather than play in the CHL. Junior A teams tend to play in much smaller markets than CHL teams, and thus play to much smaller crowds.
competition and those who were not. The major championships across Canada are the Sutherland Cup
in Southern Ontario
, the Carson Trophy in the Ottawa District
, the Coupe Dodge
in Quebec
, the Don Johnson Cup
in the Atlantic Provinces, and the Keystone Cup
which represents all of Western Canada, from British Columbia
to Northwestern Ontario
.
Junior C (junior A in Quebec) is generally a local based system, but is considered competitive in some regions, and serve as seeding or farm-teams for Junior B teams. Ontario Junior C Hockey has 6 rounds of playoffs (up to 42 games of best-of-seven playoff rounds) for the Clarence Schmalz Cup
which was first awarded in 1938. The Ontario playdowns are played for between 6 of the Province's 7 different regional leagues. In Quebec and West of Manitoba, Junior C hockey tends to be an extension of the local minor hockey system and is sometimes called Juvenile or House League. In Ontario, Manitoba, and the Maritimes, Junior C is run independently of minor hockey systems, though with the same mostly recreational purpose.
Junior D was popular in the 1960s and 1970s in dense population centers, but fell off in the early 1990s. In Quebec, Junior D is now known as Junior B and is run strictly by minor hockey associations. The last Junior D league is the OHA's Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
, the result of the merger of the Northern, Western, and Southern Junior D leagues in the late 1980s. At 16 teams, the league renamed itself a Junior Development league in the early 1990s, and the SOJHL in 2006. In recent years, the SOJHL has been trying to get itself declared a Junior C league.
Teams at the lower level of junior hockey tend to operate as extensions of local minor hockey systems. While some future NHLers come from the lower levels of junior hockey, they are few. There is no national governing body at these levels, only provincial.
: four teams in Washington and one in Oregon
in the Western Hockey League
; and two teams in Michigan
and one in Pennsylvania
within the Ontario Hockey League
.
(USHL) is currently the only Tier I league in the country, it consists of teams in the central and Midwestern US. The USHL provides an alternative to Major Junior Hockey for kids who want to play in the NCAA. While playing in the USHL, all player expenses are paid for by the team; no membership or equipment fees are charged. Unlike Major Junior teams however, the pro drafting is significantly less and the free-college stipend does not exist. Tier I in the US is on par with Junior A in Canada, though the actual skill levels may vary by region. Quality of play in the USHL has improved to Junior A levels in the past 15 years, with about 10% of NHL players having played USHL in their career (compared with 40% who have played NCAA Division I hockey at some time). Between 80 and 90 percent of USHL players play NCAA hockey, as this is the main reason for playing Tier I instead of Major Junior in Canada.
is the only Tier II league in the United States. The NAHL is the largest junior hockey league in the US and consists teams spread across the Western two thirds of the United States with a significant concentration of teams in the central and southwestern parts of the United States. The NAHL, like the USHL, provides young players an alternative to Major Junior hockey, although the skill level is significantly lower than Major Junior hockey and typically filled with those who would not or did not make the roster of a Tier I team. While playing in the NAHL, all player expenses minus room and board are paid for by the team; this is similar to some of the lower Junior B teams in Canada.
, American West Hockey League
, Eastern Junior Hockey League
, North American 3 Hockey League, Minnesota Junior Hockey League
, Northern Pacific Hockey League
, Western States Hockey League
, Eastern States Hockey League, Empire Junior Hockey League
, Great Lakes Junior Hockey League
, Metropolitan Junior Hockey League
, and the Southeast Junior Hockey League
. In addition to paying for room and board, players at the Tier III level pay a fee, commonly ranging from $4,000 to $6,500. This is for all accounts and purposes an amateur level, although some players go directly to NCAA Division I schools, most Tier III Junior A players are looking to increase their skills in hopes to move up to Tier I or II, other players go directly to NCAA Division III and ACHA
schools.
Prior to July 2011, USA Hockey, the sanctioning body for youth hockey in the US, split Tier III into Junior A and B divisions.
and USA Hockey
. Presently, the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League
in Ontario is operating as an independent league in Ontario and western New York. The International Junior Hockey League
operates in the Northeast United States. The upstart Continental Junior Hockey League
has only two teams for its first season. Additionally, in Manitoba the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League is operating as a non-sanctioned league. While a leagues can claim to be comparable to Junior A leagues, due to the lack of regulation the actual level of play may vary. In addition to independent leagues, there are also independent teams, such as the Jamestown Jets
, although these usually result from league problems or other disputes.
league in Sweden
or the Minor Hockey League in Russia
. Such leagues are sometimes dubbed major junior hockey leagues.
The lack of an amateur draft in Europe, other than in Russia, means that the onus is on the teams to sign the most talented youngsters they can get, and the presence of an affiliated junior team provides a place for young players who aren't yet ready for the rigours of the professional game to develop. However, not all players on a European junior team are necessarily the property of their professional club, and may elect to sign elsewhere.
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...
competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each country.
In Canada, the highest level is major junior, and is governed by 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...
, which itself has three constituent leagues: the Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Quebec 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 the Western 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...
. The second tier is Junior A, governed nationally by the Canadian Junior Hockey League.
In the United States, the top level is Tier I, represented by 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...
in the midwest. Tier II is represented by the North American Hockey League
North American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is enterting its 36th season in 2011-12. It is currently the only Junior A Tier II league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. The NAHL currently acts as an alternative to the United States Hockey League...
, and there are various Tier III leagues throughout the country. In Europe, junior teams are often sponsored by professional teams, and act as development and feeder associations for those organizations.
Junior hockey is not to be confused with youth or minor hockey
Minor hockey
Minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from class to class...
.
Canada
Junior hockey in Canada is broken into several tiers, and players aged 16–20 at the beginning of the season are eligible. Hockey CanadaHockey 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...
is enacting rules designed to limit the number of 16-year-olds allowed to play junior hockey, preferring most remain at the midget level.
Major junior
Major junior hockey is overseen by the Canadian Hockey LeagueCanadian 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...
, which acts as the governing body for its three constituent leagues:
- Quebec Major Junior Hockey LeagueQuebec Major Junior Hockey LeagueThe Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...
, operating in QuebecQuebecQuebec 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....
and Atlantic CanadaAtlantic CanadaAtlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
with 17 teams - Ontario Hockey LeagueOntario Hockey LeagueThe Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
, operating in OntarioOntarioOntario 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....
, PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
with 20 teams - Western Hockey LeagueWestern Hockey LeagueThe 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...
, operating in Western CanadaWestern CanadaWestern Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
and the U.S. Pacific NorthwestPacific NorthwestThe Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
with 22 teams
The CHL currently places a cap of three 20-year-old or overage players per team, while only four 16-year-olds are permitted. While fifteen-year-old players were formerly permitted to play a limited number of games per season at the CHL level, they are now permitted to play only if they are deemed exceptional by the CHL. Two players to date have qualified under this rule: center John Tavares in 2005 and defenseman Aaron Ekblad in 2011. CHL teams are currently permitted two imports, or European players each, though this cap is expected to be reduced to one within a couple of seasons.
CHL teams are considered professional by the NCAA; thus any player who plays a game at the Major Junior level loses his eligibility to play for American universities. He retains eligibility for Canadian universities however, and all three leagues have programs in place to grant scholarships for any player who plays in these leagues provided he does not turn professional once his junior career ends. Many of the top North American prospects for the NHL play in the CHL.
The champion of each league competes in an annual tournament with a predetermined host team 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...
, Canada's national Major Junior championship.
Up until 1970, the leagues that became Major Junior and Junior A today were both known as Junior A. In 1970 they were divided into Tier I Junior A or Major Junior A and Tier II Junior A. In 1980, the three Major Junior A leagues opted for self control over being controlled by the 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 Major Junior hockey, Tier II Junior A became the top tier of hockey in these branches and became Junior A hockey.
Junior A
Junior A (junior AAA in Quebec) hockey is one level below the CHL. Junior A was referred to as Tier II Junior A in the 1970s, until what was called Major Junior A broke away from their regional branches in 1980 and became the Canadian Hockey LeagueCanadian 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...
and Major Junior hockey, at this time, the term Tier II was dropped from what is now Junior A hockey. It is governed by the Canadian Junior Hockey League, which oversees eleven constituent leagues across Canada. The national championship is 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...
. This level of hockey was created in 1970 when the Major Junior level broke away from the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association, although the affiliation was later amended.
Junior A teams are considered amateur by the NCAA, thus players intending to go to American universities tend to choose this route rather than play in the CHL. Junior A teams tend to play in much smaller markets than CHL teams, and thus play to much smaller crowds.
Junior B, C, D
Junior B (junior AA in Quebec) was created in 1933, to differentiate between teams capable for Memorial CupMemorial 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...
competition and those who were not. The major championships across Canada are the Sutherland Cup
Sutherland Cup
The Sutherland Cup is the ice hockey Ontario Junior "B" Provincial Championship trophy. The Sutherland Cup is now the championship trophy of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. Until 2007, the Cup served as an interleague provincial championship...
in Southern Ontario
Ontario Hockey Association
The 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...
, the Carson Trophy in the Ottawa District
Eastern Ontario Junior B Hockey League
The Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League is a Canadian Junior ice hockey league operating in Eastern Ontario. The league is sanctioned by the Ottawa District Hockey Association and Hockey Canada. The 22 member team of the league compete for the D. Arnold Carson Memorial Trophy.-History:The EOJHL...
, the Coupe Dodge
Coupe Dodge
The Coupe Dodge is a provincial championship in the men's and women's amateur ice hockey leagues in Quebec, Canada. This tournament is sanctioned by both Hockey Quebec and Hockey Canada.-History:...
in 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....
, the Don Johnson Cup
Don Johnson Cup
The Don Johnson Cup is the Junior "B" ice hockey championship for the Atlantic Provinces of Canada -- Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island....
in the Atlantic Provinces, and the Keystone Cup
Keystone Cup
The Keystone Cup is the Junior "B" ice hockey championship and trophy for Western Canada. The Championship is the culmination of the champions of 12 hockey leagues in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Northwestern Ontario.-History:...
which represents all of Western Canada, from 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...
to 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...
.
Junior C (junior A in Quebec) is generally a local based system, but is considered competitive in some regions, and serve as seeding or farm-teams for Junior B teams. Ontario Junior C Hockey has 6 rounds of playoffs (up to 42 games of best-of-seven playoff rounds) for the Clarence Schmalz Cup
Clarence Schmalz Cup
The Clarence Schmalz Cup is the Ontario Hockey Association's Junior "C" ice hockey championship and championship trophy. The tournament to determine the winner of the Cup is commonly called the All-Ontario Championships...
which was first awarded in 1938. The Ontario playdowns are played for between 6 of the Province's 7 different regional leagues. In Quebec and West of Manitoba, Junior C hockey tends to be an extension of the local minor hockey system and is sometimes called Juvenile or House League. In Ontario, Manitoba, and the Maritimes, Junior C is run independently of minor hockey systems, though with the same mostly recreational purpose.
Junior D was popular in the 1960s and 1970s in dense population centers, but fell off in the early 1990s. In Quebec, Junior D is now known as Junior B and is run strictly by minor hockey associations. The last Junior D league is the OHA's Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
The Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League is a Junior level ice hockey league sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association based out of Southwestern Ontario....
, the result of the merger of the Northern, Western, and Southern Junior D leagues in the late 1980s. At 16 teams, the league renamed itself a Junior Development league in the early 1990s, and the SOJHL in 2006. In recent years, the SOJHL has been trying to get itself declared a Junior C league.
Teams at the lower level of junior hockey tend to operate as extensions of local minor hockey systems. While some future NHLers come from the lower levels of junior hockey, they are few. There is no national governing body at these levels, only provincial.
United States
As in Canada, junior hockey in the United States is subdivided into several levels. Currently, there are eight American teams in the Canadian Hockey LeagueCanadian 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...
: four teams in Washington and one in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
in the Western 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...
; and two teams in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
and one in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
within the Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
.
Tier I
The United States Hockey LeagueUnited 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...
(USHL) is currently the only Tier I league in the country, it consists of teams in the central and Midwestern US. The USHL provides an alternative to Major Junior Hockey for kids who want to play in the NCAA. While playing in the USHL, all player expenses are paid for by the team; no membership or equipment fees are charged. Unlike Major Junior teams however, the pro drafting is significantly less and the free-college stipend does not exist. Tier I in the US is on par with Junior A in Canada, though the actual skill levels may vary by region. Quality of play in the USHL has improved to Junior A levels in the past 15 years, with about 10% of NHL players having played USHL in their career (compared with 40% who have played NCAA Division I hockey at some time). Between 80 and 90 percent of USHL players play NCAA hockey, as this is the main reason for playing Tier I instead of Major Junior in Canada.
Tier II
Currently the North American Hockey LeagueNorth American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is enterting its 36th season in 2011-12. It is currently the only Junior A Tier II league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. The NAHL currently acts as an alternative to the United States Hockey League...
is the only Tier II league in the United States. The NAHL is the largest junior hockey league in the US and consists teams spread across the Western two thirds of the United States with a significant concentration of teams in the central and southwestern parts of the United States. The NAHL, like the USHL, provides young players an alternative to Major Junior hockey, although the skill level is significantly lower than Major Junior hockey and typically filled with those who would not or did not make the roster of a Tier I team. While playing in the NAHL, all player expenses minus room and board are paid for by the team; this is similar to some of the lower Junior B teams in Canada.
Tier III
The United States currently has twelve Tier III leagues: the Atlantic Junior Hockey LeagueAtlantic Junior Hockey League
The Atlantic Junior Hockey League is an American Tier III Junior ice hockey league with 12 teams in the Northeastern part of the United States...
, American West Hockey League
American West Hockey League
The American West Hockey League is an American Tier III junior ice hockey league based in Montana and Wyoming. The league is a member of USA Hockey and was founded in 2011.-History:...
, Eastern Junior Hockey League
Eastern Junior Hockey League
The Eastern Junior Hockey League is an American Tier III Junior A ice hockey league. Founded in 1993 by Dan Esdale, the EJHL has fourteen teams from across the Northeastern United States. The EJHL is a member of USA Hockey, and the EJHL champion goes on to play for the National Championship...
, North American 3 Hockey League, Minnesota Junior Hockey League
Minnesota Junior Hockey League
The Minnesota Junior Hockey League is a USA Hockey Tier III sanctioned junior ice hockey league operated out of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul in Minnesota. The league currently has eight member teams in Minnesota and Wisconsin...
, Northern Pacific Hockey League
Northern Pacific Hockey League
The Northern Pacific Hockey League is an American Tier III Junior A ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. Its championship trophy is the Cascade Cup.-Current teams:-Suspended teams:...
, Western States Hockey League
Western States Hockey League
The Western States Hockey League is a Amateur Athletic Union-sanctioned Junior 'A' ice hockey league that has teams located in the Southwest and Western United States.-History:...
, Eastern States Hockey League, Empire Junior Hockey League
Empire Junior Hockey League
The Empire Junior Hockey League is an American Tier III Junior B ice hockey league. The EmJHL is a member of USA Hockey. It is primarily a feeder to the Eastern Junior Hockey League, a Junior A league....
, Great Lakes Junior Hockey League
Great Lakes Junior Hockey League
The Great Lakes Junior Hockey League , an American Tier III Junior B ice hockey league. The league has 12 teams located in the Great Lakes region of the Midwestern United States.-History:...
, Metropolitan Junior Hockey League
Metropolitan Junior Hockey League
The Metropolitan Junior Hockey League is an American Tier III Junior ice hockey league with 20 teams throughout the eastern seaboard of the United States. The MJHL is part of the Atlantic Metropolitan Hockey League organization. It's "big sister" the AJHL is also a Tier III, Junior league...
, and the Southeast Junior Hockey League
Southeast Junior Hockey League
The EJHL South is an American Tier III Junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The league currently has seven teams located in Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia...
. In addition to paying for room and board, players at the Tier III level pay a fee, commonly ranging from $4,000 to $6,500. This is for all accounts and purposes an amateur level, although some players go directly to NCAA Division I schools, most Tier III Junior A players are looking to increase their skills in hopes to move up to Tier I or II, other players go directly to NCAA Division III and ACHA
Acha
Acha is a HINDI word for OK.Acha is also an Ewokese word for OK. Ewokese is a language used in the Star Wars Ewok Adventures: Caravan Of Courage / The Battle For Endor* Acha, Argyll and Bute, Scotland...
schools.
Prior to July 2011, USA Hockey, the sanctioning body for youth hockey in the US, split Tier III into Junior A and B divisions.
Independent leagues (Canada and US)
Some leagues that refer to themselves as Junior A also operate outside the control of the Hockey CanadaHockey 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...
and USA Hockey
USA Hockey
USA Hockey is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic Committee as the governing body for amateur ice hockey in the United States and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. The organization is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and has...
. Presently, the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League
Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League
The Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League is a Canadian Developmental Junior "A" ice hockey league. The GMHL is not affiliated with the Canadian Junior Hockey League or a member by Hockey Canada...
in Ontario is operating as an independent league in Ontario and western New York. The International Junior Hockey League
International Junior Hockey League
International Junior Hockey League is an independent Tier III Junior A ice hockey league. The League has teams in the New England and Mid Atlantic region of the United States.-League History:...
operates in the Northeast United States. The upstart Continental Junior Hockey League
Continental Junior Hockey League
The Continental Junior Hockey League is a junior ice hockey league based in the Northeastern United States and Canada. The league is currently affiliated with the Amateur Athletic Union, previously independent. League President Jim Cashman is the former President of the now defunct semi-pro Gulf...
has only two teams for its first season. Additionally, in Manitoba the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League is operating as a non-sanctioned league. While a leagues can claim to be comparable to Junior A leagues, due to the lack of regulation the actual level of play may vary. In addition to independent leagues, there are also independent teams, such as the Jamestown Jets
Jamestown Jets
The Jamestown Jets are an American junior ice hockey team based in Jamestown, New York. Originally members of the United Junior Hockey League and later the Northern Junior Hockey League. The Jets played in the Canadian Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League in 2010-11.-History:The team was announced...
, although these usually result from league problems or other disputes.
Europe
In Europe, junior teams are usually associated with a professional team, and are used by professional teams to develop their own talented youngsters. One example of this is the J20 SuperElitJ20 SuperElit
J20 SuperElit is a junior ice hockey league composed of 20 teams in Sweden. It is the highest-level junior ice hockey league in Sweden. The teams are divided in two groups, or divisions, Norra and Södra , and are usually associated with a professional team in either Elitserien or HockeyAllsvenskan...
league in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
or the Minor Hockey League in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Such leagues are sometimes dubbed major junior hockey leagues.
The lack of an amateur draft in Europe, other than in Russia, means that the onus is on the teams to sign the most talented youngsters they can get, and the presence of an affiliated junior team provides a place for young players who aren't yet ready for the rigours of the professional game to develop. However, not all players on a European junior team are necessarily the property of their professional club, and may elect to sign elsewhere.
See also
- 2007 Super Series2007 Super SeriesThe 2007 Super Series was an eight-game Under-20 ice hockey challenge between Russia and Canada. The series was won by Canada, who shocked the Russians with seven wins and one tie . Over the course of the eight games, Canada outscored Russia 39-13. The Series was held from August 27 to September 9...
- List of ice hockey leagues
- Minor ice hockey
- 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...
- World Junior Ice Hockey ChampionshipsWorld Junior Ice Hockey ChampionshipsThe International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 20 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world...