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52-633: The Maritime Junior Hockey League ( MHL ) is a Junior A ice hockey league under Hockey Canada , a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). It consists of six teams from New Brunswick , which make up the EastLink North Division (formerly Roger Meek), five teams from Nova Scotia , and one team from Prince Edward Island , which make up the Eastlink South Division. The winner of

104-608: A director with the Czech Ice Hockey Association , felt that Junior-aged players were enticed to play in North America before maturation, with a negative effect on the development of the player and the European system. He stated that of the 527 Czech Republic players who went to North American Junior hockey, only 22 of them played more than 400 NHL games. He sought to establish a European system that

156-618: A multimillion-dollar facility consisting of a much larger ice venue with close to 4,000 stadium seats. Though the building no longer stands, its memories remain in the minds of residents of Summerside. The Summerside Western Capitals hosted the Royal Bank Cup in Cahill Stadium in 1997, only winning 1 game in the round robin stage before coming back with an overtime win and then beating the South Surrey Eagles by

208-606: A number of changes in the spring of 2008. On April 15, the Antigonish Bulldogs announced that they were applying for a leave of absence for one year. On April 26, the Bulldogs had to choose between two groups trying to buy the team and relocate it. The first group would move the franchise to New Richmond , Quebec. The other group would relocate the team to the Halifax area. At the board of governors meeting that day,

260-720: A professional team, and are used by professional teams to develop their own prospects. One example of this is the J20 SuperElit league in Sweden or the Minor Hockey League in Russia . The lack of an amateur draft in Europe means that the onus is on the teams to sign the most talented young players they can get, and the presence of an affiliated junior team provides a place for young players who are not yet ready for

312-653: A significant concentration of teams in the central and southwestern parts of the United States, although the league began to expand to east coast as of 2015. In October 2016, the Tier III United States Premier Hockey League , a league predominately located on the east coast, applied to USA Hockey for approval of a Tier II league to begin in the 2017–18 season, however, the league was denied that December and decided to operate its Tier II league independently. The NAHL, like

364-817: Is currently the only Tier I league in the country, consisting of teams in the central and midwestern United States. The USHL provides an alternative to the Canadian Hockey League, which pays its major junior hockey players a stipend, for players who wish to maintain NCAA eligibility for later in their career. 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, free-college stipend does not exist. Historically, professional leagues have drafted less directly from USHL teams, although this trend has shifted in recent years, coinciding with

416-959: The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) : The championship teams from each league, as well as a pre-selected host team, compete for the Memorial Cup in a round-robin tournament to determine a national champion. Major Junior players were historically deemed ineligible to play college hockey in the United States , because they were considered to be professionals by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Major Junior players retain their eligibility for Canadian universities however, and all three leagues have scholarship programs for players. The NCAA changed its position and decided that CHL players were no longer ineligible as of

468-616: The Clarence Schmalz Cup which was first awarded in 1938. The Ontario Junior C playoffs are played for between six of the Province's seven 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

520-823: The Coupe Dodge in Quebec , the Don Johnson Cup in the Atlantic Provinces , and the Keystone Cup that represents all of Western Canada, from British Columbia to Northwestern Ontario . Junior C (Junior A in Québec ) generally consists of local competitions, but is considered competitive in some regions, and serve as seeding or farm-teams for Junior B teams. Ontario Junior C Hockey has six rounds of best-of-seven playoffs (up to 42 games per team) for

572-668: The Dudley Hewitt Cup and Manitoba Centennial Cup playdowns. In 1991, the Callaghan Cup became exclusive to the MJAHL. The Callaghan Cup was their championship trophy until after the 2006 playoffs, when it was replaced by the Kent Cup, In the Kent Cup era the bold team indicates the Kent Cup winner. Note: Those listed in yellow are currently home to an MHL franchise. All champions in this table are from

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624-694: The Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League has operated as an independent league in Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta. The league widely recruits players from outside of North America. In late 2016, the United States Premier Hockey League , an organization composed of several USA Hockey Tier III Junior as well as many youth hockey leagues, applied for a Tier II league. The Tier II status was denied in December 2016 but

676-505: The North American 3 Hockey League Some Junior ice hockey leagues operate outside the framework of governing bodies such as Hockey Canada and USA Hockey , typically due to disagreements with governing bodies over player recruitment policies and finances. These leagues are sometimes referred to as 'unsanctioned', 'rogue' or 'outlaw' leagues due to their lack of sanctioning or oversight from an outside governing body. Since 2006,

728-810: The Quebec Junior Hockey League (Quebec) as well as a predetermined host. The winner moved on to compete for the Canadian National Junior A Championship . However with the departure of the British Columbia Hockey League from affiliation with the CJHL in March 2021 as well as Hockey Canada in June 2023, no Centennial Cup qualifying tournaments such as the Kent Cup have been played since 2022, and instead all

780-535: The US . In 2023, the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) withdrew from the Hockey Canada framework, and thus became an independent league. In response, BC Hockey announced plans to restructure its Junior framework, which included an opportunity for some Junior B teams (styled "Junior A Tier 2" by BC Hockey) to be promoted to Junior A (styled "Junior A Tier 1" by BC Hockey) and eventually seek membership with

832-856: The Valley Wildcats . After one season in Kentville they moved to Berwick . In 2014 the league approved an expansion team in St. Stephen named the County Aces . As a result of the expansion, the league was back up to 12 teams for the first time since the folding of the Charlottetown Abbies in April 2008. In November 2014, the league took over the ownership of the Bridgewater Lumberjacks after owner Ken Petrie left

884-634: The 2002 Royal Bank Cup on home ice. One year later, after financial trouble with Oland Brewery , the franchise's name was changed to Halifax Team Pepsi. In the spring of 2004, the Weeks Hockey Organization bought the club, moved it to New Glasgow and renamed it the Pictou County Weeks Crushers . On that same day Halifax was granted an expansion franchise, the Halifax Wolverines . The MJAHL made

936-614: The 2018–19 season; the team is later sold and relocated to Grand Falls, New Brunswick and renamed the Grand Falls Rapids . In April 2019, the St. Stephen Aces were sold to a group from Fredericton, New Brunswick and became the third team in three years to relocate. The Aces relocated to Fredericton, New Brunswick for the 2019–20 season and were renamed the Fredericton Red Wings . The current MHL has twelve teams, six in each division. The league has hosted

988-466: The 2025–26 season. The decision was made after a class action was filed on behalf of a player who was declared ineligible after having played two exhibition games in the OHL when he was 16 years old. The CHL places a cap of three 20-year-old players per team, and allows up to four 16-year-olds on each roster. While 15-year-old players were formerly permitted to play a limited number of games per season at

1040-585: The CHL level, they are now permitted to play only if they are deemed exceptional by Hockey Canada . As of 2024 , nine players have qualified under this rule: centre John Tavares in 2005, defenceman Aaron Ekblad in 2011, centre Connor McDavid in 2012, defenceman Sean Day in 2013, centre Joe Veleno in 2015, centre Shane Wright in 2019, forward Connor Bedard in 2020, forward Michael Misa in 2022, and defenceman Landon DuPont in 2024. CHL teams are currently permitted two "imports" (players from outside Canada and

1092-721: The CJHL. The league expected the evaluations to be completed during the 2024—25 season. Junior B (Junior AA in Québec ; Tier 2 in British Columbia ) was created in 1933, to differentiate between teams eligible for Memorial Cup competition and those who were not. The major championships across Canada are the Sutherland Cup in Southern Ontario , the Barkley Cup in the Ottawa District ,

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1144-607: The Cape Breton Islanders and Restigouche River Rats. In 1996–97 the league consisted of the Amherst Ramblers, Antigonish Bulldogs, Charlottetown Abbies, East Hants Penguins, Dartmouth Oland Exports, Moncton Gagnon Beavers, Saint John Alpines, and Summerside Western Capitals. The Saint John Alpines folded in January. With financial losses totalling $ 40,000 and an additional $ 50,000 shortfall projected should

1196-923: The Halifax Forum to become the Halifax Oland Exports. The second was the 1998–99 MJAHL champions, the Restigouche River Rats, as they changed their name to the Campbellton Tigers. A tenth team was added for the 2000–01 season, the Miramichi Timberwolves . At the same time, the East Hants Penguins moved to Dartmouth and became the Scotia Dairy Queen Blizzard. At the end of the 2001–02 season, the league approved

1248-605: The Junior A British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) withdrew its membership with Hockey Canada and became an independent league. In 2024, the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) announced that it would also withdraw from the Hockey Canada framework and become an independent farm league for the BCHL beginning in the 2024-25 season. In Europe, Junior teams are usually associated with

1300-729: The MHL playoffs competes for the Centennial Cup against the winners of the 8 other tier 2 junior A leagues across Canada (host team also participates). Prior to the pandemic the MHL champions participated in the Fred Page Cup. This tournament involved the Bogart Cup champions from the Central Canada Hockey League (Ontario), the Kent Cup champions from the MHL (Maritimes) and the winner of La Coupe Napa of

1352-1013: The MJAHL changed its name to the Maritime Junior Hockey League and unveiled a new logo. In 2011, the Halifax Lions moved to Dartmouth and were renamed the Metro Marauders . Two years later the Marauders were renamed the Metro Shipbuilders for the 2012–13 season. That season was a disaster for the Shipbuilders, as they only recorded four wins in their 52-game schedule and averaged just 232 fans per game. The relocation rumours had them moving back to Halifax after three years in Dartmouth but they finally moved to Kentville and were renamed

1404-1172: The Maritime Junior Hockey League All champions in this table are from the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League against interleague opponents. Note: Current teams are shaded in dark blue. Gold stars denote league championships. Bolded teams indicate the original names of active franchises. Junior ice hockey#Junior A There are four levels of Junior hockey in the Canadian Club System: 1. Major Junior, 2. Junior A, 3. Junior B, and 4. Junior C. Not all teams playing in Canadian Junior leagues are based in Canada . As of 2024 , there were approximately twelve US-based teams playing in various Major Junior and Junior A leagues in Canada. In 2023, BC Hockey announced plans to restructure its Junior framework following

1456-550: The Royal Bank Cup and Centennial Cup seven times, winning twice. MHL teams have also won seven Fred Page Cups as the Junior "A" Eastern Canadian champions to earn the right to compete for the Royal Bank Cup. In September 2024, female goaltender Rhyah Stewart signed with the West Kent Steamers . *relocated franchise From the 1970s until 1991, the Callaghan Cup was the Atlantic Junior A Championship of Canada. The winners of New Brunswick , Prince Edward Island , Nova Scotia , and Newfoundland would playdown for this trophy during

1508-409: The Summerside Western Capitals and the Charlottetown Abbies left Prince Edward Island 's IJHL and joined the MVJHL, which was immediately renamed the Maritime Junior A Hockey League (MJAHL) . According to league officials, it is believed that goaltender Lisa Herritt of the Dartmouth Oland Exports became the first female MHL player in the 1995–96 season. For the 1996–97 season, the league added

1560-520: The Tier III level pay a fee or tuition, commonly ranging from $ 4,000 to $ 9,500. This is for all accounts and purposes an amateur level, although some players go directly to NCAA Division I schools. Most Tier III players are looking to increase their skills in hopes to move up to Tier II or I, while other players go directly to NCAA Division III , ACHA and CHF schools. Prior to July 2011, USA Hockey split Tier III into Junior A and B divisions. USA Hockey currently has one sanctioned Tier III league,

1612-400: The Truro Bearcats and Amherst Ramblers replace the teams from Kentville and Berwick. In 1971–72 the New Glasgow Bombers and the Pictou Maripacs entered the league. Stellarton and a new Kentville franchise entered the league in 1973 and 1974 respectively. In 1977, the MVJHL entered into the Tier II Junior "A" level. The jump to Junior "A" was, in theory, to be a catalyst for the development of

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1664-421: The Truro Bearcats would be the sole new team. The Cape Breton Islanders moved to Glace Bay and became the Glace Bay Miners, but with the arrival of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, they folded in December of that season, leaving the league with nine teams again. During the 1998–99 season two teams changed their names. The first was the Dartmouth Oland Exports when they moved to

1716-433: The US) each. Up until 1970, the leagues that were classified as Major Junior and "Junior A" today were both part of 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 (CAHA) and became Major Junior hockey, Tier II Junior A became

1768-449: The USHL, provides young players an alternative to major junior hockey, although the skill level is considered 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. Unlike Tier I, the NAHL does not pay for all players' expenses, such as room and board, but there is no tuition cost to the player as in Tier III. In addition to paying for room and board, players at

1820-412: The USNTDP moving to the USHL in 2009-10. In the 2019 NHL Entry Draft , 17 of the 44 players drafted out of the USHL played for the USNTDP. Those 44 draft picks were 16 more than any of the three leagues in the Canadian Hockey League, and included 9 first round picks (8 of which came from the USNTDP) and 7 second round picks. For most of its existence the USHL was considered inferior in quality of play to

1872-422: The USPHL moved forward with the new league anyway, creating the National Collegiate Development Conference. In response, the USPHL has removed all their junior level leagues (the NCDC and the Tier III-level Premier and Elite Divisions) from USA Hockey sanctioning since the 2017–18 season. In 2022, the Eastern Hockey League , which was operating two Tier III leagues, also left USA Hockey sanctioning. In 2023,

1924-484: The departure of its only Junior A league . Its three Junior B leagues ( PJHL , KIJHL and VIJHL ) were re-styled as "Junior A Tier 2", with plans to promote some to "Junior A Tier 1" following an independent evaluation. It was expected that those teams promoted to "Junior A Tier 1" would eventually apply for membership in the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), an association of Junior A leagues governed by Hockey Canada and its regional branches . BC Hockey expected

1976-427: The evaluations to be completed during the 2024-25 season. Before the process was completed, the VIJHL announced that it would also withdraw from the Hockey Canada framework and become an independent farm league for the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) beginning in the 2024-25 season. Major Junior is the highest level of Junior ice hockey in Canada. There are three Major Junior leagues that collectively make up

2028-517: The league champions directly advance to the Centennial Cup. Originally known as the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League (MVJHL) , the league was founded in 1967 by Fred McGillivray and Louie Lewis of Halifax, Nova Scotia and Don Stewart of Berwick, Nova Scotia as a Junior "B" level hockey league. Originally an exclusively Nova Scotia hockey league, it included six teams: East Hants Junior Penguins, Halifax Colonels, Dartmouth Hoyts, Windsor Royals, Kentville Riteways, and Berwick Shell Juniors. 1968 saw

2080-429: The league's first non-Nova Scotia team. The Hawks came from the New Brunswick Junior Hockey League and are now known as the Edmundston Blizzard . In 1986, the league expanded to Antigonish and the Scotia Colts, again, hosted the Centennial Cup. Future Maritime Junior Hockey League team Summerside Western Capitals , then competing in the Island Junior Hockey League (IJHL), hosted the 1989 Centennial Cup. In 1991,

2132-460: The league. However The budgets necessary to play at the Jr. 'A' level resulted in the immediate withdrawal of the Chester Ravens and the East Hants Penguins. The Cole Harbour Colts (Scotia Colts), who entered the league in 1976, became the first team in league history to host the national Junior A championship, then known as the Centennial Cup, in 1980. The 1983 season saw the addition of the expansion Moncton Midland Hawks of Moncton, New Brunswick ,

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2184-413: The major junior levels. But it continued to improve and as of 2019 about 21 percent of NHL players had played USHL in their career. Between 80 and 90 percent of USHL players continued into NCAA hockey. Currently, the North American Hockey League is the only USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier II league in the United States. The NAHL consists of teams spread across the western two thirds of the United States with

2236-441: The owners of the Halifax Wolverines announced their plans to move to Bridgewater . The Governors approved the move. Following a name the team contest, the franchise was dubbed the Bridgewater Lumberjacks . Later that week on April 29, the Moncton Beavers announced that they had failed to come to terms on a new lease for the Tim Hortons 4-Ice centre and had subsequently moved themselves to the neighboring city of Dieppe . The team

2288-405: The proposal to relocate the franchise to Quebec was deemed to not be in the best interests of the league and its members. The Governors did leave the door open to the sale to a Halifax group and a move to Metro Halifax. The sale and relocation of the franchise to Halifax was later approved. At the same Governors meeting, in response to the decision to leave the door open on the sale of the Bulldogs,

2340-465: The rigours of the professional game to develop. However, not all players on a European junior team are necessarily property of their professional club, and may elect to sign elsewhere. At the World Hockey Summit in 2010, nations in Europe expressed concern about the number of junior players leaving to play in North America, despite the improved talent level and the increasing popularity of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Junior Championships . Slavomir Lener,

2392-462: The same mostly recreational purpose. Junior ice hockey in the United States is sanctioned by USA Hockey . The top level is Tier I, represented by the United States Hockey League . Tier II is represented by the North American Hockey League . There are several Tier III and independently sanctioned leagues throughout the country. Some US-based teams play in Canadian leagues outside of the USA Hockey framework. The United States Hockey League (USHL)

2444-399: The team because of financial trouble. The team was sold two weeks later to a local businessman and the team was renamed the South Shore Lumberjacks . In November 2016, the Dieppe Commandos announced they would be moving to Edmundston, New Brunswick after the 2016–17 season, and be renamed the Edmundston Blizzard . In May 2018, the Woodstock Slammers applied for a leave of absence for

2496-425: The team finish the season, they simply ran out of money. The Summerside Western Capitals won the league's first ever national title. The Capitals hosted the Royal Bank Cup at Cahill Stadium and won the championship game 4–3 over the South Surrey Eagles . Truro and Bathurst received approval for new teams to start in 1997–98 but due to the relocation of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Laval Titan to Bathurst,

2548-502: The top tier of hockey in the CAHA and became Junior A hockey. Junior A (Junior AAA in Québec ; Tier 1 in British Columbia ) hockey is one level below Major Junior. It is governed by the respective regional branches of Hockey Canada . The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) is an association of nine Junior A leagues: The national championship is the Centennial Cup . Unlike Major Junior players, Junior A players retain their NCAA eligibility and may go on to play college hockey in

2600-425: The transfer of the Blizzard to Yarmouth . The Yarmouth Motormart Mariners began play in September 2002. In early 2003 the league governors approved expansion into Woodstock, N.B., with the Slammers beginning play in the 2003–04 season. The league hired its first professional full-time league president in 2003, Vernon Doyle. The league won their second national Junior A championship when the Halifax Oland Exports won

2652-425: Was competitive enough to deter players from entering into the CHL Import Draft . Cahill Stadium The Cahill Stadium was an arena in Summerside, Prince Edward Island , designed for ice hockey events and was home to the Summerside Western Capitals hockey team, who won a Royal Bank Cup in the building in 1997. In March 2007 the building was closed to make way for the new Consolidated Credit Union Place ,

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2704-415: Was renamed the Dieppe Commandos. On May 1, with the fifth and final change for the MJAHL within a span of 16 days, the Charlottetown Abbies ' applied for a leave of absence for one year, which was accepted. The Halifax franchise (former Antigonish Bulldogs ) announced on August 22 that the club would be known as the Halifax Lions . This was the name of the successful Halifax team in the 1980s. In 2010,

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