The Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League (SOJHL) is a former Canadian Junior ice hockey league sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association based out of Southwestern Ontario . Prior to the 2012-13 season, the SOJHL was promoted to the Junior C level.
16-836: In the summer of 2016, the SOJHL was merged into the Provincial Junior Hockey League . Founded in the 1960s as the Shamrock Junior D Hockey League . In 1969, the League would change its name to the Western Junior D Hockey League and its champion would go on to win eleven of the next nineteen provincial championships. In the Summer of 1985, the North Junior D Hockey League would fold, leaving
32-755: A division within the Provincial Junior Hockey League . For the Ontario Hockey Association "All-Ontario Jr. "C" Championship", please go to the Clarence Schmalz Cup . (*) At times in the 1960s, the Junior B and C leagues in Eastern Ontario played as a single league. In those years, listed is the best Junior C team in the joint standings. The league has had a few graduates make it to
48-485: Is overall PJHL season champion based on win percentage. Listed are Division playoff champions. Bolded are also Conference playoff champions. Bolded is winner of Clarence Schmalz Cup as PJHL and OHA champion. Individual Season Single Game Team Empire B Junior C Hockey League The Empire B Junior C Hockey League is a former Junior "C" ice hockey league in Ontario , Canada, sanctioned by
64-625: The Ontario Hockey Association . The league was merged into the Provincial Junior Hockey League as the Tod Division in the summer of 2016. Formed in 1989 as the Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League, the league had to change its name in 1995 to avoid ongoing confusion with the neighbouring Ottawa District Hockey Association 's long running Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League . The forerunner of
80-707: The Central Elgin franchise return, this time as the Port Stanley Sailors, for the 2009-2010 season. As of 2012, the SOJHL is in talks with the OHA as to the future of the league. The 2012-13 season will be played at the Junior C level and the league will be folded and divided up into other leagues in the summer of 2013. In the Spring of 2013, Junior C hockey in Ontario had its first major realignment since
96-694: The EBJCHL was the Quinte-St. Lawrence Junior C Hockey League, which merged into the Central Junior C Hockey League in 1986. The league features six franchises, which are located through Central-eastern Ontario in Amherstview, Campbellford, Gananoque, Napanee, Port Hope, and Picton. The Port Hope Panthers is the new name of the transferred Colborne Cobras franchise. The teams play a 40-game regular season, with four home and away dates against each of
112-532: The Junior D leagues, through the SOJHL's ascension to Junior C, until its merger into the Provincial Junior Hockey League in 2016. Provincial Junior Hockey League The Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) is a Canadian junior ice hockey league spanning parts of Southern Ontario . The PJHL is the third tier of the Ontario Hockey Association and is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation and Hockey Canada . The league
128-663: The Niagara League would divide in half, forming the Midwestern Junior C Hockey League with its former Western Division. Winner moves on to the Clarence Schmalz Cup . From 1989 on, the winner of the league was also provincial champions and was awarded the OHA Cup. Bolded are league champions, italicized are runners-up in years with three divisions. This chart starts at the unification of
144-657: The PJHL are the former Central , Empire B , Georgian Mid-Ontario , Great Lakes , Midwestern , Niagara & District , Southern , and Western . leagues that are now the eight divisions split into four conferences. The first game in PJHL history was played on September 9, 2016 as the Walkerton Hawks hosted the Hanover Barons in Pollock Division action. Walkerton won the game 6-2. Bolded
160-727: The Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League. During the summer of 2006, the Yeck Conference applied to break off from the league and start their own Junior C league, but were turned down by the OHA. A talented and entertaining league, the SOJHL has a long-standing tradition of the OHA in the Southwestern Ontario region. The SOJHL downsized extensively for the 2008-09 season, losing Mitchell, West Lorne, and Central Elgin. The league also reformatted into three divisions. The SOJHL saw
176-725: The Western League and the Southern Counties Junior D Hockey League . In 1988, the SCJDHL would fold and its remaining teams joined the Western League. Bloated to nineteen teams, the league would continue on as the only Junior D league in Ontario. In 1991, the league became the OHA Junior Development League . In 2006, in an attempt to gain promotion to Junior C, the league dropped any reference of Junior D or Development and renamed itself
SECTION 10
#1732786815209192-632: The conclusion of the 2014-15 hockey season the Eastern Ontario Junior B Hockey League announced a re-organization which saw them remove six teams from the league. One of those teams, the Gananoque Islanders immediately petitioned and was accepted into the Empire B Junior C League. Following the 2015-16 seasons the Empire B Junior C Hockey League amalgamated with the other southern Ontario junior "C" hockey leagues and became
208-743: The creation of the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League in 1994. The 27 teams between the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League and the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League were reshuffled. The SOJHL went from 15 to 9 teams, gaining the Aylmer Spitfires , but losing their reigning champion Ayr Centennials , the Burford Bulldogs , Delhi Travellers , Hagersville Hawks , Norfolk Rebels , Tavistock Braves , and Wellesley Applejacks . That summer
224-597: The other Empire B teams. The top four teams make the playoffs — two rounds of best-of-seven play. The Empire playoff champions advance to the OHA quarterfinals against the Central champions and compete for an All-Ontario Championship and the Clarence Schmalz Cup . In its 20-year history, two Empire B teams have won the Schmalz Cup. Napanee Raiders were the first in 1993. On May 1, 2013, the Picton Pirates became
240-717: The second team in Empire league history to win the Clarence Schmalz Cup as OHA Junior C champions, defeating the Essex 73's of the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League 4-games-to-1. The Empire league has had a number of winners of the OHA Junior C Player of the Year award. Most recently, Napanee's Pete Sergeant took the honours in 2008-2009. Among the previous winners are Jason Sutton (Napanee), Adam Walsh (Picton), Joe Curry (Campbellford), and Ryan Zufelt (Amherstview). At
256-557: Was formed in 2016 with the merging of eight Junior C leagues. PJHL teams compete for the Clarence Schmalz Cup . In the works since 2014, it was announced in the spring of 2016 that the eight Junior C leagues of the Ontario Hockey Association would merge for the 2016-17 season to create the Provincial Junior Hockey League. The union was in an effort to streamline rules across the classification and to promote growth and development. The leagues that make up
#208791