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The Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) is an Alberta-based Junior A hockey league that belongs to the Canadian Junior A Hockey League (CJAHL). It was formed as a five-team league in 1963. There are currently 16 teams in the league. The regular season league champions receive the Dave Duchak Trophy. The playoff champions receive the Rogers Wireless Cup (the Carling O'Keefe trophy before 1998). The winner of the AJHL playoffs continues on to play in the Doyle Cup in a best-of-7 series against the champion of the British Columbia Hockey League. The winner of the Doyle Cup will compete in the Junior "A" National Championship for the Royal Bank Cup.
Notable alumni include Mark Messier, Mike Vernon, Jason Smith, Mike Comrie, Steve Reinprecht, Dany Heatley, Mike Commodore, Scottie Upshall, Wade Redden, Scott Hartnell, Chris Phillips and the Sutter brothers: Brent, Brian, Darryl, Duane, Rich, and Ron. The 2006 AJHL Champions are the Fort McMurray Oil Barons.
- For the pacific championship between the AJHL and the BCHL champions, please see the Doyle Cup.
- For the National Championship, please see the Royal Bank Cup 2006.
[edit] History
The early 1960s saw a much different junior hockey scenario in Alberta than what currently exists. The Edmonton Oil Kings were the only true-junior "A" calibre team in the province and drew most of the top talent Alberta had to offer. The Oil Kings were the Western Canadian champions from 1962 until 1966, Abbott Cup Champions in 1954 and from 1960 to 1966, and Memorial Cup National Champions in 1963 and 1966. In 1966, the Oil Kings helped create the Western Hockey League. The issue in 1963 was that there were hundreds of junior-calibre players in the province, but only really one team to play for. A group of business and hockey people got together and decided to form a Junior "A" league in an attempt to truly develop Alberta hockey. The original league consisted of the Edmonton Safeway Canadians, the Edmonton Maple Leafs, the Lethbridge Sugar Kings, Calgary Cowboys, and the Calgary Buffaloes.
Former logo of the AJHL, until 2006
The history of the AJHL is littered with a trail of defunct, failed, or relocated hockey franchises. Teams failed in Edmonton, Drumheller, Lethbridge, Red Deer, and Hobbema -- just to name a few.
The current 16-team AJHL is fairly healthy, but still has the odd relocation. The league's teams have combined for a total of 6 Royal Bank Cups (or Centennial Cups) as National Champions.
[edit] Current teams
[edit] 2005-06 Rogers Wireless Cup Playoffs
[edit] Carling O'Keefe Cup Champions
- 1965 Calgary Buffaloes
- 1966 Calgary Buffaloes
- 1967 Edmonton Western Movers
- 1968 Edmonton Western Movers
- 1969 Lethbridge Sugar Kings
- 1970 Red Deer Rustlers
- 1971 Red Deer Rustlers
- 1972 Red Deer Rustlers
- 1973 Calgary Canucks
- 1974 Red Deer Rustlers
- 1975 Spruce Grove Mets
- 1976 Spruce Grove Mets
- 1977 Calgary Canucks
- 1978 Calgary Canucks
- 1979 Fort Saskatchewan Traders
- 1980 Red Deer Rustlers
- 1981 St. Albert Saints
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- 1982 St. Albert Saints
- 1983 Calgary Canucks
- 1984 Fort Saskatchewan Traders
- 1985 Red Deer Rustlers
- 1986 Calgary Canucks
- 1987 Red Deer Rustlers
- 1988 Calgary Canucks
- 1989 Red Deer Rustlers
- 1990 Calgary Canucks
- 1991 Calgary Royals
- 1992 Olds Grizzlys
- 1993 Olds Grizzlys
- 1994 Olds Grizzlys
- 1995 Calgary Canucks
- 1996 St. Albert Saints
- 1997 Fort McMurray Oil Barons
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[edit] Rogers Wireless Cup Champions
- 1998 St. Albert Saints
- 1999 Calgary Canucks
- 2000 Fort McMurray Oil Barons
- 2001 Camrose Kodiaks
- 2002 Drayton Valley
- 2003 Camrose Kodiaks
- 2004 Grande Prairie Storm
- 2005 Camrose Kodiaks
- 2006 Fort McMurray Oil Barons
[edit] Former member teams
[edit] External links
Canada
