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Major League Hockey (MLH) is the top tier Canadian Senior ice hockey league in the province of Ontario. The league plays in the Southwestern Ontario region. As a member of the Ontario Hockey Association and Hockey Canada, the league contends for the famed Allan Cup. The league came to its latest incarnation when it merged with the Eastern Ontario Senior Hockey League in 2008.
[edit] History
Petrolia Squires attack Windsor St. Clair Saints net in 2007-08 Season
Major League Hockey gained its name in 2003. Since 1990, Major League Hockey was known as the Southwestern Senior "A" Hockey League. This league was created through a merger between the Central Senior "B" Hockey League, the Seaway-Cyclone Senior "B" Hockey League, and the Southern Ontario Senior "A" Hockey League. The formation of the Major League Hockey marked the first time since 1987 and the folding of the OHA Senior A Hockey League that the Ontario Hockey Association has crowned a top level senior league. In 2005, the OHA also granted the Eastern Ontario Senior Hockey League the same status. Major League Hockey, despite its fruitation in 1990, has its roots scattered across a variety of leagues dating back as far as 1959.
The first season of Ontario Hockey Association senior hockey was the 1890-91 season. St. Michael's College won the first and only "Major Senior" title 4-games-to-1 over Hamilton, while Ottawa won the first ever Senior title 4-games-to-1 over St. Georges. The first "Major" league came in 1929, known as the OHA Senior A Hockey League. The league lasted for fifty season, winning 16 Allan Cups. The league was replaced by the Continental Senior A Hockey League in 1979. The Continental league was renamed the OHA Senior A Hockey League in 1980 and last until 1987. The Continental league won 4 Allan Cups.
In 2008, the Brantford Blast became the first OHA team since the Brantford Motts Clamatos in 1987 to win the Allan Cup. As hosts of the 2008 Allan Cup, the Blast failed to win their league and were allowed to bypass the OHA Final against the Whitby Dunlops and the Renwick Cup against the Thunder Bay Hawks. After almost a months rest, the Blast competed at home for the Allan Cup and won the entire thing. After suffering their only loss of the tournament to the Shawinigan Xtreme in the first game, the Blast defeated the Bentley Generals to clinch second in their division. They defeated the Robertson Cup and EOSHL champion Whitby Dunlops in the quarter-final. They then knocked off the Major League Hockey and Renwick Cup champion Dundas Real McCoys in the semi-final. They met Bentley again in the final, and defeated them 3-1 to win the Canadian National Senior "AAA" crown.
In the 2008 off-season, Major League Hockey ran into some issues. The Windsor St. Clair Saints, the league's only college team, walked away from the league. The Tillsonburg Vipers have officially left the league, as they have applied for expansion into the independent Western Ontario Athletic Association Senior Hockey League.[1] The Petrolia Squires are stranded far away from Brantford and Dundas and their future is uncertain. In the EOSHL, the Frankford Huskies and Marmora Lakers have walked away as well.
In May 2008, it was announced that Major League Hockey was going to merge with the Eastern Ontario Senior Hockey League. Major Hockey League was down to two teams and the Eastern League down to three at the time, but this brings the MLH up to five again.
[edit] 2007-08 Playoffs
- For the next round of the playoffs, please see: Renwick Cup.
[edit] League Champions
[edit] Major League Hockey
- 2008 Dundas Real McCoys
- 2007 Brantford Blast
- 2006 Dundas Real McCoys
- 2005 Aylmer Blues
- 2004 Aylmer Blues
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- 2008 Whitby Dunlops
- 2007 Whitby Dunlops
- 2006 Whitby Dunlops
- 2005 Norwood Vipers
- 2004 Belleville Macs
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[edit] Southwestern Senior "A"
- 2003 Dundas Real McCoys
- 2002 Dundas Real McCoys
- 2001 Simcoe Gunners
- 2000 Cambridge Hornets
- 1999 London MacMaster Chevys
- 1998 Aylmer Blues
- 1997 Bothwell Bullets
- 1996 Bothwell Bullets
- 1995 Ohsweken Riverhawks
- 1994 Dorchester Dolphins
- 1993 Dunnville Mudcats
- 1992 Exeter Mohawks
- 1991 Exeter Mohawks
Bolded teams won the Robertson Cup as Ontario Hockey Association champions.
[edit] Former Member Teams
Please note: All teams in this list are listed ONLY with the last league they were involved with.
[edit] Major League/Southwestern Sr. A
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[edit] Eastern Sr. A
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[edit] Southern Ontario Sr. A
- Smithville Real McCoys
- Tillsonburg Maroons
- Woodstock Gems
[edit] Southern Int. B
- Ayr Rockets
- Milton Aeros
- Norwich Imperials
- Paris 29ers
- Plattsville Combines
- Port Dover Lakers
- Rockton Real McCoys
- Six Nations Redmen
- St. Marys Stone Town Flyers
[edit] Southern Counties Int. B
- Caledonia Seniors
- Cheltenham Harvesters
- Delhi Leafs
- Elmira Polar Kings
- Fergus Flyers
- Lucan-Ilderton Jets
- New Hamburg Screaming Eagles
- Preston Jesters
- Simcoe County Kings
[edit] Central Int. C
- Arthur Tigers
- Goderich Sailors
- New Hamburg Panthers
- Port Elgin Sunocos
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[edit] Central Sr. B
[edit] Northern Sr. B
- Creemore Valley Hawks
- Grand Valley Harvesters
- Honeywood Cougars
- Owen Sound Canadians
- Shelburne Muskies
[edit] OHA Int. C
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[edit] Seaway-Cyclone Sr. B
- Alvinston 77's
- Dresden Lumber Kings
- Lambeth Seniors
- Wallaceburg Whalers
- Walpole Island Hawks
- Watford Generals
[edit] Seaway-Cyclone Int. B
[edit] Seaway Int. C
- Blenheim Seniors
- Leamington Lakers
- Tilbury Selects
- Wheatley Omsteads
[edit] Seaway-Western Int. C
- Chatham Royals
- Forest Boyds
- Sandwich West Seniors
[edit] Western/Tri-County Int. C
- Belmont Blazers
- Point Edward Easy Movers
[edit] Cyclone Int. D
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[edit] References
- ^ Tillsonburg News, Tillsonburg, ON
[edit] External links
