Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League
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| Ontario Provincial Junior "A" Hockey League | |
 |
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| Head Office | Cambridge, Ontario |
| Official Web site | OPJHL |
| Chairman | Charlie Macoun |
| Vice Chairman | Al Doria |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Regional Champions | 8 |
| National Champions | 2 |
| 2007-08 Champion | Oakville Blades |
The Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League is a Tier II Junior A ice hockey league under the supervision of the Ontario Hockey Association and the Canadian Junior A Hockey League. The league dates back to 1968. The Central turned Junior "A" before the 1993-94 season and changed its name to the OPJHL. Teams in the league are based out of the Greater Toronto Area, Southwestern Ontario, Central Ontario, Eastern Ontario, the Golden Horseshoe, and Northeastern Ontario, as well as one American team out of Buffalo, NY. The OPJHL is the largest junior league in all of Canada.
The winner of the OPJHL playoffs and Frank L. Buckland Trophy competes for the Dudley Hewitt Cup with the winners of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Superior International Junior Hockey League. The winner of the Dudley Hewitt Cup then moves on to compete for the Royal Bank Cup.
- Central Junior "B" Hockey League 1954 - 1993
- Ontario Provincial Junior "A" Hockey League 1993 to Present
Contents |
[edit] History
- For the original OPJHL, please see: Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (1972-1987).
[edit] Central Junior B Hockey League (1954 to 1971)
The Big 10 divided into the Western Junior B Hockey League and the Central Junior B Hockey League in 1954. In 1968, the Western league declared itself renegades and promoted itself to Junior A, the Western Junior A Hockey League, and took aboard most of the former Western Junior B teams. The Strathroy Blades, however, did not want to promote to Junior A, and so joined the Central Junior B league. In 1969, a new Western Junior B Hockey League and the Mid-Ontario Junior B Hockey League were founded. In 1971, the Central Junior B and the Mid-Ontario Junior B Hockey Leagues were realigned, giving rise to what would become the Ontario Provincial Junior League. The early version of the league was dominated by the Collingwood Blues, Kitchener Greenshirts, Owen Sound Greys, and Waterloo Siskins.
[edit] Central Junior B Hockey League (1971 to 1993)
- For Season-by-Season Standings, please see: CJBHL Standings.
In 1971, the league re-aligned itself geographically [1], as four of the five Central Jr.B teams moved on, with two (the Owen Sound Greys, and Collingwood Blues) joining the Orillia Terriers in the Mid-Ontario junior B league, and the Waterloo Siskins and Kitchener Ranger Bs joining the Western Jr. B. Only the Preston Raiders remained in the Central league. In their place, the new Central Junior B league added teams from the Mid-Ontario Junior B, including the Oakville Blades, Milton Flyers, Burlington Mohawks, Hespeller Shamrocks and Streetsville Derbys, and expansion franchises in the Dundas Blues (formerly the Merchants) and the Brampton Vic Woods. In 1978 the Mid-Ontario league folded, and Orillia Terriers, Thornhill Thunderbirds, the Barrie Colts, and Oak Ridges Dynes joined the Central League. The Central grew from 8 teams in the late 1980s, to 17 teams by 1993, at which time it became the Ontario Provincial Junior A league.
[edit] Ascension to Junior "A"
- For Season-by-Season Standings, please see: OPJHL Standings
In 1991, the renegade Metro Junior A Hockey League promoted itself to fill the Junior "A" hockey void across the southern part of the province [2]. In 1993, for the Ontario Hockey Association to compete, the Central Junior B Hockey League was promoted to Junior "A" and renamed the "Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League". The year of 1993 also marked the year that the Canadian Junior A Hockey League was created [3]. Since 1994, OPJHL teams have won 8 of 13 Dudley Hewitt Cups as Central Canadian Champions and to earn a birth in the Royal Bank Cup [4].
[edit] Expansion Years (1998-2008)
The summer of 1998 marked the death of the Metro Junior A Hockey League, as it merged into the flourishing OPJHL [5] [6], taking many of the league's teams, including: the Aurora Tigers, Bramalea Blues, Buffalo Lightning, Durham Huskies, Huntsville Wildcats, Markham Waxers, Muskoka Bears, North York Rangers, Pickering Panthers, Port Hope Buzzards, Shelburne Wolves, Syracuse Jr. Crunch, Thornhill Rattlers, Wellington Dukes, and Wexford Raiders.
From 1995 until 1998, the OPJHL operated as a four division system, each system running seperately of the other. In 1998, the OPJHL absorbed the Metro league and bloated from twenty-two to thirty-seven franchises. To compensate, the league created three massive divisions which led to a chaotic playoff season. In 2000, the OPJHL returned to the four division system, all equal but separate from each other. This lasted until 2008.
[edit] The Current OPJHL
The summer of 2008 brought much change to the OPJHL. An idea for a new Super Division was presented to the offices of the Ontario Hockey Association. The plan was later approved by the OHA, despite potential legal complications that may be resultant from excluding the twenty-plus other teams. Between eight and ten teams will be included in the Super Division in 2008-09, while the rest will be dispersed within other divisions. The OHA has done little to explain the future of the remaining clubs.[1]
[edit] Current Events & Championships
[edit] 2008-09 Team Moves
- Super Division is approved for 2008-09[2]
- Quinte West Pack are now the Trenton Hercs[3]
- Bramalea Blues will return for 2008-09 season[4]
- Bancroft Hawks have been sold to Upper Canada College, but will not operate until 2009-10
[edit] Dudley Hewitt Cups
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[edit] Royal Bank Cups
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[edit] The Teams
[edit] Super Division
As approved by the OHA, the OPJHL will have a premier division beginning in the 2008-09 season. More teams might be added to these initial eight.[5] This division's creation has been controversial and has been appealed by left out teams to the Ontario Hockey Federation.
| Super Division | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Centre | 2008-09 Record | Points |
| Cobourg Cougars | Cobourg | 0-0-0-0 | 0 |
| Hamilton Red Wings | Hamilton | 0-0-0-0 | 0 |
| Markham Waxers | Markham | 0-0-0-0 | 0 |
| Newmarket Hurricanes | Newmarket | 0-0-0-0 | 0 |
| St. Michael's Buzzers | Toronto | 0-0-0-0 | 0 |
| Stouffville Spirit | Stouffville | 0-0-0-0 | 0 |
| Toronto Jr. Canadiens | Downsview | 0-0-0-0 | 0 |
| Wellington Dukes | Wellington | 0-0-0-0 | 0 |
[edit] Base Divisions
These teams will be realigned prior to the beginning of the 2008-09 season.
Please note: (x-) denotes playoff birth, (y-) denotes elimination, (zx-) denotes first round bye.
Teams listed on the official league website [7].
Standings listed by Pointstreak on official league website [8].
[edit] 2007-08 Frank L. Buckland Trophy Playoffs
- For the Central Canada Championship, please go to the Dudley Hewitt Cup.
- For the National Championship, please go to the Royal Bank Cup 2008.
[edit] Championship Round
| Buckland Cup Series | |||
| S3 | Markham Waxers | 1 | |
| W1 | Oakville Blades | 4 | |
[edit] Divisional Playoffs
[edit] South/East
| Division Quarter-finals | Division Semi-finals | Division Finals | SE Conference Final | |||||||||||||||
| E1 | Wellington | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| E5 | Bowmanville | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| E4 | Peterborough | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| E5 | Bowmanville | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| E1 | Wellington | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| East | ||||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Kingston | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Kingston | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| E3 | Port Hope | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| E3 | Port Hope | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| E6 | Lindsay | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| E1 | Wellington | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| S3 | Markham | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| S1 | St. Michael's | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| S4 | Toronto | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| S4 | Toronto | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| S5 | North York | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| S1 | St. Michael's | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| South | ||||||||||||||||||
| S3 | Markham | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| S2 | Vaughan | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| S3 | Markham | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| S3 | Markham | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| S6 | Dixie | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
[edit] North/West
| Division Quarter-finals | Division Semi-finals | Division Finals | NW Conference Final | |||||||||||||||
| W1 | Oakville | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| W6 | Milton | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Hamilton | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| W6 | Milton | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Oakville | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| West | ||||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Georgetown | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Georgetown | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| W4 | Brampton | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| W4 | Brampton | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| W5 | Burlington | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Oakville | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| N3 | Aurora | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| N1 | Huntsville | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| N4 | Stouffville | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| N4 | Stouffville | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| N5 | Couchiching | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| N4 | Stouffville | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| North | ||||||||||||||||||
| N3 | Aurora | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| N2 | Newmarket | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| N3 | Aurora | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| N3 | Aurora | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| N6 | Orangeville | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
Note: E is East, S is South, W is West, N is North, WC is Wild Card.
Playoff results are listed by Pointstreak on the official league website [9].
[edit] Champions
[edit] OPJHL Buckland Cup Champions
- 2008 Oakville Blades
- 2007 Aurora Tigers
- 2006 St. Michael's Buzzers
- 2005 St. Michael's Buzzers
- 2004 Aurora Tigers
- 2003 Wellington Dukes
- 2002 Brampton Capitals
- 2001 Thornhill Rattlers
- 2000 Brampton Capitals
- 1999 Bramalea Blues
- 1998 Milton Merchants
- 1997 Milton Merchants
- 1996 Newmarket 87's
- 1995 Brampton Capitals
- 1994 Orillia Terriers
[edit] Central Junior "B" Champions
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OPJHL Champions are listed on the league's official website [10]. The CBJHL champions were provided by the league's statistician.
[edit] OPJHL Showcase Tournament
The OPJHL Showcase Tournament is an annual event ran between Christmas and New Years in Newmarket, Ontario, hosted by the Newmarket Hurricanes. The tournament started in 1992 to help aid Canadian Hockey League, National Hockey League, and National Collegiate Athletic Association scouts in finding prospects for their teams. The tournament is highly competitive and successful. It draws as many as twenty junior hockey teams from all over North America. Despite just being a mid-season tourney, the event is highly contested and its title is played for with much ferocity. [11]
[edit] Champions
- 2007 No Competition
- 2006 Georgetown Raiders
- 2005 Vaughan Vipers
- 2004 Texas Tornado
- 2003 Texas Tornado
- 2002 Texas Tornado
- 2001 Brampton Capitals
- 2000 Hamilton Kilty B's
- 1999 Vaughan Vipers
- 1998 Milton Merchants
- 1997 Milton Merchants
- 1996 Brampton Capitals
- 1995 Milton Merchants
- 1994 Newmarket 87's
- 1993 Hamilton Kilty B's
- 1992 Markham Waxers
