Alberta Junior Hockey League

The Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) is an Alberta-based Junior A hockey league that belongs to the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). It was formed as a five-team league in 1964. There are currently 16 teams in the league. The regular season league champions receive the Dave Duchak Trophy. The playoff champions receive the Enerflex 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-seven series against the champion of the British Columbia Hockey League. The winner of the Doyle Cup competes in the Junior "A" National Championship for the Royal Bank Cup.

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 1964 was that there were hundreds of junior-calibre players in the province, but really only one team to play for. A group of business and hockey people got together in 1964 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.

The Edmonton Safeway Canadians and Maple Leafs later merged in 1971 to become the Edmonton Mets, then moved to Spruce Grove to become the Spruce Grove Mets in 1974. They lasted only three seasons in Spruce Grove; however, they won the AJHL title twice, and the Manitoba Centennial Trophy in 1975. In 1976, they moved again to become the St. Albert Saints, where they won three more league titles. In 2004, the team returned to Spruce Grove as the Spruce Grove Saints. This well-travelled franchise has sent over 30 players into the National Hockey League, including Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Messier.^[1]

One of the AJHL's most famous franchises, the Red Deer Rustlers, joined the league in 1967, capturing the championship in their first season. The Rustlers had attempted to join the Western Canada Junior Hockey League, but were blocked by the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association, and instead placed in the AJHL.^[2] In 1971, the Rustlers captured the first Manitoba Centennial Trophy as national Junior A champions. The Rustlers, who featured all six Sutter brothers who would go onto the National Hockey League, won eight AJHL titles and two Centennial Trophies during their existence. They were expelled from the league, however, in 1989, and formally folded in 1992 when the Red Deer Rebels joined the WHL.^[3]

In 1971, the Calgary Canucks were founded following the demise of the Cowboys and Buffaloes. Today, the Canucks are the oldest franchise still operating in the AJHL. It was founded with a mandate to focus on giving Calgary-area kids a place to play while focusing on their educational needs. The Canucks have captured a league record nine AJHL championships and won the Centennial Cup in 1995, the Canadian Championship of Junior A hockey, now known as the Royal Bank Cup.

After a game on February 21, 1980, the AJHL was shaken by a tragedy. Twenty-year-old Trevor Elton, Captain of the Sherwood Park Crusaders was hit cleanly along the boards by a player on the St. Albert Saints in St. Albert, Alberta. Elton landed and went into convulsions and died later that night while in hospital.^[4]

On November 26, 2010, the Fort McMurray Oil Barons and Drayton Valley Thunder played the first ever modern era regulation outdoor junior hockey game at MacDonald Island in Fort McMurray, Alberta. The game was known as the "Northern Classic".^[5] The 5,000 tickets available for the game sold out in less than an hour, and consequently broke the league attendance record of 4,400.^[6]

Current teams

Royal Bank Cup champions

Seven AJHL teams have captured the Royal Bank Cup, or its predecessor, the Manitoba Centennial Trophy, as Canadian national champions since the tournament was introduced in 1971:

• 2001: Camrose Kodiaks
• 2000: Fort McMurray Oil Barons
• 1995: Calgary Canucks
• 1994: Olds Grizzlys
• 1980: Red Deer Rustlers
• 1975: Spruce Grove Mets
• 1971: Red Deer Rustlers

Playoff Champions

For the Pacific Regional playoffs, please go to the Doyle Cup.

For the National Championship, please go to the 2011 Royal Bank Cup.

• Carling O'Keefe Cup was presented 1965-1997
• Rogers Wireless Cup presented since 1997

Please note: In chart, league champions are bolded.

NHL alumni

Nearly 200 AJHL grads have gone on to play in the National Hockey League.^[1] Among them:

References

1. ^ ^{a b} AJHL Annual Guide & Record Book 2006–07, pg. 98
2. ^ AJHL history—1960s, ajhl.ca
3. ^ AJHL history—1980s
4. ^ Junior player dies after game. Regina Leader-Post, February 21, 1980, Pg. 20.
5. ^ http://cjhlhockey.com/news/news_detail.html?newsID=180
6. ^ "Junior outdoor hockey game tickets a hot sell". Calgary Herald. 2010-11-03. http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Hockey+Junior+outdoor+game+tickets+sell/3679175/story.html. Retrieved 2010-11-03. 

External links

• AJHL official website