- Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League
-
Northern Ontario Junior
Hockey LeagueCurrent season or competition:
2011–12 NOJHL season
Region(s) Southwestern Ontario
Golden HorseshoeCommissioner Robert Mazzuca Former name(s) NOHA Junior B Hockey League (c. 1970-1978) Founded c. 1970 No. of teams 26 Associated Title(s) Dudley Hewitt Cup (Central Championship)
Royal Bank Cup (National Championship)
Hewitt-Dudley Memorial Trophy (All-Eastern Championship)[1]Recent Champions Soo Eagles (2010-11) Headquarters North Bay, Ontario Website NOJHL The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League[2] is a Junior A ice hockey league under the supervision of the Canadian Junior Hockey League, the Northern Ontario Hockey Association, and Hockey Canada. The winner of the NOJHL playoffs competes for the Dudley Hewitt Cup with the winners of the Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Superior International Junior Hockey League.[3] The winner of the Dudley Hewitt Cup then moves on to compete for the Royal Bank Cup.[4]
Contents
The Modern NOJHL
The current incarnation of the NOJHL comprises six Ontario teams and one American team. With teams in North Bay, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and Michigan, Blind River, Iroquois Falls, and Manitoulin Island, the league is spread across the southern region of Northeastern Ontario and the corresponding region of Michigan.[5]
The story of the current NOJHL began in 1972. The NOJHL was not on stable footing and was competing as a Junior "A" league. In Southern Ontario, the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League was looking to expand North. The league's two top teams, the Sudbury Wolves[6] and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds,[7] accepted an invitation from the OMJHL to compete in the high octane league. The next best team, the North Bay Trappers[8] chose not to stick around either and jumped to the Ontario Hockey Association's new Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League. With the top tier of talent sheared off, the only remaining team in the league was the Chelmsford Canadiens. A season before, the Espanola Screaming Eagles had been a member of the league,[9] but opted to drop to the NOHA Jr. B Hockey League in 1971; the Canadiens joined them in 1972.[10]
The NOHA Jr. B Hockey League came into prominence in the late 1960s. In 1970, the Capreol Hawks joined and won a championship in their first year. In 1971, Espanola jumped on board, followed by Chelmsford in 1972. In 1973, the Canadiens moved to Rayside-Balfour and became the Canadians. The Onaping Falls Huskies joined in 1974,[11] and the Nickel Centre Native Sons joined in 1976.[12]
In 1978, the top teams of the NOHA Jr. B Hockey League created the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League and were promoted to Tier II Junior "A".[13] With the five former Jr. "B" clubs and the Sudbury Cubs, the league was back in action. In 1981, the Elliot Lake Vikings jumped into the fold. In 1983, the Onaping Falls Huskies dropped out despite winning three league titles in the past four seasons. After a one season hiatus, they came back for two more years and then folded for good. In 1986, Rayside-Balfour went on hiatus and Capreol folded, dropping the league down to four teams. The Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League, also down to four teams, operated with the NOJHL as essentially two divisions of the same league. With an interlocking schedule, the NOJHL survived the 1986-87 season, the OPJHL did not and folded after the season concluded. Also, after 8 years of trying and failing, an NOJHL champion defeated an OPJHL champion for the Ontario Hockey Association championship. The Nickel Centre Power Trains defeated the Owen Sound Greys 4-games-to-2 for the right to compete for the Dudley Hewitt Cup -- the Central Canadian Junior "A" Championship. The next year, the Canadians were back and a new team known as the Thessalon Flyers entered the league. In 1988, the Haileybury 54's joined the league and in 1989 so did the Rouyn-Noranda Capitales. Thessalon folded in 1990, Haileybury moved to Powassan in 1991 and the Timmins Golden Bears joined as well. A season later, Sudbury became Nickel Centre and then later folded. In 1994, Powassan moved to Sturgeon Falls and the Parry Sound Shamrocks joined the league. In 1996, Rouyn-Noranda folded to make way for a new Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team that was moving to their town. In 1999, Timmins moved to Iroquois Falls, Elliot Lake moved to Nickel Centre, and the Soo Thunderbirds were founded. Also in 1999, Parry Sound moved to a new OPJHL (founded in 1993). A year later, Nickel Centre moved to Blind River and the Sudbury Jr. Wolves were founded. In 2002, Sturgeon Falls moved to North Bay. A season after that, a team from Manitoulin joined and Espanola jumped over to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Finally, in 2005, the league's most dominant team in history and the last remaining shred of the original NOJHL, Rayside-Balfour, folded. They did not go without leaving their mark. From 1996 until 2002, the team won 7 straight NOJHL Championships, three Dudley Hewitt Cups, and once came within one win of winning the Royal Bank Cup as national champions.
In 2005-06, the North Bay Skyhawks played 10 interlocking games against the Central Junior A Hockey League's Yzerman Division members. Skyhawks won 2 out of 10 of those games.
There were six teams in the NOJHL as of 2007. The 2006–07 league champions, the Soo Indians, took a year off in an attempt to sell. A year later they came back as the Soo Eagles. Also, in the summer of 2008 the Temiscaming Royals jumped from the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League to the NOJHL to expand the league to eight teams. Temiscaming was the second Québécois team in NOJHL history, after the Rouyn-Noranda Capitales who were in the league from 1989 to 1996. In the Spring of 2011, the Royals failed to find new ownership and folded.
Changes for 2011-12
- Temiscaming Royals leave league.
- Manitoulin Islanders move and become Kirkland Lake Blue Devils.
- Sudbury Jr. Wolves renamed Sudbury Cubs.
The teams
2010-11 Team Locations in Northeastern Ontario
West Division Team Joined Centre Arena Blind River Beavers 1981 Blind River Blind River Community Centre Soo Eagles 1978 Sault Ste. Marie, MI Pullar Stadium Soo Thunderbirds 1999 Sault Ste. Marie, ON John Rhodes Community Centre East Division Team Joined Centre Arena Abitibi Eskimos 1991 Iroquois Falls Jus Jordan Arena Kirkland Lake Blue Devils 2003 Kirkland Lake Joe Mavrinac Community Complex North Bay Trappers 1988 North Bay North Bay Memorial Gardens Sudbury Cubs 2000 Copper Cliff McClelland Arena Copeland-McNamara Trophy and Division Champions
Copeland Cup-McNamara Trophy - NOHA Jr. A Championship.
Frank L. Buckland Trophy - OHA Championship, competed for by NOJHL champions from 1979 until 1997. Won in 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1997.
William T. Ruddock Trophy - OHF Championship, competed for by NOJHL champions since 1994. Won in 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2006.
Dudley Hewitt Cup - Regional Championship, competed for by NOJHL champions since 1979. Won in 1997, 2000, and 2002.In 2008-09, the NOJHL instituted divisions. Overall champions are bolded.
Dudley Hewitt Cup Central Canadian Champions
Year Champion Finalist Host (if applicable) 1997 Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats Milton Merchants (OPJHL) -- 2000 Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats Brampton Capitals (OPJHL) -- 2002 Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats Dryden Ice Dogs (SIJHL) -- NOHA Jr. B 1970-1978
In 1972, the old Northern Ontario Junior Hockey Association folded as the Sudbury Wolves and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds left for the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League and the North Bay Trappers left for the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League. What was left were local Sudbury team in what would be known as the NOHA Jr. B League. In 1978, the league was promoted to Jr. A and became the NOJHL.
Year Champion Finalist 1971 Capreol Hawks 1972 1973 Coniston Cubs 1974 Chelmsford Canadians 1975 Onaping Falls Flyers 1976 1977 1978 Former Member Teams
Former Teams Team Centre Joined Exited Status Capreol Hawks Capreol, Ontario 1978 1986 Folded Nickel Centre Native Sons Nickel Centre, Ontario 1978 1987 Folded Onaping Falls Huskies Onaping Falls, Ontario 1978 1986 Folded Parry Sound Shamrocks Parry Sound, Ontario 1994 1999 Joined OPJHL Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats Rayside-Balfour, Ontario 1978 2005 Folded Rouyn-Noranda Capitales Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec 1989 1996 Folded Sudbury Cubs Sudbury, Ontario 1978 1993 Folded Temiscaming Royals Temiscaming, Quebec 2008 2011 Folded Thessalon Flyers Thessalon, Ontario 1987 1990 Folded League records
Team Season
- Best Record, One Season:
-
- 40-0-0 - Sudbury, 1989-90
- 40-0-0 - Rayside-Balfour, 1999-00
- Worst Record, One Season:
-
- 1-47-0 - Elliot Lake, 1991-92
- Most Goals Scored, One Season:
-
- 482 - Rayside-Balfour, 1991-92
- Least Goals Scored, One Season:
-
- 97 - Rayside-Balfour, 2003-04
- Least Goals Against, One Season:
-
- 80 - Rayside-Balfour, 1999-00
- Most Goals Against, One Season:
-
- 708 - Elliot Lake, 1991-92
Team Game
- Largest margin of victory:
-
- Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats 30 - Elliot Lake Vikings 3 on January 28, 1992
Individual Season
- Most Goals, One Season:
-
- 97 - Denis Castonguay, Rayside Balfour, 1983-84
- Most Assists, One Season:
-
- 106 - John Stos, Rayside Balfour, 1991-92
- Most Points, One Season:
-
- 196 - Denis Castonguay, Rayside Balfour, 1983-84
- Most Penalty Minutes, One Season:
-
- 384 - Andy Hodgins, Espanola, 1991-92
- Lowest Goals Against Average, One Season:
-
- 1.99 - Justin Dumont, Rayside-Balfour, 1999-00
- Most Shutouts, One Season:
-
- 5 - Frank Novello, Soo, 2000-01
- 5 - Martin Perrault, North Bay, 2003-04
Individual career
- Most Games Played, Career:
-
- 224 - Matt Brunet, Abitibi/Soo, 2002-07
- Most Goals, Career:
-
- 197 - Denis Castonguay, Rayside-Balfour, 1979-84
- Most Assists, Career:
-
- 237 - Brian Verreault, Rayside-Balfour, 1979-84
- Most Points, Career:
-
- 409 - Brian Verreault, Rayside-Balfour, 1979-84
- Most Penalty Minutes, Career:
-
- 919 - Dean Bowles, Elliot Lake, 1986-91
Timeline of teams in the NOJHL
- 1978 - NOHA Jr. B Hockey League is promoted to Junior A and renamed Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League - League includes: Sudbury Cubs, Nickel Centre Native Sons, Onaping Falls Huskies, Capreol Hawks, Rayside-Balfour Canadians, and Espanola Eagles
- 1981 - Elliot Lake Vikings join from International Junior B Hockey League
- 1982 - Sudbury Cubs become Sudbury North Stars
- 1983 - Onaping Falls Huskies leave league
- 1983 - Sudbury North Stars return to Sudbury Cubs
- 1984 - Onaping Falls Huskies rejoin league
- 1984 - Nickel Centre Native Sons leave league
- 1985 - Nickel Centre Native Sons rejoin league
- 1986 - Nickel Centre Native Sons renamed Nickel Centre Power Trains
- 1986 - Rayside-Balfour Canadians, Capreol Hawks, and Onaping Falls Huskies leave league
- 1987 - Rayside-Balfour Canadians rejoin league
- 1987 - Thessalon Flyers join league
- 1987 - Nickel Centre Power Trains leave league
- 1988 - Espanola Eagles leave league, franchise sold to Haileybury 54's
- 1989 - Rouyn-Noranda Capitales join league
- 1990 - Thessalon Flyers leave league
- 1990 - Haileybury 54's move and become Powassan Passport
- 1991 - Timmins Golden Bears and Espanola Eagles join league
- 1992 - Sudbury Cubs become Nickel Centre Cubs
- 1992 - Powassan Passport become Powassan Hawks
- 1993 - Nickel Centre Cubs leave league
- 1994 - Parry Sound Shamrocks join league
- 1994 - Powassan Hawks move and are renamed Sturgeon Falls Lynx
- 1995 - Espanola Eagles leave league
- 1995 - Rayside-Balfour Canadians renamed Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats
- 1996 - Rouyn-Noranda Capitales disband to make way for Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
- 1997 - Elliot Lake Vikings become Elliot Lake Ice
- 1998 - Espanola Eagles rejoin league
- 1999 - Timmins Golden Bears relocate and become Iroquois Falls Jr. Eskis
- 1999 - Soo Thunderbirds join league
- 1999 - Elliot Lake Ice leave league, franchise sold to Nickel Centre Barons
- 1999 - Parry Sound Shamrocks move to the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League
- 2000 - Sudbury Northern Wolves join league
- 2000 - Nickel Centre Barons move and are renamed Blind River Barons
- 2001 - Blind River Barons renamed Blind River Barons
- 2002 - Iroquois Fals Jr. Eskis are renamed Abitibi Eskimos
- 2002 - Sturgeon Falls Lynx move to North Bay and become the North Bay Skyhawks
- 2002 - Soo Thunderbirds are renamed Sault Ste. Marie Jr. Greyhounds
- 2003 - Espanola Screaming Eagles move to St. Ignace, Michigan and become the Northern Michigan Black Bears
- 2003 - Little Current awarded expansion franchise Manitoulin Wild
- 2003 - Sault Ste. Marie Jr. Greyhounds return to Soo Thunderbirds
- 2005 - Manitoulin Wild become Manitoulin Islanders
- 2005 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats are granted a one-year leave of absence
- 2005 - Sudbury Northern Wolves become Sudbury Jr. Wolves
- 2006 - Northern Michigan Black Bears are relocated and renamed Soo Indians
- 2006 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats officially fold
- 2007 - Soo Indians take one year leave in search of new ownership
- 2008 - Temiscaming Royals join from Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League
- 2008 - Soo Indians return, renamed Soo Eagles
- 2009 - North Bay Skyhawks are renamed North Bay Trappers
- 2011 - Temiscaming Royals leave league
- 2011 - Manitoulin Islanders move and become Kirkland Lake Blue Devils
- 2011 - Sudbury Jr. Wolves are renamed Sudbury Cubs
See also
- Northern Ontario Hockey Association
- Ontario Hockey Federation
- Canadian Junior A Hockey League
- Hockey Canada
- Elliot Lake Vikings
References
- ^ Hewitt Dudley Memorial Trophy was the defunct in 1979 when the Centennial Cup's format was switched to round robin.
- ^ http://www.nojhl.com/
- ^ http://dhc.nojhl.com/?content=teams.php
- ^ http://cjhlhockey.com/leagues.html
- ^ http://www.nojhl.com/?content=teams.php
- ^ http://www.officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/SudburyWolves1.htm
- ^ http://www.officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/SaultSteMarieGreyhounds1.htm
- ^ http://www.officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/NorthBayTrappers.htm
- ^ http://www.officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/EspanolaEagles.htm
- ^ http://www.officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/ChelmsfordCanadiens.htm
- ^ http://www.officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/OnapingFallsHuskies.htm
- ^ http://www.officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/NickelCentreNativeSons.htm
- ^ http://www.nojhl.com/?content=about.php
External links
Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League Current Teams Former Teams History NOHA Junior A
SeasonsNOJHA1962–63 · 1963–64 · 1964–65 · 1965–66 · 1966–67 · 1967–68 · 1968–69 · 1969–70 · 1970–71 · 1971–72NOJHL1978–79 · 1979–80 · 1980–81 · 1981–82 · 1982–83 · 1983–84 · 1984–85 · 1985–86 · 1986–87 · 1987–88 · 1988–89 · 1989–90 · 1990–91 · 1991–92 · 1992–93 · 1993–94 · 1994–95 · 1995–96 · 1996–97 · 1997–98 · 1998–99 · 1999–00 · 2000–01 · 2001–02 · 2002–03 · 2003–04 · 2004–05 · 2005–06 · 2006–07 · 2007–08 · 2008–09 · 2009–10 · 2010–11 · 2011–12Members and Championships of the Canadian Junior Hockey League Anavet Cup Doyle Cup Dudley Hewitt Cup Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League · Ontario Junior Hockey League · Superior International Junior Hockey LeagueFred Page Cup Royal Bank Cup WJAC History Abbott Cup · Hewitt-Dudley Memorial Trophy · Callaghan Cup · Thunder Bay Flyers · EJAHL · IJHL · MetJHL
Original MJAHL · NBJHL · NJAHL · NJHL · NOJHA · OPJHL · PJHL · QJAHL · RMJHL · SJJHL · SOJHL · TBJHLJunior ice hockey leagues in North America Canada Major JuniorJunior AJunior BJunior CIndependentUnited States Tier ITier IITier IIIIndependentIJHL • CJHLCategories:- Ice hockey leagues in Ontario
- Canadian Junior Hockey League
- Sport in Northern Ontario
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