Central Junior A Hockey League

The Central Junior A Hockey League (CJHL, CenJHL, or CJAHL) is a Tier II Canadian Junior Hockey League operating in eastern Ontario, Canada [http://cjhl.pucksystems2.com/page/show/34734-league-history] . The league is sanctioned by the Ottawa District Hockey Association and Hockey Canada. The winner of the CJHL playoffs competes for the Fred Page Cup with the winners of the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League and the Maritime Junior A Hockey League. [http://www.fredpagecup2008.com/history.php] The winner of the Fred Page Cup then moves on to compete for the Royal Bank Cup. [http://www.fredpagecup2008.com/history.php]

:Ottawa-Hull & District Junior Hockey League 1961 - 1964:Central Junior "A" Hockey League 1964 to Present

History

The league started in 1961 as the "Ottawa-Hull District Junior Hockey League", under the sponsorship of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League, in hope of a better development program. [http://cjhl.pucksystems2.com/page/show/34734-league-history] The league has featured such NHL stars as Steve Yzerman and Larry Robinson, for which its two divisions are named. As this league was for the Ottawa District, teams out of the area were not allowed to compete, with one exemption - Pembroke. In the early years, any player in the league was automatically a member of the Montreal Canadiens, and were forced into a contract which would disallow them to sign with any other National Hockey League team if they were ever to achieve such greatness. The Canadiens also wanted the league to be strictly for development, allowing 4 19-year-olds and 5 18-year-olds per team with the rest of the players being 17 or younger. This was met with much anger and disappointment with players who had just reached their 20's, but the league substantially gained in popularity, and they were ignored. [http://cjhl.pucksystems2.com/page/show/34734-league-history] A remarkable alumnus of the league is 4-time Stanley Cup Champion Billy Smith of New York Islanders fame, a former member of the Smiths Falls Bears. In 1963, the Montreal Canadiens allowed the Chicago Blackhawks-sponsored Brockville Braves into the league.

In the late 1960s, the Cornwall Royals applied to enter into what is now the Ontario Hockey League, when they were turned away, they applied to join the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and were accepted. In 1973, the Hull Hawks, also departed for the QMJHL. In 1975, the Canadian Hockey Association informed the league that they had to allow 20-year-olds into their league, as all other leagues of their calibre already were doing. [http://cjhl.pucksystems2.com/page/show/34734-league-history]

In 1976, Bryan Murray, now head coach of the NHL's Ottawa Senators, took over as head coach of the Rockland Nationals. With Murray at the wheel, the Nationals won the leagues, the region, and then went on to win the National Championship as Centennial Cup Champions. The financial cost of the playoff run was too much for the team's backers to handle, and, declaring bankruptcy, the team played their last game winning the Canadian National Championship. [http://cjhl.pucksystems2.com/page/show/34734-league-history] The Nationals have resurrected since then as a member of the Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League. [http://www.hometeamsonline.com/hockeyteam/default.asp?username=EOJCHL]

After the ruling that allowed 20-year-olds to play in the league, teams began attempting to "buy" championship teams by going after former Major Junior players. The effect of this resulted in the labeling of the league as a "goon league" or "bush league" as the league got more violent. The fan base dwindled, and by 1984 there were only 5 teams left in the league, all on the verge of bankruptcy. [http://cjhl.pucksystems2.com/page/show/34734-league-history] The owners of the five teams approached the owners of Ottawa's Talisman Hotel and asked them to purchase the league. Through new management and rule changes, the league barred 20-year-olds from the Major Junior ranks, created a limit of 5 20-year-olds (homegrown from the CJHL), and banned the paying of players. The new rules worked, and the league was once again successful. [http://cjhl.pucksystems2.com/page/show/34734-league-history] The league then approached the Canadian Hockey Association, and requested a new system. After the fall of the Rockland Nationals, the league realized there was a revenue problem amongst its teams. The league demanded longer regular seasons and a shorter National playdown schedule to determine the National Champion. This new system was guaranteed to increase revenue amongst all teams nation-wide as they were allowed to have more home games, increasing revenue through ticket sales, and decreased the travel expenditures that forced the Rockland Nationals to fold when they won the National Championship. [http://cjhl.pucksystems2.com/page/show/34734-league-history]

The league began flourishing, and by the early 90's, had expanded over 2-fold. Teams that had folded during the "dark days" of the late 70's and early 80's came back. The league even allowed for the expansion of their first American hockey team, the Massena Americans. Also, now a member of the OHL, the Cornwall Royals moved from Cornwall. In response, the CJHL allowed the Messena Americans to move to Cornwall, hoping the Cornwall Colts could help the city fill its competitive hockey "void". [http://cjhl.pucksystems2.com/page/show/34734-league-history]

In April 2007, it was announced that the Kemptville 73's were granted to join the CJHL as its 11th member team. The 73's formerly played in the Eastern Ontario Junior B Hockey League. In the past few seasons, the Rockland Nationals have shown interest in returning to the CJHL, but nothing yet has come of it.

The Teams

"(x-) denotes berth into playoffs, (y-) denotes elimination from playoffs."

2008-09 Bogart Cup Playoffs

:"For the Eastern Canada Championship, please go to the Fred Page Cup."

:"For the National Championship, please go to the 2009 Royal Bank Cup."

8TeamBracket | RD1= Quarter-finals
RD2= Semi-finals
RD3= Bogart Cup Finals

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RD1-seed2=8
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RD1-seed3=4
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RD1-seed4=5
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RD1-seed5=2
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RD1-seed6=7
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RD1-seed7=3
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RD1-seed8=6
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Bogart Cup Champions

*1962 Ottawa Montagnards *1963 Ottawa Montagnards *1964 Ottawa Primrose *1965 Smiths Falls Bears *1966 Cornwall Royals *1967 Cornwall Royals *1968 Cornwall Royals *1969 Hull Castors *1970 Ottawa Rangers *1971 Ottawa Rangers *1972 Smiths Falls Bears *1973 Pembroke Lumber Kings *1974 Smiths Falls Bears *1975 Smiths Falls Bears *1976 Rockland Nationals *1977 Pembroke Lumber Kings *1978 Pembroke Lumber Kings *1979 Hawkesbury Hawks *1980 Hawkesbury Hawks *1981 Gloucester Rangers *1982 Pembroke Lumber Kings *1983 Ottawa Senators *1984 Pembroke Lumber Kings *1985 Pembroke Lumber Kings *1986 Brockville Braves *1987 Pembroke Lumber Kings *1988 Pembroke Lumber Kings *1989 Pembroke Lumber Kings *1990 Hawkesbury Hawks *1991 Hawkesbury Hawks

*1992 Kanata Valley Lasers *1993 Ottawa Senators *1994 Gloucester Rangers *1995 Cornwall Colts *1996 Cornwall Colts *1997 Kanata Valley Lasers *1998 Brockville Braves *1999 Hawkesbury Hawks *2000 Cornwall Colts *2001 Cornwall Colts *2002 Ottawa Jr. Senators *2003 Nepean Raiders *2004 Nepean Raiders *2005 Hawkesbury Hawks *2006 Hawkesbury Hawks *2007 Pembroke Lumber Kings *2008 Pembroke Lumber Kings

Former Member Teams

*Cornwall Royals
*Hull Hawks
*Rockland Nationals

League records

*Best record: 1972-73 Pembroke Lumber Kings (47-4-4)
*Worst record: 1987-88 Smiths Falls Bears (4-52-0)
*Largest margin of victory: Cornwall Royals 43 - Hawkesbury Hawks 0 in February 1966
*Most goals, one season: Luc Chabot (101) -- 1985-86 Pembroke Lumber Kings
*Most assists, one season: Peter White (136) -- 1987-88 Pembroke Lumber Kings
*Most points, one season: Peter White (226) -- 1987-88 Pembroke Lumber Kings
*Most penalty minutes, one season: Frank Manson (416) -- 1992-93 Ottawa Senators
*Most goals, career: Luc Chabot (255) -- Pembroke Lumber Kings
*Most assists, career: George Dupont (332) -- Nepean Raiders/Pembroke Lumber Kings
*Most points, career: Luc Chabot (490) -- Pembroke Lumber Kings
*Most penalty minutes, career: Travis Albers (942) -- Various Teams
*Most minutes played, one season: Christian Soucy (3109) -- 1990-91 Pembroke Lumber Kings
*Most wins, one season: Grant Robb (36) -- 1987-88 Pembroke Lumber Kings
*Lowest goals against average, one season: Ian Dams (2.24) -- 2004-05 Nepean Raiders
*Highest save percentage, one season: Jean-Pascal Lemelin (0.929) -- 1990-91 Hawkesbury Hawks
*Most shutouts, one season: Mitch O'Keefe (6) -- 2003-04 Gloucester Rangers
*Most minutes played, career: Mark Byrne (11,143) -- Nepean Raiders
*Most wins, career: Grant Robb (87) -- Pembroke Lumber Kings

External links

* [http://www.cjhl.on.ca/ Central Junior A Website]

References