Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League

The Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League was a junior ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association from 1974 until 2007. As of 2007, the league has become a division of the newly formed Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. For the 2007-08 season, the GHL, with the Mid-Western Junior Hockey League and Western Ontario Hockey League, will operate as three divisional leagues in one league with separate but cooperative governing bodies. In 2008, all three league will be dissolved and become divisions in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League under one governing body. In essence, this will by the GHL's final season.

History

The year 1974 saw the founding of the Golden Horseshoe Junior B Hockey League. The league consisted mostly of "inner ring" teams from the Niagara District Junior B Hockey League. The "outer ring" teams maintained with the Niagara league. In 1978, the Golden Horseshoe league jumped from six to nine teams by swallowing the majority of the short-lived Southwestern Junior B Hockey League. A season later, the Niagara District league folded and their final champion, the Fort Erie Meteors, came aboard as the GHL's tenth team.

In 1995-96 and 1996-97, the GHL played an interlocking schedule with USA Hockey's North Eastern Junior Hockey League. In 1997-98, the league even allowed the expansion of one of the NEJHL's teams, the Rochester Jr. Americans for a single season.

In 2005-06, the GHL allowed another former NEJHL team, the Wheatfield Jr. Blades, to participate in the league.

In 2007, the league merged with the Western Ontario Hockey League and the Mid-Western Junior Hockey League to form the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.

2007-08 Season

For information on the 2007-08 season, please see: "Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League".

Final teams

"These are the teams that were in the league during its final independent season (2006-07)."
*Fort Erie Meteors
*Niagara Falls Canucks
*Port Colborne Sailors
*St. Catharines Falcons
*Stoney Creek Warriors
*Thorold Blackhawks
*Welland Jr. Canadians
*Wheatfield Jr. Blades

Other former members

*Brantford Classics
*Buffalo Jr. Sabres
*Caledonia Corvairs
*Dundas Blues
*Dunnville Terriers
*Grimsby Peach Kings
*Hamilton Mountain Bees
*Hamilton Red Wings
*Simcoe Jets
*Tillsonburg Mavericks

Former interleague opponents

*Pittsburgh Renegades
*Rochester Jr. Americans
*Springfield Jr. Indians

Playoff Champions

*2007 St. Catharines Falcons
*2006 Niagara Falls Canucks
*2005 Thorold Blackhawks
*2004 Thorold Blackhawks
*2003 Thorold Blackhawks
*2002 Niagara Falls Canucks
*2001 Thorold Blackhawks
*2000 St. Catharines Falcons
*1999 St. Catharines Falcons
*1998 Niagara Falls Canucks
*1997 St. Catharines Falcons
*1996 Niagara Falls Canucks
*1995 Niagara Falls Canucks
*1994 St. Catharines Falcons
*1993 Hamilton Kilty B's
*1992 St. Catharines Falcons
*1991 Welland Aerostars
*1990 St. Catharines Falcons
*1989 Niagara Falls Canucks
*1988 Niagara Falls Canucks
*1987 Niagara Falls Canucks
*1986 St. Catharines Falcons
*1985 St. Catharines Falcons
*1984 Brantford Alexander B's
*1983 Welland Cougars
*1982 St. Catharines Falcons
*1981 St. Catharines Falcons
*1980 Welland Cougars
*1979 St. Catharines Falcons
*1978 St. Catharines Falcons
*1977 St. Catharines Falcons
*1976 St. Catharines Falcons
*1975

Niagara District Champions

*1979 Fort Erie Meteors
*1978
*1977
*1976
*1975
*1974 Hamilton Mountain Bees
*1973
*1972
*1971 Hamilton Mountain Bees
*1970 Hamilton Mountain Bees
*1969 Hamilton Mountain Bees
*1968 Thorold Jaycees
*1967
*1966 Hamilton Mountain Bees
*1965 Hamilton Mountain Bees
*1964 Burlington Mohawks
*1963 Burlington Mohawks
*1962
*1961 Welland Brookies
*1960 St. Catharines Falcons
*1959 St. Catharines Falcons
*1958 Welland Brookies

Records

"Records taken from [http://www.ghlhockey.com/ Official Website] ."
*Best record: 1997-98 Niagara Falls Canucks (43-3-3)
*Worst record: 1993-94 Fort Erie Meteors (1-38-1)

External links

* [http://www.ghlhockey.com/ Golden Horseshoe Junior B Website]
* [http://www.ohahockey.org/ OHA Website]