Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League

Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League

Sport	Ice hockey
Founded	1970
Commissioner	Jack Van Dam
Inaugural season	1970
No. of teams	9
Most recent champion(s)	Charleswood Hawks
Most titles	Charleswood Hawks (15)
Official website	MMJHL.ca

The Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League is a Junior ice hockey league in Manitoba, Canada. Founded in 1970, the league is not a member of Hockey Canada and has operated privately since its inception on private funds and donations.

History

Founded in 1970, the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League was created due to the lack of playing opportunities for Winnipeg-area players. With only the Manitoba Junior Hockey League in the area, recently relegated from Major Junior to Tier II Junior A, there was no active second tier league. The league filed for application to the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association and was initially accepted. When the MAHA was informed the league wanted to call itself the "Manitoba Junior B Hockey League", the MAHA objected on the grounds that the MJHL was helping construct a feeder league for itself with that name. After negotiations between the MJHL and the new league did not work out, as the MJHL wanted a submissive development league, the new league informed the MAHA that it would not join the MAHA.

Early in the league's first season, the original four teams started playing: River Heights, Fort Garry, Charleswood, and Stonewall. Only a week into the season, the league was contacted by teams in Portage la Prairie and St. James who were looking for a league to play in as the MJHL's attempt at a Jr. B league failed. Soon after, Neepawa approached the league with a similar concern. Due to travel, the could not be a part of the league, but did participate in at least two interleague games against each team. In the second season, a team from Kenora, Ontario did this as well. At the end of the first season, the MMJHL was allowed to send a "champion" (St. James) to compete against the MAHA Junior B champion.

The Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League name comes from the league's adaptation of the Western Canada Hockey League's player eligibility rules.

The teams

Team	Centre
Charleswood Hawks	Charleswood
Fort Garry/Fort Rouge Twins	Fort Garry/Fort Rouge
Pembina Valley Twisters	Morris
River East Royal Knights	River East
St. Boniface Riels	St. Boniface
St. James Canucks	St. James
St. Vital Victorias	St. Vital
Seven Oaks Raiders	Winnipeg
Stonewall Jets	Stonewall

Former teams

• Transcona Railers

Champions

1971 River Heights Cardinals

1972 St. Boniface Riels

1973 St. Boniface Riels

1974 Charleswood Hawks

1975 Ft. Garry Blues

1976 Ft. Garry Blues

1977 Ft. Garry Blues

1978 Ft. Garry Blues

1979 Charleswood Hawks

1980 Seven Oaks Raiders

1981 Charleswood Hawks

1982 River East Royal Knights

1983 Ft. Garry 90's Jr Bisons

1984 Transcona Railers

1985 St. Boniface Riels

1986 St. Boniface Riels

1987 River East Royal Knights

1988 River East Royal Knights

1989 River East Royal Knights

1990 River East Royal Knights

1991 Transcona Railers

1992 Transcona Railers

1993 River East Royal Knights

1994 Charleswood Hawks

1995 Charleswood Hawks

1996 Charleswood Hawks

1997 Charleswood Hawks

1998 St. James Canucks

1999 Ft. Garry/Rouge Twins

2000 Ft. Garry/Rouge Twins

2001 River East Royal Knights

2002 Charleswood Hawks

2003 Charleswood Hawks

2004 St. Vital Victorias

2005 Charleswood Hawks

2006 Charleswood Hawks

2007 Charleswood Hawks

2008 Pembina Valley Twisters

2009 Charleswood Hawks

2010 Charleswood Hawks

2011 Charleswood Hawks

References

External links

• MMJHL Website
• Pembina Valley
• River East
• St. Vital
• Fort Garry/Fort Rouge
• Charleswood
• Stonewall
• St. Boniface