2016-17 HJBHL Season

This is the 2016-17 Heritage Junior Hockey League season.  This is the league's 30th season.

Membership changes

 * The Medicine Hat Cubs were forced to cease operations in mid-January of 2016 for the balance of the season due to a lack of players.  The league had stated in a press release after the announcement that they were expecting the team to attend the league annual general meeting in May with a plan in place to be able to restart the team for the 2016-17 season.  The team is back in the league for the 2016-17 season.
 * The Banff Academy Bears appear to have withdrawn from the league after the 2016-17 season

Current Teams (2016-17)
The HJHL has 2 divisions for the 2016-2017 season.

Northern Division
note: Red Deer finished ahead of Blackfalds due to Goal Differential

Format
The top six teams in each division qualify for the playoffs. The top two seeds earn a bye into the division semifinals. The 3rd place team plays the 6th place team and the 4th place team plays the 5th place team in a best-of-three qualifying round. The teams are re-seeded for the  best-of-seven division semifinal round. The division semifinal winners meet in the best-of-seven division final round. The division winners meet in the best-of-seven (later changed to best-of-five) league championship series. For overtime play the league uses one ten minute overtime period followed by 20 minute overtime periods.

The league champion qualifies for the 2017 Russ Barnes Trophy which determines the provincial champion. The winner of that tournament earns the right to compete for the Western Canadian Junior "B" Crown, the Keystone Cup.

North Division Quarterfinals

 * Red Deer defeated Ponoka 2 games to none
 * Blackfalds defeated Stettler 2 games to 1

South Division Quarterfinals

 * Coaldale defeated Medicine Hat 2 games to none
 * Banff Academy defeated Strathmore 2 games to none

North Division Semifinals

 * Mountainview vs Blackfalds 4 games to 1
 * Red Deer defeated Airdrie 4 games to 2

South Division Semifinals

 * Cochrane defeated Banff Academy 4 games to none
 * Coaldale defeated Okotoks 4 games to 3

North Division Final

 * Red Deer defeated Mountainview 4 games to 3

South Division Final

 * Cochrane defeated Coaldale 4 games to 2

League Final

 * Red Deer defeated Cochrane 3 games to 1