2018-19 GOJHL Season

This is the '''2018-19 Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League season. '''This was the league's 69th season overall dating back to the Eastern Junior B Hockey League, Metro Junior A Hockey League, and the Western Junior B Hockey League in 1950. The league has used the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League name since 2007 when 3 leagues (Mid-Western Junior Hockey League, Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League and Western Ontario Hockey League) merged to form the present league.

Showcase Postponed
The league's annual showcase was originally scheduled for September 7-9, 2018  in St. Catharines,  but the league stated in a release on August 29, 2018 that the "event is postponed to a later date due to the Ontario Hockey Association refusing to provide referees for the event. This may be part of an ongoing dispute with the OHA about the league wanting Junior "A" status, which has since been appealed to the Ontario Hockey Federation.

The president of the OHA responded to the release with the following as part of a statement that was release "The OHA did not refuse to assign officials to the Showcase event but was in the process of endeavoring to assign those officials when the organizer of the event unilaterally postponed it."

Membership Changes

 * On April 18, 2018 it was announced on the league website that the Ancaster Avalanche would be relocating to the Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena in Hamilton, Ontario and would be renamed the Hamilton Kilty B's after the former Hamilton Kilty B's who were renamed the Hamilton Red Wings in 2002 and in 2015 moved to Markham, Ontario and became the Markham Royals.
 * On May 8, 2018 the Ontario Hockey Association approves the relocation of the Guelph Hurricanes to Cambridge, Ontario. The team will play out of the Galt Arena Gardens for the 2018-19 season.  The team was originally known as the Hesper Shamrocks and later Cambridge Shamrocks when they were established back around 1960.  The team played in Cambridge until 1982 when they moved to Guelph.  It was announced May 11th that the team will be renamed the Cambridge Redhawks.  They will replace the Cambridge Winter Hawks  who withdrew from the Ontario Hockey Association and by default the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League after the 2016-17 season.
 * The Caledonia Corvairs requested a one-year leave of absence for the 2018-19 season after completion of the 2017-18 season.
 * On June 17, 2018 it was announced the Milton Icehawks franchise of the Ontario Junior Hockey League would be moving to Brantford and would take the 99ers name.  The future of the present GOJHL team has not been decided but they are planning on staying put for the 2018-19 season pending a meeting with Ontario Hockey Federation officials.  Both teams have the same owner.
 * After the 2017-18 season, the Buffalo Regals would relocate to the Cornerstone Ice Arena in Lockport, New York and would be renamed the Lockport Regals for the 2018-19 season.
 * The Pelham Panthers will be moving into the new Pelham Community Centre for the 2018-19 season

Format
Each conference will hold its own playoffs with 8 teams qualifying for each conference. The three conference champions and the conference runner-up with the best "playoff record to date" qualify for the Sutherland Cup semifinals. The wildcard play the team with the better record of the two they didn't play in the conference final. All playoff series are best-of-seven. The Sutherland Cup champion does not advance any further as there is no Eastern Canada championship at the Junior B level.

Golden Horseshoe Conference Quarterfinals

 * Niagara Falls Canucks defeated Lockport Regals 4 games to none
 * St. Catharines Falcons defeated Welland Jr. Canadians 4 games to none
 * Hamilton Kilty B's defeated Fort Erie Meteors 4 games to none
 * Pelham Panthers defeated Thorold Blackhawks 4 games to 2

Midwestern Conference Quarterfinals

 * Listowel Cyclones defeated Brampton Bombers 4 games to none
 * Stratford Warriors defeated Brantford 99ers 4 games to 1
 * Waterloo Siskins defeated Cambridge Winter Hawks 4 games to 1
 * Kitchener Dutchmen defeated Elmira Sugar Kings 4 games to 3

Western Conference Quarterfinals

 * Leamington Flyers defeated Strathroy Rockets 4 games to 1
 * London Nationals defeated St. Thomas Stars 4 games to 1
 * Komoka Kings defeated Chatham Maroons 4 games to 1
 * LaSalle Vipers defeated Sarnia Legionnaires 4 games to none

Golden Horseshoe Conference Semifinals

 * Niagara Falls Canucks defeated Pelham Panthers 4 games to none
 * St. Catharines Falcons defeated Hamilton Kilty B's 4 games to 2

Midwestern Conference Semifinals

 * Listowel Cyclones defeated Kitchener Dutchmen 4 games to 1
 * Waterloo Siskins defeated Stratford Warriors 4 games to 2

Western Conference Semifinals

 * Leamington Flyers defeated Komoka Kings 4 games to 3
 * London Nationals defeated LaSalle Vipers 4 games to 1

Golden Horseshoe Conference Final

 * Niagara Falls Canucks defeated St. Catharines Falcons 4 games to 3

Midwestern Conference Final

 * Waterloo Siskins defeated Listowel Cyclones 4 games to 2

Western Conference Final

 * London Nationals defeated Leamington Flyers 4 games to none

Sutherland Cup Semifinals
The conference final loser with the best playoff record to date, the Listowel Cyclones also advances.


 * London Nationals defeated Listowel Cyclones 4 games to 2
 * Waterloo Siskins defeated Niagara Falls Canucks 4 games to 3

Sutherland Cup Final

 * Waterloo Siskins defeated London Nationals 4 games to 3