Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League

The Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League is an independent Junior "A" ice hockey league. They were founded in 2006.

History
In revolt to Hockey Canada's Canadian Development Model and their banning of European players below the Major Junior level, the GMHL was founded with seven teams during the fall of 2006. The original teams were the Bradford Rattlers, Deseronto Thunder, King Wild, Nipissing Alouettes, Richmond Hill Rams, South Muskoka Shield, and Toronto Canada Moose.

In five years of operation, the league had doubled in size. Bradford won the league playoffs in 2007 and 2008, South Muskoka won in 2009, Deseronto won it in 2010, and 2007 expansion team Elliot Lake Bobcats took home the Russell Cup in 2011.

As of 2011, five of the original teams are still in operation: Bradford, Deseronto (now called the Storm), King (now known as the Lefroy Wave), South Muskoka, and Toronto. Nipissing and Richmond Hill both folded after three seasons, but Nipissing was replaced in 2010 by the Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks in their hometown.

The league had boasted two teams of foreigner-only teams, Russians on the Shelburne Red Wings (2010-2014) and Americans on the Orangeville Americans (2011-2015). Hockey Canada and the GMHL have always been at odds. In 2007-08, Hockey Canada initiated a policy of a quarantine system on players, officials, and coaches involved with the GMHL. In the Summer of 2008, this was investigated by the Canadian Government and deemed illegal. Despite this, intimidation has persisted. During the 2010-11 season, this situation grew extreme in Shelburne and resulted in the Mayor of Shelburne forcing a sitdown between the town, Hockey Canada, and the GMHL.

As of September 2011, the league is operating in its sixth season with fourteen active franchises and two dormant franchises set to operate in 2012.

For 2015-16, the league is scheduled to have 34 franchises including 11 expansion teams and two teams on hiatus.

In late October or early November 2015 the Brantford Steelfighters folded.

On March 9, 2016 the league president announced that the Bobcaygeon Storm, Coldwater Falcons, Grey County Grizzlies, and Haliburton Wolves would no longer be members of the league.

On March 11, 2017 the league announced the addition of the Ville-Marie Pirates to the league for the 2017-18 season.

On August 31, 2017 the league announced that the Parry Sound Islanders were taking a leave of absence for the 2017-18 and would be able to return to the league for 2018-19. On November 22, 2017 the league announced the Fergua Force were removed from the league and would not be allowed to return for the 2018-19 season.

On April 13, 2018 the league announced the addition of the Ottawa Sharpshooters who were formerly members of the Canadian Premier Junior Hockey League.

The South Muskoka Shield would relocate from Gravenhurst to Port Carling, Ontario for the 2018-19 season

The Wiarton Schooners were removed from the schedule on November 19, 2018. The franchise had been terminated without option for return.

In March of 2019 postings on the St. George Ravens twitter page indicated that Tilsonburg was forced to forfeit games 3 and 4 of their semifinal playoff series due to a lack of players caused by food poisoning. Later reports indicated the team may have in fact folded.

On January 23, 2019 the league announced the addition of the Bancroft Rockhounds, which will be based out of the North Hastings Community Centre in Bancroft, Ontario. The team will start play with the 2019-20 season.

On June 13, 2019 it was announced that the Western Provinces Hockey Association teams that had been previously affiliated with the Western States Hockey League for the 2018-19 season would become affiliated with the GMHL and form the GMHL's Western Division. By early July the WSHL had two teams, the Edson Aeros and Meadow Lake Mustangs that had opted stay with the WSHL and announced the formation of new teams in Cold Lake and Hinton, Alberta ,  The previous teams in those towns apparently left a trail of unpaid bills

On June 18, 2019 the South Muskoka Shield announced that they would be relocating again for the 2019-20 season. They will be based out of the Bracebridge Memorial Arena.

On June 21, 2019 the GMHL announced that the Niagara-on-the-Lake Nationals were folding ahead of the 2019-20 season.

On August 7, 2019 the Tilsonburg Hurricanes announced they were taking a leave of absence for the 2019-20 season.

The Oshawa Riverkings were sold and rebranded as the Durham Roadrunners prior to the 2019-20 season.

On January 3, 2020 the league announced that the Ottawa Sharpshooters were removed from the league schedule "due to the ownership folding their operation"

On May 10, 2021, the Toronto Predators announced they were relocating to the Meridian Credit Union Arena in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario for the 2021-22 season and will be renamed the Niagara-on-the-Lake Predators.

Awarded teams that never played

 * Downsview Spitfires (2014)
 * Elliot Lake Bobcats (2015) originally announced as returning then disappear
 * Halton Huskies (2011) awarded for 2011-12 season; then don't play

Champions

 * 2007 Bradford Rattlers
 * 2008 Bradford Rattlers
 * 2009 South Muskoka Shield
 * 2010 Deseronto Storm
 * 2011 Elliot Lake Bobcats
 * 2012 Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks
 * 2013 Bradford Rattlers
 * 2014 Bradford Bulls
 * 2015 Temiscaming Titans
 * 2016 Tottenham Steam
 * 2017 Niagara Whalers
 * 2018 Almaguin Spartans
 * 2019 Ville-Marie Pirates
 * 2020 Playoffs cancelled prior to final round
 * 2021 Playoffs cancelled (High Prairie Red Wings win Western Division playoffs)

Links

 * List of Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League standings
 * List of Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League team names
 * All-Time GMHL Standings