Manitoba Junior Hockey League

The Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) is a Junior A hockey league operating in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The MJHL is one of ten Junior A Hockey Leagues in Canada and are a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) and Hockey Canada.

League champion is awarded the Turnbull Cup and represents Manitoba in the Anavet Cup against the winner of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. Winner going to the National Championship for the Centennial Cup.

Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association started League as the Winnipeg and District Junior Hockey League (WJrHL) for the 1917-18 season, changing to current name in 1933.

Currently, the League consists of 12 teams in two divisions with a 13th to be added for the 2022-23 season. Each team plays a 54-game schedule, 40 games within their division and 14 games outside of their division. The MJHL Player Showcase takes place in November, with each team playing two non-divisional games based on standings. The MJHL / SJHL Showcase is held in January, in front of scouts from all over North America. A total of 8 teams make the playoffs. Which are an elimination tournament consisting of three rounds of best-of-seven series. The winner becomes the MJHL, Manitoba, and Turnbull Cup Champions. see List of MJHL Seasons

History
The Winnipeg and District Junior Hockey League became official on the evening of Wednesday, December 12, 1917 at the Industrial Bureau on Main Street. The League operated as Manitoba's only Junior hockey league until 1931. For the 1931-32 season the WJrHL had a rival, the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The two League champions would play-off for the Provincial crown. The rivalry was short lived, with all the MJHL Teams joining the WJrHL for the following season. The 1932-33 season proved to be a tough one for the WJrHL, dealing with the constant rumors of the league collapsing, somehow the Teams banded together to remain one. However, for the 1933-34 season the League made one change, it was renamed the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

Over the years, more than 270 MJHL players have gone on to play in the National Hockey League, and 14 of those MJHL graduates have been inducted into the players category of the Hockey Hall of Fame:

Andy Bathgate, Ed Belfour, Turk Broda, Art Coulter, Bobby Clarke, Charlie Gardiner, Bryan Hextall, Tom Johnson, Bill Mosienko, Harry Oliver, Babe Pratt, Chuck Rayner, Terry Sawchuk, and Jack Stewart. see MJHL History

Manitoba Playoffs
Since 1993, the MHJL crowns a Manitoba Champion. Prior to that, the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association could instruct the MJHL Champs to enter provincial playoffs. Such happened from 1980 thru 1985, when MJHL Champs met the winner of the NorMan Junior Hockey League. The Central Manitoba Junior Hockey League were the opposition in 1968. And in 1932 it was it's name sake the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, plus a few rural teams over the years. The MJHL and it’s predecessor the Winnipeg and District Junior Hockey League have won every Manitoba Championship except one, 1933, when Turk Broda led the Brandon Native Sons to victory. see Turnbull Cup

Canada Playoffs
Present

The MJHL champion plays the winner of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League in a best of seven series for the Anavet Cup. With the winner going to the National Championship tournament for the Centennial Cup.

2013 to 2017

The MJHL champs join the champion from each of the other three western leagues plus a host team in a 13 game tournament to crown a Western Canada Champion. The winner is awarded the Western Canada Cup and along with the runner-up represent Western Canada at the National Championship tournament for the RBC Cup.

1971 to 2012

The Turnbull Cup Champs played the winner of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League for the Anavet Cup.

From 1971 to 1989, the Anavet Cup Champions advanced to the Abbott Cup for the Western Canada Junior A Championship. With the winner going on to the Centennial Cup for the Canada Junior A Championship.

After 1989 the Anavet Cup winner went directly to the RBC Cup (1990-95 Centennial Cup & Royal Bank Cup 1996-07) tournament for the National Junior A title. An Abbott Cup Champ was crowned from the results of the tournament until 1999, when the Cup was retired. The Abbott Cup is now on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame.

1919 to 1970

The Manitoba Champs competed in the Memorial Cup Playoffs for the Abbott Cup (Western Canada Junior Championship), and then the Memorial Cup for the National Junior Championship. Junior A starting in 1933.

During this 53 year era (1919-1970), MJHL Teams won 18 Abbott Cups, and 11 Memorial Cups

Man/Sask Junior A Championships
Man/Sask Championship (1971 to 1973)

Anavet Cup (1974 to 2012 and 2018 to present)

Western Canada Junior Hockey Championships
Abbott Cup (1919 to 1932) Western Canada Junior Championships Abbott Cup (1933 to 1999) Western Canada Junior A Championships

Canada Junior Hockey Championships
Memorial Cup (1919-1932) Canada Junior Championships Memorial Cup (1933-1970) Canada Junior A Championships

Centennial Cup (1971 to Present) Canada Junior A Championships

Centennial Cup (1971 to 1995), Royal Bank Cup (1995 to 2007), RBC Cup (2008 to 2018), & National (2019)

Awards
Former Awards
 * Stars of the Week
 * Players of the Month
 * Peak Performer of the Month
 * Mike Ridley Trophy Scoring Champion
 * Steve "Boomer" Hawrysh Memorial Award Most Valuable Player
 * Ed Belfour Top Goaltender Trophy Top Goaltender
 * Brian Kozak Memorial Award Top Defenseman
 * Vince Leah Memorial Trophy Rookie of the Year
 * Frank McKinnon Memorial Trophy Hockey Ability and Sportsmanship
 * Murray "Muzz" MacPherson Memorial Award Coach of the Year
 * RBC - MJHL Community Ambassador Team and Community Award
 * MJHL Playoff MVP Award
 * Charlie Gardiner Memorial Trophy
 * Jack Brown Memorial Trophy
 * Winkler Cup

Hockey Canada Awards & Achievements

 * World U-17 Hockey Challenge selections
 * CAHA Junior A Player of the Year

Records

 * MJHL Single Game Records
 * MJHL Single Season Records
 * MJHL Coaching Records
 * MJHL Top 10 Regular Season Point Scorers
 * MJHL Top 10 Regular Season Goal Scorers
 * MJHL Top 10 Regular Season Assists Scorers
 * MJHL Career Leaders

Bantam Drafts
Tyler Teasdale 2018 Zack Davis

Alumni

 * Team Canada Members
 * NHL Players
 * NHL Coaches
 * NHL General Managers
 * NHL Officials
 * NHL Draft Picks
 * WHA Players
 * WHA Coaches
 * WHA Draft Picks