2015-16 CCHL2 Season

This is the 2015-16 Central Canada Hockey League Tier 2 season. This is the league's first season under this name and its' 51st season dating back to the founding of the '''Rideau-St. Lawrence Junior B Hockey League''' in 1966. Prior to this season the league was known as the Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League.

Membership Changes
In the early part of 2015 the league reportedly worked out affiliation agreement with the teams of the Central Canada Hockey League. The Junior Hockey News website ran an article on April 15th reporting the changes but stated the leagues will hold off on the announcement until the end of the playoffs. The affilation agreement will apparently lead the league being renamed the Central Canada Hockey League Tier 2 and the dropping of six teams from the league (Gananoque Islanders, Akwesasne Wolves, Morrisburg Lions, Almonte Thunder, Shawville Pontiacs, and the Gatineau Mustangs.) The Gananoque Islanders were reported (as of April 16, 2015) to be joining the Empire Junior C Hockey League The teams remaining in the league with this arrangement were the Ottawa West Golden Knights, Ottawa Junior Canadians, Clarence Creek Castors, Metcalfe Jets, Stittsville Rams, Renfrew Timberwolves, Perth Blue Wings, Arnprior Packers, Casselman Vikings, Winchester Hawks, Char-Lan Rebels and the Alexandria Glens.The structure of the two leagues will be similar in theory with the North American Hockey League and their feeder leagues (North American 3 Hockey League and the North American 3 Eastern Hockey League).

Brockville Tikis Mutiny
According to a report on the Junior Hockey News website (and confirmed by a tweet on the teams twitter page) ten players left the teams over an issue with fees charged to players. The players included the captain and all three alternate captains. Less than 48 hours later, the head coach quit (and then was relieved of his general managerial duties). The report also indicated that a previous incident involving the then assistant coach (now head coach) may have also been an additional factor in the players leaving the teams. In the end 11 players left the team, six of them were traded to three different teams by October 3rd.

The Teams
The teams are being realigned into east and west divisions for 2015-16. The Rideau and Valley Divisions will form the West Divsion and St. Lawrence and Metro Divisions will form the East Division.

Carson Memorial Trophy Playoffs
On January 26, 2016 the league announce the format of the 2016 playoffs. The top ten teams qualify for the playoffs. The top three teams in each division receive a first round bye. The next four seeds overall participate in a best-of-three series with 7 playing 10 and 8 playing 9. The winning teams are re-seeded WC1 and WC2. If they are from different divisions they rejoin their division for the best-of-seven quarterfinals. If they are from the same division the lower seeded winner plays the division winner with the better record and the higher seeded winner plays the other division winner. The quarterfinal winners are reseeded based on overall record with the top seed playing the 4th seed and the 2nd seed playing the 3rd seed in the best-of-seven semifinals. The semifinal winners meet in the best-of seven final.

The Char-Lan Rebels and Winchester Hawks both finished tied for the 10th (final playoff) spot. They held a playoff game on February 22.

Bracket
*- Winchester Hawks defeated Char-Lan Rebels 5-3 to break 10th place tie.

Tie Breaker

 * Winchester Hawks defeated Char-Lan Rebels 5 to 3

Wild Card Round

 * Alexandria Glens defeated Winchester Hawks 2 games to 1 (1-3, 9-2, 3-2)
 * Athens Aeros defeated Arnprior Packers 2 games to 1 (7-3, 3-6, 6-5)

Quarterfinals

 * Casselman Vikings defeated Alexandria Glens 4 games to none (6-1, 4-3 (ot), 5-2, 8-0)
 * Perth Blue Vikings defeated Athens Aeros 4 games to none (4-3 (ot), 6-5, 7-3, 2-1)
 * Stittsville Rams defeated Westport Rideaus 4 games to 3 (2-8, 5-1, 2-3, 2-4, 6-4, 4-0, 6-1)
 * Ottawa West Golden Knights defeated Metcalfe Jets 4 games to 2 (3-0, 4-2, 3-4 (ot), 3-6, 7-3, 7-2)

Semifinals

 * Casselman Vikings defeated Ottawa West Golden Knights 4 games to none (6-1, 5-2, 6-1, 7-0)
 * Perth Blue Vikings defeated Stittsville Rams 4 games to 3 (7-3, 1-2, 6-3, 4-2, 3-6, 6-2)

Barkley Cup Final

 * Casselman Vikings defeated Perth Blue Wings 4 games to 1 (4-1, 3-4, 4-3, 6-4, 8-2)