2015-16 AJHL Season

This is the 2015-16 Alberta Junior Hockey League season. This is the league's 52nd season.

Franchise changes[]

none

Season Information[]

The regular season will consist of 16 teams playing 60 games each. Each team will play 29 home games, 29 away games and 2 games at the 9th Annual AJHL Showcase being held October 1-3, 2015 in Camrose, Alberta.

The pre-season will feature games played in High Level, Alberta for the second straight year when the Drayton Valley Thunder and the Grand Prairie Storm play pre-season games on September 4th and 5th. Mayerthorpe, Alberta will host a game between the Whitecourt Wolverines and the Lloydminster Bobcats on September 6th.

The regular season will feature three games played in non-league communities this season. Swan Hills, Alberta will host a game on November 24th between the host Spruce Grove Saints and the Drayton Valley Thunder. The Canmore Eagles will host the Drumheller Dragons in Banff, Alberta on December 8th. And the Grand Prairie Storm play Spruce Grove Saints in Slave Lake, Alberta on January 12th.

The Calgary Mustangs will temporarily call the Max Bell Centre home for September and October as the Father David Bauer Olympic Arena is undergoing maintainence and upgrade and will not be available for use.

Division Alignment[]

Team	City	Arena	Joined AJHL
Viterra North Division
Bonnyville Pontiacs	Bonnyville, Alberta	R. J. Lalonde Arena	1991
Drayton Valley Thunder	Drayton Valley, Alberta	Drayton Valley Omni-Plex	1998
Fort McMurray Oil Barons	Fort McMurray, Alberta	Casman Centre	1981
Grande Prairie Storm	Grande Prairie, Alberta	Canada Games Arena	1995
Lloydminster Bobcats	Lloydminster, Saskatchewan	Centennial Civic Centre	1988 (founded in 1982 as SJHL team)
Sherwood Park Crusaders	Sherwood Park, Alberta	Sherwood Park Arena	1976
Spruce Grove Saints	Spruce Grove, Alberta	Grant Fuhr Arena	2004 (as Spruce Grove Saints, 1963 originally for franchise as Edmonton Movers)
Whitecourt Wolverines	Whitecourt, Alberta	Scott Safety Centre	2012 (as Whitecourt Wolverines, 1976 as Fort Saskatchewan Traders)
Viterra South Division
Team	City	Arena	Joined AJHL
Brooks Bandits	Brooks, Alberta	Centennial Regional Arena	2000
Calgary Canucks	Calgary, Alberta	Max Bell Centre	1971
Calgary Mustangs	Calgary, Alberta	Father David Bauer Olympic Arena	2010 (as Calgary Mustangs, originally joined as The Pass Red Devils in 1972)
Camrose Kodiaks	Camrose, Alberta	Edgeworth Centre	1997
Canmore Eagles	Canmore, Alberta	Canmore Recreation Centre	2001 (as Canmore Eagles, originally joined 1995 as Bow Valley Eagles)
Drumheller Dragons	Drumheller, Alberta	Drumheller Memorial Arena	2003
Okotoks Oilers	Okotoks, Alberta	Foothills Centennial Arena	2005 (as Okotoks Oilers, originally joined 1998 as Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves)
Olds Grizzlys	Olds, Alberta	Olds & District Sports Complex	1981 (as Olds Grizzlys, originally joined 1974 as Taber Golden Suns)

Standings[]

Viterra North Division
Team	GP	W	L	T	OTL	SOL	GF	GA	PIM	P
Spruce Grove Saints	60	49	7	-	4	-	263	123	-	102
Whitecourt Wolverines	60	42	12	-	6	-	256	172	-	90
Lloydminster Bobcats	60	44	14	-	2	-	236	155	-	90
Bonnyville Pontiacs	60	40	11	-	9	-	245	163	-	89
Sherwood Park Crusaders	60	39	19	-	2	-	240	194	-	80
Drayton Valley Thunder	60	23	33	-	4	-	150	242	-	50
Fort McMurray Oil Barons	60	10	40	-	10	-	137	239	-	30
Grande Prairie Storm	60	11	45	-	4	-	138	302	-	26
Viterra South Division
Team	GP	W	L	T	OTL	SOL	GF	GA	PIM	P
Brooks Bandits	60	49	9	-	2	-	306	135	-	100
Camrose Kodiaks	60	38	18	-	4	-	250	170	-	80
Okotoks Oilers	60	32	25	-	3	-	197	177	-	67
Canmore Eagles	60	26	27	-	7	-	205	240	-	59
Drumheller Dragons	60	25	29	-	6	-	196	227	-	56
Calgary Canucks	60	24	33	-	3	-	156	218	-	51
Olds Grizzlys	60	16	40	-	4	-	188	279	-	36
Calgary Mustangs	60	12	44	-	4	-	168	295	-	28

2016 AJHL Gas Drive Playoffs[]

Format[]

The 2016 AJHL Gas Drive Playoffs open on March 10, 2016. The top seven team in each division qualify for the playoffs with the top team in each division receiving a first round bye. The 2nd place team will play the 7th place team, the 3rd place will play 6th, and 4th place will play the 5th place team. In the second round the first place team plays the lowest seeded first round winner and the other two first round winners play each other. The division semifinal winners will meet in the division final. The Viterra AJHL South Division and Viterra AJHL North Division playoff champions will meet in the AJHL Gas Drive Cup Final.

The playoff winning team will advance to the 2016 Western Canada Cup being held in Estevan, Saskatchewan hosted by the Estevan Bruins at Affinity Place. The top two finishers in that tournament will qualify for the 2016 Royal Bank Cup being held in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan hosted by the AJHL's Lloydminster Bobcats at the Centennial Civic Centre.

North Division Quarterfinals[]

Whitecourt Wolverines defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 3 games to none (4-3, 5-1, 7-1)
Lloydminster Bobcats defeated Drayton Valley Thunder 3 games to none (3-2, 3-2 (ot), 11-3)
Sherwood Park Crusaders defeated Bonnyville Pontiacs 3 games to 1 (4-3 (ot), 3-2, 2-5, 7-1)

South Division Quarterfinals[]

Camrose Kodiaks defeated Olds Grizzlys 3 games to none (5-1, 5-2, 7-2)
Okotoks Oilers defeated Calgary Canucks 3 games to none (6-2, 4-2, 4-1)
Canmore Eagles defeated Drumheller Dragons 3 games to 1 (1-4, 5-2, 5-3, 6-1)

North Division Semifinals[]

Spruce Grove Saints defeated Sherwood Park Crusaders 4 games to none (8-1, 6-1, 7-3, 3-0)
Lloydminster Bobcats defeated Whitecourt Wolverines 4 games to none 2-1 (ot), 5-2, 7-2, 5-2)

South Division Semifinals[]

Brooks Bandits defeated Canmore Eagles 4 games to none (8-0, 4-0, 6-2, 5-0)
Camrose Kodiaks defeated Okotoks Oilers 4 games to 1 (4-1, 5-2, 5-4, 1-2, 4-2)

North Division Final[]

Spruce Grove Saints defeated Lloydminster Bobcats 4 games to 1 (6-3, 6-2, 9-2, 1-6, 4-1)

South Division Final[]

Brooks Bandits defeated Camrose Kodiaks 4 games to none (4-1, 4-0, 6-2, 5-1)

AJHL Gas Drive Cup Final[]

Brooks Bandits defeated Spruce Grove Saints 4 games to 1 (3-2 (ot), 2-3 (ot), 2-1 (ot), 4-2, 4-1)

The Brooks Bandits advance to the 2016 Western Canada Cup.