2016-17 SIJHL Season

This is the 2016-17 Superior International Junior Hockey League season.  This is the league's 16th season.

Each team is scheduled to play 56 games 27 at home and 27 on the road with two additional games scheduled for the league showcase January 24-25, 2017 at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls, Minnesota.  The regular season will start on September 23, 2016 and scheduled to end on March 18, 2017.

Membership Changes

• On January 22, 2016 the league had announced the addition of a conditional expansion team to be based out of the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls, Minnesota.  The conditional approval was based upon the team being approved by USA Hockey and Hockey Canada; both of which occured.  The team announced on June 10, 2016 that they would be called the Thief River Falls Norskies.
• A proposed franchise that had been mentioned for Kenora, Ontario did not come to fruition after having problems with securing ice time for the 2015-16 season.
• The English River Miners moved their home games to the Cochenour Arena in Red Lake, Ontario.

The Teams

Team Joined Centre Arena Dryden Ice Dogs 2001 Dryden, Ontario Dryden Memorial Arena English River Miners 2013 Red Lake, Ontario Cochenour Arena Fort Frances Lakers 2007 Fort Frances, Ontario Fort Frances Memorial Sports Centre Minnesota Iron Rangers 2011 Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota Hoyt Lakes Arena Thief River Falls Norskies 2016 Thief River Falls, Minnesota Ralph Engelstad Arena Thunder Bay North Stars 2001 Thunder Bay, Ontario Fort William Gardens

Standings

Team	GP	W	L	OL	SL	GF	GA	Pts
Dryden Ice Dogs	56	45	7	4	0	297	148	94
Thunder Bay North Stars	56	31	19	6	0	202	183	68
English River Miners	56	31	21	1	3	220	197	66
Thief River Falls Norskies	56	30	21	2	3	219	205	65
Fort Frances Lakers	56	24	25	3	4	188	201	55
Minnesota Iron Rangers	56	7	46	3	0	144	336	17

Bill Salonen Cup Playoffs

The winner of the playoffs will advance to the 2017 Dudley Hewitt Cup being held in Trenton, Ontario.  The winner of that tournament (and runner up if the Cobourg Cougars win the tournament) advances to the 2017 Royal Bank Cup being held in Cobourg, Ontario.

Preliminary Round

• Fort Frances Lakers defeated Thief River Falls Norskies 3 games to 1

Semifinals

• Dryden Ice Dogs defeated Fort Frances Lakers 4 games to none
• English River Miners defeated Thunder Bay North Stars 4 games to 1

Final

• Dryden Ice Dogs defeated English River Miners 4 games to none

2017 SIJHL champs Dryden Ice Dogs