2017-18 AJHL Season

This is the 2017-18 Alberta Junior Hockey League season. This is the league's 54th season dating back to its founding in 1964.

Membership Changes

• None

Teams

AJHL team locations as of 2014-15 season (North Division in red, South Division in blue)

Viterra North Division
Team	City	Arena	Joined AJHL
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	Revolution Place	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 (Encana Arena)	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	Pason 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

North Division

Team	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts
Spruce Grove Saints	60	47	10	3	262	138	97
Fort McMurray Oil Barons	60	42	13	5	231	165	89
Whitecourt Wolverines	60	33	20	7	207	156	73
Grande Prairie Storm	60	28	29	3	212	225	59
Sherwood Park Crusaders	60	27	31	2	209	241	56
Lloydminster Bobcats	60	23	34	3	153	206	49
Bonnyville Pontiacs	60	20	32	8	179	216	48
Drayton Valley Thunder	60	17	40	3	178	298	37

South Division

Team	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts
Okotoks Oilers	60	52	6	2	270	132	106
Brooks Bandits	60	45	14	1	255	139	91
Drumheller Dragons	60	33	22	5	215	180	71
Camrose Kodiaks	60	24	24	12	193	202	60
Calgary Mustangs	60	24	29	7	194	248	55
Calgary Canucks	60	26	32	2	199	256	54
Canmore Eagles	60	21	37	2	180	233	44
Olds Grizzlys	60	18	37	5	170	272	41

Note: The Sherwood Park Crusaders were credited with a default win on October 3, 2017 versus the Bonnyville Pontiacs (originally a 7-2 Bonnyville win). The Canmore Eagles were credited with a default win on December 5, 2017 versus the Okotoks Oilers (originally a 6-2 Okotoks win).

2018 Playoffs

The league announced on September 13, 2017 that the new title sponsor of the League championship will be Inter Pipeline Ltd. and that the playoffs will be renamed the Inter Pipeline AJHL Playoffs and the championship trophy would be renamed the Inter Pipeline Cup.

Format

The top seven teams in each division qualify for the playoffs with the top team in each division receiving a first round bye. The 2nd place team  play the 7th place team, the 3rd place play 6th, and 4th place play the 5th place team in best of five series. In the second round the first place team play the lowest seeded first round winner and the other two first round winners play each other in best of seven series. The division semifinal winners meet in the best of seven division final. The Viterra AJHL South Division and Viterra AJHL North Division playoff champions meet in the best of seven AJHL Inter Pipeline Cup Final.

The playoff winning team will advance to an inter-provincial best-of-seven playoff with the British Columbia Hockey League for the Pacific region spot in the 2018 Royal Bank Cup; which is being held in Chilliwack, British Columbia; as the Western Canada Cup format has been abandoned by the four leagues that participated in that tournament. This is the same format that had been used from 1962 to 2012. The series is scheduled to begin in the BCHL team's rink on April 27th and 28th, 2018.

North Division Quarterfinals

• Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Bonnyville Pontiacs 3 games to none
• Whitecourt Wolverines defeated Lloydminster Bobcats 3 games to none
• Grande Prairie Storm defeated Sherwood Park Crusaders 3 games to 2

South Division Quarterfinals

• Brooks Bandits defeated Canmore Eagles 3 games to none
• Drumheller Dragons defeated Calgary Canucks 3 games to 1
• Camrose Kodiaks defeated Calgary Mustangs 3 games to none

North Division Semifinals

• Spruce Grove Saints defeated Grande Prairie Storm 4 games to none
• Whitecourt Wolverines defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4 games to 3

South Division Semifinals

• Okotoks Oilers defeated Camrose Kodiaks 4 games to none
• Brooks Bandits defeated Drumheller Dragons 4 games to 2

North Division Final

• Spruce Grove Saints defeated Whitecourt Wolverines 4 games to none

South Division Final

• Okotoks Oilers defeated Brooks Bandits 4 games to 2

Inter Pipeline Cup Final

• Spruce Grove Saints defeated Okotoks Oilers 4 games to 1

2018 AJHL champions Spruce Grove Saints (photo credit: Dave Watling)