This is the 2017-18 Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League season. This is the league's 48th season overall dating back to the founding of the NOHA Junior B Hockey League in 1970, and the league's 40th season under this name.
Membership changes[]
- On April 8, 2017 league announced that its Board of Governors has approved the request, pending approval from the NOHA, OHF, CJHL and Hockey Canada, to relocate the Iroquois Falls Eskis franchise to Hearst, Ont., effective immediately, heading into the 2017-18 season. The team is set to play out of the Claude Larose Recreation Centre. The team was announced as being named the Hearst Lumberjacks on April 20th.
Division Alignment[]
Standings[]
Eastern Division[]
| Team | GP | W | L | OL | T | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powassan Voodoos | 56 | 45 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 299 | 171 | 94 |
| Cochrane Crunch | 56 | 36 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 233 | 165 | 75 |
| Kirkland Lake Gold Miners | 56 | 24 | 21 | 7 | 4 | 163 | 180 | 59 |
| Hearst Lumberjacks | 56 | 23 | 30 | 2 | 1 | 215 | 226 | 49 |
| Timmins Rock | 56 | 19 | 31 | 3 | 3 | 142 | 184 | 44 |
| French River Rapids | 56 | 13 | 38 | 5 | 0 | 164 | 287 | 31 |
Western Division[]
| Team | GP | W | L | OL | T | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rayside-Balfour Canadians | 56 | 37 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 222 | 139 | 79 |
| Soo Thunderbirds | 56 | 36 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 195 | 134 | 76 |
| Soo Eagles | 56 | 35 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 222 | 147 | 71 |
| Blind River Beavers | 56 | 33 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 195 | 155 | 70 |
| Elliot Lake Wildcats | 56 | 25 | 27 | 4 | 0 | 172 | 204 | 54 |
| Espanola Express | 56 | 2 | 52 | 1 | 1 | 114 | 344 | 6 |
Copeland Cup-McNamara Trophy Playoffs[]
Format[]
The top five teams in each division qualify for the playoffs. The fourth place team plays the fifth place team in a best of three series. The series winner becomes the fourth seed and plays the first place team in the division semifinals and the second place team plays the third place team in best of seven series. The semifinal winners meet in the best of seven division championship series. The division champions meet in the best of seven Copeland Cup-McNamara Trophy final.
The playoff champion will advance to the 2018 Dudley Hewitt Cup being held in Dryden, Ontario. The winner of that tournament will advance to the 2018 Royal Bank Cup being held in Chilliwack, British Columbia.
East Preliminary Round[]
- Timmins Rock defeated Hearst Lumberjacks 2 games to 1
West Preliminary Round[]
- Blind River Beavers defeated Elliot Lake Wildcats 2 games to none
East Semifinals[]
- Timmins Rock defeated Powassan Voodoos 4 games to 2
- Cochrane Crunch defeated Kirkland Lake Gold Miners 4 games to 1
West Semifinals[]
- Rayside-Balfour Canadians defeated Blind River Beavers 4 games to 2
- Soo Thunderbirds defeated Soo Eagles 4 games to 3
East Final[]
- Cochrane Crunch defeated Timmins Rock 4 games to 1
West Final[]
- Rayside-Balfour Canadians defeated Soo Thunderbirds 4 games to 2
Copeland Cup-McNamara Trophy Final[]
- Cochrane Crunch defeated Rayside-Balfour Canadians 4 games to 2
2018 NOJHL champions Cochrane Crunch