2018-19 AJHL Season

This is the 2018-19 Alberta Junior Hockey League season. This is the league's 55th season dating back to its founding in 1964.

Membership Changes

• None for 2018-19 but; the Calgary Mustangs opted to take a one year leave of absence from the league after a failed attempted to move the franchise to Strathmore for 2019-20.

Team

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
Sherwood Park Crusaders	60	44	14	2	254	159	90
Bonnyville Pontiacs	60	41	15	4	241	145	86
Spruce Grove Saints	60	40	17	3	204	141	83
Fort McMurray Oil Barons	60	32	19	9	200	178	73
Grande Prairie Storm	60	30	26	4	208	215	64
Drayton Valley Thunder	60	24	30	6	155	191	54
Whitecourt Wolverines	60	21	37	2	151	226	44
Lloydminster Bobcats	60	9	49	2	123	276	20

South Division

Team	GP	W	L	OL	GF	GA	Pts
Brooks Bandits	60	57	3	0	334	125	114
Okotoks Oilers	60	39	19	2	251	160	80
Drumheller Dragons	60	37	19	4	228	176	78
Camrose Kodiaks	60	32	21	7	211	189	71
Calgary Mustangs	60	29	22	9	221	192	67
Canmore Eagles	60	30	25	5	233	234	65
Calgary Canucks	60	9	49	2	127	332	20
Olds Grizzlys	60	6	51	3	120	322	15

2019 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 qualifed 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 met in the best of seven AJHL Inter Pipeline Cup Final.

The playoff winning team advanced to an inter-provincial best-of-seven playoff with the British Columbia Hockey League for the Pacific region spot in the 2019 National Junior A Championship; which was being held in Brooks, Alberta. The series  began in the AJHL team's rink April 26th 2019.

North Division Quarterfinals

• Bonnyville Pontiacs defeated Whitecourt Wolverines 3 games to none
• Spruce Grove Saints defeated Drayton Valley Thunder 3 games to 1
• Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated Grande Prairie Storm 3 games to 1

South Division Quarterfinals

• Okotoks Oilers defeated Calgary Canucks 3 games to none
• Canmore Eagles defeated Drumheller Dragons 3 games to 2
• Camrose Kodiaks defeated Calgary Mustangs 3 games to 2

North Division Semifinals

• Sherwood Park Crusaders defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4 games to 2
• Spruce Grove Saints defeated Bonnyville Pontiacs 4 games to none

South Division Semifinals

• Brooks Bandits defeated Canmore Eagles 4 games to 1
• Okotoks Oilers defeated Camrose Kodiaks 4 games to 1

North Division Final

• Spruce Grove Saints defeated Sherwood Park Crusaders 4 games to 2

South Division Final

• Brooks Bandits defeated Okotoks Oilers 4 games to 2

Inter Pipeline Cup Final

• Brooks Bandits defeated Spruce Grove Saints 4 games to none

The Brooks Bandits advance to the 2019 Doyle Cup vs the champions of the BCHL playoffs.

2019 AJHL champions Brooks Bandits