This is the 2019-20 Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League season. This is the league's 13th season.
Play Suspended
The league released the following statement on March 13, 2020:
- "The Greater Metro Jr. A Hockey League has been forced to postpone the Russell Cup Playoffs for two weeks.
- Late in the evening of March 12th, 2020, the GMHL was notified by our underwriting insurance provider that a mandatory two week shutdown must be implemented. Our insurance & sanctioning body is the same sanctioning body which governs all of junior hockey in Canada, and we are required to follow the direction of the sanctioning body." [1]
Following the two weeks, a final decision regarding the playoffs will be provided.
Membership Changes
- The league would announce an affiliation with the Western Provinces Hockey Association which had played the 2018-19 season as a division within the Western States Hockey League. By the time that the schedule is released the Hinton Wildcats would not be included, The Enoch Jr. Tomahawks would be renamed the Northern Alberta Tomahawks, and the Cold Lake Wings would become the Edmonton Academy Wings despite the fact that the team announced on September 25, 2019 that they were suspending operations for the season.[2] The team is apparently playing road games until the league can find a new arena for them to host games in. The Rosetown Jr. Red Wings don't list any games on their schedule or a roster but are still listed on the league website as a member. The team would later attempt to move to High Prairie, Alberta.[3] The former Rosetown franchise would end up folding and the Edmonton Academy Wings would end up moving to High Prairie November 8th and assuming the High Prairie Red Wings name.[4][5]
- The Niagara-on-the-Lake Nationals are no longer in the league.
- On March 8, 2019 the league posted that applications for the head coach position were being taken for the Bancroft Rockhounds expansion team for the 2019-20 season.[6]
- The Oshawa Riverkings were sold and rebranded as the Durham Roadrunners
- The Tilsonburg Hurricanes ceased operations for the 2019-20 season.
- On January 3, 2020 the league announced that the Ottawa Sharpshooters were removed from the league schedule "due to the ownership folding their operation"[7]
- On March 2, 2020 the London Lakers announced they would be relocating to town of Plattsville within the township of Blantford-Blanheim, Ontario.[8]
- On March 10, 2020 the league announced it would expand to the Fox Creek Greenview Multiplex in Fox Creek, Alberta.[9] On June 11th the team was announced as being named the Fox Creek Ice Kings.
- On April 20, 2020 it was announced that the South Muskoka Shield would be returning to the Graeme Murray Arena in Gravenhurst, Ontario for the 2020-21 season.[10]
Teams
North Division
South Division
West Division
| Team | Joined | Centre | Arena |
| High Prairie Red Wings | 2019 | High Prairie, Alberta | High Prairie Sports Palace |
| Northern Alberta Tomahawks | 2019 | Enoch, Alberta | Enoch Recreation Centre |
| Slave Lake Icedogs | 2019 | Slave Lake, Alberta | Multi-Rec Centre |
Relocate, renamed, or fold prior to or during season
| Team | Joined | Centre | Arena | Fate |
| Cold Lake Wings | 2019 | Cold Lake, Alberta | Imperial Oil Place | become Edmonton Academy Wings |
| Edmonton Academy Wings | 2019 | Edmonton, Alberta | none | unable to secure lease take spot of former Rosetown Jr. Red Wings as High Prairie Red Wings |
| Enoch Jr. Tomahawks | 2019 | Enoch, Alberta | Enoch Recreation Centre | renamed Northern Alberta Tomahawks |
| Hinton Wildcats | 2019 | Hinton, Alberta | could not secure lease for 2019-20 and fold | |
| Ottawa Sharpshooters | 2018 | Almonte | Almonte Community Centre | removed from league January 3, 2020 when ownership folded team. |
| Rosetown Jr. Red Wings | 2019 | Rosetown, Saskatchewan | AGT Foods Centre | relocated to High Prairie, Alberta then replaced by former Edmonton Academy Wings franchise as High Prairie Red Wings |
Standings
North Division
| Team | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temiscaming Titans | 42 | 33 | 8 | 1 | 298 | 193 | 67 |
| Ville-Marie Pirates | 42 | 29 | 10 | 3 | 275 | 187 | 61 |
| Bradford Bulls | 42 | 29 | 12 | 1 | 180 | 140 | 59 |
| Bradford Rattlers | 42 | 27 | 13 | 2 | 230 | 148 | 56 |
| New Tecumseth Civics | 42 | 25 | 15 | 2 | 224 | 160 | 52 |
| Bancroft Rockhounds | 42 | 22 | 19 | 1 | 181 | 172 | 45 |
| Almaguin Spartans | 42 | 18 | 21 | 3 | 191 | 218 | 39 |
| West Nipissing Lynx | 42 | 16 | 25 | 1 | 177 | 231 | 33 |
| South Muskoka Shield | 42 | 13 | 26 | 3 | 144 | 238 | 29 |
| Knights of Meaford | 42 | 12 | 29 | 1 | 149 | 204 | 25 |
| Ottawa Sharpshooters | 26 (28) |
3 | 23 (25) |
0 | 63 | 195 (201) |
6 |
Note:Ottawa stats are prior to two games forfeited December 18 and 19, 2019 3-0 losses to Bradford Bulls and New Tecumseth. Numbers in parenthesis are considered official league stats
South Division
| Team | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. George Ravens | 42 | 34 | 8 | 0 | 305 | 142 | 68 |
| Niagara Whalers | 42 | 30 | 10 | 2 | 264 | 132 | 62 |
| North York Renegades | 42 | 29 | 11 | 2 | 222 | 124 | 60 |
| Kingsville Kings | 42 | 28 | 11 | 3 | 207 | 165 | 59 |
| Northumberland Stars | 42 | 20 | 19 | 3 | 179 | 187 | 43 |
| London Lakers | 42 | 20 | 22 | 0 | 216 | 242 | 40 |
| Durham Roadrunners | 42 | 16 | 26 | 0 | 172 | 267 | 32 |
| Windsor Aces | 42 | 14 | 24 | 4 | 140 | 205 | 32 |
| Tottenham Steam | 42 | 9 | 30 | 3 | 135 | 278 | 21 |
| Toronto Predators | 42 | 8 | 32 | 2 | 117 | 229 | 18 |
West Division
| Team | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slave Lake Icedogs | 42 | 24 | 12 | 6 | 239 | 191 | 54 |
| High Prairie Red Wings | 41 | 18 | 19 | 4 | 198 | 242 | 40 |
| Northern Alberta Tomahawks | 39 | 19 | 19 | 1 | 167 | 171 | 39 |
Russell Cup Playoffs
Format
All teams qualify. Teams are re-seeded after each round. Single elimination rounds are held until both conferences are down to 8 teams. The division quarterfinals are best-of-three. The division semifinals are best-of-five. The division final and Russell Cup final are best-of-seven.
The playoffs were suspended March 12th during the division final round.
North Preliminary Round 1
- South Muskoka Shield defeated Knights of Meaford 1 game to none
South Preliminary Round 1
- Toronto Predators defeated Tottenham Steam 1 game to none
West Preliminary Round
- Northern Alberta Tomahawks defeated High Prairie Red Wings 1 game to none
North Preliminary Round 2
- West Nipissing Lynx defeated South Muskoka Shield 1 game to none
South Preliminary Round 2
- Toronto Predators defeated Windsor Aces 1 game to none
North Quarterfinals
- Temiscaming Titans defeated West Nipissing Lynx 2 games to none
- Almaguin Spartans defeated Ville-Marie Pirates 2 games to 1
- Bradford Bulls defeated Bancroft Rockhounds 2 games to 1
- Bradford Rattlers defeated New Tecumseth Civics 2 games to none
South Quarterfinals
- St. George Ravens defeated Toronto Predators 2 games to none
- Niagara Whalers defeated Durham Roadrunners 2 games to none
- North York Renegades defeated London Lakers 2 games to none
- Kingsville Kings defeated Northumberland Stars 2 games to 1
North Semifinals
- Temiscaming Titans defeated Almaguin Spartans 3 games to none
- Bradford Rattlers defeated Bradford Bulls 3 games to 2
South Semifinals
- St. George Ravens defeated Kingsville Kings 3 games to none
- Niagara Whalers defeated North York Renegades 3 games to none
North Final
- Temiscaming Titans lead Bradford Rattlers 3 games to 1
South Final
- St. George Ravens lead Niagara Whalers 2 games to 1
West Final
Had not started as of the time of the suspending of the playoffs.
References
- ↑ https://gmhl.net/news/playoffs-suspended-due-to-covid-19/57581
- ↑ https://twitter.com/ColdLakeWings/status/1177031529467469825
- ↑ https://thejuniorhockeynews.com/the-death-pool-gmhl-west-disaster-is-now-infecting-new-cities/
- ↑ https://thejuniorhockeynews.com/the-death-pool-gmhl-west-down-to-three-teams/
- ↑ https://gmhl.net/news/west-division-yeg-moves-to-high-prairie/57468
- ↑ https://gmhl.net/article.php
- ↑ https://gmhl.net/news/president-s-message-january-3-2020/57494
- ↑ https://gmhl.net/news/lakers-relocate-to-plattsville/57556
- ↑ https://gmhl.net/news/gmhl-west-expands-to-fox-creek-alberta/57576
- ↑ https://gmhl.net/news/coming-home-shield-return-to-gravenhurst/57593