2023-24 North Central Hockey League (Alberta) season

This is the 2023-24 North Central Hockey League (Alberta) season.

The league opts to go with a two divisions with four team format with each team playing each other team in their division four times and the other division once for a sixteen game schedule.

Membership changes

• The Fort Saskatchewan Chiefs who had withdrawn during the 2022-23, formally announce their withdrawal on May 2, 2023.

• The Camrose Crush are no longer in the league. They would be replaced by the Camrose Bruins.

• The league adds the Wetaskiwin Longhorns to the league.

Teams

North Division

Team	Centre	Arena
Bonnyville Sr. Pontiacs	Bonnyville	Bonnyville Centennial Centre
Devon Barons	Devon	Dale Fisher Arena
Morinville Kings	Morinville	Morinville Leisure Centre
Westlock Warriors	Westlock	Rotary Sprint Centre

South Division

Team	Centre	Arena
Camrose Bruins	Camrose	Max McLean Arena
Lacombe Generals	Lacombe	Gary Moe Auto Group Sportsplex
Red Deer Rustlers	Red Deer	Penhold Multiplex
Wetaskiwin Longhorns	Wetaskiwin	Wetaskiwin Co-op Place

Standings

North Division

TEAM	GP	W	L	T	OTL	GF	GA	PTS	Playoffs
Devon Barons	16	9	6	-	1	86	56	19	Lost Final
Westlock Warriors	16	9	7	-	0	86	67	18	Lost Div Semi Finals
Bonnyville Pontiacs	16	8	7	-	1	86	93	17	Lost Div Final
Morinville Kings	16	1	13	-	1	38	137	3	Lost Div Semi Finals

South Division

TEAM	GP	W	L	T	OTL	GF	GA	PTS	Playoffs
Red Deer Rustlers	16	11	5	-	0	74	49	22	Lost Div Finals
Lacombe Generals	16	11	5	-	0	88	49	22	Won Championship
Wetaskiwin Longhorns	16	10	6	-	0	71	60	20	Lost Div Semi Finals
Camrose Bruins	16	5	11	-	0	67	85	10	Lost Div Semi Finals

Vanberg Cup Playoffs

With the change to a division format the playoff format is changed to a division based format with all four teams qualifying for the playoffs. Division Semifinals are best-of-five, division finals and Vanberg Cup final series are best-of-seven.

Division Semi finals

• Devon Barons defeated Morinville Kings in 3 games (6-2, 16-3, 13-1)
• Bonnyville Pontiacs defeated Westlock Warriors in 4 games (4-3 (ot), 5-2, 2-3, 5-1)
• Red Deer Rustlers defeated Camrose Bruins in 4 games (2-6, 2-1, 6-1, 4-3 (ot))
• Lacombe Generals defeated Wetaskiwin Longhorns in 3 games (5-3, 5-4 (ot), 4-2)

Division finals

• Devon Barons defeated Bonnyville Pontiacs in 5 games (7-3, 5-3, 3-4 (ot), 9-3, 6-3)
• Lacombe Generals defeated Red Deer Rustlers in 5 games (5-2, 0-3, 9-1, 7-2, 5-3)

Final

• Lacombe Generals defeated Devon Barons in 5 games (7-6 (ot), 3-4, 7-4, 5-1, 4-3 (ot))

The Vanberg Cup champion and runners up will not advance to the 2024 Alberta Senior AA playoffs as Hockey Alberta will not be holding a Senior AA provincial tournament this year.