The 2025 Allan Cup is the Canadian national senior AAA men's ice hockey championship. It is scheduled for April 20 to 26, 2025 at the Harry Howell Arena in Waterdown, Ontario hosted by the Wentworth Gryphins of Allan Cup Hockey.
The road to having the tournament[]
- The Alberta-based Chinook Hockey League would collapse after the 2024 Allan Cup.
- Reports had indicated that the 2025 Allan Cup would be held in Alberta. Based on tradition, the Innisfail Eagles or the Stony Plain Eagles would be the only candidates to host the tournament as they played at the Senior AAA level for 2023-24.
- In May of 2024 it was announced that Innisfail, Alberta would serve as the host community of the tournament.
- On May 8, 2024 the Ontario Elite Hockey League was declared eligible for the Allan Cup starting with the 2025 Allan Cup. The OEHL champion will meet the Allan Cup Hockey champion in a best-of-three series for the Ontario Hockey Association senior AAA championship and a spot in the Allan Cup tournament. The release also stated that if the OEHL champion advances to the Allan Cup they will be able to add five players from other OEHL team rosters. The release also stated that the Allan Cup will be held again in Ontario in 2027.[1] A later announcement made this playoff unnecessary. The Minto 81's claimed the spot on March 29th when they defeated the Ripley Wolves in the league final 4 games to none.
- In May of 2024 it was announced that Newfoundland would serve as the host for the 2026 Allan Cup, which would lead one to believe that the team that is hosting the tournament in 2026 would declare as Senior AAA for 2024-25 as this would usually be a prerequisite to be host in 2026. However, due to the Innisfail Eagles withdrawing from hosting the possibility of them hosting in 2025 was a possibility.
- On May 16, 2024 the North Central Hockey League (Alberta) announced that the Innisfail Eagles and Stony Plain Eagles would be added to the league essentially ending the Chinook Hockey League as they were the only two remaining members of the league. As part of this development the Innisfail Eagles were withdrawing from hosting the 2025 Allan Cup as they were no longer a member of a Senior AAA league.[2]
- In October of 2024 sources would indicate that the 2025 tournament would be held at the Harry Howell Arena in Flamborough/Waterdown, Ontario hosted by the Wentworth Gryphins. The selection would be confirmed on November 22nd. [3]
- On October 21 2024 the Avalon East Senior Hockey League issued a release that stated the following:
- The Caps (St. John's Caps) will be allowed to add six strengthening players, one of whom must be a goaltender from the AESHL. Hapgood believes that the current roster of the Caps, combined with these additional players, will give them a strong chance at winning this year’s championship. Due to the absence of representatives from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland has been offered a second spot in the tournament. The team in line for that spot is the Clarenville Ford Caribous, who have until the first week of November to confirm their participation.[4] As part of the same release it was announced that the 2026 Allan Cup would be held in Newfoundland and Labrador with two teams bidding to host the St. John's Caps and the Conception Bay South Blues. The decision on the host will be made after the bid submission deadline of January 10, 2025.
- A January 29 post by the Stoney Creek Tigers indicated that the Clarenville Caribous and St. John's Capitals from the Avalon East Senior Hockey League, the three members of Allan Cup Hockey (Wentworth Gryphins as host, Dundas Real McCoys, and Stoney Creek Tigers), and the winner of the 2024-25 OEHL season playoffs will participate in the tournament. The OEHL champion will have an opportunity to boost their lineup at the Allan Cup Challenge. They will be able to borrow up to six skaters and one goalie from other OEHL teams.
Participating Teams[]
As part of the November 22, 2024 announcement it was indicated that the tournament will be held between six teams, but did not specify qualifying procedures or if all spots would be invited to the tournament.[5]
- Host: Wentworth Gryphins of Allan Cup Hockey
- 2024-25 OEHL season playoff champion: Minto 81's
- St. John's Caps (Avalon East Senior Hockey League)
- Clarenville Caribous (Avalon East Senior Hockey League)
- Dundas Real McCoys (Allan Cup Hockey)
- Stoney Creek Tigers (Allan Cup Hockey)
Schedule[]
April 20[]
- 330pm: Dundas Real McCoys 2-3 Stoney Creek Tigers
- 700pm: St. John's Caps 3-4 Wentworth Gryphins
April 21[]
- 330pm: Dundas Real McCoys 3-4 Clarenville Caribous
- 700pm: Minto 81's 8-5 St. John's Caps
April 22[]
- 330pm: Clarenville Caribous 5-0 Stoney Creek Tigers
- 700pm: Wentworth Gryphins 2-3 Minto 81's
Standings[]
| Division 1 | ||||||||||
| Place | Team | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Clarenville Caribous | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 2nd | Stoney Creek Tigers | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 3 | ||
| 3rd | Dundas Real McCoys | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 0 | ||
| Division 2 | ||||||||||
| Place | Team | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Minto 81's | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 7 | 6 | ||
| 2nd | Wentworth Gryphins | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 3 | ||
| 3rd | St. John's Caps | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 12 | 0 | ||
Playoffs[]
The second place team in one pool plays the third place team in the other pool in the quarterfinals. The higher seeded pool winner plays the lower seeded quarterfinal winner and the lower seeded pool winner plays the higher seeded quarterfinal winner in the semifinals. The semifinal winners meet in the Allan Cup Final. If the Wentworth Gryphins would be set to play the early game in the quarterfinals or semifinals the game will be swapped to the later game.
Quarterfinals[]
April 23
- 330pm: Stoney Creek Tigers 3-4 St. John's Caps
- 700pm: Wentworth Gryphins 6-2 Dundas Real McCoys
Semifinals[]
April 25
- 330pm: Clarenville Caribous 6-1 St. John's Caps
- 700pm: Minto 81's 5-9 Wentworth Gryphins
Final[]
April 26
- 300pm: Clarenville Caribous 5-9 Wentworth Gryphins
References[]
- ↑ https://oehlhockey.ca/2024/05/08/oehl-clubs-eligible-to-compete-for-allan-cup/
- ↑ https://www.northcentralhockeyleague.com/leagues/newsletterarchive.cfm?clientid=4841&leagueid=17388&page=115511
- ↑ https://www.ohahockey.ca/the-allan-cup-challenge-returns-to-dundas/
- ↑ https://aeshl.com/news.php?news_id=13009
- ↑ https://www.ohahockey.ca/the-allan-cup-challenge-returns-to-dundas/