The Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL) was an American Tier III Junior A ice hockey league. Founded in 1993 by Dan Esdale[ 1] [ 2] USA Hockey , and the EJHL champion went on to play for the National Championship against the champions of the five other Tier III leagues and a host city.[ 3]
The league disbanded in 2013 after the establishment of the United States Premier Hockey League of which three EJHL members joined. The twelve teams that did not join the USPHL formed the Eastern Hockey League along with the members of the Atlantic Junior Hockey League
History [ ] The league was formed in 1993 with the NECDL Classics, the Rhode Island Sharks, the Tyngsborough Huskies, the Matt O'Neil Lightning, the Granite State Stars and the Springfield Olympics. The following year the Niagara Scenics joined the league from the North American Hockey League . The Scenics later left for the Metro Junior A Hockey League in Ontario . In the subsequent years, the league has added the Valley Jr. Warriors (1996); NY Apple Core (1997); Capital District (1999); Bay State Breakers (1999); Junior Bruins (1999); Green Mountain Glades (2000); NJ Hitmen (2004) and the Syracuse Stars (2005) who joined from the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League .
Teams [ ]
Northern Division
Team Centre
Boston Jr. Bruins Marlborough, Massachusetts
Philadelphia Revolution Warwick Township, Pennsylvania
Green Mountain Glades Williston, Vermont
New England Jr. Huskies Tyngsborough, Massachusetts
New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs Hooksett, New Hampshire
Syracuse Stars Syracuse, New York
Valley Jr. Warriors Haverhill, Massachusetts
Southern Division
Team Centre
Bay State Breakers Rockland, Massachusetts
Bridgewater Bandits Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Capital District Selects Clifton Park, New York
New Jersey Hitmen Wayne, New Jersey
New York Applecore Long Beach, New York
South Shore Kings Foxboro, Massachusetts
Springfield Pics West Springfield, Massachusetts
Champions [ ] The winning team in the EJHL is awarded the Gary Dineen Cup[ 4] [ 5] [ 6] [ 7]
Timeline Of Teams [ ]
Team City Arena Seasons Fate
New England College Development League Classics Walpole, Massachusetts Rodman Arena 1993-1997
become Walpole Stars
Rhode Island Sharks North Smithfield, Rhode Island Rhode Island Sports Center 1993-1998
folded
Tyngsboro Huskies Tyngsborough, Massachusetts Skate 3 1993-2001
become Lowell Jr. Lock Monsters
Matt O’Neill Lightning Boston, Massachusetts Emmons Horigan O'Neil Rink 1993-1998
become Boston Harbor Wolves
Granite State Stars Exeter, New Hampshire Rinks at Exeter 1993-1996
renamed Great Northern Snow Devils
Springfield Olympics Springfield, Massachusetts Smead Arena 1993-1994
become New England Jr. Whalers
Niagara Scenics West Seneca, New York West Seneca Recreation Center 1994-1995
join Metro Junior ‘A’ Hockey League
New England Jr. Whalers Springfield, Massachusetts (1994-1995) Enfield, Connecticut (1995-1997)Smead Arena (1994-1995 Enfield Twin Rinks (1995-1997) 1994-1997
become Jr. Coyotes
New England Jr. Coyotes Enfield, Connecticut Enfield Twin Rinks 1997-2004
become Jr. Falcons
Valley Jr. Warriors Haverhill, Massachusetts Haverhill Valley Forum 1996-2013
join EHL
Great Northern Snow Devils Exeter, New Hampshire Rinks at Exeter 1996-1999
renamed Exeter Snow Devils
Walpole Stars Walpole, Massachusetts Rodman Arena 1997-2006
become Foxboro Stars
New York Apple Core Long Beach, New York City of Long Beach Arena 1997-2013
join EHL
Boston Harbor Wolves Boston, Massachusetts Emmons Horigan O'Neil Rink 1998-2007
renamed Jr. Shamrocks
Bridgewater Bandits Bridgewater, Massachusetts Bridgewater Ice Arena 1998-2011
renamed Boston Bandits, do not move
Capital District Selects Troy, New York SoNo Ice House 1999-2012
moved to Norwalk, renamed Connecticut Oilers
Bay State Breakers Rockland, Massachusetts Rockland Ice Rink 1999-2013
join USPHL
Boston Jr. Bruins Marlborough, Massachusetts New England Sports Center 1999-2013
join USPHL
Exeter Snow Devils Exeter, New Hampshire Rinks at Exeter 1999-2001
renamed New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs
Green Mountain Glades Williston, Vermont Gutterson Fieldhouse and Cairns Arena 2000-2012
sold, become Portland Jr. Pirates
Lowell Jr. Lock Monsters Lowell, Massachusetts Tsongas Arena 2001-2004
become New England Jr. Huskies
New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs Hooksett, New Hampshire Tri-Town Ice Arena 2001-2013
join EHL
New England Jr. Huskies Tyngsborough, Massachusetts Skate 3 2004-2012
renamed Islanders Hockey Club
New Jersey Hitmen Wayne, New Jersey Capital One Bank Ice Vault Arena 2004-2013
join EHL
Syracuse Stars Syracuse, New York ESL Sports Centre 2005-2010
moved to Rochester
Foxboro Stars Foxborough, Massachusetts Foxboro Sports Center 2006-2007
renamed South Shore Kings
South Shore Kings Foxborough, Massachusetts Foxboro Sports Center 2007-2013
join EHL
Boston Jr. Shamrocks Hingham, Massachusetts Pilgrim Skating Arena 2007-2009
sold; move to Philadelphia renamed Revolution
Philadelphia Revolution Warwick Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania Revolution Ice Gardens 2009-2013
join EHL
New England Jr. Falcons West Springfield, Massachusetts Olympia Ice Center 2004-2009
become Springfield Pics
Springfield Pics West Springfield, Massachusetts Olympia Ice Center 2009-2013
join EHL
Rochester Stars Rochester, New York ESL Sports Centre 2010-2013
join USPHL
Boston Bandits Bridgewater, Massachusetts Bridgewater Ice Arena 2011-2013
join EHL
Connecticut Oilers Norwalk, Connecticut SoNo Ice House 2012-2013
join EHL
Adirondack Jr. Wings Troy, New York Houston Field House 2012-2013
join EHL
Portland Jr. Pirates Saco, Maine MHG Ice Centre 2012-2013
join EHL
Islanders Hockey Club Tyngsborough, Massachusetts Skate 3 2012-2013
join EHL
See also [ ] References [ ]
↑ Quincy Patriot Ledger, Dec 18, 2004, "College Boards: Top hockey players .... Eastern Junior Hockey League"[1]
↑ Official Game Pucks, EJHL Puck "1993-Present" [2]
↑ USA Hockey Junior Nationals Web Page [3]
↑ March 2007 EJHL News article "Mello, Thompson Fuel Monarchs to Second Straight Title" [4]
↑ Sports Reference.com [5]
↑ New England Junior Falcons web site [6]
↑ AHL Obituary for Gary Dineen[7]
External links [ ]
