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Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League
Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League logo
Head Office Cambridge, Ontario
Official Web site GOJHL
Commissioner Mark Ellis
Chairman Dave Lindey
Founded 2007
2022-23 Champion Leamington Flyers
Tecumseh Chiefs with Sutherland Cup (2008)
OHA Junior "B"
WJBHL (1950-1968)
EJBHL (1950-1972)
MetJHL (1950-1989)
NDJBHL (1954-1979)
CJBHL (1954-1993)
BCJHL (1958-1964)
MOJBHL (1970-1978)
SWJBHL (1976-1978)
WOHL (1969-2007)
MWJHL (1973-2007)
GHL (1974-2007)
GOJHL (2007-Present)
Ontario Hockey Association
Sutherland Cup

The Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League is a Canadian junior ice hockey league based in Southern Ontario, Canada. The league is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association, Ontario Hockey Federation, and Hockey Canada. The league was created in 2007 through the merging of the Western Ontario Hockey League, Mid-Western Junior Hockey League, and Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League to dissuade "player raiding" from teams in the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League. The skill level of the league is regarded as comparable to Junior "A", but the league will not consider joining the Canadian Junior A Hockey League for at least a couple seasons.

Twenty-five of the twenty-six of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League come from southwestern Ontario and one team comes from upstate New York.

History[]

In the late 1990s, the Western Ontario Junior B Hockey League began complaining about their top level players being pulled from their teams at trade deadline time by Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League clubs without permission or compensation. The view in Southern Ontario is that Junior "A" and Junior "B" are the same skill level. In fact the OPJHL was known as the Central Ontario Junior B Hockey League until 1993, as well the Metro Junior A Hockey League which folded in 1998 was a Junior "B" league until 1991. The difference between the OPJHL and the MetJHL when compared to the Western, Mid-Western, and Golden Horseshoe leagues is that the OPJHL and MetJHL are Greater Toronto Area-based teams for the most part, while the other three leagues are more rural in nature.

During the 2006-07 season, the general managers of all Ontario Hockey Association Junior "B" teams came together and voted unanimously to merge and create the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League effective for the 2007-08 season. The GOJHL will become the sole competing body of the Sutherland Cup, which once had as many as eight leagues competing for it at one time.

The 2007-08 season has started off not as planned for the GOJHL. The management of the Mid-Western league resigned and needed to be replaced, and with a lack of organization due to the short time the new management had to get organized the MWJHL had to opt out of an interlocking schedule. As a result, the entire GOJHL will go without an interlocking schedule for 2007-08. The 2008-09 season will see the complete liquidation of all three divisional managements and a single body will be put in place for all three divisions as well as an interlocking schedule between all three divisions.

In the future, the league has stated that it will pursue club expansion, a reconfiguration that will move the league from three to four divisions, and possibly a move to join the Canadian Junior A Hockey League in future years.

On September 8, 2007, the Cambridge Winterhawks and the Guelph Dominators played the first ever game since the inception of the GOJHL. Despite leading 2-0 and outshooting Guelph, the defending Sutherland Cup Champions allowed five unanswered goals to drop the game 5-2. On May 3, 2008, the Tecumseh Chiefs finished a four game sweep of the Elmira Sugar Kings to win the first ever GOJHL championship.

On September 24, 2008, the GOJHL hosted its first ever interdivisional regular season game between the Golden Horseshoe's Wheatfield Jr. Blades and the Western's London Nationals in London, Ontario. The Nationals won the game 6-2.

In April of 2014 the league had its request for reclassification to Tier II (Junior A) denied by the Ontario Hockey Association.  The league has resubmitted the request in 2016 to become the second Junior A league in the province for the 2017-18 season.  The denial in 2014 and other factors have the league and its members threatening to leave the OHA and Hockey Canada if the new request is denied.  The request was later denied by Hockey Canada.  The Cambridge Winter Hawks would announce their withdrawal from the OHA and defacto resignation for the GOJHL as OHA membership is required to play in the league.

In May 2017 it was announced that the Lambton Shores Predators were planning on moving out of Forest to move to Komoka, Ontario for the 2017-18 season The move had already been approved by the league and the OHA. The final approval of Middlesex Centre Wellness and Recreation Complex which met June 21st was the final step in the moved. Two junior C level teams (Mount Brydges Bulldogs and Lambeth Lancers) were also reportedly interested in moving to Komoka. The team was re-branded as the Komoka Kings.

On April 18, 2018 it was announced on the league website that the Ancaster Avalanche would be relocating to the Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena in Hamilton, Ontario and would be renamed the Hamilton Kilty B's after the former Hamilton Kilty B's who were renamed the Hamilton Red Wings in 2002 and in 2015 moved to Markham, Ontario and became the Markham Royals.

On May 8, 2018 the Ontario Hockey Association approves the relocation of the Guelph Hurricanes to Cambridge, Ontario. The team will play out of the Galt Arena Gardens for the 2018-19 season. The team was originally known as the Hesper Shamrocks and later Cambridge Shamrocks when they were established back around 1960. The team played in Cambridge until 1982 when they moved to Guelph.

On June 18, 2018 it was announced that the Milton Icehawks of the Ontario Junior Hockey League would be relocating to Brantford and be renamed the Brantford 99ers Jr. A.  The present  Brantford 99ers are tentatively planning on staying in Brantford and continuing to play out of the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre pending a meeting with the Ontario Hockey Federation.  Both teams have the same ownership. Previous league logo

Teams[]

Western Conference
Team City Arena Founded
Chatham Maroons Chatham, Ontario Chatham Memorial Arena 1959
Komoka Kings Komoka, Ontario Komoka Wellness Centre 2017
LaSalle Vipers LaSalle, Ontario Vollmer Culture and Recreation Complex 1970
Leamington Flyers Leamington, Ontario Nature Fresh Farms Recreation Centre 1954
London Nationals London, Ontario Western Fair District Sports Centre 1950
Sarnia Legionnaires Sarnia, Ontario Pat Stapleton Arena 1969
St. Marys Lincolns St. Marys, Ontario Pyramid Recreation Complex 1956
St. Thomas Stars St. Thomas, Ontario Joe Thornton Community Centre 1961
Strathroy Rockets Strathroy, Ontario West Middlesex Memorial Arena 1965
MidWestern Conference
Team City Arena Founded
Ayr Centennials Ayr, Ontario North Dumfries Community Complex 2020
Brantford Bandits Brantford, Ontario Brantford Civic Centre 2013
Caledon Bombers Caledon, Ontario Mayfield Arena 2020
Cambridge Redhawks Cambridge, Ontario Galt Arena Gardens 2018
Elmira Sugar Kings Elmira, Ontario Woolwich Memorial Centre 1987
Kitchener-Waterloo Siskins Waterloo, Ontario Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex 1971
Listowel Cyclones Listowel, Ontario Steve Kerr Memorial Complex 1972
Stratford Warriors Stratford, Ontario William Allman Memorial Arena 1962
Golden Horseshoe Conference
Team City Arena Founded
Caledonia Corvairs Caledonia, Ontario Haldimand County Caledonia Centre 1970
Fort Erie Meteors Fort Erie, Ontario Fort Erie Leisureplex 1957
Hamilton Kilty B's Hamilton, Ontario Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena & Skating Centre 1974
Niagara Falls Canucks Niagara Falls, Ontario Gale Centre 1971
Pelham Panthers Pelham, Ontario Meridian Community Centre 2014
St. Catharines Falcons St. Catharines, Ontario Seymour-Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre 1968
Thorold Blackhawks Thorold, Ontario Thorold Community Arena 1963
Welland Jr. Canadians Welland, Ontario Welland Arena 1975

Former teams (As of 2007)[]

Sutherland Cup playoff champions[]

Tecumseh Chiefs with Sutherland Cup (2008)

Tecumseh Chiefs' Matt Rehman being presented the Sutherland Cup (2008)

For OHA Junior "B" champions prior to the 2007-08 season, please see OHA Junior "B" section below

Bold denotes Sutherland Cup Champion. Italicized denotes Sutherland Cup finalist.

Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League
Year Golden Horseshoe Midwestern Western
2008 Thorold Blackhawks Elmira Sugar Kings Tecumseh Chiefs
2009 Stoney Creek Warriors Brantford Eagles Sarnia Legionnaires
2010 Stoney Creek Warriors Brantford Eagles LaSalle Vipers
2011 Niagara Falls Canucks Elmira Sugar Kings St. Thomas Stars
2012 St. Catharines Falcons Brantford Eagles London Nationals
2013 St. Catharines Falcons Cambridge Winter Hawks London Nationals
Year Golden Horseshoe Midwestern Western Wild Card
2014 Caledonia Corvairs Waterloo Siskins Leamington Flyers St. Catharines Falcons
2015 Caledonia Corvairs Elmira Sugar Kings Leamington Flyers LaSalle Vipers
2016 Caledonia Corvairs Stratford Cullitons London Nationals Waterloo Siskins
2017 Caledonia Corvairs Listowel Cyclones London Nationals Elmira Sugar Kings
2018 Caledonia Corvairs Listowel Cyclones London Nationals Elmira Sugar Kings
2019 Niagara Falls Canucks Waterloo Siskins London Nationals Listowel Cyclones
2020 Playoffs Cancelled
2021 Regular Season and playoffs Cancelled[6]
3 Team Round Robin and Final Series
Year Golden Horseshoe Midwestern Western
2022 St. Catharines Falcons Cambridge Redhawks Chatham Maroons
2023 Hamilton Kilty B's Stratford Warriors [Leamington Flyers]]



OHA Junior "B"
Year Champion Finalist RR Finalist
2007 Cambridge Winterhawks (MW) Strathroy Rockets (WO) St. Catharines Falcons (GH)
2006 Cambridge Winterhawks (MW) Niagara Falls Canucks (GH) Chatham Maroons (WO)
2005 Thorold Blackhawks (GH) Chatham Maroons (WO) Listowel Cyclones (MW)
2004 Stratford Cullitons (MW) Thorold Blackhawks (GH) Chatham Maroons (WO)
2003 Stratford Cullitons (MW) Thorold Blackhawks (GH) Petrolia Jets (WO)
2002 Sarnia Blast (WO) Elmira Sugar Kings (MW) Niagara Falls Canucks (GH)
2001 Elmira Sugar Kings (MW) Thorold Blackhawks (GH) Chatham Maroons (WO)
2000 Cambridge Winterhawks (MW) St. Catharines Falcons (GH) Chatham Maroons (WO)
1999 Chatham Maroons (WO) Stratford Cullitons (MW) St. Catharines Falcons (GH)
1998 Niagara Falls Canucks (GH) Elmira Sugar Kings (MW) Chatham Maroons (WO)
1997 Elmira Sugar Kings (MW) St. Catharines Falcons (GH) Strathroy Rockets (WO)
1996 Niagara Falls Canucks (GH) St. Thomas Stars (WO) Stratford Cullitons (MW)
1995 Stratford Cullitons (MW) St. Thomas Stars (WO) Niagara Falls Canucks (GH)
1994 Waterloo Siskins (MW) St. Catharines Falcons (GH) St. Marys Lincolns (WO)

Listed are the Sutherland Cup champions from the 1993-94 season until the 2006-07 season.
From 1993 until 2007 the Sutherland Cup was exclusive to the three leagues that now comprise the GOJHL.
For Junior "B" champions prior to the 1993-94 season, please visit: Sutherland Cup.

NHL Draft[]

This is a list of first round National Hockey League draft picks of players straight out of the GOJHL.

Former Member Teams[]

See also[]


External links[]



This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Ice Hockey Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License 3.0 (Unported) (CC-BY-SA).


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