The National Junior Hockey League is an independent self-professed Junior A hockey level league based in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. The league was formally announced on May 29 2023.[1][2] The league was started due to the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League announcing on May 28 that it was ceasing the operations of all of the league's West Division teams.[3][4] However, the first mention of the league name was on May 26th. [5] All eight of the founding members of the league are former members of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League's West Division from the 2022-23 season.
Membership Changes Prior to the 2023-24 season[]
- In mid-June the Mackenzie Mountaineers had their lease terminated by the Mackenzie Community Council.[6]
- On July 16, 2023 the Kitimat Saax announced that they were deferring operations for the 2023-24 season. The announcement also indicated that the other British Columbia based teams were also not playing for the 2023-24, indicating that the Burns Lake Timbermen would also be sitting out the season.[7] Another source indicated that the teams may have not been able to secure a lease with there community arena.[8]
2024-25 Season changes[]
- On October 20, 2023 the league announced the addition of a team to be based out of the Crowsnest Pass Sports Complex in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta for the 2024-25 season.[9] The team would be named the Crowsnest Crush.
- On January 25, 2024 the league announced the additon of a team to be based out of the Bold Center Multiplex in Lac La Biche, Alberta for the 2024-25 season.[10] The team would be named the Lac La Biche Lakers.
- On May 8, 2024 the league announced the addition of a new franchise to be based out of the Claresholm Arena in Claresholm, Alberta.[11] The team would end up being named the Claresholm Thunder.
- On September 6, 2024 reports indicated that the Gibbons Pioneers had been removed from the Gibbons Arena.[12] The team would end up playing out of the Pembina Place in Redwater, Alberta and be renamed the Redwater Pioneers.
- On September 18, 2024 it was indicated that the Fox Creek Ice Kings had folded.[13]
2025-26[]
- On May 19, 2025 the South Peace News reported that the High Prairie Red Wings would be joining the Alberta Elite Junior Hockey League along with the Lac La Biche Lakers, Mayerthorpe Lightning (formerly the Northern Alberta Lightning, Onion Lake Scouts and Vulcan Rampage. All four of the teams with the exception of Onion Lake were members of the National Junior Hockey League for the 2024-25 playing season but they announced May 1 they were dissolving all contractual agreements with the NJHL citing several breaches of contract in their franchise agreements. All breaches are denied by the NJHL.[14]
- A June 11, 2025 posting by the High Prairie Red Wings indicated that their team was sold and will continue to operate in the National Junior Hockey League.[15]
- The Hinton Canadians and Mayerthorpe Lightning/Northern Alberta Lightning would re-join the league from the Alberta Elite Junior Hockey League in late October as that league was collapsing.
Teams 2025-26[]
Links[]
References[]
- ↑ https://www.njhlhockey.com/news/a-message-from-the-njhl
- ↑ https://thejuniorhockeynews.com/the-death-pool-njhl-is-latest-hockey-genius-derek-prue-scheme/
- ↑ https://gmhl.net/news/presidents-message/57954
- ↑ https://thejuniorhockeynews.com/the-death-pool-gmhl-west-is-killed-off/
- ↑ https://www.njhlhockey.com/news/a-message-from-the-njhl
- ↑ https://thejuniorhockeynews.com/the-death-pool-mackenzie-mountaineers-are-dead-in-off-season-mercy-killing/
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/gmhlkitimat/posts/pfbid02zmmiFVZRq2En8ACJeoZBGS3dD8nPwEJhPn6WZzfyGZsnC43NENdea8Z7rsHdfjaJl
- ↑ https://thejuniorhockeynews.com/the-death-pool-battle-of-the-bastards-cajhl-vs-njhl-update/
- ↑ https://www.njhlhockey.com/news/njhl-adds-crowsnest-pass
- ↑ https://www.njhlhockey.com/news/for-immediate-release
- ↑ https://www.njhlhockey.com/news/for-immediate-release1
- ↑ https://thejuniorhockeynews.com/the-death-pool-njhl-gibbons-pioneers-vanish-in-middle-of-the-night/
- ↑ https://thejuniorhockeynews.com/the-death-pool-fox-creek-ice-kings-first-to-fold-this-week/
- ↑ https://www.southpeacenews.com/red-wings-part-of-newly-formed-alberta-elite-junior-hockey-league/
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/RedWingsJrA/posts/pfbid0tD1f2eeW9fNppYkPdVsjx4Zgyd5BBFoQ1cjBV1QhJ7wJZLkRUgLLcVsVMQCgzWmrl