St. John's Junior Hockey League
The St. John's Junior Hockey League is a Jr. B league operating in Newfoundland. The League was promoted to Tier II Jr. A from 1989 to 1991. The league champion played against the winner of the Central-West Junior Hockey League for the Veitch Memorial Trophy from 2005 to 2013 when that league collapsed leaving the St. John's Junior Hockey League as the only Jr. B league in the province. The Veitch Memorial Trophy is not awarded when there is only one league at the top level in the province.
Origins
In the 1970s, there was another league known as the St. John's Junior Hockey League. Much like the Corner Brook League, Southern Shore League, amongst other leagues, the old SJJHL was a junior-aged town league. Although the St. John's Jr. Capitals were a top team in this town league, they would represent St. John's for the Veitch Memorial Trophy as an all-star team of players from the old SJJHL. On one such occasion, in 1972, the Jr. Capitals entered into the first-year Newfoundland Jr. A playdowns, only to win and compete in the 1972 Centennial Cup National Playdowns.
In 1977, the former junior league that was based out of Memorial Stadium had folded. In 1979, with a lack of playing opportunities for local players future Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams reached out to people who were interested in getting a league started up. The league would play its' first game on October 15, 1980.[1]
Teams
Former Members
- Brother Rice Celtics (1980-1982) suspended by league 9 games into the 1982-83 season; return as St. John's Jr. Celtics
- Mount Pearl Jr. Blades (1980-1997) withdrew late in 1996-97 season; return for 1998-99 season
- St. John's Guards (1980-1982) renamed Jr. 50s
- St. John's PWC (1980-1981) represented Prince of Wales Collegiate High School; withdrew
- St. John's Jr. Shamrocks (1980-1987)
- St. John's Gonzaga (1981-1982) represented Gonzaga High School; withdrew
- St. John's Jr. 50s (1982-1993) folded
- Conception Bay South Raiders (1982-1987, 1994-1995)
- Clarenville Jr. Caribous (1983-1989) folded
- Avalon Jr. Capitals (1983-1999) renamed Pacers
- St. John's Jr. Celtics (1984-2014) renamed Northeast Celtics when relocate to Torbay; renamed Eagles in 2016
- St. John's Jr. Canadians (1985-1985) folded December 20, 1985
- St. John's AAA Midgets (1988-1989, 1991-1993, 1994-1997, 1999-2000) played limited schedule
- Bay (Bay Roberts) Arena Rovers (1988-1989) folded
- St. John's Jr. Caps (1993-2003) formally renamed Jr. Capitals
- Bell Island Jr. Blues (1996-2010) renamed Conception Bay Jr. Renegades
- Trinity-Placentia Flyers (1997-2007) sit out two years; return for 2009-10
- Mount Pearl Jr. Blades (1998-2013) renamed Jr. Wild
- Conception Bay South Coachmen (1998-2001) withdrew January 2001
- Northeast (Torbay) Jr. Eagles (1998-2002) folded
- Avalon Pacers (1999-2000) renamed Jr. Capitals
- St. John's AAA Maple Leafs (2000-2007) played limited schedule
- Goulds Pacers (2000-2001) withdrew January 2001
- Conception Bay Jr. Renegades (2010-2011) renamed Conception Bay South Jr. Renegades
- Conception Bay South Jr. Renegades (2011-2014) renamed CBR Renegades
- Mount Pearl Jr. Wild (2013-2014) revert to Jr. Blades nickname
- Northeast Celtics (2014-2016) renamed Eagles
League Champions
Junior "B"
- 1980-81 St. John's Shamrocks
- 1981-82 Brother Rice Jr. Celtics
- 1982-83 St. John's Shamrocks
- 1983-84 St. John's Shamrocks
- 1984-85 St. John's Junior 50's
- 1985-86 Mt. Pearl Jr. Blades
- 1986-87 St. John's Junior 50's
- 1987-88 St. John's Junior 50's
- 1988-89 Avalon Jr. Capitals
Junior "A"
- 1989-90 Avalon Jr. Capitals
- 1990-91 St. John's Junior 50's
Junior "B"
- 1991-92 St. John's Junior 50's
- 1992-93 St. John's Junior 50's
- 1993-94 St. John's Jr. Celtics
- 1994-95 St. John's Jr. Celtics
- 1995-96 Avalon Jr. Capitals
- 1996-97 Bell Island Jr. Blues
- 1997-98 Bell Island Jr. Blues
- 1998-99 St. John's Jr. Caps
- 1999-00 St. John's Jr. Celtics
- 2000-01 St. John's Jr. Celtics
- 2001-02 St. John's Jr. Caps
- 2002-03 Mt. Pearl Jr. Blades
- 2003-04 CBN Stars
- 2004-05 Trinity-Placentia Flyers
- 2005-06 CBN Stars
- 2006-07 Mt. Pearl Jr. Blades
- 2007-08 St. John's Jr. Celtics
- 2008-09 Mt. Pearl Jr. Blades
- 2009-10 St. John's Jr. Caps
- 2010-11 St. John's Jr. Caps
- 2011-12 St. John's Jr. Caps
- 2012-13 St. John's Jr. Caps
- 2013-14 Avalon Jr. Capitals
- 2014-15 St. John's Jr. Caps
- 2015-16 CBN Stars
- 2016-17 Southern Shore Breakers
- 2017-18 Mt. Pearl Jr. Blades
- 2018-19 CBR Renegades
- 2019-20 Playoffs Cancelled
- 2020-21 Season Cancelled
- 2021-22 Mount Pearl Jr. Blades
Provincial Championships
Veitch Memorial Trophy
From 2005 to 2013 the league champion played against the winner of the Central-West Junior Hockey League for the Veitch Memorial Trophy as the top junior team in the province. Since 2014 the league has been the only junior league at the top level in the province and would become champion by winning the league playoffs. The trophy is not awarded when there is only one league at the top level in the province. During the 1980's and 1990's there were several other leagues that completed at the junior B level and would compete for the championship
- 1982 Brother Rice Jr. Celtics
- 1984 St. John's Jr. 50s
- 1985 St. John's Jr. 50s
- 1987 St. John's Jr. 50s
- 1995 St. John's Jr. 50s
- 1997 Bell Island Junior Blues
- 1998 Bell Island Junior Blues
- 2001 St. John's Jr. Celtics
- 2002 St. John's Jr. Capitals
- 2003 St. John's Jr. Celtics
- 2006 Conception Bay North Jr. Stars
- 2008 St. John's Jr. Celtics
- 2009 St. John's Jr. Capitals
- 2010 St. John's Jr. Capitals
- 2011 St. John's Jr. Celtics
- 2012 St. John's Jr. Capitals
- 2013 St. John's Jr. Capitals
Regional Championships
Don Johnson Memorial Cup
- 1982 Brother Rice Jr. Celtics
- 1985 St. John's Jr. 50s
- 1987 St. John's Jr. 50s
- 1988 St. John's Jr. 50s
- 2009 St. John's Jr. Capitals
Callaghan Cup
For the two seasons (1989-90 and 1990-91) that the league played at the Jr. A level the league champion was eligible to compete for the Callaghan Cup for the Atlantic Junior A championship. Neither of the league champions won the regional championship but the St. John's Jr. 50s lost in the 1991 final. After the 1990-91 season the Callaghan Cup was given to the Maritime Junior A Hockey League as it was the dominant league in the region and had teams from 3 of the four provinces and the SJJHL was demoted back to the Jr. B level of play.
Seasons
- 1980-81 SJJHL Season
- 1981-82 SJJHL Season
- 1982-83 SJJHL Season
- 1983-84 SJJHL Season
- 1984-85 SJJHL Season
- 1985-86 SJJHL Season
- 1986-87 SJJHL Season
- 1987-88 SJJHL Season
- 1988-89 SJJHL Season
- 1989-90 SJJHL Season
- 1990-91 SJJHL Season
- 1991-92 SJJHL Season
- 1992-93 SJJHL Season
- 1993-94 SJJHL Season
- 1994-95 SJJHL Season
- 1995-96 SJJHL Season
- 1996-97 SJJHL Season
- 1997-98 SJJHL Season
- 1998-99 SJJHL Season
- 1999-00 SJJHL Season
- 2000-01 SJJHL Season
- 2001-02 SJJHL Season
- 2002-03 SJJHL Season
- 2003-04 SJJHL Season
- 2004-05 SJJHL Season
- 2005-06 SJJHL Season
- 2006-07 SJJHL Season
- 2007-08 SJJHL Season
- 2008-09 SJJHL Season
- 2009-10 SJJHL Season
- 2010-11 SJJHL Season
- 2011-12 SJJHL Season
- 2012-13 SJJHL Season
- 2013-14 SJJHL Season
- 2014-15 SJJHL Season
- 2015-16 SJJHL Season
- 2016-17 SJJHL Season
- 2017-18 SJJHL Season
- 2018-19 SJJHL Season
- 2019-20 SJJHL Season
- 2020-21 SJJHL season
References
| Leagues competing for the Don Johnson Memorial Cup | |
|---|---|
| New Brunswick | New Brunswick Junior Hockey League |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | St. John's Junior Hockey League |
| Nova Scotia | Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League |
| Prince Edward Island | Island Junior Hockey League |
| Former Leagues | Central-West Junior Hockey League (2004-2013) · Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League (2014 only) · New Brunswick Junior B Hockey League (1982-2003, 2010-2012) |
| Don Johnson · Hockey Canada · List of Don Johnson Cup tournaments | |
