Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League

Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2017–18 SJHL season
Formerly Saskatchewan Amateur Junior Hockey League (1968-1973)
Sport Ice hockey
Founded 1968
Inaugural season 1968–69
CEO Bill Chow
No. of teams 12
Most recent
champion(s)		 Nipawin Hawks (1st)
Most titles Humboldt Broncos (10)
Related
competitions		 ANAVET Cup
Royal Bank Cup
Official website sjhl.ca

The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league under Hockey Canada, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Open to North American-born players 20 years of age or younger, the SJHL's 12 teams play in three divisions: the Olympic Buildings, Sherwood and Viterra Divisions. A major attraction in Saskatchewan, the SJHL draws 400,000 fans each season. The winner of the SJHL playoffs continues on to play in the ANAVET Cup against the champion from the MJHL, for the right to represent the Western region at the Junior "A" National Championship, the Royal Bank Cup.

History

Founded in 1968, the league was originally known as the Saskatchewan Amateur Junior Hockey League until 1973. They re-adopted the "Amateur" in their name in 1980 and carried it until the 1987–88 season, when they dropped the "Amateur" again. They were one of the original Tier II Junior A leagues in the realignment of 1970. Their first two seasons they were eligible for the Memorial Cup.

Humboldt Broncos bus crash

On April 6, 2018 the Humboldt Broncos team bus suffered a fatal crash on their way to the team's semi-final playoff game against the Nipawin Hawks. Ten players, two coaches, an athletic therapist, two employees of a local radio station, and the bus driver were killed in the collision. The remaining passengers were injured, some critically. The SJHL playoffs were postponed as a result (the Hawks were leading the series 3–1 and the Estevan Bruins waiting to play the winner in the finals). SJHL President Bill Chow called the incident the league's "worst nightmare".[1]

Current teams

Viterra Division
Team City Arena Last Joined
Estevan Bruins Estevan, Saskatchewan Affinity Place 1971
Melville Millionaires Melville, Saskatchewan Horizon Credit Union Centre 1970
Weyburn Red Wings Weyburn, Saskatchewan Crescent Point Place 1968
Yorkton Terriers Yorkton, Saskatchewan Farrell Agencies Arena 1972
Olympic Building Division
Team City Arena Last Joined
Battlefords North Stars North Battleford, Saskatchewan North Battleford Civic Centre 1973
Humboldt Broncos Humboldt, Saskatchewan Elgar Peterson Arena 1970
Kindersley Klippers Kindersley, Saskatchewan West Central Events Centre 1991
Notre Dame Hounds Wilcox, Saskatchewan Duncan McNeill Arena 1987
Sherwood Division
Team City Arena Last Joined
Flin Flon Bombers Flin Flon, Manitoba Whitney Forum 1984
La Ronge Ice Wolves La Ronge, Saskatchewan Mel Hegland Arena 1998
Melfort Mustangs Melfort, Saskatchewan Northern Lights Palace 1988
Nipawin Hawks Nipawin, Saskatchewan Centennial Arena 1985

Timeline of teams in the SJHL

  • 2001-Lebret Eagles fold
  • 1999-Saskatoon Rage fold
  • 1998-La Ronge Ice Wolves join league
  • 1998-Beardy's Rage relocate to Saskatoon and become Saskatoon Rage
  • 1997-Minot Top Guns relocate to Beardy's 97 aboriginal reserve and become Beardy's Rage
  • 1994-Minot Americans become Minot Top Guns
  • 1993-Lebret Eagles join league
  • 1993-Saskatoon Titans relocate to Kindersley and become the Kindersley Klippers
  • 1991-Saskatoon Titans join league
  • 1988-Melfort Mustangs join league
  • 1988-Lloydminster Lancers leave league to join Alberta Junior Hockey League and become the Lloydminster Blazers
  • 1987-Minot Americans join league
  • 1987-Notre Dame Hounds rejoin league
  • 1986-Nipawin Hawks join league
  • 1986-Creighton Bombers become the Flin Flon Bombers
  • 1986-Swift Current Indians fold to make way for the Western Hockey League franchise Swift Current Broncos
  • 1984-Flin Flon Bombers rejoin league as Creighton Bombers
  • 1984-Moose Jaw Canucks fold to make way for the Western Hockey League franchise Moose Jaw Warriors
  • 1983-Battleford Barons become North Battleford Stars
  • 1983-Swift Current Broncos become Swift Current Indians
  • 1982-Regina Pat Blues and Saskatoon J's fold
  • 1982-Lloydminster Lancers join league
  • 1982-Prince Albert Raiders leave league to join Western Hockey League
  • 1976-Notre Dame Hounds leave league
  • 1974-Swift Current Broncos join league
  • 1973-Battleford Barons join league
  • 1972-Yorkton Terriers join league
  • 1971-Prince Albert Raiders join league
  • 1971-Estevan Bruins rejoin league
  • 1970-Notre Dame Hounds join league
  • 1970-Humboldt Broncos join league
  • 1970-Melville Millionaires rejoin league
  • 1970-Regina Pat Blues replace Regina Pats who join WCHL
  • 1968-Moose Jaw Canucks, Weyburn Red Wings and Regina Pats rejoin league from WCJHL
  • 1968-Current version of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is founded

SJHL Playoff Champions

For the Western Regional playoffs, please go to the ANAVET Cup.
For the national championship, please go to the Royal Bank Cup.

Please note: In chart, league champions are bolded.

Year League Champion League Runner-up
Hanbidge Cup (Memorial Cup Era)
1969Regina PatsWeyburn Red Wings
1970Weyburn Red WingsRegina Pats
Hanbidge Cup (Centennial Cup Era)
1971Weyburn Red WingsHumboldt Broncos
1972Humboldt BroncosMelville Millionaires
1973Humboldt BroncosEstevan Bruins
1974Prince Albert RaidersEstevan Bruins
1975Swift Current BroncosPrince Albert Raiders
1976Prince Albert RaidersWeyburn Red Wings
1977Prince Albert RaidersMelville Millionaires
1978Prince Albert RaidersMoose Jaw Canucks
1979Prince Albert RaidersMoose Jaw Canucks
1980Prince Albert RaidersMoose Jaw Canucks
1981Prince Albert RaidersMoose Jaw Canucks
1982Prince Albert RaidersYorkton Terriers
1983Yorkton TerriersWeyburn Red Wings
1984Weyburn Red WingsYorkton Terriers
1985Estevan BruinsWeyburn Red Wings
1986Humboldt BroncosEstevan Bruins
1987Humboldt BroncosLloydminster Lancers
1988Notre Dame HoundsYorkton Terriers
1989Humboldt BroncosNipawin Hawks
1990Nipawin HawksYorkton Terriers
1991Yorkton TerriersHumboldt Broncos
1992Melfort MustangsEstevan Bruins
1993Flin Flon BombersMelville Millionaires
1994Weyburn Red WingsMelfort Mustangs
1995Weyburn Red WingsNorth Battleford Stars
1996Melfort MustangsYorkton Terriers
1997Weyburn Red WingsNorth Battleford Stars
1998Weyburn Red WingsNipawin Hawks
Membercare Cup
1999Estevan BruinsHumboldt Broncos
2000Battlefords North StarsWeyburn Red Wings
2001Weyburn Red WingsNipawin Hawks
2002Kindersley KlippersHumboldt Broncos
2003Humboldt BroncosMelville Millionaires
2004Kindersley KlippersWeyburn Red Wings
Credential Cup
2005Yorkton TerriersBattlefords North Stars
2006Yorkton TerriersBattlefords North Stars
2007Humboldt BroncosMelville Millionaires
2008Humboldt BroncosKindersley Klippers
2009Humboldt BroncosMelville Millionaires
Credit Union Cup
2010La Ronge Ice WolvesYorkton Terriers
2011La Ronge Ice WolvesYorkton Terriers
Canalta Cup
2012Humboldt BroncosWeyburn Red Wings
2013Yorkton TerriersHumboldt Broncos
2014Yorkton TerriersMelville Millionaires
2015Melfort MustangsNotre Dame Hounds
2016Melfort MustangsFlin Flon Bombers
2017Battlefords North StarsFlin Flon Bombers
2018 Nipawin Hawks Estevan Bruins

Former member teams

References

  1. ↑ "15 dead in Canadian junior hockey bus crash". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.