Alberta Junior Hockey League

Alberta Junior Hockey League

Sport	Ice hockey
Founded	1964
No. of teams	16
Country(ies)	Canada
Most recent champion(s)	Brooks Bandits

The Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) is an Alberta-based Junior A hockey league that belongs to the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). It was formed as a five-team league in 1964. There are currently 16 teams in the league. The regular season league champions receive the Dave Duchak Trophy. The playoff champions receive the Gas Drive Cup (the Carling O'Keefe trophy before 1998). The winner of the AJHL playoffs continues on to play in the Western Canada Cup in a round robin tournament with the MJHL SJHL AJHL and BCHL. The winner of the Western Canada Cup competes in the Junior "A" National Championship for the Royal Bank Cup.

History

Former logo of the AJHL, until 2006

The early 1960s saw a much different junior hockey scenario in Alberta than what currently exists. The Edmonton Oil Kings were the only true Junior-A-calibre team in the province and drew most of the top talent Alberta had to offer. The Oil Kings were the Western Canadian champions from 1962 until 1966, Abbott Cup champions in 1954 and from 1960 to 1966, and Memorial Cup national champions in 1963 and 1966. In 1966, the Oil Kings helped create the Western Hockey League. The issue in 1964 was that there were hundreds of junior-calibre players in the province, but really only one team to play for. A group of business and hockey people got together in 1964 and decided to form a Junior "A" league in an attempt to truly develop Alberta hockey. The original league consisted of the Edmonton Safeway Canadians, the Edmonton Maple Leafs, the Lethbridge Sugar Kings, Calgary Cowboys, and the Calgary Buffaloes.

The Edmonton Safeway Canadians and Maple Leafs later merged in 1971 to become the Edmonton Mets, then moved to Spruce Grove to become the Spruce Grove Mets in 1974. They lasted only three seasons in Spruce Grove; however, they won the AJHL title twice, and the Manitoba Centennial Trophy in 1975. In 1976, they moved again to become the St. Albert Saints, where they won three more league titles. In 2004, the team returned to Spruce Grove as the Spruce Grove Saints. This well-travelled franchise has sent over 30 players into the National Hockey League, including Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Messier.

One of the AJHL's most famous franchises, the Red Deer Rustlers, joined the league in 1967, capturing the championship in their first season. The Rustlers had attempted to join the Western Canada Junior Hockey League, but were blocked by the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association, and instead placed in the AJHL. In 1971, the Rustlers captured the first Manitoba Centennial Trophy as national Junior A champions. The Rustlers, who featured all six Sutter brothers who would go onto the National Hockey League, won eight AJHL titles and two Centennial Trophies during their existence. They were expelled from the league, however, in 1989, and formally folded in 1992 when the Red Deer Rebels joined the WHL.

In 1971, the Calgary Canucks were founded following the demise of the Cowboys and Buffaloes. Today, the Canucks are the oldest franchise still operating in the AJHL. It was founded with a mandate to focus on giving Calgary-area kids a place to play while focusing on their educational needs. The Canucks have captured a league record nine AJHL championships and won the Centennial Cup in 1995, the Canadian Championship of Junior A hockey, now known as the Royal Bank Cup.

After a game on February 21, 1980, the AJHL was shaken by a tragedy. Twenty-year-old Trevor Elton, Captain of the Sherwood Park Crusaders was hit cleanly along the boards by a player on the St. Albert Saints in St. Albert, Alberta. Elton landed and went into convulsions and died later that night while in hospital.

On November 26, 2010, the Fort McMurray Oil Barons and Drayton Valley Thunder played the first ever modern era regulation outdoor junior hockey game at MacDonald Island in Fort McMurray, Alberta. The game was known as the "Northern Classic". The 5,000 tickets available for the game sold out in less than an hour, and consequently broke the league attendance record of 4,400.

On May 2, 2012, the AJHL announced it approved a request from the St. Albert Steel to relocate the team from St. Albert to Whitecourt to become the Whitecourt Wolverines.

Current teams

Locations of AJHL teams (North Division teams in red; South Division teams in blue)

North Division
Team	City	Arena	Joined AJHL
Bonnyville Pontiacs	Bonnyville, Alberta	R. J. Lalonde Arena	1991
Drayton Valley Thunder	Drayton Valley, Alberta	Drayton Valley Omni-Plex	1998
Fort McMurray Oil Barons	Fort McMurray, Alberta	Thickwood Heights Arena	1981
Grande Prairie Storm	Grande Prairie, Alberta	Canada Games Arena	1995
Lloydminster Bobcats	Lloydminster, Saskatchewan	Centennial Civic Centre	1988 (founded in 1982 as SJHL team)
Sherwood Park Crusaders	Sherwood Park, Alberta	Sherwood Park Arena	1976
Spruce Grove Saints	Spruce Grove, Alberta	Grant Fuhr Arena	2004 (as Spruce Grove Saints, 1963 originally for franchise as Edmonton Movers)
Whitecourt Wolverines	Whitecourt, Alberta	Scott Safety Centre	2012 (as Whitecourt Wolverines, 1976 as Fort Saskatchewan Traders)
South Division
Team	City	Arena	Joined AJHL
Brooks Bandits	Brooks, Alberta	Centennial Regional Arena	2000
Calgary Canucks	Calgary, Alberta	Max Bell Centre	1971
Calgary Mustangs	Calgary, Alberta	Father David Bauer Olympic Arena	2010 (as Calgary Mustangs, originally joined as The Pass Red Devils in 1972)
Camrose Kodiaks	Camrose, Alberta	Edgeworth Centre	1997
Canmore Eagles	Canmore, Alberta	Canmore Recreation Centre	2001 (as Canmore Eagles, originally joined 1995 as Bow Valley Eagles)
Drumheller Dragons	Drumheller, Alberta	Drumheller Memorial Arena	2003
Okotoks Oilers	Okotoks, Alberta	Foothills Centennial Arena	2005 (as Okotoks Oilers, originally joined 1998 as Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves)
Olds Grizzlys	Olds, Alberta	Olds & District Sports Complex	1981 (as Olds Grizzlys, originally joined 1974 as Taber Golden Suns)

Royal Bank Cup champions

Seven AJHL teams have captured the Royal Bank Cup, or its predecessor, the Manitoba Centennial Trophy, as Canadian national champions since the tournament was introduced in 1971:

• 2001: Camrose Kodiaks
• 2000: Fort McMurray Oil Barons
• 1995: Calgary Canucks
• 1994: Olds Grizzlys
• 1980: Red Deer Rustlers
• 1975: Spruce Grove Mets
• 1971: Red Deer Rustlers

Playoff champions

For the Pacific Regional playoffs, see Doyle Cup.

For the National Championship, see 2012 Royal Bank Cup.

• Carling O'Keefe Cup was presented 1965–1997
• Rogers Wireless Cup presented since 1997

Please note: In chart, league champions are bolded.

Year League Champion League Runner-up Memorial Cup Era 1965 Calgary Buffaloes Calgary Cowboys 1966 Calgary Buffaloes Edmonton Canadians 1967 Edmonton Western Movers 1968 Edmonton Western Movers 1969 Lethbridge Sugar Kings 1970 Red Deer Rustlers Centennial Cup Era 1971 Red Deer Rustlers Lethbridge Sugar Kings 1972 Red Deer Rustlers Calgary Canucks 1973 Calgary Canucks Red Deer Rustlers 1974 Red Deer Rustlers The Pass Red Devils 1975 Spruce Grove Mets Drumheller Falcons 1976 Spruce Grove Mets Taber Golden Suns 1977 Calgary Canucks Taber Golden Suns 1978 Calgary Canucks Fort Saskatchewan Traders 1979 Fort Saskatchewan Traders Calgary Canucks 1980 Red Deer Rustlers Calgary Canucks 1981 St. Albert Saints Taber Golden Suns 1982 St. Albert Saints Calgary Spurs 1983 Calgary Canucks Fort McMurray Oil Barons 1984 Fort Saskatchewan Traders Red Deer Rustlers 1985 Red Deer Rustlers Sherwood Park Crusaders 1986 Calgary Canucks Sherwood Park Crusaders 1987 Red Deer Rustlers St. Albert Saints 1988 Calgary Canucks St. Albert Saints 1989 Red Deer Rustlers Fort Saskatchewan Traders 1990 Calgary Canucks Sherwood Park Crusaders 1991 Calgary Royals Fort Saskatchewan Traders 1992 Olds Grizzlys Fort McMurray Oil Barons 1993 Olds Grizzlys Fort Saskatchewan Traders 1994 Olds Grizzlys Fort McMurray Oil Barons 1995 Calgary Canucks Olds Grizzlys 1996 St. Albert Saints Fort McMurray Oil Barons 1997 Fort McMurray Oil Barons Calgary Canucks 1998 St. Albert Saints Fort Saskatchewan Traders 1999 Calgary Canucks St. Albert Saints 2000 Fort McMurray Oil Barons Camrose Kodiaks 2001 Camrose Kodiaks Drayton Valley Thunder 2002 Drayton Valley Thunder Grande Prairie Storm 2003 Camrose Kodiaks St. Albert Saints 2004 Grande Prairie Storm Fort McMurray Oil Barons 2005 Camrose Kodiaks Fort McMurray Oil Barons 2006 Fort McMurray Oil Barons Camrose Kodiaks 2007 Camrose Kodiaks Fort Saskatchewan Traders 2008 Camrose Kodiaks Fort McMurray Oil Barons 2009 Grande Prairie Storm Spruce Grove Saints 2010 Spruce Grove Saints Fort McMurray Oil Barons 2011 Spruce Grove Saints Camrose Kodiaks 2012 Brooks Bandits Fort McMurray Oil Barons 2013 Brooks Bandits Spruce Grove Saints

NHL alumni

Nearly 200 AJHL grads have gone on to play in the National Hockey League. Among them:

Dave Babych Stu Barnes Bob Bassen Dan Blackburn Mike Commodore Mike Comrie John Davidson Brennan Evans Curtis Glencross Scott Hartnell Dany Heatley

Cale Hulse Corey Hirsch Kelly Kisio Mark Letestu Clint Malarchuk Richard Matvichuk Lanny McDonald Mark Messier Randy Moller Troy Murray Chris Phillips

Fernando Pisani Mason Raymond Wade Redden Steven Reinprecht Lindy Ruff Jason Smith Sheldon Souray Brent Sutter Brian Sutter Darryl Sutter Duane Sutter

Rich Sutter Ron Sutter Garry Unger Scottie Upshall Garry Valk Mike Vernon Stan Weir Craig Weller Glen Wesley Zarley Zalapski

External links

• AJHL official website