Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League

For the ACHA Division 2 hockey league, see Great Midwest Hockey League.

Greater Metro Junior A
Hockey League

Current season or competition: 2011–12 GMHL season
Region(s)	Greater Toronto Area, Central Ontario, Northeastern Ontario, and Quebec
President	Bob Russell
Commissioner	Bob Bernstein
Founded	2006
Recent Champions	Elliot Lake Bobcats (2010-11)
Headquarters	Cookstown, Ontario
Website	GMHL

The Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL) is a Canadian Developmental Junior "A" ice hockey league. The GMHL is not affiliated with the Canadian Junior Hockey League or a member by Hockey Canada. The league has teams in the Greater Toronto Area, Central Ontario, Northeastern Ontario, New York, and Quebec.

History

The league, founded by Bob Russell and Hockeyworks International Ltd., opened its doors in early 2006, with a unique concept and approach to improving the standard of developing young hockey players within a Junior 'A' league format setting.

A Draft Showcase took place from May 5 until May 7, 2006 with players from Canada, United States, and Europe taking up residence at the Hockeyworks' World Hockey Centre near Shelburne, Ontario to take part in the league's first tryout camp.

Deseronto Thunder versus King Wild (circa 2006)

As of the September 2006, it became clear that the league would operate its first season with seven teams. The original seven were the Bradford Rattlers, Deseronto Thunder, King Wild, Nipissing Alouettes, Richmond Hill Rams, South Muskoka Shield, and Toronto Canada Moose.

The league's first ever game took place on September 8, 2006 between the King Wild and the Richmond Hill Rams at 7:30 PM EST. The final result was a 6-0 victory for the Rams, despite being badly outshot by the Wild. The first goal in the league's history was scored by the Rams' Darren Archibald (future Vancouver Canucks prospect) on the powerplay during the first period. Rams' goaltender Daniel Jones picked up the historical first victory, as well as the league's first shutout in history.

On November 15, 2006, the GMJHL announced its affiliation with the World Hockey Association and creation of the National Junior Hockey Alliance. The affiliation resulted in a national championship between the GMJHL playoff champion and the winner of the WHA Junior West Hockey League after the 2006-07 season. This agreement seems to have only managed to last one season, as the WHAJHL became apparently more erratic.

The first ever regular season of the GMJHL concluded on February 25, 2007 with the Bradford Rattlers leading the way as regular season champs with a record of 37 wins, 1 regulation loss, and 4 overtime losses. In the playoffs, the Rattlers beat the Deseronto Thunder in 6 games, and then the King Wild in 5 games to win the first ever Russell Cup as playoff champions.

In September 2007, the GMJHL started its second season with six new teams, the Douro Dukes, Elliot Lake Bobcats, Espanola Kings, Innisfil Lakers, Tamworth Cyclones, and Temiscaming Royals. The Deseronto Thunder ran into financial trouble after their first season and ownership of the team was transferred to the town. The team is now known as the Deseronto Storm.

On December 11, 2007, the GMJHL announced a seven game challenge series versus a Russian team known as the Moscow Selects. In late December and early January, the top seven teams of the GMJHL will compete against the Moscow Selects—a mixture of top Top Junior talent from the City of Moscow. The Selects played seven games, against Bradford, Innisfil, Temiscaming, Elliot Lake, Richmond Hill, Deseronto, and South Muskoka, winning each game. In March 2008, the King Wild and Richmond Hill Rams played two games each against the Mexico national ice hockey team. The Wild won both their games, while the Rams lost both of theirs.

For the 2008-09 season, the GMJHL will adopt much of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's ice hockey rulebook. The GMJHL added the Minden Riverkings and the Oro-Medonte 77's to the mix, and the Dukes relocated to become the Brock Bucks. At the same time, the Quebec-based Temiscaming Royals walked away from the league to join the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League, but were replaced within weeks by the Ville-Marie Dragons.

In December 2008 and January 2009, eight teams of the GMHL hosted Kazakhstan's Under-18 Torpedo UST-Kamenogorsk squad. Victorious were the Elliot Lake Bobcats (twice), South Muskoka Shield, King Wild, Bradford Rattlers, Innisfil Lakers, and a Nipissing/Ville-Marie Combine squad. The only loss for a GMHL team happened to the Toronto Canada Moose.

In the Summer of 2010, the GMHL expanded in two fashions internationally. First, the created Canada's only All-Russian team in the Shelburne Red Wings and then late in the summer they expanded to the United States through the expansion of the Jamestown Jets

On September 17, 2010, the GMHL played its first international regulation game, in Jamestown, New York between the Jamestown Jets and Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks, both expansion teams to the league for the 2010-11 season. Jamestown won the game 4-3. In December 2010, the GMHL named its first full-time commissioner Bob Bernstein.

In Mid-January 2011, it was announced that the town of Iron Bridge, Ontario and its 500-seat Outdoor Arena would host a regular season game, known as the North Shore Winter Classic, between the Elliot Lake Bobcats and Algoma Avalanche on January 29, 2011. This is the first known regulation outdoor game in Ontario in the modern era. Elliot Lake would win the game 8-2 in front of an estimated 400 fans.

Changes

2010-11 GMHL Team Locations

2011-12

• Expansion granted to the Orangeville Americans.
• Expansion granted to the Mattawa Voyageurs.
• Expansion granted to the Temiscaming Titans.
• Expansion granted to the Vaughan Stars.
• Powassan Dragons are renamed Powassan Eagles and sit out season.
• Vaughan Wild moved to Lefroy, Ontario and become Lefroy Wave.
• Oro-Medonte 77's leave league.
• Jamestown Jets leave league.
• Vaughan Stars league membership revoked November 28, 2011.

2012-13

• Expansion granted to the Halton Huskies to play in Stoney Creek, Ontario.

Teams

Teams Team Joined Centre Arena Algoma Avalanche 2009 Thessalon Thessalon Township Community Centre Bobcaygeon Bucks 2007 Bobcaygeon Bobcaygeon-Verulam Community Centre Bradford Rattlers 2006 Bradford Bob Fallis Sports Centre Deseronto Storm 2006 Deseronto Deseronto Community Recreation Centre Elliot Lake Bobcats 2007 Elliot Lake Elliot Lake Centennial Arena Lefroy Wave 2006 Lefroy South Innisfil Community Centre Mattawa Voyageurs 2011 Mattawa Mike Rodden Arena Orangeville Americans 2011 Orangeville Teen Ranch Ice Corral Shelburne Red Wings 2010 Shelburne Centre Dufferin Recreation Complex South Muskoka Shield 2006 Gravenhurst Gravenhurst Centennial Centre Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks 2010 Sturgeon Falls Sturgeon Falls Arena Temiscaming Titans 2011 Temiscaming, QC Le Centre de Temiscaming Toronto Canada Moose 2006 Thornhill Thornhill Community Centre Halton Huskies 2012 Stoney Creek TBA Powassan Eagles 2008 Powassan Powassan Sportsplex

Note: Shaded teams are dormant.

Russell Cup Playoff Champions

In 2009, the GMJHL used a North and South Division. Overall champions are bolded.

Year Champion Finalist 2007 Bradford Rattlers King Wild 2008 Bradford Rattlers Innisfil Lakers 2009 South Muskoka Shield Deseronto Storm 2010 Deseronto Storm South Muskoka Shield 2011 Elliot Lake Bobcats South Muskoka Shield 2012

Showcase Classic

Since 2009, the GMHL has had a mid-season prospect tournament in Elliot Lake, Ontario each season in November. Generally, the top seven teams of the league compete in the tournament with an eight team, the GMHL Selects representing the other teams in the league.

Year Champion Finalist Score 2009 Bradford Rattlers Elliot Lake Bobcats 6-4 2010 GMHL Selects Elliot Lake Bobcats 7-6 OT 2011 Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks Elliot Lake Bobcats 4-3 OT

League records

Team records

• Best record:

2006-07 Bradford Rattlers (37-1-0-4)

2010-11 Elliot Lake Bobcats (38-2-0-2)

• Worst record:

2007-08 Douro Dukes (2-40-0-0)

• Most goals for by team, one season:

2010-11 Elliot Lake Bobcats (320)

• Least goals for by team, one season:

2007-08 Douro Dukes (108)

• Least goals against by team, one season:

2007-08 Bradford Rattlers (110)

• Most goals against by team, one season:

2007-08 Douro Dukes (392)

• Largest margin of victory:

Elliot Lake Bobcats 29 - Ville-Marie Dragons 1 on December 6, 2008

Individual records

• Most goals, one season:

Alexander Nikulnikov (69) -- 2010-11 Shelburne Red Wings

• Most assists, one season:

Stanislav Dzakhov (78) -- 2010-11 Shelburne Red Wings

• Most points, one season:

Alexander Nikulnikov (140) -- 2010-11 Shelburne Red Wings

Stanislav Dzakhov (140) -- 2010-11 Shelburne Red Wings

• Lowest goals against average, one season:

Rob Sutherland (1.70) -- 2009-10 South Muskoka Shield

Former teams

Former Teams Team Centre Joined Exited Status Espanola Kings Espanola, Ontario 2007 2009 Folded Innisfil Lakers Innisfil, Ontario 2007 2010 Folded Jamestown Jets Jamestown, New York 2010 2011 Lost arena Minden Riverkings Minden Hills, Ontario 2008 2009 Folded Nipissing Alouettes Sturgeon Falls, Ontario 2006 2009 Folded Oro-Medonte 77's Guthrie, Ontario 2008 2011 Folded Richmond Hill Rams Richmond Hill, Ontario 2006 2009 Folded Tamworth Cyclones Tamworth, Ontario 2007 2009 Folded Temiscaming Royals Temiscaming, Quebec 2007 2008 Joined NOJHL Vaughan Stars Vaughan, Ontario 2011 2011 Membership revoked

Timeline of teams in the GMHL

• 2006 - League is formed with seven teams: Bradford Rattlers, Deseronto Thunder, King Wild, Nipissing Alouettes, Richmond Hill Rams, South Muskoka Shield, Toronto Canada Moose
• 2007 - Deseronto Thunder become Deseronto Storm
• 2007 - League expands by six teams: Douro Dukes, Elliot Lake Bobcats, Espanola Kings, Innisfil Lakers, Tamworth Cyclones, Temiscaming Royals
• 2008 - Douro Dukes move and become Brock Bucks
• 2008 - Richmond Hill Rams become Ontario Lightning Rams
• 2008 - Oro-Medonte 77's join league
• 2008 - Ville-Marie Dragons join league
• 2008 - Minden Riverkings join league
• 2008 - Temiscaming Royals leave league for Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League
• 2009 - Ville-Marie Dragons fold mid-season (January)
• 2009 - Tamworth Cyclones fold mid-season (January)
• 2009 - Ontario Lightning Rams leave league
• 2009 - Espanola Kings leave league
• 2009 - Nipissing Alouettes leave league
• 2009 - Algoma Avalanche join league
• 2009 - Ville-Marie Dragons move and become Powassan Dragons
• 2009 - Minden Riverkings fold mid-season (November)
• 2010 - Shelburne Red Wings join league
• 2010 - Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks join league
• 2010 - King Wild move and become Vaughan Wild
• 2010 - Brock Bucks move and become Bobcaygeon Bucks
• 2010 - Innisfil Lakers leave league
• 2010 - Jamestown Jets join league from Northern Junior Hockey League - League's first American team
• 2011 - Mattawa Voyageurs join league
• 2011 - Temiscaming Titans join league
• 2011 - Halton Huskies join league
• 2011 - Orangeville Americans join league
• 2011 - Vaughan Stars join league
• 2011 - Vaughan Wild move and become Lefroy Wave
• 2011 - Powassan Dragons change name to Powassan Eagles
• 2011 - Oro-Medonte 77's leave league
• 2011 - Jamestown Jets leave league

External links

• Greater Metro Jr. "A" Hockey League Official Website
• GMHL Statistical Website
• GMHL Forum
• OHF's GMHL Policy
• GMHL Fan Site