 |
 | |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2008 |
| Ceased | 2010 |
| Country |  United States  Canada |
| Last champion(s) | Wooster Oilers |
| Official website | NJHL League Website |
The Northern Junior Hockey League (NJHL) was an independent regional junior ice hockey league based in Jamestown, New York. [1] The league operated from 2008 to 2010.
The United Junior Hockey League (UJHL) was created in 2008 when three teams — the Penn Enforcers, Philadelphia Thunder, and Wooster Oilers transferred from the America East Hockey League to form the UJHL along with the additional expansion teams — Findlay Grrrowl and Jamestown Jets. In August 2008, after the America East Hockey League went dark for the 2008–2009 season, the UJHL accepted four Canadian teams that were to be new members of the AEHL into the UJHL. A new Division was created for the teams, made up of prep schools and small colleges that field Junior teams from Quebec, Canada.
In February 2009, the entire North Division left the UJHL. The reason given by the league was lack of finances. [2] Soon after, the four North Division teams played their own playoffs, won by the Harrington College Icebergs over Team Ulysse 2-games-to-1. In March 2009, Barry Soskin, owner of the Penn, Jamestown, and Findlay franchises decided to pull his teams from the UJHL, before briefly agreeing to return in order to finish the playoffs. [2] The remaining first UJHL playoff champion, without competition from their North Division, was the Findlay Grrrowl who beat the Jamestown Jets 2-games-to-1 to win in the final.
Soskin's franchises eventually did split off to form the Northern Junior Hockey League in 2009. The NJHL also claims membership of the Adirondack, Philadelphia, Troy, and Wooster teams, in addition to the Jamestown and Findlay teams, and Team Ulysse, which joined as well.
The league merged completeness with the NJHL.
The new league, under the Northern Junior Hockey League (NJHL), name was officially announced on May 11, 2009 when the NJHL launched its website. [3] The league's first season of play is the 2009-10 season. The first game was won by the Jamestown Jets playing against the Findlay Grrrowl by 5:2, playing at the Jamestown Savings Bank Arena on September 11, 2009. [4] But the Findlay Grrrowl split the series by, winning the second game on September 12, 2009.
On August 25, 2010 the Jamestown Jets announced the team was moving to the Canadian Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL). [5] followed by the Battle Creek Jr. Revolution, [6] an expansion franchise for 2010-11 announced a move to the Tier III junior A Central States Hockey League (CSHL) and the Troy Bruins announced that the franchise was moving to the minor professional All American Hockey League (AAHL). On August 31, 2010 Danville Express's GM resigned [7] and Findlay Grrrowl and Danville websites have been taken down and no word from the Alpena Thunder, sparking rumors the league folded. On September 1, 2010 the league went dark.
South
North
The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is in its 48th season of operation in 2022–23. It is the only Tier II junior league sanctioned by USA Hockey, and acts as an alternative for those who would not or did not make the roster of a team in the Major Junior Canadian Hockey League (CHL) nor Tier I United States Hockey League (USHL). The NAHL is one of the oldest junior hockey leagues in the United States and is headquartered in Addison, Texas.
The All-American Hockey League (AAHL) was a minor professional hockey league formed in 1986 after the Continental Hockey League (CnHL) ceased operations. The league was created by the CnHL teams Danville, Dayton, and Troy adding the Downriver Stars and the Jackson All-Americans. In 1987, the AAHL absorbed the two remaining teams from Atlantic Coast Hockey League. After a single season in the AAHL, Carolina, Johnstown, and Virginia left the league to form the East Coast Hockey League. The AAHL only lasted one more season and folded after the 1988–89 season.
The Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL) is a Canadian developmental junior ice hockey league. The league has primarily had teams in the Greater Toronto Area, Central Ontario, Northeastern Ontario, and Quebec. In 2019, they added three teams from Alberta.
The Deseronto Storm were a Junior ice hockey team based in Deseronto, Ontario, Canada. They played in the Empire B Junior C Hockey League but are former original members of the Greater Metro Junior 'A' Hockey League.
The Toronto Blue Ice Jets were a Junior ice hockey team based out of Thornhill, Ontario, Canada. The team played in the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL).
America East Hockey League was a Junior A league that folded in August 2008. The League had teams in the Northeastern region of the United States.
The Mid-Atlantic Hockey League (MAHL) was a minor professional ice hockey league in the Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes regions of the United States. The league began play in November 2007. The league was a low level league designed to help ex junior and college players gain pro experience and exposure and move up to higher level leagues.
The North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) is an American Tier III junior ice hockey league that consists of teams from Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Sanctioned by USA Hockey, for most of the league's existence, the winner of the NA3HL playoffs would advance to play for the Tier III National Championship, however, this has not been held since 2015.
The Jamestown Jets were an American junior ice hockey team based in Jamestown, New York. Originally members of the United Junior Hockey League and later the Northern Junior Hockey League. The Jets played in the Canadian Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League in 2010-11.
The Michigan Grrrowl was a tier III Junior "A" ice hockey team and a member of the Midwest Junior Hockey League. The franchise was previously known as the NWO Grrrowl and Findlay Grrrowl
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The Philadelphia Jr. Jackals were an independent junior "A" ice hockey team that played in the Mid-Atlantic Division of International Junior Hockey League Super Elite League. The team played their home games at The Rink At Old York Road in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania.
The Muskegon Lumberjacks was an International Hockey League ice hockey team located in Muskegon, Michigan. After the 2010 season, the team folded and Ron Geary, the owner of the Evansville IceMen of the AAHL, purchased the franchise rights of the former Muskegon Lumberjacks from the IHL. Geary then moved the franchise to Evansville, Indiana where they became the Evansville IceMen.
The All American Hockey League (AAHL) was a lower level professional ice hockey league with teams in the Midwestern United States. The league suspended operations for the 2011–12 season and subsequently folded.
The Great Lakes Junior Hockey League (GLJHL) was an American inline hockey league. Sanctioned by the AAU, the league is based in the Great Lakes region of the Midwestern United States.
The Boston Junior Blackhawks are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Saugus, Massachusetts. They are a member of the International Junior Hockey League. The Jr. Blackhawks field teams in the IJHL Super Elite League, IJHL Elite League, as well as youth selects and other youth ice hockey levels in other local youth hockey leagues. The Jr. Blackhawks play their home games at the Kasabuski Memorial Ice Arena. The Boston Junior Blackhawks are the affiliate of the Texas Tornado of the Tier II Jr A North American Hockey League.
The 2010–11 GMHL season was the fifth season of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL). The thirteen teams of the GMHL played 42-game schedules.
The 2008–09 GMHL season was the third season of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL). The fifteen teams of the GMHL played 43-game schedules.
The 2011–12 GMHL season was the sixth season of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL). The fourteen teams of the GMHL played 42-game schedules.