Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League

This article is about an extant ice hockey league in Northeastern Ontario and Upper Peninsula Michigan that was established in 1978. For the defunct league that operated in the same region from 1962–1972, see NOJHA.

Northern Ontario Junior
Hockey League

Current season or competition: 2024–25 NOJHL season
Official logo
Region(s)	Northeastern Ontario Upper Michigan
Commissioner	Robert Mazzuca
Founded	1978
No. of teams	11
Associated title(s)	Copeland Cup–McNamara Trophy
Recent champions	Greater Sudbury Cubs (2025)
Headquarters	Corbeil, Ontario
Website	nojhl.com

The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) is a Junior ice hockey league with eleven teams in Northeastern Ontario and Upper Michigan. The league is a constituent member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) and is governed by the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Teams compete to win the league championship Copeland Cup – McNamara Trophy, with the winning team advancing to the national championship to compete for the Centennial Cup.

The NOJHL was established in 1978 with six teams: the Espanola Eagles (1978–1988), Capreol Hawks (1978–1986), Nickel Centre Native Sons (1978–1984), Onaping Falls Huskies (1978–1983), Rayside-Balfour Canadians (1978–1986) and Sudbury Cubs (1978–1982). It was preceded by the NOJHA (1962–1972) and the NOHA Jr. B Hockey League (1970–1978). ^[1]

By the 1986–87 season, the NOJHL was down to four teams. The Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (OPJHL), also down to four teams, played an interlocking schedule with the NOJHL. The OPJHL folded after that season. ^[2]

In the 2011–12 NOJHL season, the NOJHL became the first Junior A league in Canada to implement concussion safety and drug testing programs. ^{[3] [4]}

NOJHL teams won the Central Canada regional championship Dudley Hewitt Cup a total of five times, in 1997, 2000, 2002, 2012 and 2015. The regional contest was discontinued after 2019. As of 2025, no team from the NOJHL has won a national championship. ^[5]

Teams

The league has 11 active teams as of the 2025–26 NOJHL season. The Elliot Lake Vikings franchise was placed on an indefinite leave of absence in the middle of the 2024–25 NOJHL season. ^{[6] [7]}

Teams

Team	Home	Arena
Blind River Beavers	Blind River	Blind River Community Centre
Espanola Paper Kings	Espanola	Espanola Regional Recreation Complex
French River Rapids	Noelville	Noelville Arena
Greater Sudbury Cubs	Sudbury	Countryside Sports Complex
Hearst Lumberjacks	Hearst	Claude Larose Recreation Centre
Iroquois Falls Storm	Iroquois Falls	Jus Jordan Arena
Kirkland Lake Gold Miners	Kirkland Lake	Joe Mavrinac Community Complex
Powassan Voodoos	Powassan	Powassan Sportsplex
Soo Eagles	Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan	Pullar Stadium
Soo Thunderbirds	Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario	John Rhodes Community Centre
Timmins Rock	Timmins	McIntyre Arena

Map of teams

200km
124miles

Thunderbirds

Eagles

Cubs

Paper Kings

Beavers

Rock

Voodoos

Gold Miners

Storm

Lumberjacks

Rapids

   

Former teams

More than half of the teams that have played in the NOJHL no longer do. In some cases, this is the result of relocation and/or rebranding decisions. ^{[8] [9]} In others, franchises have simply folded. The team most recently added to the list, the Elliot Lake Vikings (2014), was placed on a leave of absence due to the protracted closure of the team's home arena. ^[7]

Former Teams Team Centre From To Reason Capreol Hawks Capreol 1978 1986 Folded Copper Cliff Cubs Copper Cliff 1970 1975 Folded Coniston Flyers Coniston 1976 1977 Folded Elliot Lake Vikings Elliot Lake 1981 1999 Folded Espanola Eagles Espanola 1962 2003 Rebranded Espanola Rivermen Espanola 2013 2014 Joined CIHL Iroquois Falls Eskis Iroquois Falls 1988 2017 Rebranded Nickel Centre Native Sons Nickel Centre 1978 1987 Folded Onaping Falls Huskies Onaping Falls 1978 1986 Folded Parry Sound Shamrocks Parry Sound 1994 1999 Joined OPJHL Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats Rayside-Balfour 1978 2005 Folded Rouyn-Noranda Capitales Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec 1989 1996 Folded Sudbury Cubs Sudbury 1978 1993 Folded Temiscaming Royals Temiscaming, Quebec 2008 2011 Folded Thessalon Flyers Thessalon 1987 1990 Folded West Nipissing Alouettes Sturgeon Falls 1973 1976 Folded Elliot Lake Vikings (2014) Elliot Lake 2014 2024 Leave of absence

Timeline of teams

• 1978 - NOHA Jr. B Hockey League is promoted to Junior A and renamed Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League - League includes: Sudbury Cubs, Nickel Centre Native Sons, Onaping Falls Huskies, Capreol Hawks, Rayside-Balfour Canadians, and Espanola Eagles
• 1981 - Elliot Lake Vikings join from International Junior B Hockey League
• 1982 - Sudbury Cubs become Sudbury North Stars
• 1983 - Onaping Falls Huskies leave league
• 1983 - Sudbury North Stars return to Sudbury Cubs
• 1984 - Onaping Falls Huskies rejoin league
• 1984 - Nickel Centre Native Sons leave league
• 1985 - Nickel Centre Native Sons rejoin league
• 1986 - Nickel Centre Native Sons renamed Nickel Centre Power Trains
• 1986 - Rayside-Balfour Canadians, Capreol Hawks, and Onaping Falls Huskies leave league
• 1987 - Rayside-Balfour Canadians rejoin league
• 1987 - Thessalon Flyers join league
• 1987 - Nickel Centre Power Trains leave league
• 1988 - Espanola Eagles leave league, franchise sold to Haileybury 54's
• 1989 - Rouyn-Noranda Capitales join league
• 1990 - Thessalon Flyers leave league
• 1990 - Haileybury 54's move and become Powassan Passport
• 1991 - Timmins Golden Bears and Espanola Eagles join league
• 1992 - Sudbury Cubs become Nickel Centre Cubs
• 1992 - Powassan Passport become Powassan Hawks
• 1993 - Nickel Centre Cubs leave league
• 1994 - Parry Sound Shamrocks join league
• 1994 - Powassan Hawks move and are renamed Sturgeon Falls Lynx
• 1995 - Espanola Eagles leave league
• 1995 - Rayside-Balfour Canadians renamed Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats
• 1996 - Rouyn-Noranda Capitales disband to make way for Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
• 1997 - Elliot Lake Vikings become Elliot Lake Ice
• 1998 - Espanola Eagles rejoin league
• 1999 - Timmins Golden Bears relocate and become Iroquois Falls Jr. Eskis
• 1999 - Soo Thunderbirds join league
• 1999 - Elliot Lake Ice leave league, franchise sold to Nickel Centre Barons
• 1999 - Parry Sound Shamrocks move to the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League
• 2000 - Sudbury Northern Wolves join league
• 2000 - Nickel Centre Barons move and are renamed Blind River Barons
• 2001 - Blind River Barons renamed Blind River Beavers
• 2002 - Iroquois Fals Jr. Eskis are renamed Abitibi Eskimos
• 2002 - Sturgeon Falls Lynx move to North Bay and become the North Bay Skyhawks
• 2002 - Soo Thunderbirds are renamed Sault Ste. Marie Jr. Greyhounds
• 2003 - Espanola Eagles move to St. Ignace, Michigan and become the Northern Michigan Black Bears
• 2003 - Little Current awarded expansion franchise Manitoulin Wild
• 2003 - Sault Ste. Marie Jr. Greyhounds return to Soo Thunderbirds
• 2005 - Manitoulin Wild become Manitoulin Islanders
• 2005 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats are granted a one-year leave of absence
• 2005 - Sudbury Northern Wolves become Sudbury Jr. Wolves
• 2006 - Northern Michigan Black Bears are relocated and renamed Soo Indians
• 2006 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats officially fold
• 2007 - Soo Indians take one-year leave in search of new ownership
• 2008 - Temiscaming Royals join from Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League
• 2008 - Soo Indians return, renamed Soo Eagles
• 2009 - North Bay Skyhawks are renamed North Bay Trappers
• 2011 - Temiscaming Royals leave league
• 2011 - Manitoulin Islanders move and become Kirkland Lake Blue Devils
• 2011 - Sudbury Jr. Wolves are renamed Sudbury Cubs
• 2012 - Kirkland Lake Blue Devils fold/return as Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
• 2012 - Soo Eagles leave and join North American Hockey League
• 2012 - Elliot Lake Bobcats join from Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League
• 2012 - Sudbury Cubs are renamed Sudbury Nickel Barons
• 2013 - Espanola Rivermen join league as expansion
• 2014 - Espanola Rivermen leave league and join CIHL
• 2014 - Elliot Lake Bobcats move to Cochrane Ontario and become Cochrane Crunch
• 2014 - North Bay Trappers move to Mattawa Ontario and become Mattawa Blackhawks
• 2014 - Elliot Lake Wildcats join league as expansion
• 2014 - Powassan Voodoos join league as expansion
• 2015 - Abitibi Eskimos relocate to Timmins and become Timmins Rock
• 2015 - Mattawa Blackhawks relocate to Iroquois Falls and become Iroquois Falls Eskis
• 2015 - Sudbury Nickel Barons relocate to Chelmsford and become Rayside-Balfour Canadians
• 2015 - French River Rapids join league as expansion
• 2015 - Espanola Express join league as expansion
• 2015 - Soo Eagles rejoin league
• 2017 - Iroquois Falls Eskis relocate to Hearst and become Hearst Lumberjacks
• 2025 - Elliot Lake Vikings take leave of absence

Copeland-McNamara Trophy and Division Champions

In 2008–09, the NOJHL instituted divisions. Overall champions are bolded.

NOHA Jr. B Era
Year	Champion	Finalist
1971	Copper Cliff Cubs/Sudbury Cubs	Levack Miners
1972	Levack Miners	Sudbury Cubs
1973	Copper Cliff Cubs/Coniston Cubs	Levack Miners
1974	Rayside-Balfour Canadians	Coniston Cubs
1975	Onaping Falls Huskies	Capreol Hawks
1976	Onaping Falls Huskies	Capreol Hawks
1977	Onaping Falls Huskies	Capreol Hawks
1978	Onaping Falls Huskies	Nickel Centre Native Sons
NOJHL Era
Year	Champion	Finalist
1979	Nickel Centre Native Sons	Sudbury Cubs
1980	Onaping Falls Huskies	Capreol Hawks
1981	Onaping Falls Huskies	Capreol Hawks
1982	Onaping Falls Huskies	Elliot Lake Vikings
1983	Elliot Lake Vikings	Onaping Falls Huskies
1984	Rayside-Balfour Canadians	Elliot Lake Vikings
1985	Sudbury Cubs	Capreol Hawks
1986	Onaping Falls Huskies	Sudbury Cubs
1987	Nickel Centre Power Trains	Sudbury Cubs
1988	Sudbury Cubs	Elliot Lake Vikings
1989	Sudbury Cubs	Rayside-Balfour Canadians
1990	Sudbury Cubs	Rouyn-Noranda Capitales
1991	Sudbury Cubs	Rayside-Balfour Canadians
1992	Powassan Hawks	Rayside-Balfour Canadians
1993	Powassan Hawks	Timmins Golden Bears
1994	Powassan Hawks	Rouyn-Noranda Capitales
1995	Timmins Golden Bears	Rouyn-Noranda Capitales
1996	Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats	Sturgeon Falls Lynx
1997	Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats	Sturgeon Falls Lynx
1998	Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats	Parry Sound Shamrocks
1999	Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats	Parry Sound Shamrocks
2000	Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats	Sturgeon Falls Lynx
2001	Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats	Soo Thunderbirds
2002	Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats	Soo Thunderbirds
2003	North Bay Skyhawks	Sault Ste. Marie Jr. Greyhounds
2004	North Bay Skyhawks	Soo Thunderbirds
2005	North Bay Skyhawks	Northern Michigan Black Bears
2006	Sudbury Jr. Wolves	North Bay Skyhawks
2007	Soo Indians	Sudbury Jr. Wolves
2008	Sudbury Jr. Wolves	Abitibi Eskimos
	East	West
2009	North Bay Skyhawks	Soo Thunderbirds
2010	Abitibi Eskimos	Soo Thunderbirds
2011	Sudbury Jr. Wolves	Soo Eagles
2012	North Bay Trappers	Soo Thunderbirds
2013	North Bay Trappers	Soo Thunderbirds
2014	Kirkland Lake Gold Miners	Soo Thunderbirds
2015	Cochrane Crunch	Soo Thunderbirds
2016	Kirkland Lake Gold Miners	Soo Thunderbirds
2017	Powassan Voodoos	Blind River Beavers
2018	Cochrane Crunch	Rayside-Balfour Canadians
2019	Hearst Lumberjacks	Soo Thunderbirds
2020	Postseason cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021	Postseason cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022	Hearst Lumberjacks	Soo Thunderbirds
2023	Timmins Rock	Soo Thunderbirds
2024	Powassan Voodoos	Greater Sudbury Cubs
NOJHLSingle Table
Year	Champion	Finalist
1979	Greater Sudbury Cubs	Hearst Lumberjacks

Dudley Hewitt Cup Central Canadian Champions

Year	Champion	Finalist	Host (if applicable)
1997	Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats	Milton Merchants (OPJHL)	--
2000	Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats	Brampton Capitals (OPJHL)	--
2002	Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats	Dryden Ice Dogs (SIJHL)	--
2012	Soo Thunderbirds	Stouffville Spirit (OJHL)	Thunder Bay, Ontario
2015	Soo Thunderbirds	Fort Frances Lakers (SIJHL)	Fort Frances, Ontario

Trophy gallery

• 
  Frank L. Buckland Trophy
  - OHA Championship
  - Competed for by NOJHL champions from 1979 until 1997
  - Won in 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1997
• 
  William T. Ruddock Trophy
  - OHF Championship
  - Competed for by NOJHL champions since 1994
  - Won in 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2006
• 
  Dudley Hewitt Cup
  - Regional Championship
  - Competed for by NOJHL champions since 1979
  - Won in 1997, 2000, and 2002

Notable alumni

• Todd Bertuzzi - Sudbury Cubs
• Brian Savage - Sudbury Cubs
• Steve Sullivan - Timmins Golden Bears
• Alex Auld - Sturgeon Falls Lynx
• Chris Thorburn - Elliot Lake Ice
• Jeremy Stevenson - Elliot Lake Vikings
• Jake Muzzin - Soo Thunderbirds
• Alex Henry - Timmins Golden Bears
• Dan Cloutier - Timmins Golden Bears
• Trevor Halverson - Thessalon Flyers
• Shannon Hope - Elliot Lake Vikings
• Lonnie Loach - Haileybury 54's
• Tyler Kennedy - Soo Thunderbirds
• Derek MacKenzie - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats
• Colin Miller - Soo Thunderbirds
• Andrew Desjardins - Espanola Screaming Eagles

League records

Team season

• Best Record, One Season:

  40-0-0 - Sudbury Cubs, 1989–90

  40-0-0 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats, 1999–00

• Worst Record, One Season:

  0-51-0-1 Blind River Beavers 2014–15

• Most Goals Scored, One Season:

  482 - Rayside-Balfour Canadians, 1991–92

• Fewest Goals Scored, One Season:

  97 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats, 2003–04

• Fewest Goals Against, One Season:

  80 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats, 1999–00

• Most Goals Against, One Season:

  708 - Elliot Lake Vikings, 1991–92

Team game

• Largest margin of victory:

  Rayside-Balfour Canadiens 30 - Elliot Lake Vikings 3 on January 28, 1992

Individual season

• Most Goals, One Season:

  97 - Denis Castonguay, Rayside Balfour Canadians, 1983–84

• Most Assists, One Season:

  106 - John Stos, Rayside Balfour Canadians, 1991–92

• Most Points, One Season:

  196 - Denis Castonguay, Rayside Balfour Canadians, 1983–84

• Most Penalty Minutes, One Season:

  384 - Andy Hodgins, Espanola Eagles, 1991–92

• Lowest Goals Against Average, One Season:

  1.99 - Justin Dumont, Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats, 1999–00

• Most Shutouts, One Season:

  9 - Connor Rykman, Soo Thunderbirds, 2015–16

Individual career

• Most Games Played, Career:

  244 - Matthew Neault, Blind River Beavers/Sudbury Nickel Barons/Rayside-Balfour Canadians, 2013–2018

• Most Goals, Career:

  197 - Denis Castonguay, Rayside-Balfour Canadians, 1979–84

• Most Assists, Career:

  237 - Brian Verreault, Rayside-Balfour Canadians, 1979–84

• Most Points, Career:

  409 - Brian Verreault, Rayside-Balfour Canadians, 1979–84

• Most Penalty Minutes, Career:

  919 - Dean Bowles, Elliot Lake Vikings, 1986–91

See also

• Northern Ontario Hockey Association
• Ontario Hockey Federation
• Canadian Junior Hockey League
• Hockey Canada

References

1. "About the NOJHL". nojhl.com. Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
2. "1986–87 Ontario Junior A Hockey League standings". hockeydb.com. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
3. nurun.com (18 August 2011). "NOJHL adopts concussion safety program". Sudbury Star. Retrieved 13 December 2013.^{[ dead link ]}
4. nurun.com (9 January 2012). "NOJHL to begin drug testing". Sault Star. Retrieved 13 December 2013.^{[ dead link ]}
5. "2025 Centennial Cup guide & record book" (PDF). hockeycanada.ca. Hockey Canada. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
6. "No home ice advantage: Season over for the Vikings". ElliotLakeToday.com. Village Media. 31 December 2024. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
7. Chorostil, Erika (30 May 2025). "Elliot Lake Vikings leave of absence extended for 2025-2026 season, amid arena repairs". CBC News. CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
8. "NOJHL announces transfer of Iroquois Falls franchise to Hearst for 2017–18 season". nojhl.com (Press release). Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. 8 April 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
9. "Soo Eagles leaving NOJHL loop to join North American Hockey League". The Sault Star . 3 March 2012. p. B2. Retrieved 14 June 2025– via Newspapers.com.

Sources

• "Harrison offers historical look at NOJHL". nojhl.com. Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
• "NOJHL began play 60 years ago". nojhl.com. Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. 22 January 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
• Erskine, Michael (15 November 2024). "GoFundMe campaign supports NOJHL team for Manitoulin". Manitoulin Expositor. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
• Anderson, Gordon (25 July 2024). "A new direction: NOJHL implements new directives to improve development". saultstar.com. Postmedia. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
• "All 12 NOJHL clubs hit the ice in Sudbury next week". sudbury.com. 26 September 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
• "New Things Coming Out of the NOJHL for the 2024-2025 Junior 'A' Season". saultsports.com. 18 July 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
• "No home ice advantage: Season over for the Vikings". ElliotLakeToday.com. Village Media. 31 December 2024. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
• Russon, Randy (6 January 2025). "NOJHL goes to one division". saultthisweek.com. Postmedia. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
• "Northern Ontario Junior A hockey swells with CIHL entry". CBC News. CBC/Radio-Canada. 7 July 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
• "NOJHL down to one division and down to 50 games for next year". nugget.ca. Postmedia. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
• "New NOJHL season on the horizon". northernnews.ca. Postmedia. 10 September 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
• Heidman, Bruce (9 March 2017). "Longtime stats man Harrison honoured by NOJHL". thesudburystar.com. Postmedia. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
• Seidel, Mark (27 December 2017). "Understanding the OHL scouting process". Sudbury Star. Postmedia. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
• Leeson, Ben (22 March 2023). "Cubs' Ellis, Paper Kings' Signoretti among NOJHL's major award-winners". thesudburystar.com. Postmedia. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
• "Rogers family comes through with $3M for Elliot Lake arena". Sudbury.com. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
• Calverley, Stephen (18 December 2024). "Council looks at 'indefinitely postponing' Rogers Arena reopening". ElliotLakeToday.com. Village Media. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
• Dillman, Martha (18 December 2024). "Elliot Lake arena may not re-open until the fall of 2025". CBC News. CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
• Dillman, Martha (19 December 2024). "Elliot Lake arena reopening delayed 'indefinitely,' with bill for ongoing repairs 'unknown'". CBC News. CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
• Calverley, Stephen (19 December 2024). "Combination of items delayed arena reopening, report". ElliotLakeToday.com. Village Media. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
• Campbell, Ian (19 December 2024). "Elliot Lake council reacts to latest arena setback". CTV News Northern Ontario. Bell Media. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
• Martin, Carol (20 December 2024). "Council officially delays reopening target for Rogers Arena". SooToday.com. Village Media. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
• White Kirkpatrick, Camilla (24 December 2024). "Arena opening delayed until next season". elliotlakestandard.ca. Postmedia. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
• Chorostil, Erika (30 May 2025). "Elliot Lake Vikings leave of absence extended for 2025-2026 season, amid arena repairs". CBC News. CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
• "Vikings remain sidelined for 2025-26 NOJHL season". ElliotLakeToday.com. Village Media. 30 May 2025. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
• Russon, Randy (2 June 2025). "Elliot Lake Vikings stuck in limbo". saultthisweek.com. Postmedia. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
• "New Hockey North Hall of Fame inducts first members". BayToday.ca. Village Media. 7 August 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025.

External links

• NOJHL's Official Website
• Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League on Flickr