History
The Ontario Hockey Association Tier II Junior "A" League was born out of the creation of the Ontario Hockey League. There have always been multiple tiers of junior hockey, but the top tier, then known as Ontario Hockey Association Junior "A", elected to split from the OHA and create its own level of hockey. The early 1970s sparked a vast reorganization of Canadian hockey across the country. The Ontario Hockey League was born out of this, as well was the Western Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in other parts of Canada. The new tier was known as Major Junior "A" hockey. The first Ontario Tier II League came in 1968 with creation of the renegade Western Ontario Junior A Hockey League, which became the Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League in 1970.
The aftermath of the annexation of the top tier left a vacuum for a new top tier of OHA hockey. What filled the gap in 1972 was the 12-team Ontario Hockey Association Jr. "A" Hockey League, which comprised five teams leaving the Metro Junior "B" (the Richmond Hill Rams, North York Rangers, Downsview Beavers, Aurora Tigers and the Dixie Beehives), 6 expansion teams (Seneca Flyers, Ajax Steelers, Wexford Warriors, Vaughan Nationals, Weston Dodgers), the Kingston Frontenacs of the defunct Eastern Junior B Hockey League, and the North Bay Trappers of the recently folded Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League .
The Ontario Provincial league's only competition for talent in Southern Ontario was the Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League. The Southern Ontario league jumped to Junior "A" in 1968 as the Western Ontario Junior A Hockey League and changed its name two years later. From the 1972–73 season until the 1976–77 season, these two league put their champions up against each other to earn the right to compete for the Dudley Hewitt Cup as only one Ontario Hockey Association team could challenge for it. In 1973, the SOJAHL's Chatham Maroons defeated the OPJHL's Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-3. In 1974, the Wexford Raiders got their turn, defeating the Windsor Spitfires 4-games-to-3 to even the series. A year later, the SOJAHL's Guelph CMC's defeated the Toronto Nationals 4-games-to-2 and in 1976 became the Guelph Platers and defeated the North Bay Trappers 4-games-to-1 to win their second straight OHA Championship. The final chapter of this saga was slightly redemptive for the OPJHL as their North York Rangers went the distance and defeated Guelph 4-games-to-3. Down to four teams, the SOJAHL folded. The Guelph Platers and Hamilton Mountain A's jumped to the OPJHL, while the Owen Sound Greys took a season off then joined the Georgian Bay Intermediate A Hockey League and the Collingwood Blues changed their name and dropped to Junior C. After a five-year feud, the SOJAHL won the battle but lost the war as their champions won three of five OHA Championships but ultimately folded.
Over the next few years, the Guelph Platers , Belleville Bulls , and Kingston Frontenacs would all get their start in this league before jumping to the Ontario Hockey League .
By 1986, the league was suffering from a variety of difficulties. With most of their teams folding or dropping to Junior "B", the league was left with 4 teams , the OHA Jr. "A" League was forced to close its doors at the end of the 1986–87 season. The four remaining teams at the end of the OHA Jr. "A" League era were the Final Champion Owen Sound Greys, the Aurora Eagles, the Markham Waxers, and the Richmond Hill Dynes . The Central League agreed to take Markham, Aurora and Richmond Hill, while the Owen Sound Greys went to the Midwestern Junior B Hockey League.
The Guelph Platers were a junior ice hockey team based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. The team played in the Ontario Hockey League, Ontario Junior Hockey League, and Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League. They were originally known as the CMC's until 1972, the Biltmore Mad Hatters until 1975, and then took on the name Platers. The Platers were promoted to the Ontario Hockey League in 1982 and moved to Owen Sound in 1989. The franchise played in the Guelph Memorial Gardens.
The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada. It is under the supervision of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL).
The Metro Junior "A" Hockey League was a junior level ice hockey league based out of Southern Ontario. The league originated in 1956 as the Metro Junior "B" Hockey League, which lasted until 1991, when it changed its designation from Junior B to Junior A. It remained a Jr. A league from 1991 until 1998 when it was absorbed by the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League.
The Mississauga Chargers are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Ontario Junior A Hockey League. They are the product of a 1990 merger of two former Metro Junior B franchises, the Thornhill Thunderbirds and the Markham Connection. After the 1990 merger the team spent one year in Markham known as the Markham Thunderbirds, and in 1991 they returned to their Thornhill Thunderbirds name for one season. In 1992, the team moved to Mississauga. As a member of the Metro Junior A Hockey League they participated for 3 seasons. They left for the OPJHL in 1995. They have had a glim past few years, but in the 2007–08 season they saw a rare light when team captain Bruce Crawford lead the entire OPJHL in scoring (41-57-98).
The Markham Waxers were an Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) Junior "A" ice hockey team based in Markham, Ontario, Canada. The Waxers name is still used by the Markham Waxers minor hockey club with the Eastern AAA Hockey League, a sub league of the Ontario Minor Hockey Association.
The North York Rangers are a Junior "A" ice hockey team located in the North York district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the South Division of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) and were previously a part of the Metro Junior A Hockey League.
The Aurora Tigers are a Canadian ice hockey team from Aurora, Ontario. They play in the Ontario Junior Hockey League. The team has previously played in the Metro Junior A Hockey League, Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League, and the Ontario Junior Hockey League.
The Couchiching Terriers were a Junior A ice hockey team from Rama, Ontario, Canada from Lake Couchiching. The team originated in neighbouring Orillia, Ontario, and played in the Ontario Junior A Hockey League. The Terriers were 1985 Centennial Cup National Champions and three time Dudley Hewitt Cup Central Canadian Champions. The team folded in 2010 when offered a buyout from the league.
The Toronto Jr. Canadiens are a Junior "A" ice hockey team based in the Downsview neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They were known as the Wexford Raiders until the end of the 2005–06 season and are a part of Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) but used to be a part of the Metro Junior A Hockey League.
The North Bay Trappers were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from North Bay, Ontario, Canada. This defunct hockey team was a part of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey Association and later the OHA Jr. "A" League after the NOJHL went on hiatus in 1972.
Dixie Beehives are a pair of defunct junior ice hockey teams from Weston, Ontario, Canada, which is now part of Toronto, Ontario. They played in the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League and the Central Junior B Hockey League.
The Royal York Royals are a defunct Junior "A" ice hockey team from North York, Ontario, Canada. They were a part of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League. The team was based at Downsview Arena in the Downsview neighbourhood. The team was originally named the Downsview Bees from 1971–1972, the Downsview Beavers from 1972–1974, and the Royal York Royals from 1974–1980.
The Toronto Nationals are a pair of defunct Tier II Junior "A" & Junior "B" ice hockey teams from Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. They were a part of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League and the Metro Junior B Hockey League.
The 1993–94 OPJHL season is the first season of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (OPJHL). The nine teams of the East Division competed in a 40-game schedule, while the eight teams of the West Division played a 42-game schedule. The top 8 teams of each division make the playoffs.
The 1984–85 OJHL season is the 13th season of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL). The eight teams of the league played a 48-game season. The all eight teams made the playoffs.
The 1983–84 OJHL season is the 12th season of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL). The eight teams of the league played a 42-game season. The all eight teams made the playoffs.
The 1982–83 OJHL season was the 11th season of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL). The nine teams of the league played a 48-game season. The top four teams of each division made the playoffs.
The 1981–82 OJHL season was the 10th season of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL). The 11 teams of the league played a 50-game season. The top four teams of each division make the playoffs.
The North York Rangers were a junior ice hockey team. They originated in 1967, when the Woodbridge Rangers of the Metro Junior B League moved to North York. The team operated out of the Metro League until the Ontario Junior Hockey League was founded in 1972, at which point the Rangers and four other Metro teams moved to the new league. The Rangers made it to the Royal Bank Cup in 1980 and 1983. In 1984, the team was renamed the North York Red Wings and folded after one season.
