Formerly | Saskatchewan Midget 'AAA' Hockey League |
---|---|
Sport | Ice hockey |
No. of teams | 12 |
Related competitions | Telus Cup |
Official website | smaaahl.com/ |
The Saskatchewan Male U18 'AAA' Hockey League (SMAAAHL), formerly the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League,) is a U-18 'AAA' ice hockey league, with teams based in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. It is the highest level of minor hockey in the province. Players in this league are 18 years of age or younger and often move on to play major junior hockey in the Western Hockey League or junior 'A' hockey in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League followed by college hockey in the United States. Several have eventually gone on to professional hockey careers in the National Hockey League or in Europe.
Each year's playoff champion advances to the regional U-18 'AAA' championship, the winner of which earns a spot in the Telus Cup national championship. Saskatchewan teams have won a combined 14 national titles since 1979. The Notre Dame Hounds won the 2018 Telus Cup becoming the first 5-time Champion.
Team | City | Arena | National Titles |
Battlefords Stars | North Battleford | North Battleford Civic Centre | 0 |
Estevan Bears | Estevan | Affinity Place | 0 |
Moose Jaw AAA Warriors | Moose Jaw | Mosaic Place | 0 |
Notre Dame Hounds | Wilcox | Duncan McNeill Arena | 5 |
Prince Albert Mintos | Prince Albert | Art Hauser Centre | 2 |
Regina Pat Canadians | Regina | Co-operators Centre | 4 |
Saskatoon Blazers | Saskatoon | Harold Latrace Arena/Rod Hamm Memorial Arena | 0 |
Saskatoon Contacts | Saskatoon | Merlis Belsher Place | 1 |
Swift Current Legionnaires | Swift Current | Credit Union iPlex | 0 |
Tisdale Trojans | Tisdale | Tisdale RECplex | 1 |
Warman Wildcats | Warman | Legends Centre | 0 |
Yorkton SECON Maulers | Yorkton | Farrell Agencies Arena | 1 |
The Estevan Bruins are a junior ice hockey team playing in the Junior "A" Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). The team is based in Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada, and plays at Affinity Place. They were founded in 1971, when a previous franchise called the Estevan Bruins, which played in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League from 1957 to 1966 and then the Major Junior Western Hockey League (WHL) from 1966 to 1971, relocated to New Westminster, British Columbia; that franchise is today known as the Kamloops Blazers.
The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is a Junior 'A' ice hockey league operating in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan and one of nine member leagues of the Canadian Junior Hockey League.
The Prairie Junior Hockey League is a Junior "B" ice hockey league in Saskatchewan, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada.
The Weyburn Red Wings are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Weyburn, Saskatchewan playing in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). They play their home games at the Crescent Point Place, which has a seating capacity of 1,750. The team colours are red and white. Radio station CHWY-FM K106 broadcasts all Red Wings road games, and select home games. All home games are webcast on HockeyTV.
The Yorkton Terriers are a team in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) based in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada. The team plays their home games in the Westland Insurance Arena, which has a seating capacity of 2,300. The Terriers won the 2014 Royal Bank Cup as Junior A Champions of Canada.
The Midget AAA World Invitational Tournament is an international ice hockey tournament held annually for U18 players in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. First held in 1978, as the CP Challenge Cup, the tournament features 25 male teams from across Canada, the United States and Europe.
The Kindersley Klippers are a junior "A" ice hockey team based in Kindersley, Saskatchewan, Canada. They are members of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and play at the West Central Events Centre.
The Nipawin Hawks are a Canadian junior "A" team based in Nipawin, Saskatchewan. They are members of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). They play their home games at the Centennial Arena, which has a seating capacity of 1,500. The team colors are black and yellow.
The Notre Dame Hounds are a Junior "A" ice hockey team based in Wilcox, Saskatchewan, Canada. They are members of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). The Hounds also had a junior B team that played in the South Saskatchewan Junior B Hockey League, but the team folded after the 2005–06 Season. The team plays its homes games in Duncan McNeill Arena, which has a seating capacity of 1,200. The team colours are red and white.
The Prince Albert Mintos are a Canadian ice hockey team that plays in the Saskatchewan Male U18 AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL). Their home rink is the Art Hauser Centre . The Prince Albert Mintos won the Telus Cup and Western Canadian Regionals back to back years starting in the 2005–2006 season and 2006–2007 year. They won the Telus Cup and Western Canadian Regionals for the third time in 2013–2014 season.
The Saskatoon Olympics were a Tier-II Junior "A" team based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, who played in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
The Athol Murray Trophy is a Canadian ice hockey series to determine the Saskatchewan Junior B championship and seed of the Keystone Cup - the Western Canada Junior "B" Hockey Crown.
Sports in Saskatchewan consist of a wide variety of team and individual games, and include summer, winter, indoor, and outdoor games. Saskatchewan's cold winter climate has ensured the popularity of sports including its official sport, curling, as well as ice hockey, ice skating, and cross-country skiing. The province also has warm summers and popular summer sports include baseball, football, soccer, basketball, track and field, rodeo, horse-racing, and golf.
The 2009 Telus Cup was Canada's 31st annual national midget 'AAA' hockey championship, played April 20–26, 2009 at the Selkirk Recreation Complex in Selkirk, Manitoba. The Notre Dame Hounds defeated the Calgary Buffaloes 4-0 in the gold medal game to win their third national title. The Rousseau Sports de Laval-Bourassa defeated the host Winnipeg Thrashers to win the bronze. Winnipeg's Nolan Zajac, younger brother of National Hockey League player Travis Zajac, was the top scorer and named Most Valuable Player.
The 2005 Telus Cup was Canada's 27th annual national midget 'AAA' hockey championship, played April 18–24, 2005 at the Robert Guertin Arena in Gatineau, Quebec. The Saskatoon Contacts defeated the host L'Intrépide de Gatineau 4–1 in the gold medal game to win the national title. National Hockey League defencemen Luke Schenn and Eric Gryba were members of the Contacts' championship team.
The 2000 Air Canada Cup was Canada's 22nd annual national midget 'AAA' hockey championship, played April 24–30, 2000 at the Maurice Richard Arena in Montreal, Quebec. The championship game was an all-Quebec showdown as the Quebec champions Cantonniers de Magog shutout the host Collége Français de Montréal-Bourassa 6-0 in the gold medal game to win the national championship.
The 1987 Air Canada Cup was Canada's ninth annual national midget 'AAA' hockey championship, which was played in April 1987 at the Earl Armstrong Arena in Gloucester, Ontario. The Riverains du Richelieu defeated the Notre Dame Hounds to win their first national title. The Calgary Buffaloes won the bronze medal. Future National Hockey League players competing in this tournament were Rod Brind'Amour, Scott Pellerin, Reggie Savage, Olaf Kölzig, and Stephane Fiset. Savage, playing for Richelieu, was the tournament's top scorer and named Most Valuable Player.
The 1986 Air Canada Cup was Canada's eighth annual national midget 'AAA' hockey championship, which was played April 15–19, 1986 at the Moncton Coliseum in Moncton, New Brunswick. The Notre Dame Hounds from Wilcox, Saskatchewan won their second national title, defeating the Toronto Redwings in the gold medal game. The Gouverneurs de Ste-Foy won the bronze medal. Future National Hockey League players competing in this tournament were Rod Brind'Amour, Scott Pellerin, Frédéric Chabot, Michel Picard, Yves Racine, and most notably, future Hall of Famer Joe Sakic, who was a member of the Burnaby Hawks.
The Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League (SFU18AAAHL), formerly the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League (SFMAAAHL), is a U-18 ice hockey league in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. The league operates under the supervision of the Hockey Saskatchewan and is the highest level of female minor hockey in the province.
The 2016 Telus Cup was Canada's 38th annual national midget 'AAA' hockey championship, played April 18 – 24, 2016 at Quispamsis, New Brunswick. The North York Rangers defeated the host Saint John Vitos in the gold medal game, while the Lions du Lac du St-Louis won the bronze.