St. John's Junior Hockey League

Last updated
St. John's Junior Hockey League
St Johns Junior Logo.jpg
Membership Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador
Founded1980
Don Johnson Cups 6
First ChampionSt. John's Jr. Shamrocks (1981)
Current ChampionCBN Stars (2023)
Website stjohnsjuniorhockeyleague.ca

The St. John's Junior Hockey League is a Junior B ice hockey league in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada. Founded in 1980, the SJJHL was a recognized Junior A league from 1989 until 1991. This stretch as a Junior A league marks the last time any Newfoundland or Labrador league competed in the Junior A National Playdowns.

Contents

History

Founded in 1980, the SJJHL competed as a Junior A league from 1989 until 1991. In that time period, they were eligible for the Centennial Cup Canadian National championship of Junior A hockey. Every other year the SJJHL has operated at the Junior B level and its champion represents the league in the Veitch Memorial Cup playdowns against the winner of the Central/West Junior Hockey League for the right to play at the Don Johnson Cup.

In the 1970s, there was another league known as the St. John's Junior Hockey League. Much like the Corner Brook League, Southern Shore League, amongst other leagues, the old SJJHL was a junior-aged town league. Although the St. John's Jr. Capitals were a top team in this town league, they would represent St. John's for the Veitch Memorial Trophy as an all-star team of players from the old SJJHL. On one such occasion, in 1972, the Jr. Capitals entered into the first-year Newfoundland Jr. A playdowns, only to win and compete in the 1972 Centennial Cup National Playdowns.

Teams

At the conclusion of their 2022-23 season, the SJJHL is operating with 8 teams.

TeamCentre
Avalon Jr. CelticsSt John’s
CBN Jr. Stars Bay Roberts
CBR Jr. RenegadesConception Bay South
Mount Pearl Jr. Blades Mount Pearl
Northeast Jr. Eagles Torbay
Paradise Jr. WarriorsParadise
St. John's Jr. Caps St. John's
Southern Shore Jr. Breakers Witless Bay

Former Teams

Champions

Italics represent Veitch Memorial Trophy Champions Bold represents Provincial Junior A Champions

In 2022, the League renamed the SJJHL Championship from the President's Cup to the Taylor Cup in honour of the late Gerry Taylor, the founding father of the SJJHL who was affectionately known as Mr. Junior Hockey in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the SJJHL did not award the championship in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.

Non-League Champion, Provincial Champion

These teams won the Veitch Memorial Trophy without winning the SJJHL playoffs.

Atlantic Jr. B Champions

These teams won the Don Johnson Cup as Atlantic Junior B Champions.

Executive

The St. John's Junior Hockey League is governed by an elected executive with ten members, nine of whom are voting members.

SJJHL Executive
PositionName
PresidentJim Hare
Vice PresidentBoyd Hillier
RegistrarSteven Clarke
Secretary-TreasurerColin Gosse
Director of Statistics, Rules, and Minor OfficialsVacant
Director of Communications & Public RelationsNicholas Hillier
Director at-LargeAmanda Tibbo
Director at-LargePaul Shephard
Recording SecretaryKevin Heffernan
Past PresidentMark Noseworthy

See also

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