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.
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History edit
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 edit
At the conclusion of their 2022-23 season, the SJJHL is operating with 8 teams.
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Former Teams edit
- Brother Rice Celtics 1980-1982
- St. John's Guards 1980-1982
- St. John’s PWC 1980-1981
- St. John’s Jr. Shamrocks 1980-1987
- St. John’s Gonzaga 1981-1982
- St. John's Jr. 50's 1982-1993
- Conception Bay South Raiders 1982-1995
- Clarenville Jr. Caribous 1983-1989
- St John's Jr. Celtics 1984-2014
- St John’s Jr. Canadiens 1985
- St John’s AAA Midgets 1988-2000
- Bay Arena Rovers 1988-1989
- Bell Island Jr. Blues 1996-2010
- Conception Bay South Coachman 1998-2001
- Northeast Jr. Eagles 1998-2002
- Avalon Pacers 1999-2000
- St John’s AAA Maple Leafs 2000-2007
- Goulds Pacers 2001
- Mount Pearl Jr. Wild 2013-2014
- Northeast Celtics 2014-2016
- Trinity-Placentia Flyers 2011-2021
- Avalon Jr. Capitals ?-2023 Re-branded as Junior Celtics
Champions edit
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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 edit
These teams won the Veitch Memorial Trophy without winning the SJJHL playoffs.
- 1984 St. John's Jr. 50's
- 1996 Avalon Jr. Capitals
- 2000 Conception Bay North Jr. Stars
- 2003 St. John's Jr. Celtics
- 2007 Bell Island Jr. Blues
- 2009 St. John's Jr. Caps
Atlantic Jr. B Champions edit
These teams won the Don Johnson Cup as Atlantic Junior B Champions.
- 1982 St. John's Br. Rice Celtics
- 1985 St. John's Jr. 50's
- 1986 Mount Pearl Jr. Blades
- 1987 St. John's Jr. 50's
- 1988 St. John's Jr. 50's
- 2009 St. John's Jr. Caps
Executive edit
The St. John's Junior Hockey League is governed by an elected executive with ten members, nine of whom are voting members.
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| President | Jim Hare |
| Vice President | Boyd Hillier |
| Registrar | Steven Clarke |
| Secretary-Treasurer | Colin Gosse |
| Director of Statistics, Rules, and Minor Officials | Vacant |
| Director of Communications & Public Relations | Nicholas Hillier |
| Director at-Large | Amanda Tibbo |
| Director at-Large | Paul Shephard |
| Recording Secretary | Kevin Heffernan |
| Past President | Mark Noseworthy |