Canadian-American Junior Hockey League
SportIce hockey
Founded2022
CommissionerDarryl "Oly" Olsen
No. of teams5
Most recent
champion(s)		Hinton Timberwolves
(2022–23)

The Canadian-American Junior Hockey League (CAJHL) is a junior hockey league with teams based in Canada. The league is independently operated and insured; it is not sanctioned by Hockey Canada, USA Hockey, or the Amateur Athletic Union. The league initially used the title Can-Am Junior Hockey League but their website later changed to Canadian-American Junior Hockey League.

History

The league was founded in January 2022 when six teams that were competing in the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) severed ties with the Amateur Athletic Union-sanctioned league to form their own.[1][2][3] Five of the teams were based in Alberta, Canada, while one was based in Utah, United States. The founding teams were the Barrhead Bombers, Cold Lake Aeros, Edmonton Eagles, Hinton Timberwolves, Vegreville Vipers, and Vernal Oilers.

On March 22, 2022, the league announced that AMP Hockey Academy from Calgary, Alberta, would be the first expansion team named the AMP Warriors and would play at WinSport Canada Olympic Park. On May 6, 2022, the Vernal Oilers joined the United States Premier Hockey League along with former WSHL teams the Seattle Totems, Bellingham Blazers, and Rogue Valley Royals. In August 2022, the Edmonton Eagles were removed from the teams listing on the league website.

By April 2023, the AMP Warriors started using the name Calgary Warriors on the league website. After the 2022–23 season, the league added the Northern Alberta Lightning in Viking, Alberta, the Southern Alberta Mustangs in Stavely, Alberta, and the Vulcan Rampage in Vulcan, Alberta. The Calgary Warriors left the league. The Northern Alberta Lightning were removed from the league prior to playing a game and joined the National Junior Hockey League (NJHL). The Vulcan Rampage quit the league prior to playing a game and also joined the NJHL.

Teams

Current teams

TeamCityArenaEstablished
Barrhead BombersBarrhead, AlbertaBarrhead Agrena2021
Cold Lake AerosCold Lake, AlbertaCold Lake Energy Centre2018
Hinton TimberwolvesHinton, AlbertaDr. Duncan Murray Recreation Centre2019
Southern Alberta MustangsStavely, AlbertaStavely Arena2023
Vegreville VipersVegreville, AlbertaWally Fedun Arena2021

Former teams

TeamCityArenaEstablishedTenure
Calgary WarriorsCalgary, AlbertaWinSport Canada Olympic Park20222022–2023
Edmonton EaglesEnoch, AlbertaEnoch Community Centre20212021–2022
Northern Alberta LightningViking, AlbertaViking Carena Complex2023Did not play
Vernal OilersVernal, UtahWestern Park Arena20212021–2022
Vulcan RampageVulcan, AlbertaVulcan Arena2023Did not play

Champions

CAJHL champions
SeasonRegular seasonPlayoffs
2021–22Cold Lake AerosCold Lake Aeros
2022–23Hinton TimberwolvesHinton Timberwolves

References

  1. ↑ "Teams leave WSHL to form new Can-Am league". JuniorHockey.com. January 5, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Vegreville Vipers Among Can-Am Junior Hockey League's Six Founding Teams". CKVG Country 106.5. January 9, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Cold Lake Aeros and member teams leave WSHL to start new league". Lakeland Connect. January 12, 2022.
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