Alberta Junior Hockey League

The early 1960s saw a much different junior hockey scene in Alberta than what currently exists. The Edmonton Oil Kings were the only true Junior-A-calibre team in the province and drew most of the top talent Alberta had to offer. The Oil Kings were the Western Canadian champions from 1962 until 1966, Abbott Cup champions in 1954 and from 1960 to 1966, and Memorial Cup national champions in 1963 and 1966. In 1966, the Oil Kings helped create the Western Hockey League. The issue in 1964 was that there were hundreds of junior-calibre players in the province, but really only one team to play for. A group of business and hockey people got together in 1964 and decided to form a Junior "A" league in an attempt to truly develop Alberta hockey. The original league consisted of the Edmonton Safeway Canadians, the Edmonton Maple Leafs, the Lethbridge Sugar Kings, Calgary Cowboys, and the Calgary Buffaloes.

The Edmonton Safeway Canadians and Maple Leafs later merged in 1971 to become the Edmonton Mets, then moved to Spruce Grove to become the Spruce Grove Mets in 1974. They lasted only three seasons in Spruce Grove; however, they won the AJHL title twice, and the Manitoba Centennial Trophy in 1975. In 1976, they moved again to become the St. Albert Saints, where they won three more league titles. In 2004, the team returned to Spruce Grove as the Spruce Grove Saints. This well-travelled franchise has sent over 30 players into the National Hockey League (NHL), including Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Messier.[1]

One of the AJHL's most famous franchises, the Red Deer Rustlers, joined the league in 1967, capturing the championship in their first season. The Rustlers had attempted to join the Western Canada Junior Hockey League, but were blocked by the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association, and instead placed in the AJHL.[2] In 1971, the Rustlers captured the first Manitoba Centennial Trophy as national Junior A champions. The Rustlers, who featured all six Sutter brothers who would go on to the NHL, won eight AJHL titles and two Centennial Trophies during their existence. They were expelled from the league, however, in 1989, and formally folded in 1992 when the Red Deer Rebels joined the WHL.[3]

In 1971, the Calgary Canucks were founded following the demise of the Cowboys and Buffaloes. Today, the Canucks are the oldest franchise still operating in the AJHL. It was founded with a mandate to focus on giving Calgary-area kids a place to play while focusing on their educational needs. The Canucks have captured a league record ten AJHL championships and won the Centennial Cup in 1995, the Canadian Championship of Junior A hockey, now known as the Royal Bank Cup.

After a game on February 21, 1980, the AJHL was shaken by a tragedy. Twenty-year-old Trevor Elton, Captain of the Sherwood Park Crusaders was hit cleanly along the boards by a player on the St. Albert Saints in St. Albert. Elton landed and went into convulsions and died later that night while in hospital.[4]

On November 26, 2010, the Fort McMurray Oil Barons and Drayton Valley Thunder played the first modern-era regulation outdoor junior hockey game, at MacDonald Island in Fort McMurray. The game was known as the "Northern Classic".[5] The 5,000 tickets available for the game sold out in less than an hour, and consequently broke the league attendance record of 4,400.[6] A new attendance record was set in 2017 as 5,989 fans watched the Okotoks Oilers and Spruce Grove Saints play the last game at Northlands Coliseum.[7]

On May 2, 2012, the AJHL approved a request from the St. Albert Steel to relocate the team from St. Albert to Whitecourt to become the Whitecourt Wolverines.[8]

On January 20, 2024, the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) announced that the Blackfalds Bulldogs, Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Sherwood Park Crusaders, and Spruce Grove Saints would join the BCHL in the 2024–25 season.[9] Following the announcement, the teams' remaining AJHL games for the 2023–24 season were cancelled, and nearly all trace of the five departing teams, including statistics for the current and previous seasons, had been removed from the AJHL website.[10]

The 2023–24 season began with 16 teams organized into 2 divisions; the North Division and the South Division. Following the announcement in January 2024 that the Blackfalds Bulldogs, Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Sherwood Park Crusaders, and Spruce Grove Saints would join the BCHL in the 2024–25 season, the teams' remaining AJHL games for the 2023–24 season were cancelled. An official statement from the AJHL said that it had received expressions of interest from "various partners and stakeholders" about joining the league.[11]

Teams from the AJHL have captured the Centennial Cup 11 times. The Canadian Junior A championship was known as the Manitoba Centennial Trophy until 1995 and the Royal Bank/RBC Cup from 1995 to 2019.

• 1971: Red Deer Rustlers
• 1975: Spruce Grove Mets
• 1980: Red Deer Rustlers
• 1994: Olds Grizzlys
• 1995: Calgary Canucks
• 2000: Fort McMurray Oil Barons
• 2001: Camrose Kodiaks
• 2013: Brooks Bandits
• 2019: Brooks Bandits
• 2022: Brooks Bandits
• 2023: Brooks Bandits

Locations of AJHL teams (North Division teams in red; South Division teams in blue)

The playoff championship cup was originally known as Carling O'Keefe Cup before it began going by several other sponsored names:

• Carling O'Keefe Cup was presented 1965–1997
• Rogers Wireless Cup presented 1998–2007
• Enerflex Cup presented 2008–2012
• Gas Drive Cup presented 2013–2017
• Inter Pipeline Cup presented 2018–present

The winners of the AJHL playoffs then advance to the Centennial Cup tournament, which determines the Canadian Junior A champions. Historically, from 1971 to 2012 and from 2018 to 2019, the AJHL champ played for the Doyle Cup against the champion of the British Columbia Hockey League. The winner of the Doyle Cup then advanced to the national championship tournament. From 2013 to 2017, instead of the Doyle Cup, the AJHL playoff winner participated in the Western Canada Cup.

• 1964 – Alberta Junior Hockey League is founded with: Edmonton Safeway Canadians, Edmonton Maple Leafs, Lethbridge Sugar Kings, Calgary Cowboys and Calgary Buffaloes.
• 1965 – Edmonton Canadians renamed Edmonton Western Movers
• 1967 – Red Deer Rustlers join league
• 1971 – Calgary Canucks join league
• 1972 – The Pass Red Devils join league
• 1972 – Edmonton Maple Leafs and Edmonton Western Movers merge, renamed Edmonton Mets
• 1974 – Edmonton Mets relocate to Spruce Grove and become the Spruce Grove Mets
• 1974 – Taber Golden Suns join league
• 1976 – Edmonton Crusaders join league
• 1976 – Fort Saskatchewan Traders join league
• 1976 – The Pass Red Devils relocate to Pincher Creek and become the Pincher Creek Panthers
• 1977 – Spruce Grove Mets relocate to St. Albert and become the St. Albert Saints
• 1978 – Edmonton Crusaders relocate to Sherwood Park and become the Sherwood Park Crusaders
• 1978 – Pincher Creek Panthers relocate to Calgary and become the Calgary Chinooks
• 1979 – Calgary Chinooks become the Calgary Spurs
• 1981 – Fort McMurray Oil Barons and Hobbema Hawks join league
• 1981 – Taber Golden Suns relocate to Olds and become the Olds Grizzlys
• 1988 – Lloydminster Lancers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League join league as Lloydminster Blazers
• 1989 – Red Deer Rustlers expelled from league after bi-law violations
• 1990 – Calgary Spurs become the Calgary Royals
• 1990 – Hobbema Hawks take leave of absence
• 1991 – Bonnyville Pontiacs join league
• 1993 – Hobbema Hawks cease operations
• 1995 – Bow Valley Eagles join league
• 1996 – Grande Prairie Storm join league from the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League
• 1997 – Camrose Kodiaks join league
• 1998 – Drayton Valley Thunder join league
• 1998 – Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves join league
• 2000 – Brooks Bandits join league
• 2001 – Bow Valley Eagles become Canmore Eagles
• 2003 – Drumheller Dragons join league
• 2004 – St. Albert Saints return to Spruce Grove and become the Spruce Grove Saints
• 2005 – Lloydminster Blazers become Lloydminster Bobcats
• 2005 – Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves relocate to Okotoks and become the Okotoks Oilers
• 2007 – Fort Saskatchewan Traders relocate to St. Albert and become the St. Albert Steel
• 2010 – Calgary Royals become the Calgary Mustangs
• 2012 – St. Albert Steel relocate to Whitecourt and become the Whitecourt Wolverines
• 2019 – Calgary Mustangs go on hiatus
• 2021 – Calgary Mustangs relocate to Blackfalds and become the Blackfalds Bulldogs[12]
• 2024 – Blackfalds Bulldogs, Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Sherwood Park Crusaders, and Spruce Grove Saints switch to the BCHL. The league grants an expansion franchise to Devon.[13]

As of 2006, nearly 200 AJHL alumni have gone on to play in professional hockey leagues.[1] Among them:

• AJHL official website