Rauzulu's Street Rauzulu's StreetJunior A Hockey - Canada and the United States
Junior A Hockey leagues across Canada and the United States. Commonly known in Canada as Tier II Junior A, (to separate it from Major Junior A) it provides an opportunity for players 16-21 to develop their hockey skills. There are a number of leagues across Canada that compete for the Royal Cup national championship each year. For more information on the leagues, contact information and the seasonal championships, follow the links below under Canadian Junior A Hockey Leagues.
In the United States, Junior A hockey in 2003 realigned into two USA Hockey sanctioned leagues, and was a two tiered structure. Prior to this there were three Junior A hockey leagues that competed each year for the national championship, the Gold Cup.
For the 2007-08 season they again revised their structure to include a three tiered system for Junior A leagues. In addition there are independent Junior A hockey leagues in the United States. Junior A hockey in the United States is a stepping stone for young players to develop skills, for further hockey pursuits including NCAA schools. Use the links below to get further information on the leagues, past champions and contact information.
Additional Junior Hockey Pages on Rauzulu's Street
Major Junior A (CHL)
Junior A Leagues (Canadian and United States)
Junior B Leagues (Canada and United States)
Junior C Links
Canadian Junior A Hockey Leagues
There are a number of Junior A hockey leagues located in Canada. The list below provides contact information or previous championship information on each of these.
^ topJunior A Hockey Leagues - Canada and United States
Each year through a series of play downs and a final championship tournament a national champion of Junior A hockey is declared in Canada. Regional championships are held to determine representatives in this tournament and those championships are also listed below. The winner of this overall championship series is awarded the Royal Bank Cup.
Royal Cup Championship (Canadian Junior A Championship)
Dudley
Hewitt Cup (Champions of Ontario)
Fred Page
Cup (East Coast/Quebec)
Doyle Cup (Western
Championship)
Anavet
Cup (Manitoba and Saskatchewan)
Junior A Hockey Leagues - United States
USA Hockey (sanctioned) Leagues:
For 2007-08 season USA Hockey as a sactioning body revised the alignment of leagues within the United Ststes to include a three tiered Junior A structure. The Eastern Junior Hockey League and Atlantic Junior Hockey League had been involved in a pilot program for this status for the 2006-07 season. A number of previous Junior B leagues leagues were granted this designation. The Jr. A classifications are as follows: Tier I – USHL, have all expenses paid while maintaining college eligibility. Tier II – NAHL, players pay for room and board only. Tier III – EJHL, AJHL, CSHL, MJHL, NorPac, WSHL, will be tuition (players pay to play and also pay room and board) driven.
The USA Junior A Hockey scene had undergone a major shuffling in he summer of 2003 with the North American Hockey League (NAHL) and America West Hockey League (AWHL) merging under the NAHL name. This follows uponthe previous year's realignment of Junior A hockey in the United States to a two tiered structure, with the United States Hockey League (USHL) becoming the only Tier 1 ranked Junior A hockey league.
Independent USA Junior A Leagues:
Other Junior A hockey leagues also play in the United States, but are not sanctioned by the USA Hockey governing body. We have included information on these leagues also.
US Jr A Tier I Leagues |
|
| United States Hockey League | Previous Champions |
US Jr A Tier II Leagues |
|
| North American Hockey League (A) (after 2002-03 season) | Previous Champions |
US Jr A Tier III Leagues |
|
| Atlantic Junior Hockey League | Previous Champions |
| Central States Hockey League (previous Jr B) | Previous Champions |
| Eastern Junior Hockey League (previous independent) | Previous Champions |
| Minnesota Junior Hockey League (previous Jr B) | Previous Champions |
| Northern Pacific Hockey League (previous Jr B) | Previous Champions |
| Western States Hockey League (previous Jr B) | Previous Champions |
| Previous Leagues | |
| North American Hockey League (prior to 2003-04 season) | Previous Champions |
| America West Hockey League (Merged with NAHL for 2003-04 season) | Previous Champions |
Independent Leagues |
|
| United Junior Hockey League | |
| Wisconsin Junior Hockey League | |
| Continental Elite Hockey League (Suspended play for 2004-05) | |
| American East Hockey League (AEHL) | |
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Junior A Hockey Tier II Championship
Prior to this year the Gold Cup was the final competition between all the USA Hockey sanctioned leagues, to declare an overall champion. In 2003 with the USHL becoming a Tier I league the cup was played for between the NAHL and AWHL. With the merger of the leagues, the Gold Cup will now be a league championship. See the previous Gold Cup champions with the link below.
Gold Cup Championship