For years, the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League has tried to receive “Junior A” or “Tier II” status under Hockey Canada and through the Ontario Hockey Association. Each time the league has tried to do this through the OHA’s required process, the GOJHL has been denied.
Long considered one of Canada’s best development leagues, the GOJHL is in effect victim to a deal made with the Ontario Junior Hockey League, that will not allow for another “Junior A” or “Tier II” league to operate within the same footprint. Interestingly enough, the OHL, Ontario’s Major Junior league utilizes the GOJHL as its primary development league even though it has been labled “Junior B”.
TJHN has learned from multiple sources that talks, and an actual vote to leave Hockey Canada have taken place within the GOJHL. Unconfirmed results of that vote have a majority of GOJHL teams leaving Hockey Canada to play independently as a “Junior A” or “Tier II” league in the 2024-2025 season.
TJHN had this information confirmed when it obtained a document stating as much, and that document has been authenticated by three sources.
In this document, the Ontario Junior Hockey League has made a motion to the Ontario Hockey Association requesting the approval of a new “Junior B” league to be under the management of the OJHL. This request was made in order to accomodate GOJHL teams that do not wish to leave the Hockey Canada umbrella.
The precedent for creation of this new “Junior B” league under the OHA, was stated by the OJHL to exist as the OHA recently created a new “Senior League” under the OHA.
Teams for this new league, as stated in the document were to be confirmed by April 15, 2024. The OJHL has also said in the document that there is potential for expansion of this new “Junior B” league but that it was yet to be determined if it will take place this year.
The OJHL further suggests that this new league would provide a “safe haven” for players who could otherwise be without “administrative infrastructure”.
The document from the OJHL does outline the contentious relationship with the GOJHL that has existed for years. The OJHL states that the “GOJHL has continued to create issues with the OHA and its partners”.
Arguments and “issues” were created by the OHA and the OJHL having a deal not allowing for another Junior A league in the footprint, that no one was aware existed until ten years ago. This undisclosed agreement, has been the basis for challenges by the GOJHL becoming frustrated with being denied “Junior A” status.
How many teams make the move? How many join the new Junior B league? What happens to all the OHL players that have traditionally been sent to the GOJHL?
These questions and more will need to be answered in short order. This is not the last of news coming out of Ontario that will effect the 2024-2025 season. Stay tuned to TJHN for more on this, and other stories we are working in in Canada.
