This article is about an extant ice hockey league in Northeastern Ontario and Upper Peninsula Michigan that was established in 1978. For the defunct league that operated in the same region from 1962–1972, see
NOJHA .
Junior ice hockey league
TheNorthern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) is aJunior ice hockey league with eleven teams inNortheastern Ontario andUpper Michigan . The league is a constituent member of theCanadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) and is governed by theNorthern Ontario Hockey Association . Teams compete to win the league championship Copeland Cup – McNamara Trophy, with the winning team advancing to the national championship to compete for theCentennial Cup .
The NOJHL was established in 1978 with six teams: theEspanola Eagles (1978–1988) ,Capreol Hawks (1978–1986) ,Nickel Centre Native Sons (1978–1984) ,Onaping Falls Huskies (1978–1983) ,Rayside-Balfour Canadians (1978–1986) andSudbury Cubs (1978–1982) . It was preceded by theNOJHA (1962–1972) and the NOHA Jr. B Hockey League (1970–1978).[ 1]
By the 1986–87 season, the NOJHL was down to four teams. TheOntario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (OPJHL), also down to four teams, played an interlocking schedule with the NOJHL. The OPJHL folded after that season.[ 2]
In the 2011–12 NOJHL season, the NOJHL became the first Junior A league in Canada to implement concussion safety and drug testing programs.[ 3] [ 4]
NOJHL teams won the Central Canada regional championshipDudley Hewitt Cup a total of five times, in 1997, 2000, 2002, 2012 and2015 . The regional contest was discontinued after2019 . As of 2025, no team from the NOJHL has won anational championship .[ 5]
The league changed its official logo (right) ahead of the
2025–26 season .
The league has 11 active teams as of the2025–26 NOJHL season . TheElliot Lake Vikings franchise was placed on an indefinite leave of absence in the middle of the2024–25 NOJHL season .[ 6] [ 7]
Map of teams
200km
More than half of the teams that have played in the NOJHL no longer do. In some cases, this is the result of relocation and/or rebranding decisions.[ 8] [ 9] Elliot Lake Vikings (2014) , was placed on a leave of absence due to the protracted closure of the team's home arena.[ 7]
1978 - NOHA Jr. B Hockey League is promoted to Junior A and renamed Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League - League includes: Sudbury Cubs, Nickel Centre Native Sons, Onaping Falls Huskies, Capreol Hawks, Rayside-Balfour Canadians, andEspanola Eagles 1981 - Elliot Lake Vikings join fromInternational Junior B Hockey League 1982 - Sudbury Cubs become Sudbury North Stars 1983 - Onaping Falls Huskies leave league 1983 - Sudbury North Stars return to Sudbury Cubs 1984 - Onaping Falls Huskies rejoin league 1984 - Nickel Centre Native Sons leave league 1985 - Nickel Centre Native Sons rejoin league 1986 - Nickel Centre Native Sons renamed Nickel Centre Power Trains 1986 - Rayside-Balfour Canadians, Capreol Hawks, and Onaping Falls Huskies leave league 1987 - Rayside-Balfour Canadians rejoin league 1987 - Thessalon Flyers join league 1987 - Nickel Centre Power Trains leave league 1988 - Espanola Eagles leave league, franchise sold to Haileybury 54's 1989 - Rouyn-Noranda Capitales join league 1990 - Thessalon Flyers leave league 1990 - Haileybury 54's move and become Powassan Passport 1991 - Timmins Golden Bears and Espanola Eagles join league 1992 - Sudbury Cubs become Nickel Centre Cubs 1992 - Powassan Passport become Powassan Hawks 1993 - Nickel Centre Cubs leave league 1994 - Parry Sound Shamrocks join league 1994 - Powassan Hawks move and are renamed Sturgeon Falls Lynx 1995 - Espanola Eagles leave league 1995 - Rayside-Balfour Canadians renamed Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats 1996 - Rouyn-Noranda Capitales disband to make way forRouyn-Noranda Huskies ofQuebec Major Junior Hockey League 1997 - Elliot Lake Vikings become Elliot Lake Ice 1998 - Espanola Eagles rejoin league 1999 - Timmins Golden Bears relocate and become Iroquois Falls Jr. Eskis 1999 - Soo Thunderbirds join league 1999 - Elliot Lake Ice leave league, franchise sold to Nickel Centre Barons 1999 - Parry Sound Shamrocks move to theOntario Provincial Junior A Hockey League 2000 - Sudbury Northern Wolves join league 2000 - Nickel Centre Barons move and are renamed Blind River Barons 2001 - Blind River Barons renamed Blind River Beavers 2002 - Iroquois Fals Jr. Eskis are renamed Abitibi Eskimos 2002 - Sturgeon Falls Lynx move to North Bay and become the North Bay Skyhawks 2002 - Soo Thunderbirds are renamed Sault Ste. Marie Jr. Greyhounds 2003 -Espanola Eagles move toSt. Ignace, Michigan and become the Northern Michigan Black Bears 2003 - Little Current awarded expansion franchise Manitoulin Wild 2003 - Sault Ste. Marie Jr. Greyhounds return to Soo Thunderbirds 2005 - Manitoulin Wild become Manitoulin Islanders 2005 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats are granted a one-year leave of absence 2005 - Sudbury Northern Wolves become Sudbury Jr. Wolves 2006 - Northern Michigan Black Bears are relocated and renamed Soo Indians 2006 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats officially fold 2007 - Soo Indians take one-year leave in search of new ownership 2008 - Temiscaming Royals join fromGreater Metro Junior A Hockey League 2008 - Soo Indians return, renamed Soo Eagles 2009 - North Bay Skyhawks are renamed North Bay Trappers 2011 - Temiscaming Royals leave league 2011 - Manitoulin Islanders move and become Kirkland Lake Blue Devils 2011 - Sudbury Jr. Wolves are renamed Sudbury Cubs 2012 - Kirkland Lake Blue Devils fold/return as Kirkland Lake Gold Miners 2012 - Soo Eagles leave and joinNorth American Hockey League 2012 -Elliot Lake Bobcats join fromGreater Metro Junior A Hockey League 2012 - Sudbury Cubs are renamed Sudbury Nickel Barons 2013 - Espanola Rivermen join league as expansion 2014 - Espanola Rivermen leave league and joinCIHL 2014 - Elliot Lake Bobcats move to Cochrane Ontario and becomeCochrane Crunch 2014 - North Bay Trappers move to Mattawa Ontario and becomeMattawa Blackhawks 2014 - Elliot Lake Wildcats join league as expansion 2014 - Powassan Voodoos join league as expansion 2015 - Abitibi Eskimos relocate to Timmins and become Timmins Rock 2015 - Mattawa Blackhawks relocate to Iroquois Falls and become Iroquois Falls Eskis 2015 - Sudbury Nickel Barons relocate to Chelmsford and become Rayside-Balfour Canadians 2015 - French River Rapids join league as expansion 2015 - Espanola Express join league as expansion 2015 - Soo Eagles rejoin league 2017 - Iroquois Falls Eskis relocate to Hearst and becomeHearst Lumberjacks 2025 - Elliot Lake Vikings take leave of absence Copeland-McNamara Trophy and Division Champions [ edit ] In 2008–09, the NOJHL instituted divisions. Overall champions arebolded .
Dudley Hewitt Cup Central Canadian Champions [ edit ] Frank L. Buckland Trophy
William T. Ruddock Trophy
Dudley Hewitt Cup
Best Record, One Season:40-0-0 - Sudbury Cubs, 1989–90 40-0-0 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats, 1999–00 Worst Record, One Season:0-51-0-1 Blind River Beavers 2014–15 Most Goals Scored, One Season:482 - Rayside-Balfour Canadians, 1991–92 Fewest Goals Scored, One Season:97 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats, 2003–04 Fewest Goals Against, One Season:80 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats, 1999–00 Most Goals Against, One Season:708 - Elliot Lake Vikings, 1991–92 Largest margin of victory:Rayside-Balfour Canadiens 30 - Elliot Lake Vikings 3 on January 28, 1992 Most Goals, One Season:97 - Denis Castonguay, Rayside Balfour Canadians, 1983–84 Most Assists, One Season:106 - John Stos, Rayside Balfour Canadians, 1991–92 Most Points, One Season:196 - Denis Castonguay, Rayside Balfour Canadians, 1983–84 Most Penalty Minutes, One Season:384 - Andy Hodgins, Espanola Eagles, 1991–92 Lowest Goals Against Average, One Season:1.99 - Justin Dumont, Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats, 1999–00 Most Shutouts, One Season:9 - Connor Rykman, Soo Thunderbirds, 2015–16 Most Games Played, Career:244 - Matthew Neault, Blind River Beavers/Sudbury Nickel Barons/Rayside-Balfour Canadians, 2013–2018 Most Goals, Career:197 - Denis Castonguay, Rayside-Balfour Canadians, 1979–84 Most Assists, Career:237 - Brian Verreault, Rayside-Balfour Canadians, 1979–84 Most Points, Career:409 - Brian Verreault, Rayside-Balfour Canadians, 1979–84 Most Penalty Minutes, Career:919 - Dean Bowles, Elliot Lake Vikings, 1986–91
"Harrison offers historical look at NOJHL" .nojhl.com . Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. 30 July 2020. Retrieved15 June 2025 ."NOJHL began play 60 years ago" .nojhl.com . Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. 22 January 2022. Retrieved15 June 2025 .Erskine, Michael (15 November 2024)."GoFundMe campaign supports NOJHL team for Manitoulin" .Manitoulin Expositor . Retrieved17 November 2024 . Anderson, Gordon (25 July 2024)."A new direction: NOJHL implements new directives to improve development" .saultstar.com . Postmedia. Retrieved17 November 2024 . "All 12 NOJHL clubs hit the ice in Sudbury next week" .sudbury.com . 26 September 2024. Retrieved17 November 2024 ."New Things Coming Out of the NOJHL for the 2024-2025 Junior 'A' Season" .saultsports.com . 18 July 2024. Retrieved6 December 2024 ."No home ice advantage: Season over for the Vikings" .ElliotLakeToday.com . Village Media. 31 December 2024. Retrieved31 December 2024 .Russon, Randy (6 January 2025)."NOJHL goes to one division" .saultthisweek.com . Postmedia. Retrieved7 January 2025 . "Northern Ontario Junior A hockey swells with CIHL entry" .CBC News . CBC/Radio-Canada. 7 July 2014. Retrieved8 January 2025 ."NOJHL down to one division and down to 50 games for next year" .nugget.ca . Postmedia. 12 June 2024. Retrieved8 January 2025 ."New NOJHL season on the horizon" .northernnews.ca . Postmedia. 10 September 2024. Retrieved8 January 2025 .Heidman, Bruce (9 March 2017)."Longtime stats man Harrison honoured by NOJHL" .thesudburystar.com . Postmedia. Retrieved9 January 2025 . Seidel, Mark (27 December 2017)."Understanding the OHL scouting process" .Sudbury Star . Postmedia. Retrieved9 January 2025 . Leeson, Ben (22 March 2023)."Cubs' Ellis, Paper Kings' Signoretti among NOJHL's major award-winners" .thesudburystar.com . Postmedia. Retrieved18 January 2025 . "Rogers family comes through with $3M for Elliot Lake arena" .Sudbury.com . 25 November 2024. Retrieved18 January 2025 .Calverley, Stephen (18 December 2024)."Council looks at 'indefinitely postponing' Rogers Arena reopening" .ElliotLakeToday.com . Village Media. Retrieved18 January 2025 . Dillman, Martha (18 December 2024)."Elliot Lake arena may not re-open until the fall of 2025" .CBC News . CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved18 January 2025 . Dillman, Martha (19 December 2024)."Elliot Lake arena reopening delayed 'indefinitely,' with bill for ongoing repairs 'unknown' .CBC News . CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved18 January 2025 . Calverley, Stephen (19 December 2024)."Combination of items delayed arena reopening, report" .ElliotLakeToday.com . Village Media. Retrieved18 January 2025 . Campbell, Ian (19 December 2024)."Elliot Lake council reacts to latest arena setback" .CTV News Northern Ontario . Bell Media. Retrieved18 January 2025 . Martin, Carol (20 December 2024)."Council officially delays reopening target for Rogers Arena" .SooToday.com . Village Media. Retrieved18 January 2025 . White Kirkpatrick, Camilla (24 December 2024)."Arena opening delayed until next season" .elliotlakestandard.ca . Postmedia. Retrieved18 January 2025 . Chorostil, Erika (30 May 2025)."Elliot Lake Vikings leave of absence extended for 2025-2026 season, amid arena repairs" .CBC News . CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved31 May 2025 . "Vikings remain sidelined for 2025-26 NOJHL season" .ElliotLakeToday.com . Village Media. 30 May 2025. Retrieved31 May 2025 .Russon, Randy (2 June 2025)."Elliot Lake Vikings stuck in limbo" .saultthisweek.com . Postmedia. Retrieved3 June 2025 . "New Hockey North Hall of Fame inducts first members" .BayToday.ca . Village Media. 7 August 2025. Retrieved7 August 2025 ."NOJHL releases rebranded logo" .EUP News . SandMark Media, LLC. 19 August 2025. Retrieved19 August 2025 ."NOJHL releases rebranded logo" .nojhl.com (Press release). Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. 18 August 2025. Retrieved19 August 2025 .
Teams Seasons Former teams History
2025–26 NOJHL season
