Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League

Current season, competition or edition: 2025–26 SJHL season
Formerly	Saskatchewan Amateur Junior Hockey League
Sport	Ice hockey
Founded	1968
First season	1968–69
Commissioner	Kyle McIntyre
No. of teams	12
Most recent champion	Melfort Mustangs (6th)
Most titles	Humboldt Broncos (10)
Broadcaster	SaskTel maxTV
Related competitions	Centennial Cup
Official website	sjhl.ca

TheSaskatchewan Junior Hockey League is a Junior 'A'ice hockey league operating in theCanadian province ofSaskatchewan and one of nine member leagues of theCanadian Junior Hockey League.

Open toNorth American-born players 20 years of age or younger, the SJHL's 12 teams play in three divisions: the Nutrien, Sherwood and Viterra Divisions. A major attraction in Saskatchewan, the SJHL draws 400,000 fans each season.^{[citation needed]} The winner of the SJHL playoffs is crowned the provincial Junior A champion and continues on to play in theANAVET Cup against the Manitoba provincial champion (winner of theManitoba Junior Hockey League playoffs) for the right to represent the Western region at theCentennial Cup, the national Junior A championship.

The current version of the SJHL was preceded by aseparate league with the same name that operated from 1948 to 1966.^[1]

The modern SJHL was formed in July 1968 as a result of theWestern Canada Hockey League (WCHL) splitting away from theCanadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) and affiliating with the rivalCanadian Hockey Association led byRon Butlin. CAHA presidentLloyd Pollock arranged meetings across Western Canada to outline the CAHA's development plan for teams which had remained within the CAHA.^[2] Later that month, he approved a series of exhibition games for teams in theOntario Hockey Association to play theRegina Pats andWeyburn Red Wings, after Regina and Weyburn had asked for assistance in forming a new Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. Pollock also laid out plans to make player transfers easier between provinces to support the Saskatchewan teams.^[3]

The league was originally known as theSaskatchewan Amateur Junior Hockey League until 1973. They re-adopted the "Amateur" in their name in 1980 and carried it until the 1987–88 season, when they dropped the "Amateur" again. They were one of the original Tier II Junior A leagues in the realignment of 1970. Their first two seasons they were eligible for theMemorial Cup.^{[citation needed]}

On April 6, 2018 theHumboldt Broncos team bus suffered a fatal crash on their way to the team's semi-final playoff game against theNipawin Hawks. Ten players, two coaches, an athletic therapist, two employees of a local radio station, and the bus driver were killed in the collision. The remaining passengers were injured, some critically. The SJHL playoffs were postponed as a result (the Hawks were leading the series 3–1). The league, at the request of the Broncos, resumed the playoffs on April 15, with the Hawks advancing to the finals to meet the waitingEstevan Bruins. SJHL President Bill Chow called the incident the league's "worst nightmare".^[4]

In the wake of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash,TSN aired a national broadcast of the Bronco's 2018–19 home opener, the team's first regular season game following the tragedy.^[5][6]

On March 13, 2020, pursuant to the suspension of all sanctioned activity byHockey Canada and the CJHL due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the remainder of the2019–20 SJHL season and all associated championships were suspended until further notice. The league championship was not awarded.^[7][8][9]

The league resumed play for a 2020–21 season in November 2020,^[10] with theSaskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) allowing for limited in-person attendance (150 spectators).^[11] However, the Flin Flon Bombers were forced to suspend operations on November 12, 2020 until at least the new year, afterManitoba issued a "Code Red" circuit breaker that ordered the closure of non-essential businesses and recreational facilities. The team considered the possibility of conducting all hockey operations out of nearbyCreighton, Saskatchewan, but were unable to reach agreements with the SHA andManitoba Health that would allow them to resume operations.^[12][13] In turn, the SJHL was forced to suspend play on November 27, as Saskatchewan ordered the suspension of all group and team sports activities.^[14]

In February 2021, the league submitted a return-to-play proposal to the Saskatchewan government that would have involved as many as three hub cities.^[10] Despite other provinces such as Alberta having allowed their Junior A leagues to continue,^[10] Saskatchewan continued to maintain its prohibitions on sport.^[15] The SJHL and its teams have faced growing financial issues due to cancelled games and other events, prompting the provincial government to provide a $1 million relief package to be divided between its teams.^[10][16] On March 23, 2021, the SJHL announced that its return-to-play proposal had been rejected, citing concerns surrounding the current state of the pandemic in Saskatchewan. The SJHL therefore announced that the 2020–21 season had been cancelled and will not be resumed. The league championship was not awarded for the second season in a row.^[17]

In January 2019, the league announced a broadcasting deal withSaskTel, under which a game will be carried on its television service per-month for the remainder of the season, as well as coverage of the league final.^[18]

The SJHL fields twelve teams, eleven in Saskatchewan and one inFlin Flon, Manitoba, a community on the border between the provinces. TheBobcats based inLloydminster, Saskatchewan (on the Saskatchewan–Alberta border) elect to play in theAlberta Junior Hockey League. In 2025, theNotre Dame Hounds franchise relocated toWarman and was rebranded as theWarman Wolverines.^[19] Receiving a new sponsorship fromBunge Global for the 2025–26 season, the Viterra Division was renamed the Bunge Division.^[20]

Map of SJHL teams

180km
112miles

Hawks

Mustangs

Ice Wolves

Bombers

Wolverines

Klippers

Broncos

North Stars

Terriers

Red Wings

Millionaires

Bruins

   

⬤ Bunge Division
⬤ Nutrien Division
⬤ UPL North Division

As of2023, the championship team is awarded the Canterra Seeds Cup following a post-season playoff tournament.^[21] As of2022, SJHL championship team advances directly to theJunior A national championship.^[22] Prior to2022, the SJHL champions competed with theMJHL champions for theANAVET Cup with the winner advancing to represent the region at thenational competition.^[22] In 2022,Hockey Canada moved to a 10-team format for theCentennial Cup, including the champions from each of the 9 leagues that make up theCJHL, and the host team, thus eliminating intervening regional contests for theANAVET Cup, theFred Page Cup and theDoyle Cup.^[22]

• List of ice hockey leagues
• Sport in Saskatchewan#Team sports

Wikimedia Commons has media related toSaskatchewan Junior Hockey League.

• Official website
• SJHL Forum

• Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League
• Canadian Junior Hockey League members
• Junior ice hockey leagues in Canada
• Hockey Saskatchewan

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