http://www.ajhl.ca/ Official Site

History

The early 1960s saw a much different junior hockey scenario 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 MemorialCup National Champions in 1963 and 1966. In 1966, the Oil Kings helped create the Western Hockey League. The issue in 1963 was that there were hundreds of junior-calibre players in the province, but only really one team to play for. A group of business and hockey people got together 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 AJHL has sent several notable players on to the NHL, usually via NCAA scholarships. Some alumni include MarkMessier, DanyHeatley, MikeVernon and MikeCommodore.

The champion of the AJHL playoffs each season plays against the champion of the BCHL playoffs to determine which team will represent the Pacific region at the RoyalBankCup, which is the national championship for Junior 'A' hockey in Canada. The AJHL presently has 16 franchises. The league's teams have combined for a total of 6 Royal Bank Cups (or Centennial Cups) as National Champions.

AJHL Teams

North Division

• BonnyvillePontiacs
• DraytonValleyThunder
• FortMcMurrayOilBarons
• FortSaskatchewanTraders
• GrandePrairieStorm
• LloydminsterBobcats
• SherwoodParkCrusaders
• SpruceGroveSaints

South Division

• BrooksBandits
• CalgaryCanucks
• CalgaryRoyals
• CamroseKodiaks
• CanmoreEagles
• DrumhellerDragons
• OkotoksOilers
• OldsGrizzlys

Defunct Teams

• CalgaryBuffaloes
• CalgaryCowboys
• CalgarySpurs
• CrowsnestPassTimberwolves
• DrumhellerFalcons
• EdmontonCrusaders
• EdmontonMaple Leafs
• EdmontonMets
• EdmontonSafewayCanadians
• HobbemaHawks
• LethbridgeSugar Kings
• Mount RoyalCollegeCougars
• PonokaStampeders
• RedDeerRustlers
• StAlbertSaints
• SpruceGroveMets
• ThePassRedDevils
• TaberGoldenSuns

Championships

1965 Calgary Buffaloes

1966 Calgary Buffaloes

1967 Edmonton Western Movers

1968 Edmonton Western Movers

1969 Lethbridge Sugar Kings

1970 Red Deer Rustlers

1971 Red Deer Rustlers

1972 Red Deer Rustlers

1973 Calgary Canucks

1974 Red Deer Rustlers

1975 Spruce Grove Mets

1976 Spruce Grove Mets

1977 Calgary Canucks

1978 Calgary Canucks

1979 Fort Saskatchewan Traders

1980 Red Deer Rustlers

1981 St. Albert Saints

1982 St. Albert Saints

1983 Calgary Canucks

1984 Fort Saskatchewan Traders

1985 Red Deer Rustlers

1986 Calgary Canucks

1987 Red Deer Rustlers

1988 Calgary Canucks

1989 Red Deer Rustlers

1990 Calgary Canucks

1991 Calgary Royals

1992 Olds Grizzlys

1993 Olds Grizzlys

1994 Olds Grizzlys

1995 Calgary Canucks

1996 St. Albert Saints

1997 Fort McMurray Oil Barons

1998 St. Albert Saints

1999 Calgary Canucks

2000 Fort McMurray Oil Barons

2001 Camrose Kodiaks

2002 Drayton Valley

2003 Camrose Kodiaks

2004 Grande Prairie Storm

2005 Camrose Kodiaks

2006 Fort McMurray Oil Barons