The Junior Women's Hockey League is an ice hockey league established in 2007 by Bill Driscoll and Kush Sidhu, coaches of North American Hockey Academy and the Washington Pride, respectively, in order to provide opportunities for young females to develop into collegiate student-athletes. U19, U16 and U14 divisions are sanctioned by the JWHL.
History A successful league since its first season, the JWHL has seen hundreds of players sign with NCAA Division I or Division III schools since 2007. Over 20 JWHL players have skated for the U.S., Canadian, Czech, and Japanese Under-18 National teams. The JWHL was developed to bring together teams that regularly produce NCAA calibre players. The league started with four teams, expanding to 12 teams in 2012-13. Ten teams will compete in the 2017-18 season.
Season competition Currently, each team plays all the other teams three times during the regular season (27 games in the 2017-18 season). All teams also compete in the JWHL Challenge Cup (see below). Following the regular season, a playoff is held to determine the JWHL Champion.
Games are played with three 20-minute stop-time periods with ice typically being resurfaced between periods. Most games in the US are played on college campuses. Games are played by USA Hockey or Hockey Canada rules depending on the location of the venue.
JWHL Challenge Cup The JWHL's premier event takes place in mid-February with the hosting of the JWHL Challenge Cup. The Challenge Cup brings together all of the JWHL teams as well as invited teams from across the US and Canada.Little Caesars: 2011 JWHL Challenge Cup Champions, https://ravingsofarinkrebel.blogspot.com/2011/01/little-caesars-2011-jwhl-challenge-cup.html The Challenge Cup has been hosted by the Washington Pride in the Washington, D.C. area, who are supported by the NHL's Washington Capitals.
Teams Major Junior DivisionLocationBalmoral Hall SchoolWinnipeg, ManitobaBoston ShamrocksBoston, MassachusettsChicago Young AmericansChicago, IllinoisLittle Caesars Hockey ClubDetroit, MichiganNew England Hockey ClubMarlborough, MassachusettsNorth American Hockey AcademyStowe, VermontOttawa Lady 67sOttawa, OntarioPacific SteelersVancouver, British ColumbiaRidley CollegeSt. Catharines, OntarioWashington PrideWashington, D.C.U16 DivisionLocationBoston ShamrocksBoston, MassachusettsChicago Young AmericansChicago, IllinoisLittle Caesars Hockey ClubDetroit, MichiganNewbridge AcademySackville, Nova ScotiaNorth American Hockey AcademyStowe, VermontWashington PrideWashington, D.C.
Champions SeasonU19 ChampionU19 Runner-upResultLocation2008North American Hockey AcademyPacific SteelersSouth Surrey Arena, Surrey, British Columbia2009North American Hockey AcademyBalmoral Hall SchoolRalph Englestad Arena, Grand Forks, North Dakota2010Warner Hockey SchoolKettler Capitals Iceplex, Arlington, Virginia2011North American Hockey AcademyEdge SchoolKohl Center, Madison, Wisconsin2012North American Hockey AcademyEdge SchoolEdge Ice Arena, Littleton, Colorado2013North American Hockey AcademyEdge SchoolRalph Englestad Arena, Grand Forks, North Dakota2014North American Hockey AcademyOkanagan Hockey Academy6-0University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC2015Warner Hockey SchoolNorth American Hockey AcademyThe HarborCenter, Buffalo, New York2016Washington PrideEdge SchoolThe HarborCenter, Buffalo, New York2017North American Hockey AcademyPacific Steelers1-0 (shootout)The HarborCenter, Buffalo, New York2018North American Hockey AcademyPacific SteelersLittle Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan2019Balmoral Hall SchoolNorth American Hockey AcademyCairns Arena, Burlington, Vermont2020North American Hockey AcademyOttawa Lady 67'sRidley College - St. Catharines, Ontario
Elizabeth 'Liz' Turgeon Memorial Player of the Year Award 2010–11: Haley Skarupa, (Washington Pride) 2011–12: Haley Skarupa (Washington Pride) 2012–13: Annie Pankowski (North American Hockey Academy) 2013–14: Jaycee Gebhard (Athol Murray College Notre Dame) 2014–15: Shae Labbe (Warner Hockey School) 2015–16: Carlee Turner (North American Hockey Academy) 2016–17: Veronika Pettey (Washington Pride) 2017–18: Emma Wuthrich (North American Hockey Academy)
Season results + Major Junior Division Final Regular Season Standings 2016-17#TeamGPWLTPTSGFGA1NAHA White24182440108432Chicago Young Americans2413743079613Pacific Steelers2412842864554Washington Pride2410682863495Balmoral Hall2410772795736Ridley College249962476807Boston Shamrocks2451811154898NEHC241212432121
See also United States women's national U-18 ice hockey team Canada women's national U-18 ice hockey team
References
External links JWHL website Balmoral Hall School Blazers
North American Hockey Academy Winter-Hawks Pacific Steelers Washington Pride