The Vermont Lumberjacks was a USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier III Junior A ice hockey organization from Burlington, Vermont.

History In 2003, the Washington Jr. Nationals from Arlington, Virginia, became a charter member of the new Tier III Junior A Atlantic Junior Hockey League (AJHL). They originally played at the Bowie Ice Arena in Bowie, Maryland, from 2003 to 2005 before moving splitting time with The Gardens Ice House in Laurel, Maryland, in 2006. With the opening of the new Washington Capitals practice facility at the 1,200-seat Kettler Capitals Iceplex, the Jr. Nationals moved across the Potomac River, splitting time between The Gardens Ice House and their new venue in 2006–07 until becoming full-time tenants in Arlington for the 2007–08 season. The team moved back to The Gardens Ice House in 2010. The team also played single games at the Ashburn Ice House in the 2008–09 and 2009–10 season as a way to reach out to area youth hockey organizations.

In 2013, Tier III junior hockey went through a large reorganization that led to the dissolution of the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL) and six former EJHL teams joining the AJHL. The AJHL was then re-branded as the Eastern Hockey League (EHL).

Following the 2013–14 season, the Jr. Nationals were relocated to Burlington, Vermont, and renamed the Vermont Lumberjacks, bringing junior hockey back to the state of Vermont two years after the Green Mountain Glades departed following the 2011–12 season.

In 2015, the EHL added a lower level Tier III division (formerly called Tier III Junior B by USA Hockey) called the EHL-Elite Division. This led to the current EHL teams to be placed in the EHL-Premier Division and the Lumberjacks moving their Junior B team from the Metropolitan Junior Hockey League to the Elite Division. In 2017, the EHL re-branded its divisions, dropping the Premier name from their top division and renamed the Elite Division to Premier.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lumberjacks relocated halfway through the 2020–21 season to have home games at Waterville Valley Ice Arena in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, as the Lumberjacks Hockey Club.

The Vermont Lumberjacks in the 2025-2026 season ceased operations and have not returned to play in the EHL.

Season-by-season records Season GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA Regular season finish PlayoffsWashington Jr. NationalsAtlantic Junior Hockey League 2003–04 No information3rd of 6, AJHLWon Semifinal game, 3–1 vs. New York BobcatsWon Championship game, 7–2 vs. Philadelphia Little FlyersLeague champions 2004–05 41 14 25 0 2 30 116 163 3rd of 4, South6th of 8, AJHL 2005–06 42 17 23 0 2 36 146 200 9th of 11, AJHL 2006–07 44 23 18 0 3 49 175 168 3rd of 6, South5th of 12, AJHL 2007–08 44 22 19 0 3 47 166 178 4th of 5, South8th of 11, AJHL 2008–09 42 17 19 0 6 40 135 145 5th of 6, South9th of 12, AJHL 2009–10 42 17 22 0 3 37 148 176 4th of 6, South8th of 12, AJHL 2010–11 44 6 38 0 0 12 98 286 6th of 6, South12th of 12, AJHL 2011–12 44 3 38 2 1 9 74 227 12th of 12, AJHL 2012–13 44 7 33 2 2 18 88 183 12th of 12, AJHLDid not qualifyEastern Hockey League 2013–14 44 5 37 1 1 12 121 146 6th of 6, South Div.17th of 17, EHLLost Play-in game, 2–8 vs. New Jersey TitansVermont Lumberjacks 2014–15 44 16 24 — 4 36 107 154 3rd of 4, North Div.15th of 19, EHLLost Round 1, 0–2 vs. Walpole Express 2015–16 41 17 22 — 2 36 113 130 7th of 9, North Conf.14th of 18, EHL-PremierLost First Round, 0–2 vs. New Hampshire Junior Monarchs 2016–17 48 22 18 — 8 52 158 140 3rd of 4, New England6th of 9, North Conf.10th of 17, EHL-PremierLost First Round, 1–2 vs. Boston Junior Rangers 2017–18 50 24 24 — 2 50 163 162 2nd of 4, New England5th of 8, North Conf.9th of 16, EHLLost First Round, 0–2 vs. East Coast Wizards 2018–19 45 28 14 — 3 59 211 141 2nd of 5, North Div.3rd of 10, New England Conf.5th of 18, EHLWon First Round, 2–0 vs. Connecticut RoughRidersLost Second Round, 1–2 vs. East Coast Wizards 2019–20 46 34 11 — 1 69 209 131 3rd of 11, New England Conf.4th of 19, EHLWon First Round, 2–0 vs. Seacoast SpartansPlayoffs cancelled 2020–21 35 17 17 — 1 35 133 142 3rd of 4, North Div.12th of 17, EHLWon Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. New England WolvesWon Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. Seacoast Spartans1–2–0 EHL Frozen Finals round-robin(W, 5–3 vs. Jr. Rangers; L, 3–9 vs. ; L, 5–6 vs. ) 2021–22 46 21 20 — 5 47 168 152 3rd of 4, North Div.10th of 17, EHLLost Div. Semifinals, 0-2 vs. New England Wolves 2022–23 46 25 20 — 1 51 158 136 4th of 4, North Div.11th of 19, EHLLost Div. Semifinals, 0-2 vs. New Hampshire Avalanche 2023–24 46 20 25 — 1 41 126 168 5th of 5, North Div.16th of 23, EHLDid Not Qualify 2024–25 45 23 17 2 3 51 126 137 3rd of 5, North Div.8th of 21, EHLWon Div. Semifinals, 2–1 New England WolvesLost Div. Finals, 0-2 New Hampshire Avalanche

Alumni The Jr. Nationals/Lumberjacks have produced a number of alumni playing in higher levels of junior hockey, NCAA Division I, Division III, ACHA college and professional programs. David Bondra – Played with HK Poprad of the Slovak Extraliga. Nikita Kashirsky – Played with the HC Spartak Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League. Jarred Tinordi (Montreal Canadiens, 1st round draft pick) – Has played in the NHL with the Canadiens and Arizona Coyotes. Currently under contract with the Nashville Predators.

References

External links Official Lumberjacks web site Official League Website