The 2008–09 NOJHL season was the 31st season of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL). The eight teams of the East and West Divisions played 50-game schedules.
The top teams of each division played for the Copeland-McNamara Trophy, the NOJHL championship. The winner of the Copeland-McNamara Trophy competed in the Central Canadian Junior "A" championship, the Dudley Hewitt Cup.
Changes Temiscaming Royals join league from Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League. Soo re-enters league as Soo Eagles.
Final standings Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PTS = Points; x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = clinched conference title
Eastern Division Team Centre W–L–T-OTL GF GA Points North Bay Skyhawks North Bay 41-6-0-3 251 151 85 Abitibi Eskimos Iroquois Falls 29-17-0-4 198 166 62 Sudbury Jr. Wolves Garson 20-25-0-5 207 238 45 Temiscaming Royals Temiscaming, PQ 17-29-0-4 173 238 38Western Division Team Centre W–L–T-OTL GF GA Points Soo Thunderbirds Sault Ste. Marie, ON 35-14-0-1 244 153 71 Soo Eagles Sault Ste. Marie, MI 26-21-0-3 257 209 55 Blind River Beavers Blind River 25-21-0-4 188 182 54 Manitoulin Islanders Little Current 7-40-0-3 141 322 17
Teams listed on the official league website.
Standings listed on official league website.
2008-09 Copeland-McNamara Trophy Playoffs
Playoff results are listed on the official league website.
Dudley Hewitt Cup Championship Hosted by the Schreiber Diesels in Schreiber, Ontario. Soo finished in fourth.
Round Robin Fort William North Stars (SIJHL) 2 - Soo Thunderbirds 0 Schreiber Diesels (SIJHL) 2 - Soo Thunderbirds 0 Kingston Voyageurs (OJHL) 3 - Soo Thunderbirds 0
Scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player Team GP G A Pts PIMDustin FummertonNorth Bay Skyhawks4732518337Chris KangasSudbury Jr. Wolves4839387746Trevor McNuttSoo Thunderbirds492847756Nick MinardiSoo Thunderbirds4536367287Solomon McCannNorth Bay Skyhawks4442287027Jeff VerraultSudbury Jr. Wolves4828416947R.J. KleimanSoo Eagles4631356630Zak LaRueSoo Thunderbirds5033326553Erik BelangerSudbury Jr. Wolves4729366592Marc-Alain BeginAbitibi Eskimos4922406214
Leading goaltenders Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses: OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
Player Team GP Mins W L T GA SO Sv% GAABilly StoneBlind River Beavers281683:15141409210.9193.28Randy WillisBlind River Beavers191098:5111706200.9163.39Jeff MichaelNorth Bay Skyhawks291670:2223327420.9082.66Francis AlbertAbitibi Eskimos271337:47121016910.9053.09Joel VienneauAbitibi Eskimos301692:2917829020.9003.19
Awards Player of the Year - Nick Minardi (Soo Thunderbirds) Most Valuable Player - Nick Minardi (Soo Thunderbirds) Most Gentlemanly Player - Tyler Liukkonen (Blind River Beavers) Rookie of the Year - Erik Belanger (Sudbury Jr. Wolves) Top Defenceman - Drew Otto (Soo Thunderbirds) Most Improved Player - Tanner Burton (Blind River Beavers) Top Defensive Forward - Gerrit Weller (Blind River Beavers) Top "Team Player" - Felix Boutin (Abitibi Eskimos) Director of the Year - Oscar Cloutier (Sudbury Jr. Wolves) Coach of the Year - Ian Swalucynski (North Bay Skyhawks) Team Goaltending Award - Jeff Michael, Riley Ross (North Bay Skyhawks) Top Goals Against Average - Jeff Michael (North Bay Skyhawks) Scoring Champion - Dustin Fummerton (North Bay Skyhawks) Scholastic Player of the Year - Giles Pickard (Blind River Beavers) Playoffs Most Valuable Player - Ryan Dube (Soo Thunderbirds)
See also 2009 Royal Bank Cup Dudley Hewitt Cup List of NOHA Junior A seasons Ontario Junior Hockey League Superior International Junior Hockey League Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League
References
External links Official website of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League Official website of the Canadian Junior Hockey League