The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is a Junior 'A' ice hockey league operating in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan and one of nine member leagues of the Canadian Junior Hockey League.
Open to North 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. The winner of the SJHL playoffs is crowned the provincial Junior A champion and continues on to play in the ANAVET Cup against the Manitoba provincial champion (winner of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League playoffs) for the right to represent the Western region at the Centennial Cup, the national Junior A championship.
History
The current version of the SJHL was preceded by a separate league with the same name that operated from 1948 to 1966.
The modern SJHL was formed in July 1968 as a result of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) splitting away from the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) and affiliating with the rival Canadian Hockey Association led by Ron Butlin. CAHA president Lloyd Pollock arranged meetings across Western Canada to outline the CAHA's development plan for teams which had remained within the CAHA. Later that month, he approved a series of exhibition games for teams in the Ontario Hockey Association to play the Regina Pats and Weyburn 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.
The league was originally known as the Saskatchewan 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 the Memorial Cup.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash
On April 6, 2018 the Humboldt Broncos team bus suffered a fatal crash on their way to the team's semi-final playoff game against the Nipawin 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 waiting Estevan Bruins. SJHL President Bill Chow called the incident the league's "worst nightmare".
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.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
On March 13, 2020, pursuant to the suspension of all sanctioned activity by Hockey Canada and the CJHL due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the remainder of the 2019–20 SJHL season and all associated championships were suspended until further notice. The league championship was not awarded.
The league resumed play for a 2020–21 season in November 2020, with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) allowing for limited in-person attendance (150 spectators). However, the Flin Flon Bombers were forced to suspend operations on November 12, 2020 until at least the new year, after Manitoba 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 nearby Creighton, Saskatchewan, but were unable to reach agreements with the SHA and Manitoba Health that would allow them to resume operations. In turn, the SJHL was forced to suspend play on November 27, as Saskatchewan ordered the suspension of all group and team sports activities.
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. Despite other provinces such as Alberta having allowed their Junior A leagues to continue, Saskatchewan continued to maintain its prohibitions on sport. 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. 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.
Media In January 2019, the league announced a broadcasting deal with SaskTel, 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.
Teams
The SJHL fields twelve teams, eleven in Saskatchewan and one in Flin Flon, Manitoba, a community on the border between the provinces. The Bobcats based in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan (on the Saskatchewan–Alberta border) elect to play in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. In 2025, the Notre Dame Hounds franchise relocated to Warman and was rebranded as the Warman Wolverines. Receiving a new sponsorship from Bunge Global for the 2025–26 season, the Viterra Division was renamed the Bunge Division.
Bunge DivisionTeamCityArenaJoinedEstevan BruinsEstevan, SaskatchewanAffinity Place1971Melville MillionairesMelville, SaskatchewanCN Community Centre1970Weyburn Red WingsWeyburn, SaskatchewanCrescent Point Place1968Yorkton TerriersYorkton, SaskatchewanFarrell Agencies Arena1972Nutrien DivisionTeamCityArenaJoinedBattlefords North StarsNorth Battleford, SaskatchewanNorth Battleford Civic Centre1973Humboldt BroncosHumboldt, SaskatchewanElgar Peterson Arena1970Kindersley KlippersKindersley, SaskatchewanWest Central Events Centre1991Warman WolverinesWarman, SaskatchewanWarman Home Centre Communiplex2025UPL DivisionTeamCityArenaJoinedFlin Flon BombersFlin Flon, ManitobaWhitney Forum1984La Ronge Ice WolvesLa Ronge, SaskatchewanJonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre1998Melfort MustangsMelfort, SaskatchewanNorthern Lights Palace1988Nipawin HawksNipawin, SaskatchewanCentennial Arena1985
Former
League champions
As of 2023, the championship team is awarded the Canterra Seeds Cup following a post-season playoff tournament. As of 2022, SJHL championship team advances directly to the Junior A national championship. Prior to 2022, the SJHL champions competed with the MJHL champions for the ANAVET Cup with the winner advancing to represent the region at the national competition. In 2022, Hockey Canada moved to a 10-team format for the Centennial Cup, including the champions from each of the 9 leagues that make up the CJHL, and the host team, thus eliminating intervening regional contests for the ANAVET Cup, the Fred Page Cup and the Doyle Cup.
Year League Champion League Runner-upHanbidge Cup (Memorial Cup Era) 1969 Regina Pats Weyburn Red Wings 1970 Weyburn Red Wings Regina PatsHanbidge Cup (Centennial Cup Era) 1971 Weyburn Red Wings Humboldt Broncos 1972 Humboldt Broncos Melville Millionaires 1973 Humboldt Broncos Estevan Bruins 1974 Prince Albert Raiders Estevan Bruins 1975 Swift Current Broncos Prince Albert Raiders 1976 Prince Albert Raiders Weyburn Red Wings 1977 Prince Albert Raiders Melville Millionaires 1978 Prince Albert Raiders Moose Jaw Canucks 1979 Prince Albert Raiders Moose Jaw Canucks 1980 Prince Albert Raiders Moose Jaw Canucks 1981 Prince Albert Raiders Moose Jaw Canucks 1982 Prince Albert Raiders Yorkton Terriers 1983 Yorkton Terriers Weyburn Red Wings 1984 Weyburn Red Wings Yorkton Terriers 1985 Estevan Bruins Weyburn Red Wings 1986 Humboldt Broncos Estevan Bruins 1987 Humboldt Broncos Lloydminster Lancers 1988 Notre Dame Hounds Yorkton Terriers 1989 Humboldt Broncos Nipawin Hawks 1990 Nipawin Hawks Yorkton Terriers 1991 Yorkton Terriers Humboldt Broncos 1992 Melfort Mustangs Estevan Bruins 1993 Flin Flon Bombers Melville Millionaires 1994 Weyburn Red Wings Melfort Mustangs 1995 Weyburn Red Wings North Battleford Stars 1996 Melfort Mustangs Yorkton Terriers 1997 Weyburn Red Wings North Battleford Stars 1998 Weyburn Red Wings Nipawin HawksMembercare Cup 1999 Estevan Bruins Humboldt Broncos 2000 Battlefords North Stars Weyburn Red Wings 2001 Weyburn Red Wings Nipawin Hawks 2002 Kindersley Klippers Humboldt Broncos 2003 Humboldt Broncos Melville Millionaires 2004 Kindersley Klippers Weyburn Red WingsCredential Cup 2005 Yorkton Terriers Battlefords North Stars 2006 Yorkton Terriers Battlefords North Stars 2007 Humboldt Broncos Melville Millionaires 2008 Humboldt Broncos Kindersley Klippers 2009 Humboldt Broncos Melville MillionairesCredit Union Cup 2010 La Ronge Ice Wolves Yorkton Terriers 2011 La Ronge Ice Wolves Yorkton TerriersCanalta Cup 2012 Humboldt Broncos Weyburn Red Wings 2013 Yorkton Terriers Humboldt Broncos 2014 Yorkton Terriers Melville Millionaires 2015 Melfort Mustangs Notre Dame Hounds 2016 Melfort Mustangs Flin Flon Bombers 2017 Battlefords North Stars Flin Flon Bombers2018 Nipawin Hawks Estevan Bruins2019 Battlefords North Stars Melfort Mustangs 2020 Not awarded due to COVID-19 pandemic 2021Not awarded due to COVID-19 pandemic 2022 Estevan Bruins Flin Flon BombersCanterra Seeds Cup 2023 Battlefords North Stars Flin Flon Bombers 2024 Melfort Mustangs Flin Flon Bombers2025Melfort MustangsWeyburn Red Wings2026Flin Flon BombersYorkton Terriers
Timeline of teams
1968 – Current version of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is founded 1968 – Moose Jaw Canucks, Weyburn Red Wings and Regina Pats rejoin league from WCJHL 1970 – Regina Pat Blues replace Regina Pats who join WCHL 1970 – Melville Millionaires rejoin league 1970 – Humboldt Broncos join league 1970 – Notre Dame Hounds join league 1971 – Estevan Bruins rejoin league 1971 – Prince Albert Raiders join league 1972 – Yorkton Terriers join league 1973 – Battleford Barons join league 1974 – Swift Current Broncos join league 1976 – Notre Dame Hounds leave league 1982 – Prince Albert Raiders leave league to join Western Hockey League 1982 – Lloydminster Lancers join league 1982 – Regina Pat Blues and Saskatoon J's fold 1983 – Swift Current Broncos become Swift Current Indians 1983 – Battleford Barons become North Battleford Stars 1984 – Moose Jaw Canucks fold to make way for the Western Hockey League franchise Moose Jaw Warriors 1984 – Flin Flon Bombers rejoin league as Creighton Bombers 1986 – Swift Current Indians fold to make way for the Western Hockey League franchise Swift Current Broncos 1986 – Creighton Bombers become the Flin Flon Bombers 1986 – Nipawin Hawks join league 1987 – Notre Dame Hounds rejoin league 1987 – Minot Americans join league 1988 – Lloydminster Lancers leave league to join Alberta Junior Hockey League and become the Lloydminster Blazers 1988 – Melfort Mustangs join league 1991 – Saskatoon Titans join league 1993 – Saskatoon Titans relocate to Kindersley and become the Kindersley Klippers 1993 – Lebret Eagles join league 1994 – Minot Americans become Minot Top Guns 1997 – Minot Top Guns relocate to Beardy's 97 aboriginal reserve and become Beardy's Rage 1998 – Beardy's Rage relocate to Saskatoon and become Saskatoon Rage 1998 – La Ronge Ice Wolves join league 1999 – Saskatoon Rage fold 2001 – Lebret Eagles fold 2025 – Notre Dame Hounds relocate to Warman and become the Warman Wolverines
See also List of ice hockey leagues Sport in Saskatchewan#Team sports
References
Additional reading
External links
SJHL Forum