The Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League (MMJHL) is a junior ice hockey league in Manitoba, Canada. Founded in 1970, the league was operated as an independent league. MMJHL affiliated with Hockey Manitoba and Hockey Canada in the mid-1990s. Teams compete annually for the Art Moug Trophy (regular season winner) and Jack McKenzie Trophy (playoff champion).
History Founded in 1970, the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League was created due to a lack of playing opportunities for Winnipeg-area players. After the restructuring of junior hockey in the country, Hockey Canada relegated the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) from Major Junior (previously known as Tier I) to Junior 'A' (Tier II), meaning there was no active "second-tier" league in the Winnipeg area.
The new league applied to the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association (now Hockey Manitoba) for membership and was initially accepted. When the MAHA was informed the league wanted to call itself the "Manitoba Junior 'B' Hockey League", MAHA objected on the grounds that the MJHL was in the process of constructing a developmental league for itself with that name. After negotiations between the MJHL and the new league did not work out, the league informed the MAHA that it would operate independently.
In 1977, the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association offered the league a Junior B status, instead of its requested Junior A status. Affiliation with Hockey Manitoba did happen during the mid-1990s as insurance premiums became too much for league members.
The league's first season started with the original four teams: Charleswood Hawks, Fort Garry Blues, River Heights Cardinals and Stonewall Rockets. Only a week into the season, the league was contacted by teams in Portage la Prairie and St. James who were looking for a league to play in after the MJHL's attempt to create a Junior 'B' league failed. Soon after, Neepawa approached the league also, but due to travel did not join. Instead, Neepawa participated in at least two interleague games against each team. In the second season, a team from Kenora, Ontario did this as well.
At the end of the first season, the MMJHL was allowed to send a "champion" (St. James) to compete against the MAHA Junior 'B' champion.
The Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League name comes from the league's adaptation of the Western Hockey League's player eligibility rules (permitted to roster four "over-age" 21-year-old players).
Teams Team Centre Founded McKenzie Trophy titles Moug Trophy titles Charleswood Hawks Eric Coy Arena 1970 1614 Fort Garry/Fort Rouge Twins Century Arena 1970 75 Pembina Valley Twisters Morris Multiplex 2001 33Raiders Junior Hockey ClubSeven Oaks Sportsplex197734 River East Royal Knights Terry Sawchuk Memorial Arena 1981 78 St. Boniface Riels Southdale Community Centre 1971 67 St. James Canucks St.James Civic Centre Arena 1978 43 St. Vital Victorias St. Vital Centennial Arena 1975 13 Stonewall Jets Veterans Memorial Sports Complex 2001 10 Transcona Railer Express Ed Golding Memorial Arena 2012 11
Former teams East Kildonan Knights (1972–1981) Kern-Hill Nationals (1973–1975) Midland Flyers (1975–1985) Portage la Prairie (1970–1972) River Heights Cardinals (1970–1978) Selkirk (1972–1973) Stonewall (1970–1971) Transcona Railers (1983-2011) Transcona Titans (1972–1976) West Kildonan Nev Knights (1972–1975)
Champions SeasonJack McKenzie Trophy (playoff champion)Art Moug Trophy (regular season winner)Regular season record1970-71River Heights CardinalsRiver Heights Cardinals23-3-61971-72St. Boniface RielsSt. Boniface Riels22-6-21972-73St. Boniface RielsSt. Boniface Riels24-7-41973-74Charleswood HawksCharleswood Hawks25-8-21974-75Fort Garry/Fort Rouge BluesWest Kildonan Nev Knights19-11-71975-76Fort Garry/Fort Rouge BluesSt. Boniface Riels22-7-71976-77Fort Garry/Fort Rouge BluesFort Garry/Fort Rouge Blues30-7-51977-78Fort Garry/Fort Rouge BluesFort Garry/Fort Rouge Blues28-7-71978-79Charleswood HawksSeven Oaks Raiders31-10-11979-80Seven Oaks RaidersSeven Oaks Raiders36-6-01980-81Charleswood HawksCharleswood Hawks31-11-01981-82River East Royal KnightsSt. Boniface Riels28-13-01982-83Fort Garry/Fort Rouge BisonsSt. James Canucks25-6-11983-84Transcona RailersTranscona Railers27-12-11984-85St. Boniface RielsSt. Boniface Riels32-7-11985-86St. Boniface RielsSt. Boniface Riels29-10-31986-87River East Royal KnightsRiver East Royal Knights28-13-01987-88River East Royal KnightsRiver East Royal Knights34-6-21988-89River East Royal KnightsRiver East Royal Knights37-3-21989-90River East Royal KnightsRiver East Royal Knights35-6-11990-91Transcona RailersSt. Vital Victorias27-14-11991-92Transcona RailersTranscona Railers33-8-11992-93River East Royal KnightsRiver East Royal Knights33-9-01993-94Charleswood HawksRiver East Royal Knights33-8-11994-95Charleswood HawksRiver East Royal Knights33-9-01995-96Charleswood HawksCharleswood Hawks39-2-11996-97Charleswood HawksCharleswood Hawks33-8-11997-98St. James CanucksCharleswood Hawks30-10-21998-99Fort Garry/Rouge TwinsFort Garry/Rouge Twins36-5-11999-00Fort Garry/Rouge TwinsFort Garry/Rouge Twins31-9-22000-01River East Royal KnightsFort Garry/Rouge Twins28-9-2-32001-02Charleswood HawksCharleswood Hawks35-7-1-22002-03Charleswood HawksCharleswood Hawks37-6-1-12003-04St. Vital VictoriasSt. Vital Victorias41-1-2-12004-05Charleswood HawksCharleswood Hawks42-2-0-12005-06Charleswood HawksSt. Vital Victorias34-8-1-22006-07Charleswood HawksCharleswood Hawks41-2-1-12007-08Pembina Valley TwistersCharleswood Hawks34-6-2-32008-09Charleswood HawksCharleswood Hawks35-8-22009-10Charleswood HawksPembina Valley Twisters35-7-32010-11Charleswood HawksCharleswood Hawks40-3-22011-12Charleswood HawksCharleswood Hawks33-4-32012-13Pembina Valley TwistersCharleswood Hawks37-4-42013-14Raiders Jr. Hockey ClubSt. Boniface Riels37-6-22014-15St. Boniface RielsRaiders Jr. Hockey Club31-8-52015-16Stonewall JetsRaiders Jr. Hockey Club32-9-42016-17Raiders Jr. Hockey ClubCharleswood Hawks30-10-52017-18Raiders Jr. Hockey ClubRaiders Jr. Hockey Club37-3-52018-19Pembina Valley TwistersPembina Valley Twisters35-6-42019-20Playoffs cancelled due to COVID-19Pembina Valley Twisters35-7-32020-21 noneSeason cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic - - - 2021-22St.James CanucksSt. James Canucks37-4-42022-23St.James CanucksSt. James Canucks40-4-12023-24St.James CanucksSt. James Canucks37-7-12024-25St. Boniface RielsFort Garry/Fort Rouge Twins36-7-0-22025-26Transcona Railer ExpressTranscona Railer Express36-7-1-0
League records CategoryTeam/PlayerStatsSeasonBest regular season recordSt. Vital Victorias41-1-2-12003-04Most goals scored (team) in a seasonRiver East Royal Knights346 (42 games)1989-90Fewest goals against (team) in a seasonCharleswood Hawks84 (40 games)2011-12Most points (individual) in a seasonTim Lorentz, Transcona Railers51 goals, 103 assists1991-92Most goals (individual) in a seasonScott Parker, River East Royal Knights72 goals1989-90Best goalie GAA in a season**Ryan Hall, Charleswood Hawks1.58 GAA2017-18Best goalie save% in a season**Ryan Hall, Charleswood Hawks.948 save%2017-18 ** = minimum of 12 games played
References
External links MMJHL website