Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League


The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League is a Junior ice hockey league with eleven teams in Northeastern Ontario and Upper Michigan. The league is a constituent member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and is governed by the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Teams compete to win the league championship Copeland Cup – McNamara Trophy, with the winning team advancing to the national championship to compete for the Centennial Cup.
The NOJHL was established in 1978 with six teams: the Espanola Eagles (1978–1988), Capreol Hawks (1978–1986), Nickel Centre Native Sons (1978–1984), Onaping Falls Huskies (1978–1983), Rayside-Balfour Canadians (1978–1986) and Sudbury Cubs (1978–1982). It was preceded by the NOJHA and the NOHA Jr. B Hockey League.
By the 1986–87 season, the NOJHL was down to four teams. The Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League, also down to four teams, played an interlocking schedule with the NOJHL. The OPJHL folded after that season.
In the 2011–12 NOJHL season, the NOJHL became the first Junior A league in Canada to implement concussion safety and drug testing programs.
NOJHL teams won the Central Canada regional championship Dudley Hewitt Cup a total of five times, in 1997, 2000, 2002, 2012 and 2015. The regional contest was discontinued after 2019. As of 2025, no team from the NOJHL has won a national championship.
WWW nojhl.com𝕏 nojhlFB northernontariojuniorhock...IG nojhl

Teams

The league has 11 active teams as of the 2025–26 NOJHL season. The Elliot Lake Vikings franchise was placed on an indefinite leave of absence in the middle of the 2024–25 NOJHL season.
! style=width:13em | Team
! style=width:13em | Home
! style=width:20em | Arena

Former teams

More than half of the teams that have played in the NOJHL no longer do. In some cases, this is the result of relocation and/or rebranding decisions. In others, franchises have simply folded. The team most recently added to the list, the Elliot Lake Vikings (2014), was placed on a leave of absence due to the protracted closure of the team's home arena.

Timeline of teams

Copeland-McNamara Trophy and Division Champions

In 2008–09, the NOJHL instituted divisions. Overall champions are bolded.

Dudley Hewitt Cup Central Canadian Champions

YearChampionFinalistHost
1997Rayside-Balfour SabrecatsMilton Merchants --
2000Rayside-Balfour SabrecatsBrampton Capitals --
2002Rayside-Balfour SabrecatsDryden Ice Dogs --
2012Soo ThunderbirdsStouffville Spirit Thunder Bay, Ontario
2015Soo ThunderbirdsFort Frances Lakers Fort Frances, Ontario

Notable alumni

League records

Team season

  • Best Record, One Season:
  • :40-0-0 - Sudbury Cubs, 1989–90
  • :40-0-0 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats, 1999–00
  • Worst Record, One Season:
  • :0-51-0-1 Blind River Beavers 2014–15
  • Most Goals Scored, One Season:
  • :482 - Rayside-Balfour Canadians, 1991–92
  • Fewest Goals Scored, One Season:
  • :97 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats, 2003–04
  • Fewest Goals Against, One Season:
  • :80 - Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats, 1999–00
  • Most Goals Against, One Season:
  • :708 - Elliot Lake Vikings, 1991–92

Team game

  • Largest margin of victory:
  • :Rayside-Balfour Canadiens 30 - Elliot Lake Vikings 3 on January 28, 1992

Individual season

  • Most Goals, One Season:
  • :97 - Denis Castonguay, Rayside Balfour Canadians, 1983–84
  • Most Assists, One Season:
  • :106 - John Stos, Rayside Balfour Canadians, 1991–92
  • Most Points, One Season:
  • :196 - Denis Castonguay, Rayside Balfour Canadians, 1983–84
  • Most Penalty Minutes, One Season:
  • :384 - Andy Hodgins, Espanola Eagles, 1991–92
  • Lowest Goals Against Average, One Season:
  • :1.99 - Justin Dumont, Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats, 1999–00
  • Most Shutouts, One Season:
  • :9 - Connor Rykman, Soo Thunderbirds, 2015–16

Individual career

  • Most Games Played, Career:
  • :244 - Matthew Neault, Blind River Beavers/Sudbury Nickel Barons/Rayside-Balfour Canadians, 2013–2018
  • Most Goals, Career:
  • :197 - Denis Castonguay, Rayside-Balfour Canadians, 1979–84
  • Most Assists, Career:
  • :237 - Brian Verreault, Rayside-Balfour Canadians, 1979–84
  • Most Points, Career:
  • :409 - Brian Verreault, Rayside-Balfour Canadians, 1979–84
  • Most Penalty Minutes, Career:
  • :919 - Dean Bowles, Elliot Lake Vikings, 1986–91