Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League

The Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League is a Junior ice hockey league operating in Eastern Ontario, Canada. The league is sanctioned by Hockey Eastern Ontario and Hockey Canada and acts as a second tier to the Central Canada Hockey League. The 13 member teams of the league compete for the Barkley Cup. Dating back to the 1960s, the league was known until 2015 as the Eastern Ontario Junior B Hockey League. The League was known from 2015 to 2020 as the Central Canada Hockey League Tier 2.

Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League
CountriesCanada
Region(s)Eastern Ontario
CommissionerMarc Franche
Former name(s)
list
  • Rideau-St. Lawrence Junior "B" Hockey League (1966–)
  • Eastern Ontario Junior "B" Hockey League (–2009)
  • Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League (2009–2015, 2022-Present)
  • Central Canada Hockey League Tier 2 (2015–2020)
Founded1966; 58 years ago (1966)
No. of teams16
ChampionshipBarkley Cup
Recent ChampionsPerth Blue Wings (4th) (2023)
HeadquartersOttawa, Ontario, Canada
WebsiteEOJHL

History

The EOJHL was founded in 1966 as the Rideau-St. Lawrence Junior "B" Hockey League. Through a merger with the Upper Ottawa Valley Junior "B" Hockey League and the folding of the Lanark-Renfrew Junior "C" Hockey League, the league had grown to 22 different teams.

For the 2007-08 season, the Kemptville 73's moved from the EOJBHL to the Central Junior A Hockey League. A season later, the EOJBHL sold their franchise rights to the then-owners of the Casselman Stars of the Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League and then town of Casselman, Ontario. The new team, the Casselman Vikings, began play in the 2008-09 season.

In May 2009, the league dropped the Junior "B" designation from its name, becoming the Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League (EOJHL).

For the 2009-10 season, the Carleton Place Kings moved from the EOJHL to the Central Canada Hockey League. The Kings were replaced the same year by the new Almonte Thunder.

In April 2014, the EOJHL Champion Casselman Vikings traveled to Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia to compete in the Eastern Canadian Junior B Championship. Cassleman became the first team west of Atlantic Canada to compete in the Don Johnson Memorial Cup tournament since its inception in 1982. Casselman went 6-0-0 and won the championship.

At the beginning of the 2015-16 season, the league changed its name to the CCHL2 and cut down to 16 teams from 22 teams which saw the removal of the Shawville Pontiacs, Akwesasne Wolves, Gananoque Islanders, Almonte Thunder, Morrisburg Lions, and Gatineau Mustangs.

The CCHL2 consists of two divisions, the Martin Division and Richardson Division. The league offers a 52-game balanced schedule where everyone plays everyone at least once. The two Divisional Playoff champions battle for the Barkley Cup every April.

In March 2017, the Pembroke Lumber Kings (CCHL) announced the purchase of the Prescott Flyers as their CCHL2 affiliate and relocating the team to Cobden and calling them the Whitewater Kings. Also in March, the Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) announced the purchase of the Clarence Beavers and relocated them to Carleton Place, naming them the Carleton Place Junior Canadians. The Rockland Nationals of the National Capital Junior Hockey League will relocate to Clarence to fill in for the departed Beavers. The Metcalfe Jets will move to the National Capital Junior Hockey League and in return the Embrun Panthers will move up to the CCHL2.

During the 2023 off-season the Whitewater Kings and Brockville Tikis requested a leave of absence. Neither team appears to intend to return. the 2024 off-season had the Alexandria Glens and Char-Lan Rebels merge and re-brand as the Glengarry Brigade.

Teams

Martin Division
TeamCentreFoundedCCHL Affiliate
Casselman VikingsCasselman2008
Embrun PanthersEmbrun1972
Glengarry BrigadeAlexandria2024
Ottawa CanadiansOttawa1973Ottawa Jr. Senators
Ottawa West Golden KnightsOttawa1983Nepean Raiders
Winchester HawksWinchester1971Nepean Raiders
Richardson Division
TeamCentreFoundedCCHL Affiliate
Arnprior PackersArnprior1965
Athens AerosAthens1968
Carleton Place Jr. CanadiansCarleton Place1980Carleton Place Canadians
Perth Blue WingsPerth1936
Richmond RoyalsRichmond1968
Smith Falls Jr. BearsSmith Falls1967Smiths Falls Bears
Valley TimberwolvesRenfrew1987

Playoff champions

There is no National Championship for Junior B hockey in Canada, similar championships are held in Ontario (Sutherland Cup), Western Canada (Keystone Cup), Quebec (Coupe Dodge), and Atlantic Canada (Don Johnson Memorial Cup).

Up until the end of the 2015 playoffs, each team listed is a division champion, both the league champion and finalists are either "Metro/Valley" or "Rideau/St. Lawrence" Conference champions. Bolded are league champions, Italicized are finalists.

The EOJHL became the CCHL2 for the 2015-16 season reducing to just two divisions.

YearChampion
1967Cardinal Broncos
1968Ottawa 67 Bees
1969Renfrew Lions
1970Ottawa 67 Bees
1971Ottawa 67 Bees
1972Metcalfe Jets
1973Gatineau Volants
1974Ottawa 67 Bees
1975Vanier 72s
1976Morrisburg Lions
1977Renfrew Lions
1978Morrisburg Lions
1979South Ottawa Canadians
1980Saint-Isidore Eagles
1981South Ottawa Canadians
1982South Ottawa Canadians
1983Metcalfe Jets
1984Metcalfe Jets
1985Ottawa West Golden Knights
1986Char-Lan Rebels
1987Metcalfe Jets
EOJHL D. Arnold Carson Trophy Champions
YearMetroRideauSt. LawrenceValley
1988Prescott FalconsAlexandria GlensRenfrew Timberwolves
1989South Ottawa CanadiansGananoque PlatersChar-Lan RebelsRenfrew Timberwolves
1990Gananoque PlatersAlexandria GlensRenfrew Timberwolves
1991Navan GradsWestport RideausAlexandria GlensRenfrew Timberwolves
1992Westport RideausMorrisburg LionsPerth Blue Wings
1993Athens AerosMorrisburg LionsRenfrew Timberwolves
1994Clarence BeaversAthens AerosMorrisburg LionsShawville Pontiacs
1995Metcalfe JetsGananoque IslandersWinchester HawksArnprior Packers
1996Westport RideausChar-Lan RebelsPerth Blue Wings
1997Metcalfe JetsGananoque IslandersKemptville 73'sPerth Blue Wings
1998Metcalfe JetsWestport RideausAlexandria GlensArnprior Packers
1999Papineau VoisinsWestport RideausKemptville 73'sRenfrew Timberwolves
2000Papineau VoisinsWestport RideausKemptville 73'sRenfrew Timberwolves
2001Clarence BeaversGananoque IslandersKemptville 73'sCarleton Place Kings
2002Ottawa West Golden KnightsBrockville TikisChar-Lan RebelsGoulbourn Royals
2003Ottawa West Golden KnightsBrockville TikisAlexandria GlensGoulbourn Royals
2004Metcalfe JetsBrockville TikisAlexandria GlensSouth Ottawa Canadians
2005Ottawa West Golden KnightsWestport RideausAlexandria GlensPerth Blue Wings
2006Ottawa West Golden KnightsWestport RideausMorrisburg LionsShawville Pontiacs
2007Gatineau MustangsWestport RideausAlexandria GlensStittsville Royals
2008Ottawa West Golden KnightsAthens AerosAlexandria GlensCarleton Place Kings
2009Ottawa West Golden KnightsGananoque IslandersAlexandria GlensCarleton Place Kings
2010Ottawa Jr. CanadiansAthens AerosAlexandria GlensPerth Blue Wings
2011Clarence BeaversAthens AerosWinchester HawksRenfrew Timberwolves
2012Gatineau MustangsAthens AerosCasselman VikingsArnprior Packers
2013Ottawa Jr. CanadiansAthens AerosCasselman VikingsRenfrew Timberwolves
2014Ottawa West Golden KnightsGananoque IslandersCasselman VikingsAlmonte Thunder
2015Gatineau MustangsPrescott FlyersCasselman VikingsStittsville Rams
CCHL2 Barkley Cup Champions
YearRichardsonMartin
2016Perth Blue WingsCasselman Vikings
2017Richmond RoyalsCasselman Vikings
2018Carleton Place Jr. CanadiansCasselman Vikings
2019Perth Blue WingsOttawa Canadians
2020Playoffs cancelled because of the COVID-19 epidemic – Barkley Cup not awarded
EOJHL Barkley Cup Champions
YearRichardsonMartin
2021Playoffs cancelled because of the COVID-19 epidemic – Barkley Cup not awarded
2022Perth Blue WingsCasselman Vikings
2023Perth Blue WingsCasselman Vikings
2024Carleton Place Jr. CanadiansCasselman Vikings

2023 playoffs

Wild Card SeriesQuarter FinalsSemi FinalsFinals
            
M3Embrun2
M6Winchester1
M1Richmond4
M5Ottawa1
M1Richmond3
M3Casselman4
M4Ottawa West0
M5Ottawa2
M2Casselman4
M3Embrun3
M1Perth4
R1Casselman2
R4Athens2
R5Brockville0
R1Perth4
R4Athens1
R1Perth4
R2Arnprior0
R3Smiths Falls2
R6Carleton Place0
R2Arnprior4
R3Smiths Falls1

Other notable awards

Gill Trophy Awarded to Rideau Division Playoff Champions
Alex English Trophy Awarded to St. Lawrence Division Playoff Champions
Ottawa Nepean Sportsplex Trophy Awarded to Metro Division Playoff Champions
Carl Foley Trophy Awarded to Valley Division Playoff Champions
John Shorey Cup Awarded to Rideau/St. Lawrence Conference Playoff Champions
Dwaine Barkley Trophy Awarded to Metro/Valley Conference Playoff Champions

Former member teams

TeamCentreJoinedCeasedWent to
Akwesasne WolvesAkwesasne, ON19882015Folded
Alexandria GlensAlexandria19672024Merged with Char-Lan to be Glengarry Brigade
Almonte ThunderAlmonte, ON20092015Folded
Brockville TikisBrockville, ON19672023Folded
Cardinal BroncosCardinal, ON19711982Relocated
Carleton Place KingsCarleton Place, ON19692009Joined CCHL
Clarence BeaversClarence Creek, ON19802017Relocated to Carleton Place
Char-Lan RebelsWilliamstown19792024Merged with Alexandria to be Glengarry Brigade
Gananoque IslandersGananoque, ON19862015Joined EBJCHL
Gatineau MustangsGatineau, QC2015Joined QJHL
Goulbourn RoyalsStittsville, ON19902003Re-Branded Stittsville Royals
Kemptville 73'sKemptville, ON19692007Joined CCHL
Metcalfe JetsMetcalfe, ON19692017Joined NCJHL
Morrisburg LionsMorrisburg, ON19712015Joined NCJHL
Navan GradsNavan, ON19741991Joined CCHL
Prescott FalconsPrescott, ON
Prescott FlyersPrescott, ON20132017Relocated to Cobden
St. Isidore EaglesSt. Isidore, ON19741987Joined EOJCHL
Shawville PontiacsShawville, QC19862015Folded
South Grenville RangersPrescott, ON19822013Re-Branded Prescott Flyers
Spencerville BruinsSpencerville, ON
Stittsville RamsStittsville, ON20142016Relocated to Richmond
Stittsville RoyalsStittsville, ON20032014Re-Branded Stittsville Rams
Westport RideausWestport, ON19672021Relocated to Smiths Falls
Whitewater KingsCobden, ON20172024Folded (formerly Prescott Flyers)