Which Junior A league is the best?
- Thread starter JuniorMajeur
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Taoiseach
Go Hull Go!
I understand that the BCHL closely followed by the AJHL are the best in terms of talent level, and that the LHJAAAQ is the weakest, due in part to the strength of the Midget AAA league.
due mainly to the fact that the best Quebec kids are playing Q, the NCAA option does not appear to play as big an option as it does in BC (BCHL) for kids and their families.
afrobomber11
Registered User
The Maritime Junior 'A' Hockey League(MHL) is vastly underrated.
Now I'll admit I'm bias from being from the area, working for one of the teams and being an extreme fan of the league for a good number of years now.
That being said, the talents in the MHL over the last few years has increased drastically and are IHMO the MHL is a top 10 league in the country.
As many know the CJHL's individual leagues all broadcast their games live on FASTHockey giving everyone access to the games at any time, and I've watched numerous games access the country without leading the comforts of my bed
Obviously the Quebec league(LHJAAAQ)is perceived as the lowest grade league in the country due to a number of factors, but the mostly to the fact that the league is a AAA league rather than Junior A.
I was in attendance to all the games at last years Fred Page Cup in Truro, Nova Scotia, where the winner of the MHL, CCHL and LHJAAAQ leagues, plus the host all battle it out to see who goes to the RBC Cup. Longueuil was the Quebec team to qualify for that tournament last year and they really impressed me with their speed, but they just seemed a little soft on the puck and just backed down too easily. It's a small sample in a 3-5 game tournament, but they certainly didn't stand out as an outstanding team against the competition.
Because of Ontario's location in orientation to the United States, the MHL is IMO better than the SIJHL, NOJHL, and OJHL.
Without a question the BCHL is the best league in the country and has been for some time now, and that history likely helps them to stay the best league in the country as I would assume it makes it a lot easier of a sell when they are trying to recruit a 15 or 16 year old prospect and an easier sell when it comes to recruiting 19 and 20 year old cuts from Major Junior. It's also worth noting the BCHL has won 3 of the least 5 RBC cups
Right behind the BCHL, is the AJHL, who saw their Brooks Bandits win the RBC Cup last year. That RBC Cup win was the first one for the league in 12 years, which I see as a reason for them to fall from that number 2 spot, but not just yet, not in everyone elses eyes at least.
In 3rd and 4th would be the SJHL and MJHL who are then followed by the MHL in 5th.
Why does the MHL rate in the top 5 for me in this country for Junior 'A' hockey leagues?
Because of the leagues recent success on the national scene. The MHL has won the Fred Page Cup in 2 straight years, with the Woodstock Slammers winning it in 2012 and the Truro Bearcats winning it as host last year(where they defeated their league rivals Summerside Western Capitals). The league has also been the runner ups at the RBC national tournament in both of those years, Woodstock losing to the Penticton Vees in a controversial game in 2012, and the Summerside losing to the Brooks Bandits last year.
Anybody follow all that? Good so my rankings of the best Junior 'A' leagues in Canada is...
Roast me all you want but that how I see the leagues, It's so hard really to compare different leagues to each other, each league plays a completely different style, some a harder hitting faster style, some just more of an end to end speed game, without seeing more crossover games between leagues apart from the post season tournaments.
It's one thing to see the league's top teams facing off against each other, it's a whole other story when you see their middle of the pack teams and 'bottom feeders' face off. Which is also where I see the MHL as a better league than most others do. Outsiders see the standings and the box score of the games played, and see a bunch of middle of the pack teams, when in reality, especially this season, it's just a completely even league for the top 4 or 5 teams, all season it was a toss up for who would win the league, Pictou, Truro, Miramichi, Yarmouth, Amherst and Dieppe where all in it to win it this season all loaded up as can be.
Now I'll admit I'm bias from being from the area, working for one of the teams and being an extreme fan of the league for a good number of years now.
That being said, the talents in the MHL over the last few years has increased drastically and are IHMO the MHL is a top 10 league in the country.
As many know the CJHL's individual leagues all broadcast their games live on FASTHockey giving everyone access to the games at any time, and I've watched numerous games access the country without leading the comforts of my bed
Obviously the Quebec league(LHJAAAQ)is perceived as the lowest grade league in the country due to a number of factors, but the mostly to the fact that the league is a AAA league rather than Junior A.
I was in attendance to all the games at last years Fred Page Cup in Truro, Nova Scotia, where the winner of the MHL, CCHL and LHJAAAQ leagues, plus the host all battle it out to see who goes to the RBC Cup. Longueuil was the Quebec team to qualify for that tournament last year and they really impressed me with their speed, but they just seemed a little soft on the puck and just backed down too easily. It's a small sample in a 3-5 game tournament, but they certainly didn't stand out as an outstanding team against the competition.
Because of Ontario's location in orientation to the United States, the MHL is IMO better than the SIJHL, NOJHL, and OJHL.
Without a question the BCHL is the best league in the country and has been for some time now, and that history likely helps them to stay the best league in the country as I would assume it makes it a lot easier of a sell when they are trying to recruit a 15 or 16 year old prospect and an easier sell when it comes to recruiting 19 and 20 year old cuts from Major Junior. It's also worth noting the BCHL has won 3 of the least 5 RBC cups
Right behind the BCHL, is the AJHL, who saw their Brooks Bandits win the RBC Cup last year. That RBC Cup win was the first one for the league in 12 years, which I see as a reason for them to fall from that number 2 spot, but not just yet, not in everyone elses eyes at least.
In 3rd and 4th would be the SJHL and MJHL who are then followed by the MHL in 5th.
Why does the MHL rate in the top 5 for me in this country for Junior 'A' hockey leagues?
Because of the leagues recent success on the national scene. The MHL has won the Fred Page Cup in 2 straight years, with the Woodstock Slammers winning it in 2012 and the Truro Bearcats winning it as host last year(where they defeated their league rivals Summerside Western Capitals). The league has also been the runner ups at the RBC national tournament in both of those years, Woodstock losing to the Penticton Vees in a controversial game in 2012, and the Summerside losing to the Brooks Bandits last year.
Anybody follow all that? Good so my rankings of the best Junior 'A' leagues in Canada is...
- British Columbia Hockey League
- Alberta Junior Hockey League
- Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League
- Manitoba Junior Hockey League
- Maritime Hockey League
- Central Canada Hockey League
- Ontario Junior Hockey League
- Superior International Junior Hockey League
- Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League
- Ligue de Hockey Junior AAA du Quebec
Roast me all you want but that how I see the leagues, It's so hard really to compare different leagues to each other, each league plays a completely different style, some a harder hitting faster style, some just more of an end to end speed game, without seeing more crossover games between leagues apart from the post season tournaments.
It's one thing to see the league's top teams facing off against each other, it's a whole other story when you see their middle of the pack teams and 'bottom feeders' face off. Which is also where I see the MHL as a better league than most others do. Outsiders see the standings and the box score of the games played, and see a bunch of middle of the pack teams, when in reality, especially this season, it's just a completely even league for the top 4 or 5 teams, all season it was a toss up for who would win the league, Pictou, Truro, Miramichi, Yarmouth, Amherst and Dieppe where all in it to win it this season all loaded up as can be.
Well I guess we'll see how the eastern leagues size up are like this weekend. When i look atthe results of the boxing day central cup tournament where there were two quebec teams competing vs one njohl /cchl/ojhl- A quebec team
won. The tournaments first year 2011 they were finalists albeit other leagues sent two teams vs just one lhjaaaq team. In 2012 there were two teams of the 8 - semifinal finish for one -and a winning record for the other.
Lhjaaaq is a junior a league. The letters mean nothing
won. The tournaments first year 2011 they were finalists albeit other leagues sent two teams vs just one lhjaaaq team. In 2012 there were two teams of the 8 - semifinal finish for one -and a winning record for the other.
Lhjaaaq is a junior a league. The letters mean nothing
When you wish to know what leagues are the strongest look to where the money is....and in this case the money is in NCAA Div 1 scholarships. If your logic in Quebec is that they graduate players to Major Junior, well then Ontario Junior A graduates players as well. There is truth in that in Quebec there is less emphasis on NCAA, however pure numbers wise they can fill enough Major Junior spots (with imports from everywhere including Ontario) so leave that point alone for now.
As well many players from Ontario tend to go to the BCHL and once there they are then counted as from that league, although the player obtained their scholarship in an Ontario Junior A league. Again we need to neglectthis as the players are now playing in their new league, so counting their current league makes sense as it adds to the league strength.
So here are the numbers of NCAA Div 1 scholarships....schools do not spend their money on players or leagues unless they believe they will get the best bang for the buck! Results taken from Collegecommitments website.
2014 / 2015, NCAA DIV 1 SCHOLARSHIP.
BCHL - 82
AJHL - 35
OJHL - 21
CCHL - 16
SJHL - 6
MHL - 1
NOJHL - 1
MJHL - 0
SIJHL - 0
LHJAAAQ - 0
2015 / 2016, NCAA DIV 1 SCHOLARSHIP.
BCHL - 23
AJHL - 5
OJHL - 17
CCHL - 13
AJHL - 5
SJHL - 2
MHL - 2
NOJHL - 0
MJHL - 1
SIJHL - 0
LHJAAAQ - 0
2 YEAR RUNNING TOTAL, NCAA DIV 1 SCHOLARSHIP.
BCHL - 105
AJHL - 40
OJHL - 38
CCHL - 29
SJHL - 8
MHL - 3
NOJHL - 1
MJHL - 1
SIJHL - 0
LHJAAAQ - 0
This list seems to be fair as it takes into account some third party facts, not guesswork. A yearly scholarship reaches upto the $50K per year, so in the majority of instances the best players are chosen. For graduating players to Major Junior again most leagues also do that, however likely in the same proportions. I don't have the time to document that as I believe the strong leagues will remain the same, give or take a spot.
So in my view the best talent laden leagues are BCHL, AJHL, OJHL & CCHL in that order.
I do not wish to put any league down, just that to get a real idea on strength again I like to follow the money and scholarships.
As well many players from Ontario tend to go to the BCHL and once there they are then counted as from that league, although the player obtained their scholarship in an Ontario Junior A league. Again we need to neglectthis as the players are now playing in their new league, so counting their current league makes sense as it adds to the league strength.
So here are the numbers of NCAA Div 1 scholarships....schools do not spend their money on players or leagues unless they believe they will get the best bang for the buck! Results taken from Collegecommitments website.
2014 / 2015, NCAA DIV 1 SCHOLARSHIP.
BCHL - 82
AJHL - 35
OJHL - 21
CCHL - 16
SJHL - 6
MHL - 1
NOJHL - 1
MJHL - 0
SIJHL - 0
LHJAAAQ - 0
2015 / 2016, NCAA DIV 1 SCHOLARSHIP.
BCHL - 23
AJHL - 5
OJHL - 17
CCHL - 13
AJHL - 5
SJHL - 2
MHL - 2
NOJHL - 0
MJHL - 1
SIJHL - 0
LHJAAAQ - 0
2 YEAR RUNNING TOTAL, NCAA DIV 1 SCHOLARSHIP.
BCHL - 105
AJHL - 40
OJHL - 38
CCHL - 29
SJHL - 8
MHL - 3
NOJHL - 1
MJHL - 1
SIJHL - 0
LHJAAAQ - 0
This list seems to be fair as it takes into account some third party facts, not guesswork. A yearly scholarship reaches upto the $50K per year, so in the majority of instances the best players are chosen. For graduating players to Major Junior again most leagues also do that, however likely in the same proportions. I don't have the time to document that as I believe the strong leagues will remain the same, give or take a spot.
So in my view the best talent laden leagues are BCHL, AJHL, OJHL & CCHL in that order.
I do not wish to put any league down, just that to get a real idea on strength again I like to follow the money and scholarships.
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Not sure if all the #'s are accurate, being from CCHL I believe the numbers in this league are higher, not sure of your source, I think they are closer to 40. If you look at it based upon # scholarships per team using your #'s the BCHL still leads at 6.56, AJHL/CCHL both at 2.5 and OJHL trails at 1.7.
The numbers come from collegecommitments dot com, free to look up.
You have a point if you devide the numbers by the teams, however it really wouldn't change the overall flavour. The BCHL will likely be the number one spot, with the three other leagues (AJHL, OJHL & CCHL) all being relatively equal. The three leagues promote players to NCAA Div 1 for a reason, which one is slightly higher or lower in scholarships it really doesn't matter as the strength of the leagues are comparatively the same. One league might be up one year, down the next, overall they are good destinations for both players and fans.
From a fan perspective many other things come into play like how many spectators come out, food venues (bars, restaurants), marketing and much more.
From a players perspective many competing items come into play such as the things above, however graduating players to the next level would likely be the most important.
You have a point if you devide the numbers by the teams, however it really wouldn't change the overall flavour. The BCHL will likely be the number one spot, with the three other leagues (AJHL, OJHL & CCHL) all being relatively equal. The three leagues promote players to NCAA Div 1 for a reason, which one is slightly higher or lower in scholarships it really doesn't matter as the strength of the leagues are comparatively the same. One league might be up one year, down the next, overall they are good destinations for both players and fans.
From a fan perspective many other things come into play like how many spectators come out, food venues (bars, restaurants), marketing and much more.
From a players perspective many competing items come into play such as the things above, however graduating players to the next level would likely be the most important.
Bchl is the top but how many of those players had their scholies lined up before they came to the league. Many of the out- of- province kids in particular go there in between making verbal commitments and entering college
If you are judging the skill of the league it would not matter where the original player obtained their scholarship, the fact they are playing in that league that counts.
If you are wanting to know which league develops more players then the original location they obtained their scholarship from would matter, we are NOT doing that comparison here.
This is strength of league play only, not where players are devekoped that is another big topic that i could do the numbers but if seems fair for now that any of the top four leagues would be a good destination. When you consider developmet, cost, arena and fans then I wouldstill rank them the same way....BCHL and with the three other leagues (AJHL, OJHL & CCHL) all being relatively equal coming in tied for second in Canada.
There used to be NSJHL (Jr B) league that merged into the Prarie Junior Hockey League in 2008..It still exists today
http://www.pjhl.ca/
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