New junior league in the works


By
February 17, 2014

There could be a new junior hockey league in operation for the 2014-2015 season.

HockeyNewsNorth.com has learned that the proposed, new International Jr. Hockey League would be a part of the American-based Amateur Athletic Union.

The IJHL has progessed to the stage that a logo (see above) has already been designed.

Should it get AAU approval, the IJHL would be comprised of teams and divisions on both sides of the Canada-United States border, some of which would be new franchises and others which are currently operating in junior leagues based in Ontario and Michigan.

Ontario locations could include Collingwood, Cornwall, Gananoque, Markham, Muskoka, Espanola, Manitoulin Island, Mattawa and in the Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay areas.

American locations could include the Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit and Milwaukee metropolitan areas as well as the northern Michigan towns of Alpena, Gaylord, St. Ignace, Traverse City et al.

The IJHL’s proposed constitution would include the open use of American, Canadian and European players and a feeder system of midget-aged players in several centres.

Those who are part of the proposed IJHL include individuals who have been involved in junior hockey for many years as players, coaches, managers, commissioners and owners within the AAU, Hockey Canada and USA Hockey.

An initial mission statement of the IJHL, which was obtained by HockeyNewsNorth.com, states that the proposed new league is being formed by “individuals who wish for and seek a change in junior hockey for the betterment of player exposure to the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the game at a world level.”


What you think about “New junior league in the works”

  1. WOW!!!
    This could really change the Junior Hockey land scape in a major way & I am thinking the NOJHL in a big big way.
    WOW!!!

  2. I wonder if the Beavers will be a part of this.
    I just hope the Beavers are still having a Team next season at all.
    Talk around Town about the Beavs and the “NO” not all that posative.

  3. I think its “By By” to the NOJHL if this League gets off the ground. As long as we have the Rivermen I dont care what League we are in because Clayton knows to run a junior Hockey franchise.

  4. WTF?????? This mite as well be the end of the NOJHL as we know it if Espanola and North Bay are gone and Blind River in trouble and the Bobcats gone to Cochrane.
    Geez I don’t know RR this has me feeling a bitt squeemish about our League.

  5. I wonder who the Teams from the Detroit Area are…? Perhaps Troy with the Sports Centre or even furthur north to Waterford or even Flint … Verrrrrry intresting.

  6. I can DEFINITLY see this happening. Scotty Gardner in TC says he thinks this new International League is going to happen.

    1. Hockey fan, as clearly stated in the story, the proposed IJHL would be sanctioned by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU.)

      Regards,

      RR

  7. Is the Amateur Athletic Union the same as the American Athletic Union? Can’t seem find details through google search. Would appreciate a link to AAU.

      1. The way I understand it the Teams from Canada will apply to AAU as a League and if they are accepted thy will be a part of Canada Division with Teams from MWHL and other Teams from USA making up the USA Division.

  8. I hope that the Soo Firehawks are not a part of this new I.J.H.L. They are a House League caliber team at best.

  9. i have no doubt that there are respected hockey people behind this proposed venture or else Randy would not have wrote about it. However for the sake of credibillity for a new Junior League such as this it would be a boost if they could get teams to jump from the NAHL, the NOJHL, the SIJHL & even the NA3HL. I do wish those involved good luck with this . If this is to be International Junior it would be amazing to have teams from Sault Michigan and Sault Canada involved.

  10. This is a direct result of Mr.Mazzuca not listening to all teams when making decisions. I hear the Thunderbirds may fold after this year anyways. With Ryan Leonard approved to go to Cochrane it makes just as much sense for some of the NOJHL teams to drive south. Randy will Hockey Canada hold the same stance as they do against “outlaws” to the AAU which is a huge. Maybe the rest of the NOJHL teams can form the MHL yep Mazzuca Hockey League.

  11. First of all Mr. Mazzuca has done a great job with the Nojhl. Clayden needs to retire from hockey enough damage as been done by him. Why do you think leagues like bchl ajhl sjhl ushl keep getting better every year , it’s because you have a bunch of know it all hockey guys that keep coming out with leagues that are all about the money.

  12. Mazzuca did a good job in the start then got full of himself.
    Also the appointing of a technical director drove up the costs for all teams — now he expects them to travel all the way up to Cochrane.
    Mazzuca has killed this league.

  13. Distance from Estevan to Flin Flon 904 km , all travels in sjhl is minimum of 3 hours up to 14 hours. They survive !!!

  14. Also on the weekend i heard that some owners abstained from voting on the Elliot Lake to Cochrane move. So I would assume the NOJHL will be Cochrane,Abtibi,Kirkland Lake,Sudbury and maybe Blind River. Growing up and watching the junior league this is sad but what can you do the NOJHL exec does what ever they want to do. Bring on the Rivermen of the SIJHL.

  15. I think the Nojhl will be much better without Clayden and the Riverman. North Bay team will relocate and be part of nojhl . Soo will also be there next year. Now it’s time for Nojhl to get back to what it use to be .

    1. Nojhl fan 1

      So you think the NOJHL will be better off without Espanola who leads the entire League in attendance? You cannot be serius.
      As for North Bay I think – and RR can correct me if I am wrong – that the ownership of the Trappers has gone back to Tim Claydon so if Claydon takes the Rivermen and leaves the NOJHL I think he will take the Trappers too!
      I may be off base here but this is what I was told by a members of the Traps org.

    2. Who knows where you are from but good luck in a 4-5 team NOJHL next year and hopefully we won’t have your kind messing with our highest NOJHL attendance in Espanola.

  16. My son played in both the NOJHL as well as the NAHL and the venues that the Michigan teams have are state of the art venues.
    Accommodations are more then reasonable and meal prices are more then fair in the UP area.
    If this does get off the ground it will be a huge blow to the NOJHL , a league that is all but ignored by NCAA D1 scouting. NOJHL will become a complete after thought.

    I think it will leave a lot of people (Players, Parents, Scouts , Potential owners) asking ……WHY THE NOJHL?

  17. Really fan why would the soo go almost 8 hours north when they will have teams a lot closer and as said before going south could be cheaper. Your hatred for Clayden seems deep. Oh well we will take our highest attendance in the league and move on.

  18. all owners were in complete favour that Elliot Lake move to Cochrane and Espo was only ones who abstained .all 7 owners from other teams 0 issues its only 25 minutes from Abitibi even the Soo owner is on board . And I can also tell you that the nojhl will probably be a ten team league next year.

    1. Hahahaha too many vermosas for breakfast this morning for you. No way this will be a ten team league. Unless you were in the room you don’t know. This league is in trouble anyone that doesn’t think so has their heads buried in the sand. Sorry hate to see it go but it is inevitable.

  19. The “IJHL” will be the product of some Teams from Canada and some Teams from the Mid West Hockey League playing under the A.A.U.

  20. Yep sorry i forgot you’re the self proclaimed genius. Mazzuca has turned the NOJHL into a joke. If the new league doesn’t go this year it will go in the year after. Why would you not want more college exposure for the players.

  21. I am led to beleive that Mr. White from AAU is in favor of this new concept league & so is Scott Gardner from the MWHL.

  22. One more thing to add with some players going to school and practicing all week the NOJHL schedule is too long.

  23. American eagle nice name…..Please enlighten me as to how you believe the Firehawks are a house league caliber team at best….Almost 60 wins in two years lest then 15 losses. League leading scorer and league leading defenseman. Numerous player of the week and month awards one of the best goalies in the league. One of the most well run tier III teams in the country from the way we treat our players on and off the ice. I challenge you to back up some stats and reasoning as to why you think this or is it just because you are simply not a fan of a solid group of local kids playing competitive jrs. Not to mention as a club we have consistently been in the top 2-3 teams.

  24. Matt Parker – It has everything to do with the fact that you have 8 players show up for some games and that one of yor best players just left your so called Junior team to go play for the Soo Indians Midgets…..can I give you any more examples??? Or is that enuf????

  25. Yes please more give me one game in two years that we had 8 players show up in fact give me one time where we only had 8 players show up for anything. Your accusations are laughable at best when you know what your talking about come back let’s chat. And the fact that a 15 yr old that was playing with us went back to play AAA I don’t consider that to be bad really that’s where he should of been all year and he didn’t just leave and you obvisouly don’t know what your talking about because he didn’t “just leave” You hide behind a fake name at least be man enough to say who you are. I don’t hide behind anything and never will. It is always a pleasure to see people out their still hide behind a keyboard.

  26. Hockey guy…..I take it you’re Espanola’s mouth piece to deride the Nojhl. That $1,000 fine still smarts doesn’t it? I say, don’t let the door hit your a$$ on the way out…

    1. Also are you jealous as it looks like your team(where ever you are from) does not get the amount of fans our team does. Our fans make up a majority of the crowds when the Rivermen play in Blind River,Elliot lake and Sudbury. I am not against the NOJHL i grew up with it,but it is being run into the ground. So the door may hit us in the rear on the way out but the slam might be felt for years to come.

  27. Its funny when the Eskimos have to make a road trip to play 3 games in Esp, BR and the Soo it’s not to far but if the other teams have to come up and play Cochrane, IF’s and KL it’s to far????

  28. Well I am from Espanola so you are only half genius though. I don’t own
    the team though. Just someone sick of the crap that is at the league
    exec level. Letting certain teams run the league and do what
    ever they want.

  29. Mr. Ron White of the AAU will tell things in confidence that he will not say for publication that is for certain Coach Parker.

  30. the Soo Firehawks are an after thought in Soo Michigan hockey circles imho. LSSU is #1 followed by the Soo Eagles, Soo High Blue Devils & Soo Indians U-18. I highley doubt it that the Firehawks could even beat a Double B House League Team.

  31. “American Eagle”: Our players skate with SMHA every other day after our practices as we also just helped out SMHA with the older kids “kaines klassic”. Please at least get your facts straight if your simply a hater of our program so be it that’s cool because that means were on your mind. Can’t beat a house league team cmon maybe just maybe you should watch Scotty Gardners Traverse City team they are far from a house league team…But hey if your initials are JB it all makes sense.

    Tom from Detroit I’m very aware Mr. White would do that I am a coach within AAU we do that on a pretty regular basis keeping things behind closed doors until the time is right.

    1. RR: somebody at your former site is hopping mad that you out-scooped him on this story LOL LOL LOL I love it LOL LOL LOL.

  32. NAHL Scout Birch Run
    We (Soo Firehawks) are a tier III team playing in the Midwest Jr League comprised of majority local Soo mich and Soo ont kids. We do our best to give local area kids a good choice/opportunity as a stepping stone for jr hockey.

    1. Hi Matt – I mentioned of your team to a few of my hockey buddies from Flint-Detroit and not one of them has heard about your Soo Fire Hawks team. I tried to find any Articles written by Randy & any of the Soo papers but I could not find any. I might suggest that you contact them for covrege of your team as that is a good form of publicsity and then folks such as us would know what is going on with your team. Good Luck with your Team.

  33. Thank you sir for your words. You would not find any articles written about us from randy as he does not cover us. There are other sites that cover us quite well on a pretty regular basis. Once again thanks for your words of encouragement they are appreciated.

    1. Matt if there are sites covring your team the word is not getting out about your Soo Fire Hawks down this way. Sorry to say but when I say Soo Fire Hawks the repply is: “Who?” What are the sites who cover your Soo Fire hawks?

      1. NAHL Scout Birch Run,

        I just forwarded requested info on Soo Firehawks from poster Matt Parker to your personal e-mail.

        Regards,

        Randy

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