WHA Junior Hockey League
An Ice Hockey Wiki article.
The WHA Junior Hockey League is an Independent Junior "A" hockey league in the Western Canada and Northwestern United States region.
Contents |
[edit] History
Founded in 2006, the league was originally known as the "WHA Junior West Hockey League".
The original teams in the league were the Bellingham Bulls, New Westminster Whalers, Lumby Fighting Saints, Osoyoos Spurs, Squamish Cougars, and the Armstrong Sharks.
During the 2006-07 season, the league formed the National Junior Hockey Alliance with the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League. The agreement also involved a national championship series between the two league: in Ontario in 2007 and in the West in 2008. The 2006-07 season was ended abruptly 10 games early and the normal playdown system was scrapped for a double round robin and best-of-five final. The official reason for this that was given was that the league had to shorten their season to make room for the Alliance Cup with the GMJHL, although it is speculated that it was caused by financial problems with the league. The round robin was cut short due to a financial issue with the town of Osoyoos, British Columbia over arena rental fees. The finals were between New Westminster and Lumby. Lumby won game one and New Westminster won game two. After game two, there was not much word from the league, then an announcement that Lumby had forfeited the final to New Westminster. Details came out that the Fighting Saints had literally voted at a team meeting after game two to quit the league over unpaid coaching and billeting expenses. The league, later, made "trades" to the Saints to allow them to have enough of a team to finish the series against the Whalers. The Whalers easily took game three and four to win the first ever WHA championship. Most of the glory of this first championship was marred with controversy.
The first ever Alliance Cup was to take place between the Bradford Rattlers of the GMJHL and the New Westminster Whalers of the WHA. The WHA pulled back on their funding for the team's trip to Ontario and coach Garry Unger was forced to pull together only players who could afford to make the trip. The result of the series was a three-game-sweep for the Rattlers.
During the 2007 off-season, an effort was made by the league square up left over 2006-07 debt. It was announced late in the summer that all teams except Bellingham would return for 2007-08. The league also announced the expansion of the Fort Vancouver Pioneers of the North Pacific Hockey League, Oliver Jets, Kitsap County Crusaders, and Barrhead River Kings of the Capital Junior Hockey League. Also, it was announced that the Whalers would relocate to Burnaby, then later to Vancouver. Kitsap County's team disappeared couple weeks before the season started. An Eastern Division was announced as well with two teams in Quebec and two in New York State. All four teams disappeared without a word.
The 2007-08 season started with more controversy. Fort Vancouver started the season with the league's best record, but after a "he said, she said" of statements the Pioneers left the league after playing only ten games. A couple weeks later, the Whalers folded and their entire team was merged with Osoyoos.
Again, the 2007-08 was unceremoniously cut short by almost half the amount of games originally promised by the league. This was followed by a short playoff, won by Oliver.
[edit] Teams
- Armstrong Sharks
- Barrhead River Kings
- Lumby Fighting Saints
- Oliver Jets
- Osoyoos Spurs
- Squamish Cougars
[edit] Champions
- 2008 Oliver Jets
- 2007 New Westminster Whalers
