By – David McPherson
2023-2024 OHA Champions (L to R beginning in top left corner) – Collingwood Blues OJHL (Buckland Cup) Champions as well as the National Jr. A Championship (Centennial Cup), Listowel Cyclones GOJHL (Sutherland Cup) Champions, Lakeshore Canadiens PJHL (Clarence Schmalz Cup) Champions, Dundas Real McCoys ACH Champions, as well as Allan Cup Champions, Minto 81s OEHL Champions
Cambridge, ON – Despite the leaves still on the trees — and yet to change color in most parts of the province — at the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) we do not wait for winter’s full embrace to change seasons.
Welcome back players, officials, corporate partners, volunteers and all hockey fans. As the OHA enters its 134th season, there’s lots of excitement about what’s in store for our junior and senior hockey leagues.
As the games ramp up, let’s look back at the successful season just past and look ahead to some program changes and other new initiatives implemented for our five leagues and 124 teams.
First, a reminder to everyone of the important role the OHA plays in creating and fostering a healthy sport culture that is inclusive. Our goal is for all five leagues to offer a safe playing environment for everyone to enjoy the great game of hockey. If you ever feel otherwise, we have an independent and safe sport complaint process.
We are the Champions
Congratulations bear repeating to the following 2023-2024 league champions:
The Collingwood Blues took home the Buckland Cup in the Ontario Junior Hockey League by defeating the Trenton Golden Hawks in six games (4-2). The Blues then went on to win the Centennial Cup. The latter being a huge achievement. The Centennial Cup is the annual tournament organized by Hockey Canada and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), which determines the national champion of junior A ice hockey. The Blues are the first Ontario-based team to win since the 2008 Aurora Tigers (the championship was known as the Royal Bank Cup at that time).
In the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, the Listowel Cyclones won the Sutherland Cup, defeating the St. Marys Lincolns in five games (4-1). It was the Cyclones second-ever Sutherland Cup victory.
Meanwhile, in the Provincial Junior Hockey League, the Lakeshore Canadiens claimed their sixth Schmalz Cup — winning four consecutive games after losing the opener — to defeat the Clarington Eagles in five.
Finally, in the 2024 Allan Cup Challenge, the hometown Real McCoys of Dundas, Ont. defeated the Southern Shore Breakers to repeat as senior champs.
In mid-June, over the course of two days, the OHA conducted its AGM in Kincardine, Ont. where our year-end award winners were also announced.
It’s Official and other Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
The offseason witnessed many changes on and off the ice: from new hires to structural changes. First the new faces. In July, as one more step in the ongoing strengthening of our Officiating Program, we announced Kevin Pollock as our new Director of Officiating and Chris Ferreira as OHA Officiating Assigner.
Pollock, 54, joins the OHA following an illustrious NHL career that saw him officiate more than 2,000 regular season and playoff games, along with an Olympic Games (Sochi 2014). Ferreira is a veteran official with more than 14 years of on-ice experience. In this newly created role, Ferreira, a level 6 official, is responsible for assigning referees to games across all five OHA member leagues. Read more about these positive changes that further strengthens our officiating program and helps to make sure our leagues have only the best officials working each and every game.
Speaking of changes, there were a lot of headlines this off-season from the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL). Craig Spada was introduced as the league’s new Commissioner. Spada brings a strong business background, combined with extensive hockey experience learned at all levels of the game.
Before the first puck dropped, the GOJHL also announced realignment for the 2024-25 season. The announced conference realignments reduce what had been a three-conference structure since 2007 (West, Midwest and the Golden Horseshoe) to two.
The OJHL, the ‘league of choice,’ which has a long and storied history of developing players for the next level, kicks off with one of their most important events of the year.
The Niagara Falls Canucks organization and The Gale Centre will be the host for the 2024 OJHL Governors’ Showcase presented by “MilkUP.” The goal of the showcase is to give all teams and players an opportunity to come together in one location and display their skills, talent and character and ultimately have a chance to play at a higher level.
The priority of the OJHL is to facilitate player growth and progress, and it is exhibited when approximately 70% of graduating players from the league move on to play a higher level of hockey each year.
Each OJHL team will play two games at the showcase with one being a home game and one being an away game. Games are played on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday September 23 – 25, 2024.
Over in the largest junior hockey league in the world, the PJHL announced a new look that includes a brand new logo and the introduction of a new league-wide hashtag — #LevelUp. This rebranding represents the growth and the excitement heading into the 2024-25 season of this 63-team strong market.
In the ACH, defending National Champions, the Dundas Real McCoys, as well as the rest of the league, get underway in early November. The Wentworth Gryphins, an ACH team based close to Flamborough, ON, will host the 2025 Allan Cup.
Finally, the Ontario Elite Hockey League (OEHL), established in 2023, builds on the strong senior hockey legacy in this province of offering elite calibre hockey in small towns across Ontario. The 11-team continues to gain traction and receive more and more fan support every year.
In closing, here’s to a fun and competitive season of hockey ahead for all OHA leagues, teams, and members.
About the Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) was founded on November 27, 1890, and is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior hockey in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is a Member Partner of the Ontario Hockey Federation which is one of thirteen Provincial and Regional Branches of Hockey Canada.
It is comprised of three Junior hockey leagues and two Senior hockey leagues: Junior A – Ontario Junior Hockey League; Junior B – Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League; Junior C – Provincial Junior Hockey League, Senior –Allan Cup Hockey (AAA) and Ontario Elite Hockey League (AA). For the 2023-24 season, these five leagues encompass 124 teams.
The objectives of the OHA are to foster and encourage the sport of amateur hockey, to conduct competition in the various categories established, to determine teams for entry into the inter-branch competitions that may be provided by Hockey Canada, and to provide for the affiliation of other hockey organizations.
The OHA provides administrative resources, coordinates programs, services and events for hockey participants and provides support to various Development Programs for coaches, officials, trainers and players, Safety and Risk Management Issues and offers resources for Harassment and Abuse education.
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For more information or to set up an interview, please contact:
Chris McCleary
General Manager, Operations & Marketing
Ontario Hockey Association
