A typical OHL hockey game. This one is the 2004-05 home opener for the Ottawa 67's against the Sudbury Wolves.OHL All-Star Game 2006 Opening Face Off. Game played in Belleville's Yardmen Arena. February 1st, 2006.
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior "A" Tier I ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.
In 1980, the Ontario Hockey League was born with the renaming of the "Ontario Major Junior Hockey League." Previously the OMJHL officially separated from the Ontario Hockey Association in 1974.
David Branch has been the only Commissioner of the OHL from this time. Since 1980 the league has grown rapidly into a high profile marketable product, with many games broadcast on television and radio.
There are currently 20 teams in the OHL; 17 are based in Ontario, 2 teams in Michigan and 1 team in Pennsylvania.
The Ontario Hockey League began as the Ontario Hockey Association in 1896. Since then it has undergone four major eras of distinction in levels of junior hockey.
The OHA started with a senior and a junior division in 1896. In 1933, the junior division was divided into two levels, junior A and junior B. In 1972 the upper level was divided into two more levels, Tier I and Tier II. In 1974 the "Major Junior A Tier I" portion of the OHA separated and became the 'Ontario Major Junior Hockey League.' In the 1980, the OMJHL became the "Ontario Hockey League."
The 20 OHL clubs play a 68 game unbalanced schedule, which starts in the third full week of September, running until the third week of March. Ninety per cent (90%) of OHL games are scheduled between Thursday and Sunday to minimize the number of school days missed for its players. Ninety-five per cent (95%) of the players in the league are attending high school or college.
The current OHL season commenced on September 21, 2006. The OHL announced on the same day, a new rule entitled Checking to the Head effective immediately. [1]. Also announced, the recently adopted National Hockey League rule on stick curvature will not be implemented until next season.
This year's Bell-OHL All-Star Classic will be played on January 30th, 2007, in Saginaw, Michigan. The Eastern Conference plays the Western Conference . The night before, the Eastern Conference plays the Western Conference in the Skills Competition. The 2008 game will be hosted at the Steelback Centre in Sault Ste. Marie.
OHL Playoffs and Memorial Cup
The J. Ross Robertson Cup is awarded annually to the winner of the Ontario Hockey League Championship Series. The Cup is named for John Ross Robertson, who was president of the Ontario Hockey Association from 1901 to 1905.
The OHL playoffs consist of the top 16 teams in the league, 8 from each conference. The teams play a best-of-7 game series, and the winner of each series advances to the next round. The final two teams eventually compete for the J. Ross Robertson Cup.
The OHL champion then competes with the winners of the Western Hockey League, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and the host of the tournament to play for the Memorial Cup, which is awarded to the junior hockey champions of Canada. The host team of the tournament is alternated between the three leagues every season. This year's tournament is hosted by the Vancouver Giants of the WHL.
Memorial Cup champions
The Memorial Cup has been captured 12 times by OHL/OHA teams since the tournament went to a 3-league format in 1972:
The OHL conducted its annual draft, known as the OHL Priority Selection on Saturday May 6, 2006 via internet. Steven Stamkos of the Markham Waxers was the first overall pick of the Sarnia Sting. The Oshawa Generals followed up by selecting defenceman Michael Del Zotto also of the Waxers. It’s the first time in history that the first two picks in the OHL Priority Selection have come from the same team.
The Priority Selection has been conducted by the OHL since the early 1970's. It is a selection of players' aged 16 and 17 years old who are resident in the province of Ontario, Michigan and Pennsylvania and other designated U.S. states.
Prior to 2002, the OHL held the Priority Selection in a public forum - usually at the host arenas of member OHL teams - were crowds of 5,000 plus would take in the proceedings.
In 2003 the OHL decided to hold the "draft" via the Internet, greatly reducing the costs the league and its member teams incurred in hosting a public draft. Many believe that the move was also made to reduce the stress and pressure that prospective players faced in having their hockey careers determined in a public forum for players so young.
The OHL has "The Fergie Award" which is presented to the first player selected in the OHL Priority Selection annually. The award was named in honour of long-time OHL scout and former Director of Central Scouting, Jack Ferguson.
Some of the former first overall selections in the OHL draft are:
1981 - Dan Quinn (Belleville)
1982 - Kirk Muller (Guelph)
1983 - Trevor Steinburg (Guelph)
1984 - Dave Moylan (Sudbury)
1985 - Bryan Fogarty (Kingston)
1986 - Troy Mallette (S.S. Marie)
1987 - John Uniac (Sudbury)
1988 - Drake Berehowsky (Kingston)
1989 - Eric Lindros (S.S. Marie)
1990 - Pat Peake (Detroit)
1991 - Todd Harvey (Detroit)
1992 - Jeff O'Neill (Guelph)
1993 - Alyn McCauley (Ottawa)
1994 - Jeff Brown (Sarnia)
1995 - Daniel Tkaczuk (Barrie)
1996 - Rico Fata (London)
1997 - Charlie Stephens (St. Michael's)
1998 - Jay Harrison (Brampton)
1999 - Jason Spezza (Mississauga)
2000 - Patrick Jarrett (Mississauga)
2001 - Patrick O'Sullivan (Mississauga)
2002 - Robbie Schremp (Mississauga)
2003 - Patrick McNeill (Saginaw)
2004 - John Hughes (Belleville)
2005 - John Tavares (Oshawa)
2006 - Steven Stamkos (Sarnia)
