Families often look at three factors when evaluating junior programs:
Stability
Long-standing organizations typically provide consistent leadership, coaching continuity, and established billet systems.
Community Culture
In many markets, junior Hockey is a major part of the local sports culture. Communities with strong fan engagement often provide an energizing environment for players.
Advancement Track Record
Programs with longer histories often have a larger list of alumni who have advanced to college or professional Hockey. However, it is important to note that history alone does not determine development success. A Player’s role, opportunity, and coaching fit remain more important than brand name alone.
Notable Championships in OJHL History
The league championship trophy is the Buckland Cup, awarded annually to the playoff champion. Several programs have built strong reputations through championship runs and consistent playoff success.
Programs often associated with strong competitive eras include:
- Wellington Dukes
- Trenton Golden Hawks
- Oakville Blades
- Collingwood Blues
- Aurora Tigers
Championship success can raise a program’s profile, but competitive cycles in junior hockey change frequently.
Key Information
GET YOUR OJHL CAREER STARTED NOW
Welcome to the start of your journey as an OJHL player, the League of Choice, where we develop Young men through Hockey.
OUR LEAGUE
The OJHL is a premier junior A Hockey league in Ontario and Canada. The OJHL is a league focused on helping players develop to reach the next level and succeed in Hockey and in their lives. The league helps send players to the NCAA, CIS, and OHL, and then on to play pro Hockey in the NHL and leagues across North America and Europe. The OJHL has more current NHL Players (38) than any other CJHL league. We not only support our players on the ice, but also off the ice through the OJHL Foundation and our 1st and 2nd Assist programs. We are a Player FIRST league that cares!
THE BEST COLLEGE ROUTE
The OJHL is a key roadmap to getting players to the NCAA level. With 27 NCAA D1 schools within 700km of Toronto, you will get exposed to NCAA schools. The OJHL provides incredible opportunities to develop as a Player, get to the NCAA level, and succeed. As a league, we host the OJHL Showcase in Buffalo, NY every year, and it is a success each year in helping players get noticed by over 200 NCAA and NHL scouts over the 3 days. The OJHL currently has 97 players playing NCAA D1 Hockey, and has a great partnership with College Hockey Inc to ensure we have strong support for our players in NCAA knowledge.
As a major CJHL league, we don’t send our players to the NCAA as the only school option; we also have great relationships with schools at the USports level and send many players on the CIS route to continue their education and play Hockey.
OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY
With the average age in our league at 17.5, you will have the chance to come in and play at an early age. This sets us apart from other Junior A leagues because we are very young, compared to others that are more player-friendly.
It allows you to develop at an early age and get 3-4 years of junior A Hockey before moving on to the next level. This gives players the ability to become students of the game and ensure they are at their best when they leave the OJHL.