Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL)
SportIce hockey
Founded1965
Inaugural season1966-67
No. of teams14 (15 in 2024/25)
Country Canada
Most recent
champion(s)		Delta Ice Hawks
Official websitePJHL.net

The Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL), formerly Pacific International Junior Hockey League, (PIJHL) until 2012, is a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey league which operates in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Although the PJHL has included American teams in the past, the league's fifteen franchises all currently reside in the districts of Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, and the Sunshine Coast of BC. Several National Hockey League stars began their junior hockey careers in the PJHL, but the main focus of the league is player development and education with strong ties to the local hockey community. The PJHL Championship is awarded annually to the league playoff champion and the winner moves on to compete against the champions of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League and the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League for the provincial title, the Cyclone Taylor Cup. From 1983 to 2017, the winner of the Cyclone Taylor Cup moves on to compete for the Western Canada Junior "B" Crown, the Keystone Cup.

History

Early years: 1966-1980

The earliest incarnation of the Pacific Junior Hockey League, the West Coast Junior Hockey League, was founded in 1966, with a total of six teams, including the still-existent Grandview Steelers. Other teams from Chilliwack, Coquitlam, Richmond and Burnaby. These five teams, along with the Nor Wes Caps, contested the first season of play in the new league. The Richmond Juniors were awarded the first ever championship in 1967, but the early years of the league were dominated by the Nor Wes Caps, who won four championships in the first seven seasons in the league. However, in the mid-70s, a number of league teams departed for the Junior 'A' level of hockey, including the Nor Wes Caps. A number of teams would replace the departed, including the North Shore Flames and the Northwest Americans. In the second half of the 1970s, the league championship was continuously handed back and forth between the Richmond Rebels, Burnaby Blazers and the Northwest Americans, before the Blazers and Rebels were forced to relocate.

1980-2000

The first seven seasons of the 1980s were dominated by the North Shore Flames and the Northwest Americans, who combined won all seven league championships in that time (four for the Americans, and three for the Flames). This dominance was ended in 1987 by the Burnaby Bluehawks, who defeated the White Rock Whalers in the league final. White Rock would become champions the following year, defeating the North Shore Flames en route to the title. In 1989, current league members Abbotsford Pilots won their first league title, having relocated from Mission shortly before. A number of previously title-less teams would win the championship in the following years, including the Coquitlam Warriors in 1991, the Richmond Sockeyes in 1992, and the Port Coquitlam Buckeroos in 1995. In 1992, the West Coast Junior Hockey League officially re-branded itself as the Pacific International Junior Hockey League. In 1994, the Grandview Steelers won their first championship since 1968, defeating the Richmond Sockeyes in the league championship. The Port Coquitlam Buckeroos and Ridge Meadows Flames would split the next four championship between them, until the Abbotsford Pilots won in 1998–99, and again in 1999-00 for their second and third championships.

2000-present

The Delta Ice Hawks won their first title in 2000–01, defeating the Buckeroos in five games in the league finals, but lost the finals in four to the Abbotsford Pilots the following season. The next two seasons were won by the Richmond Sockeyes, who defeated Abbotsford and Delta 4-3 and 4-1 respectively for the titles. Abbotsford would defeat Delta in 2004-05 championship final in seven games. However, Delta would defeat those same Pilots the next year in six games. Abbotsford would come back and win the following year, over the Grandview Steelers in the final, which to date remains their last championship. The Pilots would go on to lose in the championship series in four of the next five seasons, to Grandview once, Delta once and Richmond twice. The only year in which the Pilots did not make the final, the Aldergrove Kodiaks won their first title, over the Delta Ice Hawks. In 2012–13, the Richmond Sockeyes won their second title in three years, beating Aldergrove in four games, but the Kodiaks would defeat the Sockeyes the following year to claim their second overall title, in seven games. In 2014–15, the North Vancouver Wolf Pack, formerly the Squamish Wolf Pack, won their first league title, defeating the Mission City Outlaws in the championship. But Mission would win their first league title the following year over the Grandview Steelers in five games. The Aldergrove Kodiaks won their third overall title in 2017, defeating the Ice Hawks in six games. Delta won their fourth title the following year over the Ridge Meadows Flames in six games, but lost to the Richmond Sockeyes in the Cyclone Taylor Cup Final. The Wolf Pack won their second overall title, defeating the Langley Trappers in four games in 2019. The PJHL Championship was not awarded for the first time after the 2019–20 season due to the coronavirus pandemic. And again after the 2020–21 season. The Langley Trappers win their first league title over the White Rock Whalers in five games and captured their first Cyclone Taylor Cup title with a 4–2 victory over the Delta Ice Hawks in 2022. The Ice Hawks would captured their fifth league title the following year over the Ridge Meadows Flames in seven games.

Teams

Team City/Area Arena Founded Joined Head coach Captain
Harold Brittain Conference
Abbotsford Pilots British Columbia Abbotsford, BC MSA Arena 1988 Jarrett Craig
Aldergrove Kodiaks British Columbia Aldergrove, BC Aldergrove Credit Union Community Centre 2008 Darin Vetterl
Chilliwack Jets British Columbia Chilliwack, BC Sardis Sports Complex 2020 Chris Price
Langley Trappers British Columbia Langley, BC George Preston Recreation Centre 2017 Brad Bakken
Mission City Outlaws British Columbia Mission, BC Mission Leisure Centre 2003* Richard Kimber
Ridge Meadows Flames British Columbia Maple Ridge, BC Planet Ice Maple Ridge 1972* Brett Hughes
Surrey Knights British Columbia Surrey, BC North Surrey Sport & Ice Complex 1999* Andy Liborion
Tom Shaw Conference
Coastal Tsunami British Columbia Gibsons, BC Gibsons & Area Community Centre 2024 Brad Wingfield
Delta Ice Hawks British Columbia Delta, BC Ladner Leisure Centre 1997 Steve Robinson
Grandview Steelers British Columbia Burnaby, BC Burnaby Winter Club 1967 Aldo Bruno
North Vancouver Wolf Pack British Columbia North Vancouver, BC Harry Jerome Community Recreation Centre 2008* Mike Borrelli
Port Coquitlam Trailblazers British Columbia Port Coquitlam, BC Port Coquitlam Community Centre 2023 Greg Ross
Port Moody Panthers British Columbia Port Moody, BC Port Moody Recreation Complex 1999* Terry Morrison
Richmond Sockeyes British Columbia Richmond, BC Minoru Arenas 1972 Cullen Revel
White Rock Whalers British Columbia White Rock, BC Centennial Arena 2018 Brien Gemmell

Champions

Year Winning team Coach Losing team Coach Games
1967Richmond Juniors
1968Grandview Steelers
1969Nor Wes Caps
1970Chilliwack Jets
1971Nor Wes Caps
1972Nor Wes Caps
1973Nor Wes Caps
1974Point Grey Blades
1975Burnaby Blazers
1976Northwest Americans
1977Richmond Rebels
1978Richmond Rebels
1979Burnaby Blazers
1980Northwest Americans
1981Northwest Americans
1982Northwest Americans
1983North Shore Flames
1984North Shore Flames
1985North Shore Flames
1986Northwest AmericansLadner Rebels
1987Burnaby BluehawksWhite Rock Whalers
1988White Rock WhalersNorth Shore Flames3–2
1989Abbotsford Pilots
1990Burnaby Bluehawks
1991Coquitlam Warriors
1992Richmond SockeyesAbbotsford Pilots3–1
1993Coquitlam WarriorsRichmond Sockeyes3–0
1994Grandview SteelersRichmond Sockeyes3–0
1995Port Coquitlam Buckeroos
1996Ridge Meadows FlamesRichmond Sockeyes4–1
1997Port Coquitlam BuckeroosRichmond

Sockeyes

 Kevin Careless 4-2
1998Ridge Meadows FlamesPeter CrowtherDelta Ice HawksBrad Bowen3–1
1999Abbotsford PilotsGary Douville Delta Ice Hawks
2000Abbotsford PilotsGary Douville Grandview SteelersAldo Bruno4–0
2001Delta Ice HawksBrad BowenPort Coquitlam Buckeroos4–1
2002Abbotsford PilotsDelta Ice Hawks4–0
2003Richmond SockeyesAbbotsford Pilots4–3
2004Richmond SockeyesDelta Ice Hawks4–1
2005Abbotsford PilotsJim CowdenDelta Ice Hawks4–3
2006Delta Ice HawksShane KussAbbotsford PilotsJim Cowden4–2
2007Abbotsford PilotsJim CowdenGrandview SteelersAldo Bruno4–2
2008Grandview SteelersAldo BrunoAbbotsford PilotsJim Cowden4–1
2009Richmond SockeyesJudd LambertAbbotsford PilotsJim Cowden4–1
2010Aldergrove KodiaksRick HarkinsDelta Ice HawksJim Camazzola4–2
2011Richmond SockeyesJudd LambertAbbotsford PilotsJim Cowden4–0
2012Delta Ice HawksDave McLellanAbbotsford PilotsJim Cowden4–2
2013Richmond SockeyesAaron WilburAldergrove KodiaksRon Johnson4–0
2014Aldergrove KodiaksBrad RihelaRichmond SockeyesJudd Lambert4–3
2015North Vancouver Wolf PackMatt SamsonMission City OutlawsBrad Veitch4–2
2016Mission City OutlawsBrad VeitchGrandview SteelersAldo Bruno4–1
2017Aldergrove KodiaksDarin VetterlDelta Ice HawksDarren Naylor4–2
2018Delta Ice HawksSteve RobinsonRidge Meadows FlamesBayne Ryshak4–2
2019North Vancouver Wolf PackBayne KoenLangley TrappersBurt Henderson4–0
2020Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic – PJHL Championship not awarded[f]
2021Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic – PJHL Championship not awarded[f]
2022Langley TrappersBrad BakkenWhite Rock WhalersJason Rogers4–1
2023Delta Ice HawksSteve RobinsonRidge Meadows FlamesBrent Hughes4–3

Defunct or relocated teams

  • Abbotsford Flyers
  • Bellingham Blazers
  • Burnaby Blazers
  • Burnaby Bluehawks
  • Burnaby Rams
  • Chilliwack Jets
  • Coquitlam Chiefs
  • Coquitlam Comets
  • Coquitlam Warriors
  • Cloverdale Cowboys
  • Delta Saints
  • Delta Sungods
  • Hastings Express
  • Hope Icebreakers
  • Kerrisdale Centennials
  • Ladner Rebels
  • Langley Knights (to Surrey)
  • Maple Ridge Monarchs
  • Mission Pilots
  • Newton Rangers
  • New Westminster Royals
  • Nor'Wes Caps
  • North Delta Devils
  • North Delta Flyers
  • North Shore Junior Canadians
  • North Shore Griffins
  • North Shore Winter Club Flames
  • Northwest Americans
  • Point Grey Blades
  • Port Coquitlam Buckeroos
  • Portland Junior Buckeroos
  • Queen's Park Pirates
  • Richmond Juniors
  • Richmond Junior Islanders
  • Richmond Junior Rebels
  • Riley Park Rangers
  • Seattle Totems
  • Seafair Seahorses
  • Seafair Islanders
  • Squamish Eagles
  • Squamish Wolf Pack
  • Surrey Stampeders
  • Surrey Saints
  • University of British Columbia Braves
  • Vancouver Hornets
  • Vancouver Junior Canucks
  • Washington Totems
  • White Rock Rangers
  • White Rock Whalers

NHL alumni

References

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