The Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL) was a USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier III Junior A ice hockey league. Founded in 1993 by Dan Esdale, the EJHL had fourteen teams from across the Northeastern United States. The EJHL champion then competed for the National Championship against the champions of the other Tier III leagues and a host city. The

New Jersey Hitmen The Jersey Hitmen are a junior and youth ice hockey organization with teams in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL), with its top level junior team playing in the USPHL's National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC). The organi ...

were the final EJHL Champions after the 2012–13 season.

History

The league was formed in 1993 with the NECDL Classics, the Rhode Island Sharks, the Tyngsborough Huskies, the Matt O'Neil Lightning, the Granite State Stars and the Springfield Olympics. The following year the

Niagara Scenics The Buffalo Jr. Sabres are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Buffalo, New York. They are a part of the Ontario Junior A Hockey League. Its current head coach and general manager is Nick Tuzzolino, who played in the organization during its Buffalo ...

joined the league from the

North American Hockey League The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is in its 48th season of operation in 2022–23. It is the only Tier II junior league sanctioned by USA Hockey, and acts as an alternati ...

. The Scenics later left for the

Metro Junior A Hockey League The Metro Junior "A" Hockey League was a junior level ice hockey league based out of Southern Ontario. The league originated in 1956 as the Metro Junior "B" Hockey League, which lasted until 1991, when it changed its designation from Junior B to ...

in Ontario. In the subsequent years, the league has added the Bridgewater Bandits (1996); Valley Jr. Warriors (1996); NY Apple Core (1997); Capital District (1999); Bay State Breakers (1999); Junior Bruins (1999); Green Mountain Glades (2000); NJ Hitmen (2004) and the Syracuse Stars (2005 and later moved to Rochester in 2010) who joined from the

Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada. It is under the supervision of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). The league was listed as the 7th best d ...

. The league has quickly been gaining prestige across the United States as teams such as the Hitmen and Monarchs compete with other top junior teams. However, during the 2012–13 season, EJHL members the

Boston Junior Bruins The Boston Junior Bruins are an American junior ice hockey organization playing in Marlborough, Massachusetts. They currently field three junior and a number of youth teams in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). Mission Junior hockey ...

Islanders Hockey Club The Islanders Hockey Club are an American junior ice hockey organization from Tyngsborough, Massachusetts. They field teams in the United States Premier Hockey League National Collegiate Development Conference, Premier Division, and Elite Divisio ...

(formerly Middlesex Islanders),

, and the South Shore Kings announced they were forming a new league called the United States Premier Hockey League. They would eventually be followed by the

Bay State Breakers The Bay State Breakers were a Tier III junior ice hockey organization in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). The organization played home games at The Bog Ice Arena in Kingston, Massachusetts. Since 2017, the Breakers is solely a you ...

and the

Portland Jr. Pirates The Portland Jr. Pirates were a Tier III Jr. A ice hockey team that played their home games at the MHG Ice Centre in Saco, Maine. The organization continues to host youth hockey programs in the Massachusetts Premier Development Hockey League. ...

from the EJHL while adding other teams to make up the Premier Division of the USPHL. The EJHL would disband when the

Boston Bandits The Bridgewater Bandits, also called the Boston Bandits, are a Junior ice hockey#Independent leagues (Canada and US), junior ice hockey organization from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, in the United States, with teams playing in the United States Pr ...

Connecticut Oilers The Connecticut Chiefs are a Junior Tier III ice hockey team from Newington, Connecticut, playing in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL). Previously known as the Oilers, the organization also had youth teams, ranging from age groups of 6 to 16-year ...

, New Hampshire Junior Monarchs,

New York Apple Core The New York Apple Core are a Tier III Junior A ice hockey team from Brewster, New York, playing in the Eastern Hockey League. The team plays home games at the Brewster Ice Arena. The Apple Core organization is based out of Long Beach, New York, ...

Philadelphia Revolution The Philadelphia Revolution were a Tier III Junior A ice hockey team in the Eastern Hockey League. The team played home games at Revolution Ice Gardens (formerly The Rink at Warwick) in Warwick Township, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. ...

, and the Valley Jr. Warriors joined the Atlantic Junior Hockey League which would rename itself to the Eastern Hockey League.

Teams

Teams that played in the final 2012–13 season.

Champions

The winning team in the EJHL was awarded the Gary Dineen Cup, named for the late Gary Dineen, one of the founders of the New England Junior Hockey League and of the New England Junior Falcons *2013 NJ Hitmen *2012 NH Jr. Monarchs *2011 NH Jr. Monarchs *2010 NH Jr. Monarchs *2009 NJ Hitmen *2008 NJ Hitmen *2007 NH Jr. Monarchs *2006 NH Jr. Monarchs *2005 Junior Bruins *2004 NH Jr. Monarchs *2003 NY Apple Core *2002 NH Jr. Monarchs *2001 Walpole Stars *2000 NE Jr. Coyotes *1999 Walpole Stars *1998 NE Jr. Coyotes *1997 NE Jr. Whalers *1996 NE Jr. Whalers *1995 Niagara Scenics *1994 NECDL Classics

Timeline of teams

* Matt O'Neil Lightning (1993–98), became Boston Harbor Wolves became Boston Jr. Shamrocks, became the Philadelphia Revolution * Tyngsboro Huskies (1993–2001), became Lowell Jr. Lock Monsters (2001–2004), became

New England Jr. Huskies The Islanders Hockey Club are an American junior ice hockey organization from Tyngsborough, Massachusetts. They field teams in the United States Premier Hockey League National Collegiate Development Conference, Premier Division, and Elite Divisio ...

* Springfield Olympics (Pics) became New England Jr. Whalers became New England Jr. Coyotes became New England Jr. Falcons * New England College Development League (NECDL) Classics (1993–1997), became Walpole Stars (1997–2006), became Foxboro Stars (2006–2007), became South Shore Kings (2007–present) * Niagara Scenic (1994–1995) * Rhode Island Sharks (1993–1998) folded after the 1997-1998 season * Granite State Stars (1993–1996), became Great Northern Snow Devils (1996–1999) became Exeter Snow Devils (1999–2001), became

New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs The New Hampshire Junior Monarchs are a junior and youth ice hockey organization from Hooksett, New Hampshire, with teams in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). Its highest level junior team plays in the USPHL's National Collegiate De ...

* Green Mountain Glades (2000-2012), became the

New England Junior Huskies The Islanders Hockey Club are an American junior ice hockey organization from Tyngsborough, Massachusetts. They field teams in the United States Premier Hockey League National Collegiate Development Conference, Premier Division, and Elite Division ...

(1995-2012), became the Middlesex Islanders *

Capital District Selects The Connecticut Chiefs are a Junior Tier III ice hockey team from Newington, Connecticut, playing in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL). Previously known as the Oilers, the organization also had youth teams, ranging from age groups of 6 to 16-year ...

(1996-2012), became the

* Syracuse Stars (2005-2009), moved to Rochester to become the Rochester Stars (2010-2013) and Rochester Jr. Americans (2013-2016)

References

External links

Official USA Hockey WebsiteCommonwealth of Massachusetts Corporations Listing, incorporated in 2003Articles of incorporationUSA Hockey Magazine Issue 0405 (Apr 05), "The Beast of the East"Gary Dineen Hockey School
{{Junior Hockey 3