The Lakehead Junior Hockey League is a Canadian

Junior Junior or Juniors may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * ''Junior'' (Junior Mance album), 1959 * ''Junior'' (Röyksopp album), 2009 * ''Junior'' (Kaki King album), 2010 * ''Junior'' (LaFontaines album), 2019 Films * ''Junior'' (1994 ...

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...

league in

Northwestern Ontario Northwestern Ontario is a secondary region of Northern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north and west of Lake Superior and west of Hudson Bay and James Bay. It includes most of subarctic Ontario. Its western boundary is the ...

, sanctioned by

Hockey Northwestern Ontario Hockey Northwestern Ontario (HNO) is the governing body of all ice hockey in Northern Ontario, Canada. Hockey Northwestern Ontario is a branch of Hockey Canada. Jurisdiction Empowered by Hockey Canada, Hockey Northwestern Ontario has control of ...

and

Hockey Canada Hockey Canada (which merged with the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association in 1994) is the national governing body of ice hockey and ice sledge hockey in Canada. It is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation and controls the majority ...

. An earlier edition of this league existed in the 1970s. The Thunder Bay-based league has produced three

Keystone Cup The Keystone Cup is the Junior B ice hockey championship and trophy for Western Canada. From 1983 to 2017, the championship was the culmination of the champions of 12 hockey leagues in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Northwe ...

Western Canada Junior "B" champion and six Brewers Cup Western Canada Junior "C" champions.

History

Formerly referred to as the Thunder Bay Junior B/Juvenile/AAA Hockey League, the LJHL league has, in the past, mixed itself with Juvenile and Midget "AAA" teams in the Thunder Bay region for regular season games. In those seasons, only the Junior teams are eligible for the playoffs. The league playoff champions earn the right to compete for the

, the Western Canadian Junior "B" championship. Hockey Canada does not offer a Junior "B" National championship therefore regional (Southern Ontario- Sutherland Cup, Ottawa District- Carson Trophy, Quebec-

Coupe Dodge The Quebec Provincial Hockey Championship (French: ''Championnats Provinciaux de Hockey'', known as Coupe Dodge, or the Dodge Cup for commercial reasons) is a provincial championship in the men's and women's amateur ice hockey leagues in Quebec, ...

, Atlantic Canada- Don Johnson Memorial Cup) winners lay claim as top teams at the level. From 1996 until 2004, the TBJBHL competed against the

North of Superior Junior B Hockey League The North of Superior Junior B Hockey League (NSHL) is a defunct Junior ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada. The league used to be a part of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. History The North of Superior Jun ...

in the William Ryan Trophy (Hockey Northwestern Ontario regionals) for the right to compete at the

. After the 2003–04 season, the NSHL folded with their last champion, the

Wawa Travellers The Wawa Travellers were a Junior "B" team based out of Wawa, Ontario. They played in the North of Superior Junior B Hockey League. History The Travellers played in all eight of the NSHL's seasons. After a slow start, the team moved through t ...

, losing their final game at the regional to the TBJBHL's

Thunder Bay Northern Hawks The Thunder Bay Northern Hawks are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team based in Thunder Bay, Ontario. They play in the Lakehead Junior Hockey League, formerly the Thunder Bay Junior B Hockey League. The Northern Hawks are 10-time Thunder Bay Junior ...

1993–94 Hurricanes

The Fort William Hurricanes did not manage to win the league championship in its first season, but it won the league's first National medal. The

Westfort Maroons The Westfort Maroons were a Junior "B" ice hockey team based in the Westfort Ward of Thunder Bay, Ontario. They played in the Thunder Bay Junior B Hockey League from 2000 to 2006. Season-by-season standings

* Won HNO Jr B Final against Ter ...

won the league championship while the Hurricanes played host to the Keystone Cup. The Hurricanes finished the round robin with a 3–1–1 record, losing a tiebreaker for second place to the

Kinistino Tigers The Kinistino Jr. Tigers were a team in the North Saskatchewan Junior B Hockey League (NSJHL) from 1970–1997. Originally called the Kinistino Tiger-Bruins, the team was renamed to the Tigers following the 1983–1984 season. The Tigers played ...

(

North Saskatchewan Junior B Hockey League The now defunct North Saskatchewan Junior B Hockey League (NSJHL) was an independent, successful Junior "B" ice hockey league in Saskatchewan, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada. The league comprised teams from cities and towns such as Saskat ...

) due to a head-to-head 4-1 loss. The Hurricanes defeated the North Okanagan Kings of the

Kootenay International Junior Hockey League The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) is a Junior "B" Ice Hockey league in British Columbia, Canada sanctioned by Hockey Canada. The winner of the Teck Cup competes with the champions of the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJ ...

8-7 to win the Keystone Cup Bronze medal game.

1998–99 Hurricanes

At the Northern Ontario regionals, the Fort William Hurricanes were dropped by the Hearst Elans of the

. The Herks hosted the 1999

regardless of regional qualifying. The Hurricanes finished the Keystone Cup round robin in a three-way tie for second place and a berth into the gold medal game with the

Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League The Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a junior "B" ice hockey league of 11 franchised member clubs, all of which are currently located in Canada, on Vancouver Island. The B ...

Campbell River Storm The Campbell River Storm are a Junior "B" ice hockey team based in Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the North Division of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL). The Storm play their home games at Rod Brin ...

and the

South Saskatchewan Junior B Hockey League The Prairie Junior Hockey League is a Junior "B" ice hockey league in Saskatchewan, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada. History Originally known as the South Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (1992–2006) the Prairie Junior Hockey League was ...

Assiniboia Southern Rebels The Prairie Junior Hockey League is a Junior "B" ice hockey league in Saskatchewan, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada. History Originally known as the South Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (1992–2006) the Prairie Junior Hockey League was ...

. During the robin, the Herks defeated Assiniboia 7–5 and Campbell River 6–4, thus winning the tie breaker. In the final they met the Edmonton Royals of the

Capital Junior Hockey League The Capital Junior Hockey League is a Junior "B" ice hockey league in Alberta, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada. The league was established in 1972 as the Edmonton Metropolitan Junior Hockey League. League playoff winners face off against the ...

and defeated them 5–3 to win the Keystone Cup. This championship marked the first Western Canada Jr. B championship since the league's inception in 1993.

2003–04 Northern Hawks

In the 2003–04 season, the

were a dominant champion, sporting a 22–0–2 perfect record and a Thunder Bay Junior B championship. In the

Northern Ontario Regional Junior B Hockey Championship The William Ryan Trophy is a Canadian ice hockey series to determine the Northwestern Ontario seed of the Keystone Cup - the Western Canada Junior "B" Hockey championship. Hockey Northwestern Ontario sanctioned league winners play-off for the trophy ...

, the Northern Hawks defeated the

four-games-straight to advance to the Keystone Cup tournament in

Schreiber, Ontario Schreiber is a municipal township in the Canadian province of Ontario, located on the northernmost point of Lake Superior along Highway 17. The town, with a population of approximately 1100 people, is almost completely located inside the geogr ...

. At the Keystone Cup, the Northern Hawks finished with 2 wins, 1 loss, and 2 ties, which earned them a spot in the tournament's bronze medal game. The Hawks fell in the Bronze Medal Game 7–5 to the

Heritage Junior B Hockey League Heritage may refer to: History and society * A heritage asset is a preexisting thing of value today ** Cultural heritage is created by humans ** Natural heritage is not * Heritage language Biology * Heredity, biological inheritance of physical c ...

Red Deer Vipers The Red Deer Vipers are a Junior "B" Ice Hockey team based in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the North Division of the Heritage Junior B Hockey League (HJHL). They played their home games at Red Deer Arena until 2016 when it was to ...

2008–09 Queens

The K&A Queens were awarded the right to host the 2009

. For the first time in over ten years, a Thunder Bay Junior B team finished the Keystone Cup round robin with a perfect record. The Queens (5–0) went into the final against the

Pacific International Junior Hockey League The Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL), formerly Pacific International Junior Hockey League, (PIJHL) until 2012 is a Canadian junior ice hockey league which operates in the Lower mainland of British Columbia. Although the PJHL has included Amer ...

Richmond Sockeyes The Richmond Sockeyes are a Junior "B" ice hockey team based in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. They were named the "Sockeyes" by the original owner and longtime Richmond resident and B.C. hockey volunteer and leader Bruce Allison in 1972. ...

, but fell 6–5 in double overtime to take the Silver Medal. The finish was the best performance by a Thunder Bay Junior B club since the 1999

Fort William Hurricanes The Westfort Hurricanes were a Canadian Junior ice hockey club from Fort William, Ontario. The Herks were members of the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League and were Abbott Cup finalists once. History In 1972, the Hurricanes broke away from the ...

, who won the Keystone Cup. At the end of the season, the Queens jumped to Junior A, joining the

Superior International Junior Hockey League The Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) is a junior A ice hockey league and a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) and Hockey Canada. The league operates in the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. states of M ...

2011–12 Northern Hawks

The Northern Hawks finished first in the league with a 30–2–0 record. They blasted the Schreiber Falcons 3-games-to-none in a lopsided semifinal playoff series and then defeated the

Nipigon Elks The Nipigon Elks are a Canadian Junior B ice hockey team based in Nipigon, Ontario. They play in the Lakehead Junior Hockey League of Hockey Northwestern Ontario. History The Elks are five-time Western Canadian Brewers Cup champions. They won th ...

4-games-to-1 to win the Thunder Bay championship in a very hard-fought series. The Northern Hawks shipped out to

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway, and has served as t ...

, for the 2012

. Despite leading 3–1 at one point, the Northern Hawks lost their opening game to the

Abbotsford Pilots The Abbotsford Pilots are a junior "B" ice hockey team based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Harold Brittain Conference of the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL). The Pilots play their home games at MSA Arena. Ja ...

of the

, 7–4. The Northern Hawks then went on a tear, defeating the Host Saskatoon Royals 6–3,

Keystone Junior Hockey League The Keystone Junior Hockey League (KJHL) is a Junior 'B' ice hockey league in the province of Manitoba, Canada. The league, sanctioned by Hockey Manitoba, was formerly known as the Manitoba Junior 'B' Hockey League. History The KJHL champion us ...

Arborg Ice Dawgs The Arborg Ice Dawgs are a junior "B" ice hockey team based in Arborg, Manitoba and a member of the Capital Region Junior Hockey League. The team was founded in 2006 and a member of the Keystone Junior Hockey League The Keystone Junior Hockey L ...

7–5,

North West Junior Hockey League The North West Junior Hockey League is a Junior "B" Ice Hockey league operating in the Peace River region of Alberta and British Columbia, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada. The winner of Northwest "B" playoffs earns the chance to compete for ...

Whitecourt Wolverines The Whitecourt Wolverines are a Junior ice hockey#Junior A, junior "A" ice hockey team in North Division of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) based in Whitecourt, Alberta, Canada. The 2012–13 season was their inaugural season in Whitecou ...

7–4, and the

Prairie Junior Hockey League The Prairie Junior Hockey League is a Junior "B" ice hockey league in Saskatchewan, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada. History Originally known as the South Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (1992–2006) the Prairie Junior Hockey League was ...

Pilot Butte Storm The Pilot Butte storm of 1995 was a powerful storm and tornado that devastated Pilot Butte, Saskatchewan on August 26, 1995. At about 4:40 p.m., a major wind and hailstorm started in the town. The storm later spawned a tornado, which touched ...

3–1 to earn a berth into the gold medal game with a 4–1–0 record. After four victories in a row, the Northern Hawks fell to the Pilots in the gold medal game, 9–1. The Northern Hawks' silver medal is the league's second in four seasons after being shut out from 2000 until the Wolverines won silver in 2009.

Teams

Former teams

Aguasabon River Rats The Aguasabon River Rats were a Junior "B" ice hockey team based out of Terrace Bay, Ontario. They played out of the North of Superior Junior B Hockey League (NSHL) and the Thunder Bay Junior B Hockey League. History The Aguasabon River Rats pla ...

(2004–05) * First Nation Screaming Eagles (2010–11) *Fort William Hurricanes (1993–2000) *

K&A Wolverines The Thunder Bay K&A Wolverines were a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Thunder Bay, Ontario. They were members of the Superior International Junior Hockey League. They played in the Thunder Bay Junior B Hockey League of Hockey Northweste ...

(2003–09) – joined

; folded after 2009–10 season *NNEC Wolfpack (2002–03) *North End Flames Juvenile AAA (2005–08) *Northern Renegades (2011–13) *

Northwestern Wildcats The Northwestern Wildcats are the athletic teams that represent Northwestern University, located in Evanston, Illinois. Northwestern is a founding member of the Big Ten Conference and the only private university in the conference. Northwestern ...

(1993–97) – joined

; folded after 2001-02 season *Smooth Rock Falls Thunder (2015) – ceased operations before the start of the season *Superior Eagles AAA (2008–09) *Thunder Bay Kings AAA (2008–11); (2015–19) *Thunder Bay Stars (2009–17) **Thunder Bay Fighting Walleye (2017–20) – sold and rebranded as

Thunder Bay Bandits The Thunder Bay Bandits are a Canadian junior B ice hockey team based in Thunder Bay, Ontario. They play in the Lakehead Junior Hockey League eligible to compete for the Keystone Cup Junior B championship of Western Canada. History The Thunder B ...

*Thunder Bay Wildcats (2015) – ceased operations after nine games * Thunder Bay Wolves (2000–01) – joined

* Won HNO Jr B Final against Ter ...

(1993–06)

Playoff Champions

2023 Playoffs

:Playoffs are best-of seven series. Winner advances to the