Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League

The Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League (MMJHL) is a junior ice hockey league in Manitoba, Canada. Founded in 1970, the league was operated as an independent league. MMJHL affiliated with Hockey Manitoba and Hockey Canada in the mid-1990s. Teams compete annually for the Art Moug Trophy (regular season winner) and Jack McKenzie Trophy (playoff champion).

Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League
SportIce hockey
Founded1970
Inaugural season1970-71
PresidentKerry Lines
No. of teams10
Most recent
champion(s)		Pembina Valley Twisters (2019)
Most titlesCharleswood Hawks (16)
Official websiteMMJHL.ca

History

Founded in 1970,[1] the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League was created due to a lack of playing opportunities for Winnipeg-area players. After the restructuring of junior hockey in the country, Hockey Canada relegated the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) from Major Junior (previously known as Tier I) to Junior 'A' (Tier II), meaning there was no active "second-tier" league in the Winnipeg area.

The new league applied to the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association (now Hockey Manitoba) for membership and was initially accepted. When the MAHA was informed the league wanted to call itself the "Manitoba Junior 'B' Hockey League", MAHA objected on the grounds that the MJHL was in the process of constructing a developmental league for itself with that name. After negotiations between the MJHL and the new league did not work out, the league informed the MAHA that it would operate independently.

In 1977, the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association offered the league a Junior B status, instead of its requested Junior A status.[2] Affiliation with Hockey Manitoba did happen during the mid-1990s as insurance premiums became too much for league members.[3]

The league's first season started with the original four teams: Charleswood Hawks, Fort Garry Blues, River Heights Cardinals and Stonewall Rockets. Only a week into the season, the league was contacted by teams in Portage la Prairie and St. James who were looking for a league to play in after the MJHL's attempt to create a Junior 'B' league failed. Soon after, Neepawa approached the league also, but due to travel did not join. Instead, Neepawa participated in at least two interleague games against each team. In the second season, a team from Kenora, Ontario did this as well.

At the end of the first season, the MMJHL was allowed to send a "champion" (St. James) to compete against the MAHA Junior 'B' champion.

The Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League name comes from the league's adaptation of the Western Hockey League's player eligibility rules (permitted to roster four "over-age" 21-year-old players).

Teams
TeamCentreFoundedMcKenzie Trophy titles Moug Trophy titles
Charleswood HawksEric Coy Arena197016 14
Fort Garry/Fort Rouge TwinsCentury Arena19707 5
Pembina Valley TwistersMorris Multiplex20013 3
Raiders Junior Hockey Club Seven Oaks Sportsplex 1977 3 4
River East Royal KnightsTerry Sawchuk Memorial Arena19817 8
St. Boniface RielsSouthdale Community Centre19715 7
St. James CanucksSt.James Civic Centre Arena19781 1
St. Vital VictoriasSt. Vital Centennial Arena19751 3
Stonewall JetsVeterans Memorial Sports Complex20011 0
Transcona Railer ExpressEd Golding Memorial Arena20120 0

Former teams
  • East Kildonan Knights (1972–81)
  • Kern-Hill Nationals (1973–75)
  • Midland Flyers (1975–85)
  • Portage la Prairie (1970–72)
  • River Heights Cardinals (1970–78)
  • Selkirk (1972–73)
  • Stonewall (1970–71)
  • Transcona Railers (1983-2011)
  • Transcona Titans (1972–76)
  • West Kildonan Nev Knights (1972–75)

Champions
Season Jack McKenzie Trophy (playoff champion) Art Moug Trophy (regular season winner) Regular season record
1970-71 River Heights Cardinals River Heights Cardinals 23-3-6
1971-72 St. Boniface Riels St. Boniface Riels 22-6-2
1972-73 St. Boniface Riels St. Boniface Riels 24-7-4
1973-74 Charleswood Hawks Charleswood Hawks 25-8-2
1974-75 Fort Garry/Fort Rouge Blues West Kildonan Nev Knights 19-11-7
1975-76 Fort Garry/Fort Rouge Blues St. Boniface Riels 22-7-7
1976-77 Fort Garry/Fort Rouge Blues Fort Garry/Fort Rouge Blues 30-7-5
1977-78 Fort Garry/Fort Rouge Blues Fort Garry/Fort Rouge Blues 28-7-7
1978-79 Charleswood Hawks Seven Oaks Raiders 31-10-1
1979-80 Seven Oaks Raiders Seven Oaks Raiders 36-6-0
1980-81 Charleswood Hawks Charleswood Hawks 31-11-0
1981-82 River East Royal Knights St. Boniface Riels 28-13-0
1982-83 Fort Garry/Fort Rouge Bisons St. James Canucks 25-6-1
1983-84 Transcona Railers Transcona Railers 27-12-1
1984-85 St. Boniface Riels St. Boniface Riels 32-7-1
1985-86 St. Boniface Riels St. Boniface Riels 29-10-3
1986-87 River East Royal Knights River East Royal Knights 28-13-0
1987-88 River East Royal Knights River East Royal Knights 34-6-2
1988-89 River East Royal Knights River East Royal Knights 37-3-2
1989-90 River East Royal Knights River East Royal Knights 35-6-1
1990-91 Transcona Railers St. Vital Victorias 27-14-1
1991-92 Transcona Railers Transcona Railers 33-8-1
1992-93 River East Royal Knights River East Royal Knights 33-9-0
1993-94 Charleswood Hawks River East Royal Knights 33-8-1
1994-95 Charleswood Hawks River East Royal Knights 33-9-0
1995-96 Charleswood Hawks Charleswood Hawks 39-2-1
1996-97 Charleswood Hawks Charleswood Hawks 33-8-1
1997-98 St. James Canucks Charleswood Hawks 30-10-2
1998-99 Fort Garry/Rouge Twins Fort Garry/Rouge Twins 36-5-1
1999-00 Fort Garry/Rouge Twins Fort Garry/Rouge Twins 31-9-2
2000-01 River East Royal Knights Fort Garry/Rouge Twins 28-9-2-3
2001-02 Charleswood Hawks Charleswood Hawks 35-7-1-2
2002-03 Charleswood Hawks Charleswood Hawks 37-6-1-1
2003-04 St. Vital Victorias St. Vital Victorias 41-1-2-1
2004-05 Charleswood Hawks Charleswood Hawks 42-2-0-1
2005-06 Charleswood Hawks St. Vital Victorias 34-8-1-2
2006-07 Charleswood Hawks Charleswood Hawks 41-2-1-1
2007-08 Pembina Valley Twisters Charleswood Hawks 34-6-2-3
2008-09 Charleswood Hawks[4] Charleswood Hawks 35-8-2
2009-10 Charleswood Hawks Pembina Valley Twisters 35-7-3
2010-11 Charleswood Hawks Charleswood Hawks 40-3-2
2011-12 Charleswood Hawks[5][6] Charleswood Hawks 33-4-3
2012-13 Pembina Valley Twisters[7][8] Charleswood Hawks 37-4-4
2013-14 Raiders Jr. Hockey Club[9] St. Boniface Riels 37-6-2
2014-15 St. Boniface Riels Raiders Jr. Hockey Club 31-8-5
2015-16 Stonewall Jets Raiders Jr. Hockey Club 32-9-4
2016-17 Raiders Jr. Hockey Club Charleswood Hawks 30-10-5
2017-18 Raiders Jr. Hockey Club Raiders Jr. Hockey Club 37-3-5
2018-19 Pembina Valley Twisters Pembina Valley Twisters 35-6-4
2019-20 Playoffs Cancelled (Covid-19) Pembina Valley Twisters 35-7-3

League records
Category Team/Player Stats Season
Best regular season record St. Vital Victorias 41-1-2-1 2003-04
Most goals scored (team) in a season River East Royal Knights 346 (42 games) 1989-90
Fewest goals against (team) in a season Charleswood Hawks 84 (40 games) 2011-12
Most points (individual) in a season Tim Lorentz, Transcona Railers 51 goals, 103 assists 1991-92
Most goals (individual) in a season Scott Parker, River East Royal Knights 72 goals 1989-90
Best goalie GAA in a season** Ryan Hall, Charleswood Hawks 1.58 GAA 2017-18
Best goalie save% in a season** Ryan Hall, Charleswood Hawks .948 save% 2017-18

** = minimum of 12 games played

References
  1. "League Formation and early years". MMJHL. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  2. "Memorial Cup games shared". Lethbridge Herald. Lethbridge, Alberta. October 3, 1977. p. 28.
  3. "Independent or outlaw hockey league?". The Globe And Mail. 17 January 2011.
  4. "Charleswood Hawks win MMJHL Championship". Calgary Sun. 22 April 2009. Archived from the original on 5 January 2015.
  5. "Charleswood Hawks win MMJHL championship". Winnipeg Free Press. 20 April 2012.
  6. "Feeding The Beast". Winnipeg Free Press. 30 November 2012.
  7. "Twisters Win MMJHL Title". PembinaValley.com. 22 April 2013.
  8. "Can Pembina Valley Twisters defend their MMJHL title?". Metro News. 20 September 2013.
  9. "Raiders beat favoured Riels to win MMJHL crown". MyToba.ca. 12 April 2014.
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