The Alberta Junior Hockey League held its Annual League Meetings throughout the week of May 24th, concluding with the 2016 Annual General Meeting of the AJHL Board of Governors on Saturday, May 28th. The week included the Annual AJHL Coaches Meeting, League Scheduling Meeting, Management Committee Meeting and Annual General Meeting.
A summary of the decisions approved at the 2016 AJHL Annual General Meeting and important dates for the 2016-2017 AJHL Season are listed below:
A new partnership between Hockey Alberta and the Alberta Junior Hockey League will provide exciting opportunities for 80 athletes (2000 born) participating in a six?day development camp in Camrose from July 19th ? 24th, 2016.
AJHL Teams will open Main Camp for the 2016-2017 Season starting on Friday, August 26th. The AJHL Regular Season will commence on Friday, September 16th. The 480-game schedule will include 16 teams participating in 60 regular season games apiece, including two games at the Annual AJHL Showcase. The complete 2016-2017 League Schedule will be announced in mid-June.
The Camrose Kodiaks will host the 2016 AJHL Showcase in Camrose, Alberta. The 10th Annual Showcase will take place from September 29th – October 1st, 2016. Details surrounding the event including scouting packages, tickets, volunteer opportunities and the tournament schedule will be released over the coming weeks.
The AJHL will apply an increased emphasis on blow to the head and goaltender interference infractions through the strengthening of rules within the Junior A Supplement. Increased supplementary discipline will be enforced for these infractions beginning in the 2016-2017 season.
All AJHL games will now include a 60 second media timeout following the 10 minute mark of each period. The in-game break will offer opportunities for promotional activities, broadcast commitments and video board features.
The concept of an AJHL Draft, beginning in the 2017-2018 season, was rejected by the AJHL Coaches Committee and Board of Governors.
The AJHL and its three Western partners, the BCHL, SJHL and MJHL, have reached the final year of the Western Canada Cup agreement. The 2017 event will be hosted by the Penticton Vees of the BCHL in Penticton, BC. The decision to continue with the current format or explore an alternate championship structure will be evaluated over the final months of 2016.
The Brooks Bandits have submitted a bid to host the 2018 RBC Cup National Junior A Championship. Hockey Canada in partnership with the CJHL received presentations from all applicants during the 2016 RBC Cup in Lloydminster and will announce the host committee at a later date.
The 2016-2017 AJHL Management Committee will include Rod Knelsen (Drumheller Dragons), Pat Loyer (Calgary Canucks) and Kevin Pratt (Camrose Kodiaks) as the South Division representatives. The North Division will be represented by Brian Morrison (Lloydminster Bobcats), David Fitzgerald (Fort McMurray Oil Barons) and Darren Myshak (Spruce Grove Saints). Thank you to Wayne Lauinger (Okotoks Oilers), Ray Mildenberger (Grande Prairie Storm) and Kyle Chase (Sherwood Park Crusaders) for your service over the past three years.
The AJHL Management Committee has also formed a sub-committee identified as the Strategic Planning Committee, which will bring forth recommendations at the 2016 AJHL Semi Annual Meeting regarding the league schedule, playoff format, championship structure, division alignment, parity, and roster size and the overall future direction of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
The Alberta Junior Hockey League is currently operating under the direction of Chairman Greg Wood and Commissioner Ryan Bartoshyk. The AJHL Staff consists of Fran Gow (Vice President of Hockey Operations), Charla Flett (Vice-President, Communications), George McCorry (Vice President, Officiating), Dean Laschowski (Video Review Manager), Curtis Nichols (Supervisor of Officials) and Ken Dentzien (Referee Assignor).
The 2016 AJHL Semi-Annual Meeting will take place in Red Deer, Alberta on November 19th, 2016. The Annual AJHL Trainer’s Meeting and Annual Marketing Meeting will precede the Semi-Annual Meeting in August 2016.