The Alberta Junior Hockey League will open the 2018-19 regular season on Friday, September 14th following a 50-game exhibition schedule. The 2018-19 season marks the 55th season of the Alberta Junior Hockey League and will feature several international and national events including the opportunity to host the 2019 National Championship.
The 2018 AJHL Exhibition Season begins on August 28th and will include six interleague games versus the Humboldt Broncos, Kindersley Klippers and Battlefords North Stars. AJHL pre-season action will be played in several new communities with games scheduled in Frog Lake, Carstairs, De Winton, Peace River and Rocky Mountain House. The Camrose Kodiaks will once again host a six-team pre-season tournament from August 29th-31st.
AJHL Opening Weekend will involve all 16 teams competing in 16 games from Friday, September 14th – Sunday, September 16th. September will conclude with the 12th Annual AJHL Showcase in Camrose, Alberta from September 27th – 29th, 2018. Event details including scouting packages, ticket prices and volunteer opportunities for the AJHL Showcase will be released throughout the summer months.
AJHL Teams will be encouraging local kids to ‘Play Hooky’ for the day this Fall! The Crusaders and Bobcats have planned a home and home series with afternoon Hooky Games in Sherwood Park on Wednesday, October 11th and Lloydminster on Wednesday, October 17th. The Brooks Bandits are also welcoming schools for the day on Wednesday, November 21st in a noon game against the Drayton Valley Thunder.
The World Junior A Challenge – a showcase of Canadian and international Junior A talent – is returning to Bonnyville, AB, for the second time in three years when the town hosts the event December 9th-15th, 2018. The World Junior A Challenge represents a partnership between Hockey Canada, the CJHL, Hockey Alberta and NHL Central Scouting. Two Canadian teams, Canada East and Canada West, compete with four international entries for a gold medal.
The Sherwood Park Crusaders will introduce Vermilion, AB to AJHL hockey on December 15th when they host the Bonnyville Pontiacs in a regular season game. The Canmore Eagles will continue the tradition of bringing AJHL hockey to the town of Banff, AB when they host the Calgary Canucks on January 23rd.
The Holiday Season will include 12 games between Christmas and the New Year, topped off by the Camrose Kodiaks and Brooks Bandits hosting New Year’s Day games to welcome 2019.
The CJHL Prospects Game will be held in an AJHL community on Tuesday, January 22nd; the host team will be determined and announced in the off-season. Players chosen to participate in the CJHL Prospects Game are selected by NHL Central Scouting and will be among the top 40 CJHL prospects heading into the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
In February 2019, the AJHL will celebrate Family Day with seven games scheduled for Monday, February 18th. Host teams will provide great family day entertainment, post-game skates, special in-game promotions and pre-game activities.
The 2019 Inter Pipeline AJHL Playoffs will open on Thursday, March 7th, 2019. The top team in each division will receive a first round bye. The Viterra AJHL South Division and Viterra AJHL North Division will playoff to determine a divisional champion at the conclusion of Round Three. The North Division Champion and the South Division Champion will then compete in the Inter Pipeline Cup Final.
The season concludes with the 2019 National Junior A Championship in Brooks, AB from May 11th-19th. With ticket sales and planning well underway, the community of Brooks is sure to set a new precedent as hosts of the National Championship. The host Brooks Bandits will compete with the four regional champions (Central, East, Pacific, West) in the tournament. The schedule features 10 preliminary-round games, two semifinals, and a championship game.
A complete League Schedule is now available on the AJHL Website AJHL.ca. The AJHL schedule can be exported to calendars and mobile devices through the Schedule Page on the AJHL website.