Continental Junior Hockey League
Encyclopedia
The Continental Junior Hockey League (CJHL) is a junior ice hockey
league based in the Northeastern United States
and Canada
. The league is currently affiliated with the Amateur Athletic Union
, previously independent. League President Jim Cashman is the former President of the now defunct semi-pro Gulf Coast Hockey League
and North Eastern Hockey League
.. League offices are based in Fort Erie, Ontario
and Erie, Pennsylvania
. The CJHL originally claimed to have 5 teams in Canada
and the United States of America for the inaugural season in 2010-11.
and Indiana, Pennsylvania
, June 4, 2010 in Syracuse, New York
and June 11, 2010 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania
. The Niagara Fury
were announced on June 25, 2010 on the league website.
On September 3, 2010 the Alpena Thunder
joined the league after their league, the Northern Junior Hockey League
folded. Prior to the start of the 2010-11 season it was announced that Johnstown, Indiana, and Syracuse would not play until the 2011-12 season.
The league's first ever game was on October 23, 2010, when the Alpena Thunder
defeated the Niagara Fury
6-4 in Alpena, Michigan
. As the only two teams in the league, they played a 18-game season for the 2010-11 season.
At the start of the 2011-12 season the CJHL only had two teams again, Erie and Niagara. After only three games played, the Blizzard quit the league looking for an independent schedule to end the season. The Blizzards soon returned to the league and it was announced that a team from New Jersey would be a third entity for 2011-12.
for sanctioning. As a part of this agreement the league claimed to have ascended to Tier II Junior A, which would put them on par with the likes of the North American Hockey League
. When hockey blog site AmericanJuniorHockey.com inquired to the AAU about the Tier II claim, the AAU informed the blog site that they did not have "tiered" hockey structures like USA Hockey
and that the claim was therefore false. The AAU also has launched an audit into the CJHL's prior roster keeping practices and allegations of using unsigned and uncarded players. Since these allegation, most mentions of the AAU have been removed from the CJHL website.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
league based in the Northeastern United States
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The league is currently affiliated with the Amateur Athletic Union
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
, previously independent. League President Jim Cashman is the former President of the now defunct semi-pro Gulf Coast Hockey League
Gulf Coast Hockey League
The Gulf Coast Hockey League was a short-lived minor professional ice hockey league in the Gulf Coast region of the United States. The league existed for the 2001-02 season, before folding.-2001/02 Teams:*Dallas Sabres*Houston Blast*Little Rock Wildcats...
and North Eastern Hockey League
North Eastern Hockey League
The North Eastern Hockey League was a semi-professional ice hockey league from 2003 until 2008. It was created by entrepreneur Jim Cashman, who served as league president. The NEHL was built to focus on giving players that were not quite ready for the ECHL, United Hockey League, and the Central...
.. League offices are based in Fort Erie, Ontario
Fort Erie, Ontario
Fort Erie is a town on the Niagara River in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. It is located directly across the river from Buffalo, New York....
and Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
. The CJHL originally claimed to have 5 teams in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States of America for the inaugural season in 2010-11.
Formation
The league was officially announced on May 28, 2010 on the league website. The teams were announced on June 2, 2010 in Erie, PennsylvaniaErie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
and Indiana, Pennsylvania
Indiana, Pennsylvania
Indiana is a borough in and the county seat of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 14,895 at the 2000 census.The borough and the region as a whole promotes itself as the "Christmas Tree Capital of the World" because the national Christmas Tree Grower's Association was...
, June 4, 2010 in Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
and June 11, 2010 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...
. The Niagara Fury
Niagara Fury
The Niagara Fury are a Junior A ice hockey team in the Continental Junior Hockey League. The team plays out of Chippawa Willoughby Memorial Arena in Chippawa, Ontario.-History:...
were announced on June 25, 2010 on the league website.
On September 3, 2010 the Alpena Thunder
Alpena Thunder
The Alpena Thunder are an independent Junior A ice hockey team. The team plays out of Northern Lights Arena in Alpena, Michigan.-History:The Franchise was formed in 2010 as an expansion franchise in the 2010-11 season of Northern Junior Hockey League. In August 2010 the Northern Junior Hockey...
joined the league after their league, the Northern Junior Hockey League
Northern Junior Hockey League
The Northern Junior Hockey League was an independent regional junior ice hockey league based in Jamestown, New York. The league's first and only season was the 2009-2010 season it included 7 teams including former UJHL teams....
folded. Prior to the start of the 2010-11 season it was announced that Johnstown, Indiana, and Syracuse would not play until the 2011-12 season.
The league's first ever game was on October 23, 2010, when the Alpena Thunder
Alpena Thunder
The Alpena Thunder are an independent Junior A ice hockey team. The team plays out of Northern Lights Arena in Alpena, Michigan.-History:The Franchise was formed in 2010 as an expansion franchise in the 2010-11 season of Northern Junior Hockey League. In August 2010 the Northern Junior Hockey...
defeated the Niagara Fury
Niagara Fury
The Niagara Fury are a Junior A ice hockey team in the Continental Junior Hockey League. The team plays out of Chippawa Willoughby Memorial Arena in Chippawa, Ontario.-History:...
6-4 in Alpena, Michigan
Alpena, Michigan
Alpena is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Alpena County. It is considered to be part of Northern Michigan. The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is located in the city. The population was 10,483 at the 2010 census...
. As the only two teams in the league, they played a 18-game season for the 2010-11 season.
At the start of the 2011-12 season the CJHL only had two teams again, Erie and Niagara. After only three games played, the Blizzard quit the league looking for an independent schedule to end the season. The Blizzards soon returned to the league and it was announced that a team from New Jersey would be a third entity for 2011-12.
Amateur Athletic Union
Early in the Summer of 2011, the CJHL entered into an agreement with the Amateur Athletic UnionAmateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
for sanctioning. As a part of this agreement the league claimed to have ascended to Tier II Junior A, which would put them on par with the likes of the North American Hockey League
North American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is enterting its 36th season in 2011-12. It is currently the only Junior A Tier II league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. The NAHL currently acts as an alternative to the United States Hockey League...
. When hockey blog site AmericanJuniorHockey.com inquired to the AAU about the Tier II claim, the AAU informed the blog site that they did not have "tiered" hockey structures like USA Hockey
USA Hockey
USA Hockey is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic Committee as the governing body for amateur ice hockey in the United States and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. The organization is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and has...
and that the claim was therefore false. The AAU also has launched an audit into the CJHL's prior roster keeping practices and allegations of using unsigned and uncarded players. Since these allegation, most mentions of the AAU have been removed from the CJHL website.
Teams
| Teams | |||||||||||||||||||
| Team | Arena | Location | |||||||||||||||||
| Erie Blizzard Erie Blizzard The Erie Blizzard are an independent Junior A ice hockey team in the Continental Junior Hockey League. The team plays out of Ice Center of Erie in Erie, Pennsylvania.-History:... |
Erie Civic Center | Erie, Pennsylvania Erie, Pennsylvania Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000... |
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| New Jersey Raiders | Gold Coast Arena | Farmingdale, New Jersey Farmingdale, New Jersey Farmingdale is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,329.... |
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| Niagara Fury Niagara Fury The Niagara Fury are a Junior A ice hockey team in the Continental Junior Hockey League. The team plays out of Chippawa Willoughby Memorial Arena in Chippawa, Ontario.-History:... |
Chippawa Community Centre | Chippawa, Ontario Chippawa, Ontario Chippawa is a community located within the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario.The village was founded in 1850, and became part of the City of Niagara Falls, Ontario by amalgamation in 1970. It is located on the Canadian shore of the Niagara River about 2 km upstream from Niagara Falls. It is... |
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