The Alberta Junior Hockey League announced the 2017-2018 League Schedule today, which will include a 42-game Exhibition Season starting on August 29th, 2017. Opening Weekend for the 2017-2018 AJHL Regular Season will highlight all 16 teams in 15 games from Friday, September 15th – Sunday, September 17th.
AJHL Teams will open Main Camp starting on Friday, August 25th in lead up to the Exhibition Season. Included in the Exhibition Schedule is a six-team tournament hosted by the Camrose Kodiaks from August 30th – September 1st. The Bonnyville Pontiacs will play North Battleford of the SJHL in a home and home series during the pre-season. It is anticipated that four additional pre-season games will be scheduled against BCHL opponents as well.
The Camrose Kodiaks will host the 11th Annual AJHL Showcase in Camrose, Alberta from September 28th – 30th, 2017. For a second consecutive year, the Sherwood Park Crusaders and Spruce Grove Saints will play in a Pre-Showcase game in Sherwood Park on September 27th. Event details including scouting packages, ticket prices and volunteer opportunities for the AJHL Showcase will be released in June 2017.
The 2017 World Junior A Challenge will be held in Truro, NS from December 10th – 16th, 2017. The 2018 CJHL Prospects Game will follow in January 2018 (location and dates TBD). Each of the players chosen to participate in the CJHL Prospects Game are selected by NHL Central Scouting and are among the top 40 CJHL prospects heading into the annual NHL Entry Draft.
The AJHL will break for the holidays from December 21st – 28th, then ring in 2018 with 14 games between Friday, December 29th – Monday, January 1st. The Camrose Kodiaks and Brooks Bandits will host New Year’s Day games on January 1st, 2018.
For a fourth straight year, the Canmore Eagles will take AJHL hockey to the town of Banff, Alberta. Canmore will host the Bonnyville Pontiacs in Banff on November 21st and the Okotoks Oilers on January 23rd. A number of additional satellite games in Alberta communities are expected to be announced over the coming weeks.
The Lloydminster Bobcats and Sherwood Park Crusaders have asked local kids to ‘Play Hooky’ for the day! The Crusaders have scheduled an afternoon Hooky Game against the Camrose Kodiaks at 12 noon on Thursday, September 21st. The Crusaders will then travel to Lloydminster for a Hooky Game against the Bobcats in Lloydminster at 12 noon on Wednesday, January 24th.
The 2017-2018 AJHL Regular Season will consist of 16 teams, playing 60 games apiece, from Friday, September 15th, 2017 to Sunday, March 4th, 2018. The AJHL will move to a Full Interlock Schedule for the 2018-2019 Season, in which all 16 teams will play each opponent four times.
CJHL Trade Deadline
The National Junior Trade Deadline is January 10th, 2018 as per Hockey Canada Regulations.
2018 AJHL Playoffs
The 2018 AJHL Playoffs will open on Thursday, March 8th, 2018. 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 AJHL Final.
The Western Canada Cup format will not be continued by the AJHL and its three Western partners. The AJHL Champion will once again advance to a best-of-seven series versus the BCHL Champion for the right to represent the West at the RBC Cup National Championship, similar to the Doyle Cup format that was used from 1962-2012. The best-of-seven series will begin in the BCHL on April 27th & 28th, 2018.
2018 RBC Royal Bank Cup (National Junior A Championship)
The 2018 RBC Cup will take place from May 12th – 20th in Chilliwack, BC.
A complete League Schedule is now available on the AJHL Website www.AJHL.ca. The AJHL schedule can be exported directly to online calendars and mobile devices through the Schedule Page on the AJHL website.