History
The SOJHL was known as the OHA Junior Development Hockey League until the Summer of 2006. The OHAJDL was created from the merging of the Western Junior D Hockey League and the Southern Counties Junior D Hockey League and absorption of the folded Northern Junior D Hockey League. The league acts as the farm system for many local Junior B teams. The league has a long history and is the product of the many downsizings of classifications in the OHA.
The winner of the SOJHL's playoffs earns the Ontario Hockey Association Cup, but this may change soon. The skill level of the SOJHL is comparable to the Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League. During the summer of 2006, the Yeck Conference applied to break off from the league and start their own Junior C league, but were turned down by the OHA. A talented and entertaining league, the SOJHL has a long standing tradition of the OHA in the Southwestern Ontario region.
The SOJHL downsized extensively for the 2008-09 season, losing Mitchell, West Lorne, and Central Elgin. The league also reformatted into three divisions.
The SOJHL saw the Central Elgin franchise return, this time as the Port Stanley Sailors, for the 2009-2010 season.
As of 2012, the SOJHL is in talks with the OHA as to the future of the league. The 2012-13 season will be played at the Junior C level and the league will be folded and divided up into other leagues in the summer of 2013.
In the Spring of 2013, Junior C hockey in Ontario had its first major realignment since the creation of the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League in 1994. The 27 teams between the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League and the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League were reshuffled. The SOJHL went from 15 to 9 teams, gaining the Aylmer Spitfires, but losing their reigning champion Ayr Centennials, the Burford Bulldogs, Delhi Travellers, Hagersville Hawks, Norfolk Rebels, Tavistock Braves, and Wellesley Applejacks.
Read more about this topic: Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
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