The 2023–24 AJHL season was the 60th season of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). The season began with 16 teams and ended with 11 teams after the surprise mid-season departure of five teams to join the BCHL. The Calgary Canucks swept the Whitecourt Wolverines in 4 games to win the league championship.[1]
| 2023–24 AJHL season | |
|---|---|
| League | Alberta Junior Hockey League |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Duration | Pre-season August - September Regular season September - March Post-season March - April |
| Number of games | 57 |
| Number of teams | 16 (August-January) 11 (February-April) |
| Regular season | |
| Season champions | Whitecourt Wolverines |
| Post-season | |
| Finals champions | Calgary Canucks |
| Runners-up | Whitecourt Wolverines |
League changes
editThe season began with 16 teams distributed between 2 divisions of 8 teams each. On January 20, 2024, the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) announced that the Blackfalds Bulldogs, Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Sherwood Park Crusaders, and Spruce Grove Saints would move from the AJHL to the BCHL in the 2024-25 season.[2] The BCHL had planned to wait until the end of the season to make the announcement, however rumours had already begun to circulate online.[3] The AJHL responded to the announcement by cancelling most of the five teams' remaining scheduled matches except those between each other.[4][5] It was then decided by the BCHL that the five teams would play out the rest of the season as a stand-alone division under the aegis of the BCHL. The AJHL then consolidated the remaining teams from its North and South divisions into a single unit for the rest of the season.[6][7][8]
The league began a pilot program for video review on goals at specific arenas.[9] It subsequently decided to extend the pilot program through the 2024–25 season.[10][11]
Regular season
edit
125miles
The standings at the end of the regular season were as follows:
| Team | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitecourt Wolverines | 57 | 34 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 73 |
| Lloydminster Bobcats | 57 | 33 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 66 |
| Calgary Canucks | 57 | 31 | 23 | 1 | 2 | 65 |
| Bonnyville Pontiacs | 57 | 30 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 64 |
| Drumheller Dragons | 57 | 26 | 23 | 5 | 3 | 60 |
| Grande Prairie Storm | 57 | 24 | 26 | 4 | 3 | 55 |
| Canmore Eagles | 57 | 25 | 29 | 2 | 1 | 53 |
| Camrose Kodiaks | 57 | 22 | 28 | 0 | 7 | 51 |
| Drayton Valley Thunder | 57 | 19 | 35 | 2 | 1 | 41 |
| Fort McMurray Oil Barons | 57 | 17 | 34 | 3 | 3 | 40 |
| Olds Grizzlys | 57 | 10 | 41 | 3 | 3 | 26 |
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout losses, Pts = Points
Source: "2022-23 Alberta Junior Hockey League [AJHL] standings". hockeydb.com. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
Scoring leaders
editGP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, P = Points, PIM = Penalties In Minutes
|
Leading goaltenders
editNote: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, GA = Goals Against, Sv% = Save Percentage, GAA = Goals Against Average, SO = Shutouts, Mins = Minutes played.
|
Post-season
edit| 1st round | Semifinals | Finals | |||||||||
| Whitecourt | 4 | ||||||||||
| Camrose | 1 | ||||||||||
| Whitecourt | 4 | ||||||||||
| Canmore | 3 | ||||||||||
| Lloydminster | 2 | ||||||||||
| Canmore | 4 | ||||||||||
| Whitecourt | 0 | ||||||||||
| Calgary | 4 | ||||||||||
| Calgary | 4 | ||||||||||
| Grande Prairie | 2 | ||||||||||
| Calgary | 4 | ||||||||||
| Drumheller | 1 | ||||||||||
| Bonnyville | 0 | ||||||||||
| Drumheller | 4 | ||||||||||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Alberta Junior Hockey League 2023-2024 Playoffs". ajhl.ca. Alberta Junior Hockey League. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ Saelhof, Todd (4 February 2024). "AJHL moving forward — and 'excited' — after exodus of teams to B.C." Calgary Herald. Postmedia. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ^ "BCHL agrees to terms with five Alberta-based teams". bchl.ca. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ^ Gustafson, Ian (25 January 2024). "Alberta hockey league cancels multiple games after 5 teams defect to BCHL". Penticton Western News. Black Press. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
- ^ Saelhof, Todd (25 January 2024). "AJHL revamps schedule in wake of losing five teams". Calgary Herald. Postmedia. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
- ^ Wolf, Sydney (1 February 2024). "Five AJHL teams set to join BCHL, effective immediately". therinklive.com. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ "BCHL announces finalized franchise agreements and integration with five Alberta-based teams". bchl.ca. British Columbia Hockey League. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
- ^ "AJHL statement on five defecting teams". ajhl.ca. Alberta Junior Hockey League. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
- ^ Gustafson, Ian (29 May 2023). "AJHL announces rule changes for upcoming season". Red Deer Advocate. Black Press Media. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
- ^ "AJHL hosts successful AGM in Canmore, AB". ajhl.ca. Alberta Junior Hockey League. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ "AJHL releases schedule for upcoming 2024-25 season". Red Deer Advocate. Black Press Media. 13 June 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
Further reading
edit- Gustafson, Ian (26 January 2024). "AJHL seeking clarity, five departing clubs deny agreement with BCHL". Red Deer Advocate. Black Press Media. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
- Chowdhury, Nishat (22 January 2024). "Alberta Junior Hockey League faces shake-up as 5 teams move to independent BCHL". CBC News. CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
- Greer, Remy (20 January 2024). "Beyond Local: Five Alberta teams agree to terms to join the BCHL". St. Albert Gazette. Great West Media. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
- "AJHL cancels all games between five BCHL-bound teams and 11 remaining clubs". Sportsnet.ca. Rogers Digital Media. Canadian Press. 25 January 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2024.