| Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League |
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The Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League is a Tier II Junior A Ice Hockey league under the supervision of the Ontario Hockey Association and the Canadian Junior A Hockey League . The league dates back to 1968 as the '''Central Junior B Hockey League'''. The Central turned Junior "A" before the 1993-94 season and changed its name to the OPJHL. The winner of the OPJHL playoffs and Frank L. Buckland Trophy competes for the Dudley Hewitt Cup with the winners of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Superior International Junior Hockey League . The winner of the Dudley Hewitt Cup then moves on to compete for the Royal Bank Cup . For the next round of the playoffs, please go to the Dudley Hewitt Cup . For the National Championship, please go to the Royal Bank Cup 2006 . HISTORY The Ontario Hockey Association Tier II Junior "A" League was born out of the creation of the Ontario Hockey League . The early 1970s sparked a vast reorganization of Canadian hockey right across the country. There have always been multiple tiers of junior hockey, but the top tier, then known as Ontario Hockey Association Junior "A", elected to split from the OHA and create its own level of hockey. The OHL was born out of this, as well was the Western Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in other parts of Canada. The new tier was known as Major Junior "A" hockey. The aftermath of the annexation of the top tier left a vaccuum for a new top tier of OHA hockey. What filled the gap was the Ontario Hockey Association Jr. "A" Hockey League, comprised of the top graduated Junior "B" teams from across the province. Teams like the Wexford Raiders , the Owen Sound Greys , and the Guelph Platers found their niches in the league. In the mid-80s, the more fincially secure teams got in a little greedy and made it their goal to buy an OPJHL championship. Due to this, after the 1986-87 season, as many as 4 teams folded due to Fiscal Imbalance and the OHA Jr. "A" League was forced to close its doors. The Central Junior B Hockey League dated back to at least the 1968-69 season. A high octane league, the Central has seen such championship teams as the Barrie Colts , Markham Waxers , Dixie Beehives , Oakville Blades , and the Streetsville Derbys . In 1987, when the OHA Junior "A" League folded, the Central agreed to take the remaining teams from the league. The Central grew from 8 teams in the late 1980s, to 17 teams by 1993. In 1991, the renegade Metro Junior A Hockey League was created to fill the Junior "A" hockey void across the southern part of the province. In 1993, the Central Junior B Hockey League was promoted to Junior "A" and renamed the "Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League". The year of 1993 also marked the year that the Canadian Junior A Hockey League was created. Since 1994, OPJHL teams have won 8 of 13 Dudley Hewitt Cup s as Central Canadian Champions and to earn a birth in the Royal Bank Cup . The summer of 1998 marked the death of the , Bramalea Blues , Buffalo Lightning , Durham Huskies , Huntsville Wildcats , Markham Waxers , Muskoka Bears , North York Rangers , Pickering Panthers , Port Hope Buzzards , Shelburne Wolves , Syracuse Jr. Crunch , Thornhill Rattlers , Wellington Dukes , and Wexford Raiders . The current OPJHL exists as an ever-healthy 36-team league. Although there is the odd fold, name change, or team relocation, the league has never been stronger and almost always provides an annual contender for the Royal Bank Cup . THE TEAMS
2005-06 FRANK L. BUCKLAND TROPHY PLAYOFFS The Final Four
Division Playdowns East/South
West/North
CHAMPIONS
DEFUNCT TEAMS
ALSO SEE
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