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The Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL) was a
USA Hockey USA Hockey is a national ice hockey organization in the United States. It is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee as the governing body for organized ice hockey in the United S ...
-sanctioned Tier III junior
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
league. Founded in 1993 by Dan Esdale, the EJHL had fourteen teams from across the Northeastern United States. The EJHL champion then competed for the National Championship against the champions of the other Tier III leagues and a host city. The
New Jersey Hitmen The Jersey Hitmen are a junior and youth ice hockey organization with teams in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL), with its top level junior team playing in the USPHL's National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC). The organ ...
were the final EJHL Champions after the 2012–13 season.


History

The league was formed in 1993 with the NECDL Classics, the Rhode Island Sharks, the Tyngsborough Huskies, the Matt O'Neil Lightning, the Granite State Stars and the Springfield Olympics. The following year the
Niagara Scenics The Buffalo Jr. Sabres are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Buffalo, New York. They are part of the Ontario Junior A Hockey League. Its current general manager is Sean Wallace. History This franchise was established in Buffalo, New York, in 1975 ...
joined the league from the
North American Hockey League The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is in its 50th season of operation in 2024–25. It is the only Tier II junior league sanctioned by USA Hockey, and acts as an alternati ...
. The Scenics later left for the
Metro Junior A Hockey League The Metro Junior "A" Hockey League was a junior level ice hockey league based out of Southern Ontario. The league originated in 1956 as the Metro Junior "B" Hockey League, which lasted until 1991, when it changed its designation from Junior B to ...
in
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
. In the subsequent years, the league has added the Bridgewater Bandits (1996); Valley Jr. Warriors (1996); NY Apple Core (1997); Capital District (1999); Bay State Breakers (1999); Junior Bruins (1999); Green Mountain Glades (2000); NJ Hitmen (2004) and the Syracuse Stars (2005 and later moved to Rochester in 2010) who joined from the
Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada. It is under the supervision of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). The league dates back to 1954 where i ...
. The league has quickly been gaining prestige across the United States as teams such as the Hitmen and Monarchs compete with other top junior teams. However, during the 2012–13 season, EJHL members the
Boston Junior Bruins The Boston Junior Bruins are an American junior ice hockey organization playing in Marlborough, Massachusetts. They currently field three junior and a number of youth teams in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). History The Boston J ...
,
Islanders Hockey Club The Islanders Hockey Club are an American junior ice hockey organization from Tyngsborough, Massachusetts. They field teams in the United States Premier Hockey League National Collegiate Development Conference, Premier Division, and Elite Divi ...
(formerly Middlesex Islanders),
New Jersey Hitmen The Jersey Hitmen are a junior and youth ice hockey organization with teams in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL), with its top level junior team playing in the USPHL's National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC). The organ ...
, and the
South Shore Kings The South Shore Kings are a Tier III Junior A ice hockey team playing in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). The team plays at the Foxboro Sports Center located in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The organization fields Tier III teams in th ...
announced they were forming a new league called the
United States Premier Hockey League The United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) is an American ice hockey league. Founded in 2012, the USPHL has grown to over 60 organizations from across the United States/Canada fielding teams in the National Collegiate Development Conference ...
. They would eventually be followed by the
Bay State Breakers The United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) is an American ice hockey league. Founded in 2012, the USPHL has grown to over 60 organizations from across the United States/Canada fielding teams in the National Collegiate Development Conference ...
and the Portland Jr. Pirates from the EJHL while adding other teams to make up the Premier Division of the USPHL. The EJHL would disband when the
Boston Bandits The Bridgewater Bandits, also called the Boston Bandits, are a junior ice hockey organization from Bridgewater, Massachusetts, in the United States, with teams playing in the United States Premier Hockey League. The organization plays home games ...
, Connecticut Oilers,
New Hampshire Junior Monarchs The New Hampshire Junior Monarchs were a junior and youth ice hockey organization from Hooksett, New Hampshire, with teams in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). Its highest level junior team played in the USPHL's National Collegiat ...
,
New York Apple Core The New York Apple Core are a Tier III Junior A ice hockey team from Brewster, New York, playing in the Eastern Hockey League. The team plays home games at the Brewster Ice Arena. The Apple Core organization is based out of Long Beach, New York, ...
,
Philadelphia Revolution The Philadelphia Revolution were a Tier III Junior A ice hockey team in the Eastern Hockey League. The team played home games at Revolution Ice Gardens (formerly The Rink at Warwick), in Warwick Township, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. ...
, and the Valley Jr. Warriors joined the Atlantic Junior Hockey League which would rename itself to the
Eastern Hockey League The Eastern Hockey League was a minor professional United States ice hockey league. Eastern Amateur Hockey League (1933–1953) The league was founded in 1933 as the Eastern Amateur Hockey League (EAHL). The league was founded by Tommy Lockhart ...
.


Teams

Teams that played in the final 2012–13 season.


Champions

The winning team in the EJHL was awarded the Gary Dineen Cup, named for
Gary Dineen Daniel Gary Patrick Dineen (December 24, 1943 – April 1, 2006) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. Dineen played five seasons with the Canadian national amateur team, including at the 1964 and 1968 Winter Olympics where he w ...
, one of the founders of the New England Junior Hockey League (1973–1989, an indirect predecessor of the EJHL), and of the EJHL New England Junior Falcons. *1994 NECDL Classics *1995 Niagara Scenics *1996 NE Jr. Whalers *1997 NE Jr. Whalers *1998 NE Jr. Coyotes *1999 Walpole Stars *2000 NE Jr. Coyotes *2001 Walpole Stars *2002 NH Jr. Monarchs *2003 NY Apple Core *2004 NH Jr. Monarchs *2005 Junior Bruins *2006 NH Jr. Monarchs *2007 NH Jr. Monarchs *2008 NJ Hitmen *2009 NJ Hitmen *2010 NH Jr. Monarchs *2011 NH Jr. Monarchs *2012 NH Jr. Monarchs *2013 NJ Hitmen source:


Timeline of teams

* Matt O'Neil Lightning (1993–98), became Boston Harbor Wolves became Boston Jr. Shamrocks, became the Philadelphia Revolution * Tyngsboro Huskies (1993–2001), became Lowell Jr. Lock Monsters (2001–2004), became New England Jr. Huskies * Springfield Olympics (Pics) became New England Jr. Whalers became New England Jr. Coyotes became New England Jr. Falcons * New England College Development League (NECDL) Classics (1993–1997), became Walpole Stars (1997–2006), became Foxboro Stars (2006–2007), became South Shore Kings (2007–present) *
Niagara Scenic Niagara may refer to: Geography Niagara Falls and nearby places In both the United States and Canada *Niagara Falls, the famous waterfalls in the Niagara River *Niagara River, part of the U.S.–Canada border *Niagara Escarpment, the cliff ...
(1994–1995) * Rhode Island Sharks (1993–1998) folded after the 1997-1998 season * Granite State Stars (1993–1996), became Great Northern Snow Devils (1996–1999) became Exeter Snow Devils (1999–2001), became New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs *
Green Mountain Glades The Green Mountain Glades was a Tier III Junior A ice hockey team in the Eastern Junior Hockey League's North Division from 2000-2012. Overview The team played its home games at Cairns Arena, a 600-seat arena in the suburb of South Burlington ...
(2000–2012), became the Portland Jr. Pirates * New England Junior Huskies (1995–2012), became the Middlesex Islanders * Capital District Selects (1996–2012), became the Connecticut Oilers * Syracuse Stars (2005–2009), moved to Rochester to become the Rochester Stars (2010–2013) and Rochester Jr. Americans (2013–2016)


References


External links


Official USA Hockey Website
{{Junior Hockey Junior ice hockey leagues in the United States Defunct junior ice hockey leagues in the United States