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| Canadian Hockey League | |
| Head Office | Toronto, Ontario |
| Official Web site | C.H.L. |
| President | David Branch |
| Vice Presidents | Gilles Courteau Rod Robinson |
| Founded | 1972 |
The Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization for three North American Major Junior "A" Tier I hockey leagues for players of 15 to 20 years of age.
The three member leagues are the Western Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
Introduction
The Canadian Hockey League is the governing body for Major Junior Hockey in Canada. Its precursor was the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA). It currently oversees the Western Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
The CHL is the primary development league for the National Hockey League. More than half the players in the National Hockey League for the 2005-2006 season had played in the CHL. The three CHL leagues are usually considered the world's top junior hockey leagues.
- Mission
The league provides many scholarships and bursaries for its players who exemplify extraordinary efforts and community involvement. These programs are supported by the many corporate sponsors.
Annual Events
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup Tournament is the championship of Junior Canadian hockey. Each year it features the champions from the (WHL, OHL, QMJHL) and the host CHL team.
The annual event is one the biggest sporting events in North America, attracting thousands of spectators and generating increasing revenue for the CHL teams and host city The event is currently sponsored by Mastercard.
- See: Memorial Cup history & winners
CHL Top Prospects Game
The CHL Top Prospects Game is an annual event sponsored by Home Hardware and hosted by the CHL in which 40 of the top NHL Entry Draft eligible prospects in the Canadian Hockey League play against each other much like an all-star game. Each draft prospect hopes to boost their draft ranking with the NHL scouts and general managers who attend.The players are typically coached by a pair of hockey celebrities, usually Don Cherry and Bobby Orr. The event has been held annually since 1992. From 1992 to 1995 the event was known as the CHL All-Star Challenge and usually pitted one of the CHL's leagues against the other two.
ADT Challenge Cup
This annual event sponsored by ADT and by hosted by the CHL showcases Canadian junior talent versus Russian junior talent. Each year a Russian junior team plays 6 games in toal in Canada, two games against each CHL member league (WHL,OHL,QMJHL).CHL Import Draft
Each year, every team in the CHL has the option to chose up to 2 players from outside North America to add to is roster. Picks are chosen in reverse order of the team's standings in the CHL.The Import Draft is seen as a way to raise the level of competition in the CHL, as well as to broaden its fan base while retaining high North American content.
CHL Awards
- List of annual awards given by the CHL:
- Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award
- CHL Defenceman of the Year
- CHL Goaltender of the Year
- CHL Humanitarian Player of the Year
- CHL Player of the Year
- CHL Rookie of the Year
- CHL Scholastic Player of the Year
- CHL Sportsman of the Year
- CHL Top Scorer Award
- Memorial Cup Awards:
Quick Facts
The league comprises 59 teams located in 10 Canadian provinces and 5 American states. For lists of teams see the articles about each member league. In the WHL, the city of Edmonton, Alberta has been awarded an expansion team that will begin play in the 2007-08 season. This team is not included in these stats.
- The Western Hockey League, with 21 teams in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Washington, and Oregon.
- The Ontario Hockey League, with 20 teams in Ontario, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
- The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, with 18 teams in Quebec, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Maine.
Attendance
Top CHL teams by average attendance, 2005-06 regular season| London Knights | (OHL) | 9,090.6 | Calgary Hitmen | (WHL) | 8,869.8 | Québec Remparts | (QMJHL) | 8,603.6 | Ottawa 67's | (OHL) | 8,207.3 | Halifax Mooseheads | (QMJHL) | 7,719.5 | Vancouver Giants | (WHL) | 7,037.6 | Kelowna Rockets | (WHL) | 6,157.7 | Everett Silvertips | (WHL) | 6,154.5 | Portland Winter Hawks | (WHL) | 6,129.1 | Spokane Chiefs | (WHL) | 6,105.6 | Red Deer Rebels | (WHL) | 5,996.4 | Kitchener Rangers | (OHL) | 5,951.3 | Moncton Wildcats | (QMJHL) | 5,800.3 |
See also
- List of CHL franchise post-season droughts
- Canadian Hockey League Official web site
- Ontario Hockey League Official web site
- Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Official web site
- Western Hockey League Official web site
"Canadian Hockey League"