Doyle Cup replaced next year with five team set

Say good-bye to the Doyle Cup playoffs between the top team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League and the best British Columbia Junior Hockey League squad after this spring.

Beginning in 2013, the playoffs will be replaced by a five-team Western Canadian Championship. Nanaimo, B.C., will be the first community to host the inaugural event.

A club from each of the four western provinces will battle in a five-team tournament to crown the first-ever Western Canadian Champion. The host team will round out the cast.

The 13-game tournament will include a round-robin schedule, followed by two semifinal games and a championship game. The schedule will be similar to the RBC Cup.  The Western Canadian Champion and the runner-up will both represent Western Canada at the National Junior A Championship.

"Congratulations to the four western leagues on this significant step in the growth of Junior A hockey in Western Canada and across the country,” said CJHL chairman Kirk Lamb. “The new championship format will create a tremendous opportunity to showcase our players, teams and communities and is yet another example of the strengthening relationship among Junior A leagues in Canada. I commend the four western leagues on partnering together in the development of this initiative.”

The Alberta Junior Hockey League approved the format at its semi-annual meeting in Red Deer on Saturday, January 14. The 2013 Western Canadian Championship will be held from April 26 to May 5. The Western Canadian Championship will be hosted by the BCHL in 2013, followed by the MJHL in 2014, AJHL in 2015 and the SJHL in 2016.  A site selection committee will be responsible for selecting a host team annually, upon the recommendation of the host league.

The AJHL development committee is still evaluating the reduction of team rosters, age restrictions within team rosters, and the league playoff format.  Recommendations are expected at the annual meeting in May.

This year's playoffs will begin on February 24th in the south division and February 25th in the north. Each division will play off to determine a divisional champion at the conclusion of the third round. The division champions will then compete in the league final.

The league will launch an online network at the start of next season. The AJHL Network will be the first in Junior A hockey, and will include 16 team web sites and one league web site.  All 17 web sites will be redesigned with a fresh look, new content, league-wide integration and improved navigation.

The 2012-13 AJHL regular season will open on Friday, September 7. The 480-game regular season will conclude in February 2013. The league will return to Spruce Grove for the sixth annual showcase weekend.

The AJHL will continue to operate under the direction of chairman Greg Wood of the Camrose Kodiaks and president Craig Cripps. The Alberta Junior Hockey League staff currently includes former Camrose resident George McCorry, vice-president, officiating; Ryan Bartoshyk, vice-president, marketing; Charla Flett, communications and statistics; Kirk Lamb, special advisor and Bob Clark, special advisor.

The annual meeting will be held in Red Deer on May 25th and 26th.  The two-day event will include next year's league scheduling, coaches and the meeting of the board of governors.