The Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL) was a USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier III Junior Aice hockey league. Founded in 1993 by Dan Esdale,[1][2] 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.[3] The New Jersey Hitmen were the final EJHL Champions after the 2012–13 season.[4]
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 joined the league from the North American Hockey League. The Scenics later left for the Metro Junior A Hockey League in Ontario. 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 league has quickly been gaining prestige across the United States as teams such as the Hitmen and Monarchs compete with other top junior teams.
The winning team in the EJHL was awarded the Gary Dineen Cup,[6] named for Gary Dineen, 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.[7][8][9]
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)
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
^. Archived from the original on 2009-03-09. Retrieved 2009-03-13.
^. Archived from the original on 2009-03-05. Retrieved 2009-03-13.
External linksedit
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Corporations Listing, incorporated in 2003
Articles of incorporation
USA Hockey Magazine Issue 0405 (Apr 05), "The Beast of the East"
Gary Dineen Hockey School
April 10, 2024
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The Eastern Junior Hockey League EJHL was a USA Hockey sanctioned Tier III Junior A ice hockey league Founded in 1993 by Dan Esdale 1 2 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 3 The New Jersey Hitmen were the final EJHL Champions after the 2012 13 season 4 Eastern Junior Hockey LeagueSportIce HockeyFounded1993Ceased2013 Disbanded with teams joining the USPHL and EHLCEODan EsdaleNo of teams14CountryUnited StatesLastchampion s New Jersey HitmenMost titlesNew Hampshire Jr Monarchs 7x Contents 1 History 2 Teams 3 Champions 4 Timeline of teams 5 References 6 External linksHistory editThe 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 joined the league from the North American Hockey League The Scenics later left for the Metro Junior A Hockey League in Ontario 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 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 Islanders Hockey Club formerly Middlesex Islanders New Jersey Hitmen and the South Shore Kings announced they were forming a new league called the United States Premier Hockey League They would eventually be followed by the Bay State Breakers and the Portland Jr Pirates from the EJHL while adding other teams to make up the Premier Division of the USPHL 5 The EJHL would disband when the Boston Bandits Connecticut Oilers New Hampshire Junior Monarchs New York Apple Core Philadelphia Revolution and the Valley Jr Warriors joined the Atlantic Junior Hockey League which would rename itself to the Eastern Hockey League Teams editTeams that played in the final 2012 13 season Northern DivisionTeam LocationBoston Bandits Bridgewater MassachusettsBoston Jr Bruins Marlborough MassachusettsMiddlesex Islanders Tyngsborough MassachusettsNew Hampshire Jr Monarchs Hooksett New HampshirePortland Jr Pirates Saco MaineRochester Stars Rochester New YorkValley Jr Warriors Haverhill MassachusettsSouthern DivisionTeam LocationBay State Breakers Rockland MassachusettsConnecticut Oilers Norwalk ConnecticutNew Jersey Hitmen Wayne New JerseyNew York Apple Core Long Beach New YorkPhiladelphia Revolution Warwick Township PennsylvaniaSouth Shore Kings Foxborough MassachusettsSpringfield Pics West Springfield MassachusettsChampions editThe winning team in the EJHL was awarded the Gary Dineen Cup 6 named for Gary Dineen 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 7 8 9 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 Hitmensource 4 Timeline of teams editMatt 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 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 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 edit Quincy Patriot Ledger Dec 18 2004 College Boards Top hockey players Eastern Junior Hockey League 1 permanent dead link Official Game Pucks EJHL Puck 1993 Present USA Hockey Junior Nationals Web Page Archived January 3 2012 at the Wayback Machine a b Juniors Hockey News Premier League could reshape juniors landscape New England Hockey Journal April 5 2013 March 2007 EJHL News article Mello Thompson Fuel Monarchs to Second Straight Title 2 Sports Reference com Archived 2009 03 04 at the Wayback Machine New England Junior Falcons web site Archived from the original on 2009 03 09 Retrieved 2009 03 13 AHL Obituary for Gary Dineen Archived from the original on 2009 03 05 Retrieved 2009 03 13 External links editOfficial USA Hockey Website Commonwealth of Massachusetts Corporations Listing incorporated in 2003 Articles of incorporation USA Hockey Magazine Issue 0405 Apr 05 The Beast of the East Gary Dineen Hockey School Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eastern Junior Hockey League amp oldid 1209383564, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
