OJHL Expansion/ What GOJHL teams will apply for Jr. A status?

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cchlounger
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Joined: Sat May 27, 2017 2:27 pm

OJHL Expansion/ What GOJHL teams will apply for Jr. A status?

Post by cchlounger »

“OJHL to expand the league to 24 teams - Application process formally revealed”

August 7, 2020, Mississauga, ON – The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) announced today the league is conducting an expansion program to identify & award up to 2 (two) new franchise teams.

On the announcement of the news, Commissioner Marty Savoy states: “The momentum & success of our league over the past few years is a direct result of the strength of our current franchise ownership group and the many key initiatives we have implemented recently to broaden the exposure, reach and success of our league. With the impressive accomplishments and efforts of our two new franchises in Milton & Collingwood building their brands and fan base in those communities, the time is now for our league to take the next step to expand its ownership group and add two additional teams to our league to continue our vision plan for ‘excellence’ in Ontario hockey at the Junior A level”

The program provides the opportunity for qualified new ownership groups to apply to the OJHL as a new expansion team(s) to operate within the geographical boundaries of the Ontario Hockey Association.

The program will include the opportunity for current Ontario Hockey Association member teams at the Junior “B” and Junior “C” categories to apply to be re-categorized at a the Junior “A” level for competition in the OJHL.

“The brand of the OJHL has evolved over the last number of years with programs such as our nationally broadcasted CHCH games of the week, our televised OJ Today magazine show, the OJHL combine and our successful OJHL Development League,” stated OJHL Chairman, Marc Mercier. “As such, the league office receives inquires on a regular basis for expansion teams or from current OHA teams to join the OJHL and we feel the time is now to expand our league into new communities who will share in the success of our league. The OJHL is excited about the process of our expansion program and welcoming new partners at our Board of Governors table.”

The OJHL has formed an Expansion Committee that will manage the expansion process, which includes members from the OJHL Board of Directors and a representative from each of the Ontario Hockey Federation and the Ontario Hockey Association.

Interested parties are asked to contact OJHL Commissioner, Marty Savoy at 905-802-1620 or msavoy@theojhl.ca for full application details.
OutsideLookingIn
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Re: OJHL Expansion/ What GOJHL teams will apply for Jr. A status?

Post by OutsideLookingIn »

What they should of done is merge many of the Good Jr B teams into the OJ creating three conferences. OJ East OJ Central OJ West. Those Jr B teams that decide not to go would create a new league with good Jr C teams making the jump up to Jr B. If they’re concerned about travel simply have two or three showcase weekends centrally locates where each conference would play teams out of the other.
FrozenPonds
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Re: OJHL Expansion/ What GOJHL teams will apply for Jr. A status?

Post by FrozenPonds »

I wouldnt want to join the OJ. They are a mess. Despite the fact that they want to talk about successes...Development League...what a joke...this league was in a mess for years. Contraction saved this league from being a further embarrassment than they already are!!

Man I wish they would bring back the good ole Metro Junior League days!!!

THE GOJHL should see Junior A status and go about it the right way. If the OJHL laden OHA Board and OHF dont see the opportunity...then the GOJHL should get the teams interested and seek governance elsewhere!
cchlounger
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Re: OJHL Expansion/ What GOJHL teams will apply for Jr. A status?

Post by cchlounger »

I loved and miss the old Metro, that's for certain!
RagingBS
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Re: OJHL Expansion/ What GOJHL teams will apply for Jr. A status?

Post by RagingBS »

I dont miss the OHA at all. The CJHL has 10 Jr A leagues and are very clear there will not be an 11th. The OHF has 2 of those leagues the OHA and NOHA. In order to serve the players in Southwestern Ontario the OHF would either the through the OHA so called "league of choice" have to expand, move of convert franchises into the traditional GOJHL zone, or redraw the boundaries between the OHA and NOHA to accommodate an NOHA division in Southwestern Ontario. There are several reasons why so many Southwestern Ontario players that don't want to change time zones to play JrA level hockey choose the CCHL over the OJ.
FrozenPonds
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Re: OJHL Expansion/ What GOJHL teams will apply for Jr. A status?

Post by FrozenPonds »

Change in governance...I would seek governance elsewhere.

There is a league in the USA called the NCDC which had applied to USA Hockey for Tier2 status...they were denied as the USAH only recognized the NAHL as Tier2...sound familiar?? They continue to push many, many kids to the NCAA ranks DESPITE the fact that they are not sanctioned by USA Hockey! When I played in the Metro my 2nd year...we were not Hockey Canada sanctioned and it didn't matter!! The following year, guess who cam back knocking on the league door....you guessed it..Hockey Canada!

First things first...Board needs to go! Commish should have been gone long ago but hey, he has been apart of the crowd for a number of years! Give me the reigns...I wont even draw a salary...and I will get sh*t done and not be duped by the politics of semantic envy! This league needs to get back to getting things done but that wont happen with this crew!

Ragin...I remember when the Metro and Junior B pushed TONS of kids to the NCAA ranks!! It can be done again..but you need to start to make tough decisions and put a plan in place rather than have someone else dictate that plan for you!
cchlounger
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Re: OJHL Expansion/ What GOJHL teams will apply for Jr. A status?

Post by cchlounger »

FrozenPonds,

Thank you for your thoughts; you have my vote and full support...lol.

Due mainly to geography, I tend to be more of an OJHL follower than GO guy...but in saying that, I love your league, too.

Like you, I want the players and fans to get the greatest experience possible and believe collectively, we all should expect nothing less from league offices than to do their part in making a loop (whether Jr A, Jr B or Jr C) the best quality....period!

I realize that may seem absurd and quite frankly, a novel concept to the suits who run these leagues; but, the truth is the truth.

The big foreheads of both the GO and OJ, simply aren't doing their jobs effectively...which has caused the negative ripple effects that we clearly all are witness to today, tomorrow and into the imminent future.

In summation; league brass in the GO and the OJ have accomplished very little under their guidance and (lack of) leadership.

It's truly astonishing, isn't it?

I digress and my apologies; your thoughts were extremely insightful, honest and basically...the perfect response and a much needed one, too.

Not sure anyone, at any time, has or could sum it up any better than you have!

It's rather refreshing to hear someone speak so passionately, about a topic that many of us hold so near and dear to our hearts.
OutsideLookingIn
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Re: OJHL Expansion/ What GOJHL teams will apply for Jr. A status?

Post by OutsideLookingIn »

$1 million expansion fee. They are in desperate need of money.
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RocketGirl
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Re: OJHL Expansion/ What GOJHL teams will apply for Jr. A status?

Post by RocketGirl »

Supposedly they've already picked the teams they want, Niagara Falls and Grimsby.
Queen of the GOJHL

Sometimes you just have to straighten your crown and remind them who they're dealing with.
FrozenPonds
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Re: OJHL Expansion/ What GOJHL teams will apply for Jr. A status?

Post by FrozenPonds »

Who cares who they have picked!

According to the asinine agreement the GO signed a few years back...the OJHL just cannot arbitrarily walz into GO territory...unless you have leadership that really cannot see beyond their own image in the mirror! Oh..I forgot what we were talking about...LOL

The OJHL was a mess, still is in my opinion...Little Bettman et al had to contract several years ago and now they want to expand yet again? At a million bucks a franchise...man there are some very dumb and very rich people out there willing to shell out that money to get Lil Junior on the team!

CCHL...I think both you and I agree on many points! The common denominator is the fact that both current Commish's came from a long line of "line towers" who are still basically yes men! I had the opportunity to play both in the Metro League in the late 80s...as well as the Midwestern loop...I would stack either of those two against today's version of the OJ and GO...no contest! I believe, now more than ever, that players deserve every opportunity to excel, compete and progress to the next level. ESPECIALLY when they are now obliged to pay for that competition! I will fire you off a PM!

Again, I would call out the whole board and shuffle them aside! The GO needs, as I said before, a group that can make tough decisions rather than have those decisions dictated to them. Having the OJHL, with the outright audacity to believe that they can just do as they please...they also need to be called out! Hell, they need to be smacked upside the head! Do those sound like fighting words...ABSOLUTELY!!

Get your lawyers ready fellas...you applied for Junior "A" and were denied that opportunity by the OHA AND the OHF. Allowing the OJHL to NOW come in and basically do what you had desired to do a few years back...seems pretty anti-competitive to me and flies in the face of the Competitions Act. Hockey Canada, it's Branches and Member Partners are not exempt from this act. They have been warned on several occasions! But again, you need to have someone with a vision, plan and the mental toughness to lead you through this pandemic and chart your course! The current group, in my opinion, couldn't lead a thirsty horse to water!
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