Play Off Format

[Caledonia Fan]

If the Golden Horseshoe is out of the GOJHL, how does the play off format work is there still a wild card. What about next year?

[RocketGirl]

Things are staying the same as they were last year.

http://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/20 ... erland-cup

Same format for Sutherland Cup
Steve Rice
By Steve Rice, Stratford Beacon Herald
Wednesday, January 7, 2015 11:58:40 EST AM

For those who may have wondered —and I know it wasn’t just me — this year’s Sutherland Cup playoffs will follow the same format that was introduced last season with three champions and a wild card team playing semifinal series followed by a best-of-seven final.

Doubts naturally arose because of the Golden Horseshoe Conference’s decision earlier this season to leave the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League and return to being a separate league.

The GOJHL’s Midwestern and Western Conference champions, and the Golden Horseshoe League champs will be joined by the conference/league finalist with the best playoff winning percentage.

Some might wonder if its fair for an eight-team league (the Golden Horseshoe) to have the chance at two entries to the Sutherland Cup playoffs, which would be the same number as the 18-team GOJHL.

However, the Sutherland Cup is an Ontario Hockey Association championship and as such the OHA decides on the playoff format.

OHA chief executive officer Scott Farley said that when given the news of the Golden Horseshoe’s intentions to leave the GOJHL, “there was no real decision the board needed to make,” including possible changes to the Sutherland Cup playoffs.

“They (the Golden Horseshoe teams) are members in good standing with the OHA and as junior B members they will compete for the Sutherland Cup,” Farley said Tuesday. “I think the format worked last year so the board had no decision to make.

“The conferences don’t play interlocking schedules, so there were no schedule issues to address and no real impact.”

Most everyone is hopeful that the Golden Horseshoe and the GOJHL can resolve their differences. If not, there likely are more changes on the way next season.

I've heard a rumour that the Shoe is looking to go Jr. A next year, in which if they do, they will no longer be Jr. B, therefore would not compete for the Sutherland Cup.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

Heard a similar rumor. Was told but can not verify that 2 teams from the Jr.B category have signed letters of intent with an interest in joining the Tier 2 Jr.A category beginning in the 2015/2016 season. Only one of the rumored teams are from the Golden Horseshoe.

[Port hockey1]

It stays the same. We are no longer part of the league in name only. Still listed as a whole online, still mentioned as a whole in the local papers.

The only ones that keep mentioning that the Shoe has left is this forum. They still play for the Cup ext. Just people acting childish, IMO.

[RocketGirl]

You're separate according to the OHA. I have an email that says so.

And for the last time, and I mean last time, the reason you can still compete for the Sutherland Cup is because it is an OHA Jr. B Championship and the Golden Horseshoe is a recognized Jr. B league under the OHA.

[Port hockey1]

See what I mean? The Shoe is still mentioned as a part of the league in the papers. Same as the standings. Looks like the OHA is a little behind.

[Blades]

See what I mean? The Shoe is still mentioned as a part of the league in the papers. Same as the standings. Looks like the OHA is a little behind.

I see that as meaning that the Shoe is a league of their own -- you know, like what they were before the GOJHL existed. Before the GOJHL, there were three "leagues" -- the GH, the MidWest and the West. They were all Jr. B leagues and as such, they played for the Jr. B championship trophy.

Then someone had a brilliant idea of having all 3 "leagues" become one, single league and each of the former leagues became conferences.

When the GHC decided it no longer wanted to be part of the GOJHL (a league), they then became a league of it's own. However, since they are still competing at a Jr B level, they are permitted to play for the Jr B championship.

Hopefully this clears things up a bit. Getting a bit weary of hearing how hard done by the Golden Horseshoe's members have been treated/are being treated. It was THEY who decided to leave. They weren't asked to leave, they weren't kicked out. They left because it was THEIR choice and as such should not be included in any of the GOJHL's league's activities (ie the All Star Game).

[Port hockey1]

lol Blades... I understand what happened. My point is...Nobody outside of the West really cares. Seeing how we all play for the suthie, most of us just call it one league.

Whether anyone likes it or not, it is one league. It only isn't in name. It has always been known to most fans as one league. The press still says things like, so-so from a Shoe team leads the GOJHL in this or that ext.

The only real change is interlocking games being taken away. The Mods over here keep preaching that the Shoe isn't in the league, like it gives you guys joy or something.

Like I said though, to most fans, it has always been one league, politically they can say whatever they want.

[Port hockey1]

I've heard the Shoe wants to split. Top teams moving to Jr.A, while the smaller markets drop down to Jr.C.

This has been suggested numerous times now. Probably not going to happen anytime soon.