Noralta Junior Hockey League


The Noralta Junior Hockey League is a Junior "C" ice hockey league in Alberta, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada, under Hockey Alberta. It currently has 13 teams throughout the greater Edmonton area.

History

The league was founded in 1992 as a non-contact juvenile league known as the North Central Junior Hockey League. The original two teams were located in St. Albert and Sherwood Park. The league added a team in Edmonton in 1993 on condition it would be a non-contact league. The league was back down to two teams in 1994.
Body contact and strict fighting rules were adopted for the 1995–96 season which attracted teams back. Teams from Drayton Valley, Edmonton Braves, St Albert Shooters and Thorhild competed in the circuits first full season. Provincial play was contested for the first time in 1996 with St Albert hosting a four-team provincial. Sexsmith Vipers were the first Hockey Alberta Junior C Provincial winner defeating Grande Prairie Wheelers in the final.
The circuit was reorganized for the 1996–97 season expanding to eight teams,
St. Albert rebranded as the Mustangs for the 1997–98 while Fort Saskatchewan, Legal and Thorhild folded. Calahoo and Paul Band would fold after the 1998–99 season.
On January 18, 2001 the league held its first annual All-Star Game in memory of longtime local volunteer John Anderson.
The league was incorporated as the Noralta Junior Hockey League on December 22, 2003 as league membership grew to 13 teams.
In 2015 Noralta Junior Hockey League partnered with to provide hockey players with scholarships to continue on to higher education after high school while staying in competitive ice hockey. Since its inception the scholarships have been given out on a yearly basis to many recipients.
The league added the New Sarepta Falcons to the league for the 2017–18 season. Fort Saskatchewan Jr. C Traders withdrew before that same season over speculation of the city getting a new Alberta Junior Hockey League team.
The Edmonton-based Junior Braves were added to the league for the 2018–19 season.

Teams

Former teams

Typically the champion and two runners-up compete against the top three teams of the Calgary Junior C Hockey League for the Hockey Alberta Provincial Junior "C" title.
YearLeague playoff championProvincial champion
1996St. Albert ShootersSexsmith Vipers
1997St. Albert ShootersCalgary Southland
1998St. Albert Mustangs---
1999Beaumont Braves---
2000Morinville Super C'sOyen Bees
2001Morinville Super C's---
2002Beaumont Braves---
2003St. Albert BluesSpringbank Rockies
2004RCAC RivermenSpringbank Rockies
2005SWZ Oil KingsSWZ Oil Kings
2006SWZ Oil KingsSWZ Oil Kings
2007Millet LightningSpringbank Rockies
2008Edmonton IceSherwood Park Renegades
2009SWZ SentinelsEdmonton Ice
2010Beaumont BravesSeera Icemen
2011Beaumont BravesBeaumont Braves
2012Edmonton AvalancheEdmonton Avalanche
2013Gibbons BroncosEdmonton Avalanche
2014Gibbons BroncosEdmonton Avalanche
2015Edmonton AvalancheEdmonton Avalanche
2016Edmonton AvalancheEdmonton Avalanche
2017SWZ Oil KingsNEZ North Stars
2018Edmonton AvalancheSherwood Park Renegades
2019Edmonton AvalancheEdmonton Avalanche
2020play suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic---