2024 Centennial Cup

2024 National championship
Centennial Cup
Tournament details
CityOakville, Ontario
Venue(s)Sixteen Mile Sports Complex
Dates9–19 May 2024
Teams10
Host teamOakville Blades
Final positions
ChampionsCollingwood Blues
Runner-upMelfort Mustangs
Tournament statistics
Games played25
MVPJulien Gervais
Official website
Hockey Canada
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2025 →

The 2024 Centennial Cup was the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) championship for the 2023–24 season won by the Collingwood Blues of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. It was the 52nd Canadian junior A ice hockey national championship and took place at the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex in Oakville, Ontario from May 9 to 19, 2024. The competition included all nine CJHL champions and hosts the Oakville Blades.

Format

The format consisted of a 4-game round-robin with two groups of five teams, followed by a six-team single-elimination play-off. The top team from each group of the round-robin had a bye to the semifinal round.[1]

Competing teams

The tournament included the championship teams from each of the 9 leagues in the Canadian Junior Hockey League and the Oakville Blades.

Calgary Canucks

See also: 2023–24 AJHL season

The Calgary Canucks qualified as Inter Pipeline Cup champions of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.[2]

Regular season: 31-23-1-2 (3rd in AJHL)
playoffs: Defeated Grande Prairie Storm 4-2, Defeated Drumheller Dragons 4-1, Defeated Whitecourt Wolverines 4-0

Melfort Mustangs

See also: 2023–24 SJHL season

The Melfort Mustangs qualified as the Canterra Seeds Cup champions of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.[3]

Regular season: 38-14-3-1 (2nd in SJHL)
Playoffs: Defeated Estevan Bruins 4-1, Defeated Humboldt Broncos 4-3, Defeated Flin Flon Bombers 4-2

Winkler Flyers

See also: 2023–24 MJHL season

The Winkler Flyers qualified as Turnbull Cup champions of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.[4]

Regular season: 42-11-2-3 (2nd in MJHL)
Playoffs: Defeated Portage Terriers 4-1, Defeated Virden Oil Capitals 4-2 Defeated Steinbach Pistons 4-0

Sioux Lookout Bombers

See also: 2023–24 SIJHL season

The Sioux Lookout Bombers qualified as the Bill Salonen Cup champions of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.[5]

Regular season: 35-10-2-2 (2nd in SIJHL)
Playoffs: Defeated Fort Frances Lakers 4-0, Defeated Thunder Bay North Stars 4-1, Defeated Kam River Fighting Walleye 4-0

Greater Sudbury Cubs

The Greater Sudbury Cubs qualified as the Copeland Cup champions of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.[6]

Regular season 43-12-1-2 (2nd in NOJHL)
Playoffs: Defeated Soo Thunderbirds 4-2, defeated Blind River Beavers 4-1, defeated Powassan Voodoos 4-1

Collingwood Blues

The Collingwood Blues qualified as the Buckland Cup champions of the Ontario Junior Hockey League.[7]

Regular season: 49-6-0-1 (1st in OJHL)
Playoffs: Defeated Brantford 99ers 4-0, Defeated Oakville Blades 4-1, Defeated Leamington Flyers 4-0, Defeated Trenton Golden Hawks 4-2

The Navan Grads qualified as the Bogart Cup champions of the Central Canada Hockey League.[8]

Regular season 41-9-3-2 (1st in CCHL)
Playoffs: Defeated Pembroke Lumber Kings 4-2, Defeated Rockland Nationals 4-1, Defeated Smiths Falls Bears 4-2

Collège Français de Longueuil

The Collège Français de Longueuil qualified as the NAPA Cup champions of the Quebec Junior Hockey League.[9]

Regular season: 30-14-2-2 (4th in LHJQ)
Playoffs: Defeated Laval VC 4-0, Defeated Terrebonne Cobras 4-3, Defeated L'Everest de la Côte du Sud 4-3

Miramichi Timberwolves

See also: 2023–24 MHL season

The Miramichi Timberwolves qualified as the Maritime Hockey League (MHL) champions.[10] Despite finishing the regular season in fourth place, the Timberwolves managed to reach the final round of the MHL playoffs and defeat the first-place Summerside Western Capitals in six games.[11] It was the Timberwolves' first league championship in franchise history.[12]

Regular season: 31-16-3-2 (4th in MHL)
Playoffs: Defeated West Kent Steamers 4-1, Defeated Edmundston Blizzard 4-0, Defeated Summerside Western Capitals 4-2

Oakville Blades

The Oakville Blades of the Ontario Junior Hockey League were admitted to the tournament by virtue of being the host team.[13]

Regular season: 32-20-1-3 (9th in OJHL)
Playoffs: Defeated Buffalo Jr. Sabres 4-2, defeated by Collingwood Blues 1-4

Map of competing teams

Canadian Junior Hockey League
Map
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Maps: terms of use
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300miles
Miramichi Timberwolves
Longueuil Collège Français
Navan Grads
Collingwood Blues
Greater Sudbury Cubs
Sioux Lookout Bombers
Winkler Flyers
Melfort Mustangs
Calgary Canucks
Oakville Blades
Oakville Blades

Round Robin

The top 3 teams from each group advanced to the playoffs, and the 1st place teams in each group had a bye to the semifinals.

Group A CB CC NG GSC CFL
1 Collingwood Blues 5-4 3-2 10-2 8-0
2 Calgary Canucks 4-5 4-3 3-2 5-1
3 Navan Grads 2-3 3-4 5-1 5-1
4 Greater Sudbury Cubs 2-10 2-3 1-5 6-0
5 Collège Français de Longueuil 0-8 1-5 1-5 0-6
Group B MM MT WF OB SLB
1 Melfort Mustangs 4-1 6-5 3-1 5-3
2 Miramichi Timberwolves 1-4 3-2 7-4 5-3
3 Winkler Flyers 5-6 2-3 4-0 4-2
4 Oakville Blades 1-3 4-7 0-4 5-2
5 Sioux Lookout
Bombers 		3-5 3-5 2-4 2-5

Playoffs

Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
      
Miramichi Timberwolves 8
Navan Grads 4
Collingwood Blues 5
Miramichi Timberwolves 2
Collingwood Blues 1
Melfort Mustangs 0
Melfort Mustangs 2
Calgary Canucks 1
Calgary Canucks 4
Winkler Flyers 2

Awards

Roland Mercier Trophy (Tournament MVP): Julien Gervais, Calgary Canucks
Top Forward: Dalton Andrew, Winkler Flyers
Top Defencemen: Leith Olafson, Melfort Mustangs
Top Goaltender: Jaeden Nelson, Navan Grads
Tubby Schmalz Trophy (Sportsmanship): Riley Hearn, Calgary Canucks
Top Scorer: Dylan Hudon, Collingwood Blues
Julien Gervais, Calgary Canucks

References

  1. ^ Bernasiewicz, Lukas (7 May 2024). "Centennial Cup ready to hit the ice". Oakville News. Village Media. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  2. ^ Saelhof, Todd (17 April 2024). "'Surreal' sweep earns Canucks a 10th AJHL championship". Calgary Herald. Postmedia. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  3. ^ Zary, Darren (1 May 2024). "Melfort Mustangs win SJHL championship, advance to Centennial Cup". Saskatoon StarPhoenix. Postmedia. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Winkler Flyers ride OT victory to first MJHL title in 26 years". Winnipeg Free Press. 26 April 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  5. ^ Brody, Tim (24 April 2024). "Champions! - Sioux Lookout Bombers sweep reigning champion Kam River Fighting Walleye to win Bill Salonen Cup". siouxbulletin.com. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  6. ^ Leeson, Ben (8 May 2024). "'We're not satisfied' — Cubs look to close out dream season with Centennial Cup win". Sudbury Star. Postmedia. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  7. ^ Engel, Erika (30 April 2024). "Collingwood Blues win OJHL playoffs again". CollingwoodToday.ca. Village Media. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  8. ^ Sherwin, Fred (26 April 2024). "Navan Grads capture the Bogart Cup for the first time in franchise history". orleansonline.ca. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  9. ^ Dostie, Ali (27 April 2024). "Le Collège français remporte la Coupe Napa". Le Courrier du Sud (in French). Gravité Média Web. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  10. ^ Price, Melanie (3 May 2024). "Miramichi Timberwolves earn franchise's first MHL title with game 6 win over Summerside Western Capitals". CTV News Atlantic. Bell Media. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  11. ^ Healey, Pat (3 May 2024). "Historic moment: Foston, Wagner play key role as Timberwolves capture first-ever MHL championship". The Laker. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  12. ^ Healey, Pat (3 May 2024). "Historic moment: Foston, Wagner play key role as Timberwolves capture first-ever MHL championship". The Laker. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  13. ^ Brown, Ben (29 April 2024). "Centennial Cup estimated to bring $5 million for Oakville businesses". Oakville News. Village Media. Retrieved 16 August 2024.

Further reading