League History

League Names

The Maritime Hockey League has had 4 name changes or rebrands over the course of its 50-plus year history. 

The league was founded in 1967 at the Junior B level called the Metro-Valley Junior B Hockey League (MVJBHL). For the 1977-78 season, the league was promoted to the Junior A level and was renamed the Metro-Valley Junior A Hockey League (MVJAHL). 

After 13 season, the league was then rebranded to the Maritime Junior A Hockey League (MJAHL) for the 1990-91 season, since not all the teams were Nova Scotia-based with the Moncton Hawks who joined in 1983-84. The next season, the Charlottetown Islanders and Summerside Western Capitals would join, extending the league to 3 provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

In 2010-11, the league was rebranded to what it is known as today, the Maritime Hockey League (MHL).

Timeline of teams

1967 – Metro-Valley Junior B Hockey League is founded.

1967 – 6 Founding members: Berwick Shell Bruins, Dartmouth Hoyt’s Movers, East Hants Penguins, Kentville Riteway Rangers, Halifax Cononels, and Windsor Royals. Kentville Riteway Rangers fold on Jan. 4, 1968 after 13 games.

1968 – Truro Bearcats and the Amherst Ramblers are founded. Berwick Shell Bruins did not return for 1968-69 season. Dartmouth Movers are renamed Dartmouth Lakers.

1969 – Dartmouth Lakers are renamed Dartmouth Bees to begin the season but then in late December the team was renamed Dartmouth Arrows.

1970 – Halifax Colonels move to Chester and become the Chester Blazers.

1971 – Pictou Maripacs and New Glasgow Bombers enter the league for a total of 8 teams. Chester Blazers move back to Halifax and become Halifax Blazers. North and South Divisions are created with 4 teams in each.

1972 – Chester Ravens are founded to bring total teams to 9. No change in other teams.

1973 – Stellarton Spitfire are founded to bring total teams to 10. No change in other teams.

1974 – Halifax Blazers are renamed Halifax Huskies. No change in other teams.

1975 – Pictou Maripacs and Stellarton Spitfires do not return to league. Kentville Colonels are founded. Halifax Huskies are renamed Halifax Centennials. Total teams is now 9. No change to other teams. North and South Divisions are no longer.

1976 – New Glasgow Bombers do not return. Cole Harbour Colts are founded, leaving the total teams still at 9. No change in other teams.

1977 – League becomes Jr. A level and is renamed Metro-Valley Jr. A Hockey League (MVJAHL). East Hants Penguins and Chester Ravens drop out of league, bringing total teams to 7. Halifax Centennials are renamed Halifax Lions. No change in other teams.

1978 -  Windsor Royals are expelled from the league on Dec. 5, 1978 for repeatedly failing to ice a full line-up. League goes from 7 teams to 6 mid-season. No change in other teams.

1979 – Valley Wildcats are founded. Halifax Lions are renamed Halifax Centennial Lions. No change in other teams.

1980  - Halifax Centennial Lions are renamed backed to Halifax Lions. No change in other teams.

1981 – No changes

1982 – Truro Bearcats disband on Nov. 24, 1982 bringing the total teams from 6 to 5 mid-season. No change in other teams.

1983 – Moncton Midland Hawks join the league after the folding of the New Brunswick Jr. A league, becoming the first non-Nova Scotia team to enter the league. League back to 6 teams. No change in other teams.

1984 – Valley Wildcats do not return bringing total teams to 5. Dartmouth Arrows are renamed Dartmouth Fuel Kids. No change in other teams.

1985 – No changes.

1986 – Antigonish Bulldogs joins league after the Northumberland Jr. B league folds, bringing total teams to 6. No change in other teams.

1987 – No changes

1988 – Dartmouth Fuel Kids are renamed Dartmouth Eagles. No change in other teams.

1989 – Dartmouth Eagles are renamed Dartmouth Pepsis. Halifax Lions are renamed Halifax Dairy Queen Blizzard. Moncton Hawks are renamed Moncton Coca-Cola Classics. Cole Harbour Colts are renamed heritage Nissan Colts. No change in other teams.

1990 – Metro-Valley Jr. A Hockey League (MVJBHL) rebrands to Maritime Junior A Hockey League (MJAHL). Halifax Dairy Queen Bizzard are renamed Halifax Molson Canadians. Heritage Nissan Colts are renamed back to Cole Harbour Scotia Colts.

1991 – Charlottetown Abbies and Summerside Western Capitals join league from the defunct PEI Junior Hockey League bringing the total teams to 8. Moncton Coca-Cola Classics are renamed Moncton-Dieppe Coca-Cola Classics. Halifax Molson Canadians are renamed Halifax Jr. A Mooseheads. North and South Divisions are re-introduced with 4 teams in each.

1992 – Dartmouth Pepsis drop from the league, bringing the total teams to 7 and no more divisions. Moncton-Dieppe Coca-Cola Classics are renamed Moncton-Dippe Beavers. No change in other teams.

1993 – Halifax Jr. A Mooseheads are renamed Halifax Oland Exports. League remains at 7 teams. No change in other teams.

1994 – Charlottetown Abbies take a one-year lave of absence, bringing the total teams to 6. Amherst Ramblers are renamed Amherst Mooseheads. Moncton-Dieppe Beavers are renamed Moncton Gagnon Beavers. North and South Divisions are re-introduced with 3 teams in each

1995 – Charlottetown Abbies return from leave of absence. Saint John Alpines join the league as an expansion team, bringing the total teams to 8. Cole Harbour Colts move to East Hants and become East Hants Penguins. Halifax Oland Exports become the Dartmouth Oland Exports.

1996 – Restigouche River Rats and Cape Breton Pepsi Islanders both join the league as expansion teams bringing the total teams to 10. However, after 33 games, Saint John Alpines ceased operations on Jan. 7, 1997 bringing the total teams to 9 mid-season. No change in other teams.

1997 – Truro Bearcats join the league as an expansion team, bringing the total teams to 10. The Cape Breton Pepsi Islanders move to Glace Bay and become the Glace Bay Miners but fold on Dec. 5, 1997, going down to 9 teams.

1998 – Amherst Mooseheads are back to being named Amherst Ramblers. Dartmouth Oland Exports are back to Halifax Oland Exports. No change in other teams.

1999 – Restigouche River Rats are renamed Campbellton Tigers. No change in other teams.

2000 – Miramichi Timberwovles join the league as expansion team, bringing the total number of teams to 10, with 5 teams in each division. East Hants Penguins relocate to Dartmouth and are renamed Dartmouth Dairy Queen Blizzard.  No change in other teams.

2001 – No changes.

2002 – Dartmouth Dairy Queen Blizzard relocate to Yarmouth and are renamed Yarmouth Mariners. No change in other teams.

2003 – Woodstock Slammers join the league as an expansion team, bringing the total teams to 11. Halifax Oland Exports are renamed Halifax Team Pepsi. No change to other teams.

2004 – Halifax Wolverines join the league as an expansion team, brining the total teams to 12. Halifax Team Pepsi franchise is moved to Pictou County and are renamed Pictou County Weeks Crushers. No change in other teams.

2005 – Campbellton Tigers are renamed Restigouche Tigers. Moncton Gagnon Beavers are renamed Moncton Beavers.

2006 – No changes.

2007 – No changes.

2008 – Charlottetown Abbies takes a leave of absences and never return to league and number of teams is now 11. Moncton Beavers relocate to Dieppe and are renamed Dieppe Commandos. Antigonish Bulldogs move to Halifax and are renamed Halifax Lions. Halifax Wolverines move to Bridgewater and are renamed Bridgewater Lumberjacks. No change in other teams.

2009 – Restigouche Tigers go back to Campbellton Tigers name. No change in other teams.

2010 – Maritime Junior A Hockey League (MJAHL) makes minor rebrand to Maritime Hockey League (MHL). Halifax Lions are rebranded as Metro Marauders. No change in other teams.

2011 – No changes.

2012 – Metro Marauders are renamed Metro Shipbuilders. No change in other teams.

2013 – Metro Shipbuilders are relocated to Berwick and are renamed Valley Wildcats. No changes in other teams.

2014 – County Aces join the league as an expansion team playing out of St. Stephen, NB, bringing the total team to 12. Bridgewater Lumberjacks are renamed South Shore Lumberjacks. No changes to other teams.

2015 – No changes.

2016 – County Aces are renamed St. Stephen Aces. No change in other teams.

2017 – Dieppe Commandos relocate to Edmundston, NB and renamed Edmundston Blizzard. No change in other teams.

2018 – Woodstock Slammers are relocated to Grand Falls, NB and renamed Grand Falls Rapids. No change in other teams.

2019 – St. Stephen Aces are relocated to Fredericton and renamed Fredericton Red Wings.  No change in other teams.

2020 – No changes.

2021 – No changes.

2022 – No changes.

2023 – South Shore Lumberjacks are relocated to Bouctouche, NB and renamed West Kent Steamers. Summerside Western Capitals are moved to South Division and join the Nova Scotia based teams to even the North and South Divisions with 6 teams in each. No change in other teams.

2025 – Fredericton Red Wings relocate to Bathurst, NB and renamed Chaleur Lightning. No change in other teams.