:Superior International Junior Hockey League

{{Short description|Junior A ice hockey league}}

{{Infobox Hockey League

| name = Superior International Junior Hockey League

| logo = Superior International Junior Hockey League logo.png

| pixels = 150

| caption =

| region = Northwestern Ontario
Michigan

| leader_title = Commissioner

| leader_name = Dean Thibodeau

| founded = 2001

| teams = 7

| champions = Kam River Fighting Walleye (2nd)

| season = 2024–25

| most successful club = Thunder Bay North Stars (6)

| assc_champ = Centennial Cup
Dudley Hewitt Cup

| headquarters = Thunder Bay, Ontario

| website = {{URL|sijhlhockey.com}}

| current_season = 2024–25 SIJHL season

}}

The Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) is a junior A ice hockey league and a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) and Hockey Canada. The league operates in the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan. Winners of the SIJHL playoffs compete for the Centennial Cup, the Canadian Junior A championship. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the winner of each tier 2 junior A league across Canada shows up to the national championship.

History

=Background=

Image:Fort William North Stars Sean Bassingthwaite.jpg

Founded in 2001, the SIJHL is successor of several former Thunder Bay junior A hockey leagues and teams. The Fort William War Veterans were the first representatives of the Thunder Bay region, winning the 1922 Memorial Cup as Canadian National Junior A Champions.{{cite web |url=http://chlmemorialcup.ca/history-champions/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181209124350/http://chlmemorialcup.ca/history-champions/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 9, 2018 |title=Memorial Cup History – Champions |publisher=Canadian Hockey League |access-date=December 8, 2018}} Although there is not abundant information on the subject, the Thunder Bay Junior Hockey League may date back to the War Veterans and existed until 1980. From 1980 until 2000, the region (Hockey Northwestern Ontario) was represented by a single team at the junior A level: the Thunder Bay Flyers. The Flyers played their regular season games in the United States Hockey League (USHL), a USA Hockey junior A league, and returned to Canada for the playoffs. The Flyers won the Dudley Hewitt Cup as Central Canadian Junior Champions in 1989, 1991, 1992, and 1995.{{cite web|url=http://www.rauzulusstreet.com/hockey/junior/dudleyhewittcup.html |title=Dudley Hewitt Cup Champions |publisher=Rauzulusstreet.com |access-date=2013-07-25}} The Flyers were also National Champions in 1989 and 1992, winning the Centennial Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.rauzulusstreet.com/hockey/junior/royalbankcup.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030505142806/http://rauzulusstreet.com/hockey/junior/royalbankcup.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 5, 2003 |title=The Royal Bank Cup Championship |publisher=Rauzulusstreet.com |access-date=2013-07-25}} The Flyers folded after the 1999–2000 USHL Season.{{cite web|author=pbadmin |url=http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/664/ushlflyers_write_final_chapter/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924031115/http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/664/ushlflyers_write_final_chapter/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |title=USHL-Flyers Write Final Chapter - Hockey's Future |publisher=Hockeysfuture.com |date=2000-03-28 |access-date=2013-07-25}}

Image:Schreiber Diesels Reilly Miller.jpg

The Northwestern Ontario region has also been represented in the past in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. From 1968 until 1982, the city of Kenora, Ontario, was represented by the Kenora Muskies/Thistles and in the mid-1980s,{{cite web|url=http://www.officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/KenoraThistles.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121022822/http://www.officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/KenoraThistles.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 21, 2008 |title=KenoraThistles |publisher=Officialgamepuck.com |access-date=2013-07-25}} Thunder Bay had an entry with the Thunder Bay Hornets.{{cite web|url=http://www.officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/ThunderBayHornets.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225100810/http://www.officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/ThunderBayHornets.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 25, 2012 |title=Thunder Bay Hornets |publisher=Officialgamepuck.com |access-date=2013-07-25}}

The folding of the Thunder Bay Flyers led to the rebirth of junior A hockey in the Thunder Bay region. The league started under the "Superior International" label in 2001 with five teams, including the Dryden Ice Dogs, First Nation Featherman Hawks, Fort Frances Borderland Thunder, Thunder Bay Bulldogs, and the Thunder Bay Wolves.Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal, March 2002.

=2006 Dudley Hewitt Cup=

In 2006, the Fort William North Stars won the Dudley Hewitt Cup with a 7–6 overtime win over the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League's Sudbury Jr. Wolves to earn the team and the league its first regional title and its first shot at the national title in the 2006 Royal Bank Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php/ci_id/20918/la_id/1.htm |title=The Official Website of Hockey Canada |publisher=Hockeycanada.ca |access-date=2013-07-25}} The North Stars were eliminated in the Royal Bank Cup semifinal in Brampton, Ontario, with a 3–2 overtime loss to the British Columbia Hockey League's Burnaby Express led by eventual NHL player Kyle Turris.

=Expansion and retraction=

The presence of the SIJHL in Northwestern Ontario marks the first time since the 1970s that the region has effectively supported a junior hockey league. In 2007, the SIJHL expanded east of Thunder Bay with the Schreiber Diesels{{cite web |url=http://www.fftimes.com/node/73037 |title=SIJHL season underway without Thunder | Fort Frances Times Online |publisher=Fftimes.com |access-date=2013-07-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225001931/http://www.fftimes.com/node/73037 |archive-date=2012-02-25 }} and Marathon Renegades.{{cite web |url=http://www.fftimes.com/node/76423 |title=New team joins SIJHL | Fort Frances Times Online |publisher=Fftimes.com |date=2006-07-26 |access-date=2013-07-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225001837/http://www.fftimes.com/node/76423 |archive-date=2012-02-25 }} A Wawa, Ontario, franchise was also in the works, but never came to fruition.{{cite web|url=http://www.ontariohockey.com/story.aspx?c=33&id=1280 |title=OHA News |publisher=Hockey Now|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006043348/http://www.ontariohockey.com/story.aspx?c=33&id=1280 |archive-date=October 6, 2011}}

File:Flyers vs. Lakers.jpg

On December 17, 2007, the Schreiber Diesels folded mid-season claiming lack of fan support. On December 21, the team was bought by a group of local fans in an effort to keep the Diesels alive.{{cite web |url=http://www.fftimes.com/Sports/Diesels-get-back-on-track/24-Dec-2007 |title=Diesels get back on track | Fort Frances Times Online |publisher=Fftimes.com |access-date=2013-07-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130110211718/http://www.fftimes.com/Sports/Diesels-get-back-on-track/24-Dec-2007 |archive-date=2013-01-10 }} The Marathon Renegades at one point were as high as third place in the SIJHL during the 2007–08 season, but after 37 games played were forced to cancel the rest of its season citing a lack of players through injuries and player defections to other leagues. Al Cresswell, team president, claimed that the shortage of players had become a health risk.

Although the 2008–09 season did not see a return to Marathon, the SIJHL did add the Sioux Lookout Flyers. In the 2008 off-season, the Thunder Bay Bulldogs elected to retract to embolden the Thunder Bay Bearcats.{{cite web |url=http://www.chroniclejournal.com/stories.php?id=125117 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120728151020/http://www.chroniclejournal.com/stories.php?id=125117 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-07-28 |title=The Newspaper of the Northwest |publisher=The Chronicle-Journal |access-date=2013-07-25 }} Despite a strong year from the Bearcats and the Schreiber Diesels, both teams elected to cease operation in the summer of 2009. The Fort Frances Jr. Sabres claimed that they would be back for 2009–10, but their owners sold the rights to their players to teams across Canada. In a last-ditch effort, the town of Fort Frances bought the team and renamed them the Fort Frances Lakers, but were forced to find all new players due to the actions of the previous ownership. The Thunder Bay Wolverines elected to apply for promotion to the SIJHL for 2009–10 fresh off of their silver medal performance at the Keystone Cup Canadian Jr. B Championships.{{cite web|url=http://www.hometeamsonline.com/teams/Default.asp?u=kanda&s=hockey&t=c |title=Jr A Wolverines Home Page |publisher=Hometeamsonline.com |access-date=2013-07-25}}{{cite web |url=http://www.tbnewswatch.com/news/59868/SIJHL-ups-its-roster |title=SIJHL ups its roster - Thunder Bay News |publisher=Tbnewswatch.com |date=2009-06-24 |access-date=2013-07-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510063011/http://www.tbnewswatch.com/news/59868/SIJHL-ups-its-roster |archive-date=2012-05-10 }} Back up to five teams, the SIJHL also made a 20-game interleague setup with the Minnesota Junior Hockey League's Wisconsin Mustangs to diversify the league's competition.{{cite web|url=http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/standings.html?leagueid=698&seasonid=4666 |title=Superior International Jr Hockey League - standings | Pointstreak Sports Technologies |publisher=Pointstreak.com |access-date=2013-07-25}}

=Tenth season and American expansion=

The 2010–11 season was the tenth season of the SIJHL. The SIJHL received applications for expansion by two American teams: the Duluth Clydesdales and Wisconsin Mustangs.

In June, the Thunder Bay Wolverines pulled out of the SIJHL. A few days later USA Hockey rejected the transfer bid by the Wisconsin Mustangs to join the SIJHL and the expansion bid of the potential of Duluth, Minnesota, despite approval by Hockey Canada and the SIJHL. The league sat at four teams. The two teams appealed the decision and won, officially giving the league six teams and making the league an international league.{{cite web|url=http://www.tbnewswatch.com/sports/100919/Hockey-USA-allows-American-teams-to-join-SIJHL |title=Hockey USA allows American teams to join SIJHL |publisher=Tbnewswatch.com |date=2010-07-12 |access-date=2013-07-25}}

The Fort William North Stars were dominant early in 2010–11, but due to financial difficulties, the team was sold to new ownership and became the Thunder Bay North Stars. The Wisconsin Wilderness jumped into the lead mid-season and won the regular season and playoff titles in their first season in the league.

In the summer of 2011, the SIJHL elected to expand with the Iron Range Ironheads awaiting the permission of USA Hockey and Minnesota Hockey. USA Hockey again denied the league. The decision was appealed and on July 12, 2011, expansion was allowed by USA Hockey as well as the continuation of the Duluth and Spooner franchises. Wisconsin won their second straight league title, coming from behind in the final to beat the Fort Frances Lakers in seven games.

The 2012–13 season was a season of decline for the league's American expansion. During the off-season, USA Hockey allowed the league to transfer Iron Range to new ownership and rename it the Minnesota Iron Rangers. Wisconsin was sold and relocated into the same market as Duluth and renamed the Minnesota Wilderness. Three games into the season, the Sioux Lookout Flyers ceased operations and eventually their franchise when a scandal over the carding of players by their new general manager and coach left them without enough players to continue. In early 2013, the league, after multiple cancelled games, stripped the Duluth Clydesdales of their franchise. Then, after clinching their third regular season and playoff crowns, the Wilderness won the league's second ever Dudley Hewitt Cup as Central Canadian champions. Minnesota Wilderness became the first American team to win the Dudley Hewitt Cup and the first to gain berth into the Royal Bank Cup Canadian Junior A Championship. After winning the Central Canadian Championship, it was announced that the Wilderness would leave the SIJHL at the end of the Royal Bank Cup to join the North American Hockey League, a USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier II league. The Wilderness finished fourth in the National Championship round-robin, earning a berth into the semi-final. Despite leading 4–2 in the third, the Wilderness took too many penalties and lost their lead with seconds to go in the third period. The Alberta Junior Hockey League's Brooks Bandits scored in overtime to win the game 5–4 eliminating the Wilderness. With the Wilderness and Clydesdales gone, the Minnesota Iron Rangers were the remaining American team with membership in the league.

In the spring of 2013, the SIJHL announced expansion to Ear Falls, Ontario, with the English River Miners and on July 11, 2013, admitted a new team in Spooner, Wisconsin, also called the Wisconsin Wilderness.{{cite web |author=The Chronicle-Journal |url=http://www.chroniclejournal.com/content/news/local/2013/07/12/sijhl-go-6-teams-2013-14-season |title=SIJHL to go with 6 teams for 2013-14 season |publisher=The Chronicle-Journal |date=2013-07-12 |access-date=2013-07-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130713030523/http://www.chroniclejournal.com/content/news/local/2013/07/12/sijhl-go-6-teams-2013-14-season |archive-date=2013-07-13 }} The new Wilderness lasted one season.

In the summer of 2014, commissioner and president Ron Whitehead was relieved of his post. Whitehead held his position from 2005 until 2014 and had been a member of the league executive since its inception in 2001. In 2011, Hockey Northwestern Ontario named Whitehead their Central Zone volunteer of the year.{{cite web|url=http://cjhlhockey.com/view/cjhl/news-848/news_80489|title=SIJHL Commissioner and RIC Recognized at HNO AGM |date=June 27, 2011|publisher=Canadian Junior Hockey League |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715090636/http://cjhlhockey.com/view/cjhl/news-848/news_80489|archive-date=July 15, 2014|access-date=December 8, 2018}}

The league added a second team in Minnesota and their sixth franchise for 2016–17 season with the Thief River Falls Norskies. In 2019, the league added another team in Spooner, Wisconsin, called the Wisconsin Lumberjacks for the 2019–20 season. After several seasons of ownership issues and lack of player recruitment, the Minnesota Iron Rangers ceased operations for the 2019–20 season, returning the league to six teams.{{cite web |url=https://sijhlhockey.com/minnesota-iron-rangers-to-take-one-year-leave-of-absence-from-sijhl/ |title=MINNESOTA IRON RANGERS TO TAKE ONE YEAR LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM SIJHL |website=SIJHL |date=June 12, 2019}} The 2019–20 season was then curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic with one week left in the regular season and no postseason tournaments were held. The ongoing pandemic border-crossing restrictions caused the two American teams to withdraw from the 2020–21 season while the league added a new team called the Kam River Fighting Walleye. The five Canadian teams would play a few games in November and December 2020 along with two U18 minor teams, the Kenora Thistles and Thunder Bay Kings, to fill in the schedule before the season was cancelled entirely.{{cite web |url=https://sijhlhockey.com/sijhl-cancels-2020-21-season/ |title=SIJHL CANCELS 2020-21 SEASON |website=SIJHL |date=March 1, 2021}}

In 2024, the Wisconsin Lumberjacks relocated from Spooner, Wisconsin, to Ironwood, Michigan, and were renamed the Ironwood Lumberjacks.{{cite news |last1=Vierzba |first1=Neil |title=Newly-Formed Ironwood Lumberjacks to Begin Play in September |url=https://www.fox21online.com/2024/08/08/newly-formed-ironwood-lumberjacks-to-begin-play-in-september/ |access-date=22 August 2024 |work=fox21online.com |date=8 August 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Davidson |first1=Tim |title=SIJHL approves move of Lumberjacks franchise |url=https://kenoraonline.com/2024/08/21/sijhl-approves-move-of-lumberjacks-franchise/ |access-date=22 August 2024 |work=Kenora Online |date=21 August 2024 |language=en}}

Teams

{{OSM Location map

| title = Map of SIJHL teams

| float = right

| nolabels = 1

| coord = {{coord|48.77|-91.87}}

| zoom = 6

| width = 270

| height = 410

| caption =

| label-posD = right

| mark-sizeD = 10

| label1 = Ice Dogs

| mark-coord1 = {{coord|49.781|-92.839}}

| mark-title1 = Dryden Ice Dogs

| label2 = Lakers

| label-pos2 = top

| mark-coord2 = {{coord|48.611|-93.382}}

| mark-title2 = Fort Frances Lakers

| label3 = Lumberjacks

| label-pos3 = left

| mark-coord3 = {{coord|46.473|-90.163}}

| mark-title3 = Ironwood Lumberjacks

| label4 = Fighting Walleye

| label-pos4 = left

| mark-coord4 = {{coord|48.377|-89.568}}

| mark-title4 = Kam River Fighting Walleye

| label6 = Miners

| mark-coord6 = {{coord|51.074|-93.806}}

| mark-title6 = Red Lake Miners

| label7 = Bombers

| mark-coord7 = {{coord|50.099|-91.922}}

| mark-title7 = Sioux Lookout Bombers

| label8 = North Stars

| label-pos8 = top

| ldx8 = -20

| mark-coord8 = {{coord|48.386|-89.25}}

| mark-title8 = Thunder Bay North Stars

}}

class="wikitable"
TeamCentreArenaJoined
Dryden Ice DogsDryden, OntarioDryden Memorial Arenaalign=center| 2001
Fort Frances LakersFort Frances, OntarioMemorial Sports Centeralign=center| 2009
Ironwood LumberjacksIronwood, MichiganPat O'Donnell Civic Centeralign="center" | 2019
Kam River Fighting WalleyeOliver Paipoonge, OntarioNorWest Arenaalign=center|2020
Red Lake MinersRed Lake, OntarioCochenour Arenaalign="center" | 2013
Sioux Lookout BombersSioux Lookout, OntarioSioux Lookout Memorial Arenaalign="center" | 2022
Thunder Bay North StarsThunder Bay, OntarioFort William Gardensalign="center" | 2001

{{notelist}}

= Former teams =

{{div col|colwidth=22em|small=yes|rules=yes}}

{{div col end}}

=Former interleague teams=

Bill Salonen Cup champions

File:Bill Salonen Cup Editted.png

The winners of the SIJHL Playoffs are awarded the Bill Salonen Cup. Although the Jack Adams Trophy is supposed to be awarded to the branch Junior A champion, Hockey Northwestern Ontario will not bring it out unless there are two leagues vying for the branch championship.Hockey Northwestern Ontario Handbook. http://www.hockeyhno.com/ {{Dead link|date=October 2024}}

class="wikitable"
style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"

|

{| cellpadding="1" style="width:650px; font-size:90%; border:1px solid gray;"

style="text-align:center;"

! style="background:#add8e6; width:30px;"|Year

! style="background:#add8e6; width:250px;"|Champion

! style="background:#add8e6; width:250px;"|Finalist

style="text-align:center;"

|2002

Dryden Ice DogsFort Frances Borderland Thunder
style="text-align:center;"

|2003

Fort Frances Borderland ThunderThunder Bay Bulldogs
style="text-align:center;"

|2004

Fort William North StarsDryden Ice Dogs
style="text-align:center;"

|2005

Fort William North StarsFort Frances Borderland Thunder
style="text-align:center;"

|2006

Fort William North StarsDryden Ice Dogs
style="text-align:center;"

|2007

Schreiber DieselsFort William North Stars
style="text-align:center;"

|2008

Dryden Ice DogsFort William North Stars
style="text-align:center;"

|2009

Fort William North StarsThunder Bay Bearcats
style="text-align:center;"

|2010

Fort William North StarsDryden Ice Dogs
style="text-align:center;"

|2011

Wisconsin WildernessDryden Ice Dogs
style="text-align:center;"

|2012

Wisconsin WildernessFort Frances Lakers
style="text-align:center;"

|2013

Minnesota WildernessFort Frances Lakers
style="text-align:center;"

|2014

Fort Frances LakersMinnesota Iron Rangers
style="text-align:center;"

|2015

Fort Frances LakersDryden Ice Dogs
style="text-align:center;"

|2016

Fort Frances LakersDryden Ice Dogs
style="text-align:center;"

|2017

Dryden Ice DogsEnglish River Miners
style="text-align:center;"

|2018

Dryden Ice DogsThunder Bay North Stars
style="text-align:center;"

|2019

Thunder Bay North StarsRed Lake Miners
style="text-align:center;"

|2020

colspan=2| Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
style="text-align:center;"

|2021

colspan=2| Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
style="text-align:center;"

|2022

Red Lake MinersKam River Fighting Walleye
style="text-align:center;"

|2023

Kam River Fighting WalleyeThunder Bay North Stars
style="text-align:center;"

|2024

Sioux Lookout BombersKam River Fighting Walleye
style="text-align:center;"

|2025

Kam River Fighting WalleyeDryden Ice Dogs

|}

=[[Dudley Hewitt Cup]]=

File:Dudley Hewitt Cup.png

class="wikitable"
style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top;"

|

{| cellpadding="1" style="width:650px; font-size:90%; border:1px solid gray;"

style="text-align:center;"

! style="background:#add8e6; width:30px;" |Year

! style="background:#add8e6; width:300px;" |Champion

! style="background:#add8e6; width:300px;" |Finalist

! style="background:#add8e6; width:250px;" |Host

style="text-align:center;"

|2006

Fort William North StarsSudbury Jr. Wolves (NOJHL)Thunder Bay, Ontario
style="text-align:center;"

|2013

Minnesota WildernessSt. Michael's Buzzers (OJHL)North Bay, Ontario

|}

Single-season team records

Timeline of teams in the SIJHL

{{div col|small=yes|rules=yes}}

;2001–02

;2002–03

  • Thunder Bay Wolves become Fort William Wolves{{cite web|url=http://www.fftimes.com/node/63355 |title=Head games | Fort Frances Times Online |publisher=Fftimes.com |date=2003-03-12 |access-date=2013-07-25}}{{dead link|date=May 2025}}
  • Featherman Hawks become Nipigon Golden Hawks
  • Iron Range Yellow Jackets break off interlock

;2003–04

  • Nipigon Golden Hawks move to Thunder Bay and become K&A Golden Hawks
  • Fort William Wolves become Fort William North Stars
  • Northwest Wisconsin Knights break off interlock

;2005–06

  • Schreiber Diesels join league
  • Fort Frances Borderland Thunder leaves league{{cite web |url=http://www.fftimes.com/node/71472 |title=Thunder pull out of SIJHL | Fort Frances Times Online |publisher=Fftimes.com |date=2005-06-01 |access-date=2013-07-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210033507/http://www.fftimes.com/node/71472 |archive-date=2014-12-10 }}
  • MSU-Bottineau Lumberjacks enter into interlocking schedules

;2006–07

  • Marathon Renegades join league
  • Thunder Bay Golden Hawks become Thunder Bay Bearcats
  • MSU-Bottineau Lumberjacks break off interlock
  • Fort Frances Jr. Sabres join league{{cite web |url=http://www.fftimes.com/node/81165 |title=SIJHL passes new Fort team | Fort Frances Times Online |publisher=Fftimes.com |date=2007-06-11 |access-date=2013-07-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309180826/http://www.fftimes.com/node/81165 |archive-date=2012-03-09 }}

;2007–08

  • Marathon Renegades withdraw from league mid-season (January)

;2008–09

  • Sioux Lookout Flyers join league{{cite web|url=http://sijhl.pointstreaksites.com/files/uploaded_documents/130/SIJHL_This_Week_1-090915.pdf |title=The 9th season of the SIJHL underway Thursday |publisher=Superior International Junior Hockey League|access-date=December 8, 2018}}
  • Thunder Bay Bulldogs merge into Thunder Bay Bearcats

;2009–10

  • Schreiber Diesels leave league
  • Thunder Bay Bearcats leave league
  • Fort Frances Jr. Sabres are renamed Fort Frances Lakers{{cite web |url=http://www.fftimes.com/node/227336 |title=Fort Frances Lakers are born | Fort Frances Times Online |publisher=Fftimes.com |date=2009-09-11 |access-date=2013-07-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210033611/http://www.fftimes.com/node/227336 |archive-date=2014-12-10 }}
  • Thunder Bay Wolverines join league from Thunder Bay Junior B Hockey League
  • Wisconsin Mustangs enter into interlocking schedule

;2010–11

  • Thunder Bay Wolverines leave league
  • Wisconsin Wilderness (formerly Mustangs) join league from Minnesota Junior Hockey League
  • Duluth Clydesdales join league

;2011–12

  • Iron Range Ironheads join league{{cite web |url=http://fftimes.com/node/244156 |title=Lakers unveil draft picks | Fort Frances Times Online |publisher=Fftimes.com |date=2011-07-14 |access-date=2013-07-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314054908/http://fftimes.com/node/244156 |archive-date=2012-03-14 }}

;2012–13

  • Iron Range Ironheads change name to Minnesota Iron Rangers
  • Wisconsin Wilderness relocate and become Minnesota Wilderness
  • Sioux Lookout Flyers cease operations
  • League revokes Duluth Clydesdales franchise

;2013–14

;2014–15

  • Wisconsin Wilderness folded

;2016–17

  • Thief River Falls Norskies joins league

;2018–19

  • English River Miners rebranded to Red Lake Miners

;2019–20

  • Wisconsin Lumberjacks joins league
  • Minnesota Iron Rangers suspended

;2020–21

  • Kam River Fighting Walleye join as an expansion team

;2022-23

  • Sioux Lookout Bombers join league

;2023–24

  • Kenora Islanders join as an expansion team

;2024–25

  • Wisconsin Lumberjacks relocated to Ironwood, Michigan, and were renamed the Ironwood Lumberjacks
  • Kenora Islanders suspended indefinitely

{{div col end}}

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

Further reading

{{refbegin}}

  • {{cite news |last1=Thoms |first1=Randy |title=SIJHL holds draft for affiliate players |url=https://www.country1053.ca/2024/10/09/94072/# |access-date=21 October 2024 |work=Country 105 |publisher=Acadia Broadcasting |date=9 October 2024 |language=en}}
  • {{cite news |last1=Russon |first1=Randy |title=Comment: Plaudits for the SIJHL as a beckoning junior hockey option |url=https://www.saultthisweek.com/sports/local-sports/comment-plaudits-for-the-sijhl-as-a-beckoning-junior-hockey-option |access-date=20 January 2025 |work=saultthisweek.com |publisher=Postmedia |date=19 April 2022}}

{{refend}}