Capital Region Junior Hockey League

{{distinguish|National Capital Junior Hockey League|Capital Junior Hockey League}}

{{Infobox hockey league

| name = Capital Region Junior Hockey League

| logo = CRJHL_logo.png

| pixels =

| leader_title = Commissioner

| leader_name = Grant Heather

| founded = 2018

| teams = 7

| assc_champ = Baldy Northcott Trophy
Keystone Cup

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

| most_champs = Selkirk Fishermen (3)

| champions = St. Malo Warriors

| season = 2023–24

}}

The Capital Region Junior Hockey League (CRJHL) is a junior B ice hockey league in the province of Manitoba, Canada. The league, sanctioned by Hockey Manitoba, began play for 2018–19 season.

History

The CRJHL was formed in 2018 when five teams from the Keystone Junior Hockey League (KJHL) withdrew to form a new league.{{Cite web|date=October 14, 2018|title=A new league begins|url=https://steinbachonline.com/local-sports/a-new-league-begins|website=Steinbach Online}} These five clubs, all located within an hour-and-a-half drive of Winnipeg, cited the long travel distance to northern Manitoba, where the KJHL's other six teams are located, as the main reason for leaving to create the new league.{{cite news|date=October 12, 2018|title=Warriors join new CRJHL|publisher=The Carillon|url=https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/the-carillon/sports/Warriors-join-new-CRJHL-497214711.html#:~:text=Not%20only%20will%20the%20St,Capital%20Region%20Junior%20Hockey%20League.|url-status=dead|access-date=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019215108/https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/the-carillon/sports/Warriors-join-new-CRJHL-497214711.html#:~:text=Not%20only%20will%20the%20St,Capital%20Region%20Junior%20Hockey%20League.|archive-date=October 19, 2021}}{{cite news|title=KJHL Looking for New Teams|publisher=Thompsononline.ca|url=http://thompsononline.ca/the-thompson-sports-news/376462|access-date=October 14, 2018}} The split resulted in litigation, with the remaining KJHL teams alleging that the decision to form a new league was racially motivated.{{cite news |last1=Petz |first1=Sarah |title=First Nations argue new hockey league is 'blatant racism,' segregates Indigenous, non-Indigenous teams |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-first-nations-junior-hockey-lawsuit-1.4951899 |access-date=7 December 2024 |work=CBC News |publisher=CBC/Radio-Canada |date=19 December 2018}} The remaining KJHL teams filed a complaint with governing body, Hockey Manitoba, which ruled that the new league had breached the organization's constitution when it did not give proper notice to the KJHL.{{cite news |last1=Malone |first1=Kelly Geraldine |title=First Nations denied injunction in Keystone Junior Hockey League split |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/kjhl-injunction-denied-1.4956788 |access-date=7 December 2024 |work=CBC News |publisher=CBC/Radio-Canada |date=21 December 2018}} Moreover, it ruled that former KJHL players would need a release to play in the new league and there would be a $500 fee. The KJHL applied to the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba for an injunction halting the CRJHL's inaugural season, and seeking damages for alleged breaches of contracts with players.{{cite news |last1=Billeck |first1=Scott |title=Northern KJHL teams file suit against southern teams that left the league |url=https://winnipegsun.com/news/provincial/northern-kjhl-teams-file-suit-against-southern-teams-that-left-the-league |access-date=5 August 2024 |work=Winnipeg Sun |publisher=Postmedia |date=9 November 2018}} The court denied the request for injunction, finding that the KJHL teams had not exhausted their appeals through Hockey Manitoba and couldn't prove the split would cause irreparable harm to the league.{{cite news |title=First Nations denied injunction against split of junior hockey leagues |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4787165/first-nations-denied-injunction-against-split-of-junior-hockey-leagues/ |access-date=7 December 2024 |work=Global News |agency=Canadian Press |publisher=Corus Entertainment |date=21 December 2018}}

The Selkirk Fishermen defeated the North Winnipeg Satelites in six games to capture the first-ever CRJHL championship in 2019. The Fishermen, who defeated the Arborg Ice Dawgs in five games, were set to defend that title in 2020 against the St. Malo Warriors, but the finals were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020–21 CRJHL season began in October 2020 with games played with spectator limits before provincial-wide restrictions forced the cancellation of the remainder of the season.{{Cite web|date=October 14, 2020|title=Treasuring our time together|url=https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/amateur/treasuring-our-time-together-572746201.html|website=Winnipeg Free Press}}{{Cite web|date=November 3, 2020|title=Fishermen Sit Atop CRJHL Standings Entering 'Code Red' Pause|url=https://gameonhockey.ca/2020/11/03/fishermen-sit-atop-crjhl-standings-entering-code-red-pause/|website=Game On}}

In 2024, the St. Malo Warriors became the second club to win the league championship.{{cite news |last1=Dueck |first1=Shannon |title=St. Malo Warriors honoured in Manitoba Legislature |url=https://steinbachonline.com/articles/st-malo-warriors-honoured-in-manitoba-legislature |access-date=5 August 2024 |work=SteinbachOnline |date=10 April 2024}}

Teams

The league has expanded twice since it began with 5 teams in 2018. The Beausejour Comets joined in the 2022–23 CRJHL season, and the La Broquerie Habs debuted in the 2024–25 CRJHL season.{{cite news |last1=Dankochik |first1=Cassidy |title=‘We're Habs to the end’ — Junior hockey returns to La Broquerie |url=https://www.thecarillon.com/local/2024/06/13/habs-til-the-end-junior-hockey-returns-to-la-broqurie |access-date=5 August 2024 |work=The Carillon |date=13 June 2024}}

class="wikitable"

|+ style="background:#FFFFFF00; border-top:#B59759 5px solid; border-bottom:#B59759 5px solid|Franchises

!Team

!City/Area

!Arena

!Founded

Arborg Ice Dawgs

| Arborg

| Arborg & District Arena

| 2006

Beausejour Comets

| Beausejour