Northern Premier Hockey League
Current season or competition: 2025–26 season | |
 | |
| Countries | Canada |
|---|---|
| Regions | Eastern Ontario; Windsor area |
| Former name | Eastern Ontario Super Hockey League |
| Founded | 2019 |
| Divisions | 6 |
| Conferences | 2 |
| No. of teams | 25 |
| Most successful club | Whitby Dunlops |
| Website | nphlhockey |
The Northern Premier Hockey League is a senior ice hockey league with 25 franchises spread throughout 2 member leagues based in Eastern Ontario and the Windsor area.
History
[edit]The EOSHL became a sanctioned Senior "A" league in 2003. In 2005, the league was promoted to Senior "AAA" to compete against the Major League Hockey (MLH) league and have a chance to win the Allan Cup. In 2006, the league dropped from six to four teams.[citation needed]
During the 2007-08 season, a new team known as the Cooks Bay Canucks joined the league. Although successful on the ice, the Canucks underwent two name changes in the same season. The team started the season as the Cooks Bay Canucks, but was soon renamed to the Simcoe County Canucks. The Canucks made the playoffs and before game two of the league semi-final, they announced another name change to the Simcoe County Tundras, with new logos, and completely different jerseys and team colours.[citation needed]
The Eastern Ontario Senior Hockey League merged with Major League Hockey in 2008, when AAA-level senior hockey in the OHA shrunk to only five teams.[1]
The league split off from Allan Cup Hockey and incorporated as the Eastern Ontario Super Hockey League (EOSHL) ahead of the 2019–20 season with 4 teams: Cornwall Senior Prowlers, West Carleton Rivermen, Maxville Millionaires and Deseronto Bulldogs.[2][3]
In 2024, the EOSHL added 2 new teams: Westport Lumberjacks and Lindsay Barncats, and relocated its new Manotick and Pontiac franchises.[4]
By April 2024, the EOSHL came under new ownership by Jon Zinck and Joshua Rowlands and was subsequently rebranded to the Northern Premier Hockey League (NPHL).[4] All of the prior EOSHL franchises were reorganized into the NPHL umbrella as the Capital League. 2025 also saw the relocation of the new Akwesasne, Tamworth, and Shawville franchises, and the introduction of 2 new teams to the Capital League: County Royals and Durham Devils.[4]
In 2025, the NPHL also added a second league under its umbrella, the Metropolitan League, in the Windsor, Ontario area.[4]
Teams (Capital League)
[edit]The Capital League has 17 teams as of the 2025-26 NPHL season.[5]
| Division | Team | Location | Home Arena |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Conference | |||
| Frontier Division | Akwesasne Wild | Kawehnò:ke (Cornwall Island), Akwesasne, ON | A'nowara'ko:wa Arena (“Turtle Dome”) |
| North Dundas Rockets | Chesterville, ON | Chesterville & District Arena | |
| Smiths Falls Rideaus | Smiths Falls, ON | Smiths Falls Memorial Community Centre | |
| South Grenville Rangers | Prescott, ON | Alaine Chartrand Arena | |
| South Stormont Mustangs | South Stormont, ON | Long Sault Arena | |
| Pioneer Division | Arnprior Rivermen | Arnprior, ON | Nick Smith Centre |
| Madawaska Valley Wolves | Barry's Bay, ON | Paul J. Yakabuski Community Centre | |
| Paugan Falls Rapids | Low, QC | Gatineau Valley Arena | |
| Shawville Pontiacs | Shawville, QC | Shawville Arena | |
| West Conference | |||
| Heritage Division | Deseronto Bulldogs | Deseronto, ON | Deseronto Community Recreation Centre |
| Tamworth Sabres | Tamworth, ON | Stone Mills Recreation Centre | |
| Tweed Oil Kings | Tweed, ON | Tweed-Hungerford Community Centre | |
| Westport Lumberjacks | Westport, ON | Westport Community Arena | |
| Highlands Division | The County Royals | Picton / Wellington, ON | Prince Edward Community Centre / Wellington & District Community Centre |
| Durham Hawks | Clarington, ON | South Courtice Arena | |
| Lindsay Barncats | Lindsay, ON | Lindsay Recreation Centre | |
| Norwood Rams | Norwood, ON | Asphodel-Norwood Community Centre | |
Teams (Metropolitan League)
[edit]The Metropolitan League has 8 teams as of the 2025-26 NPHL season.[6]
| Division | Team | Location | Home Arena |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Conference | |||
| Loyalist Division | Brant County Riverhawks | Burford, ON | Burford Community Centre |
| Halton Hills Coyotes | Acton, ON | Acton Community Centre | |
| Six Nations Ironmen | Ohsweken, ON | Gaylord Powless Arena | |
| Woodstock Lakers | Woodstock, ON | Southwood Arena | |
| South Conference | |||
| Gateway Division | Alvinston Killer Bees | Brooke-Alvinston, ON | Brooke-Alvinston-Inwood Community Centre |
| Stratford Irish | Stratford, ON | William Allman Memorial Arena | |
| Strathroy Jets | Strathroy, ON | Gemini Sportsplex | |
| Tilbury Bluebirds | Tilbury, ON | Tilbury and District Memorial Community Centre | |
Champions
[edit]- 2008 Whitby Dunlops
- 2007 Whitby Dunlops
- 2006 Whitby Dunlops
- 2005 Norwood Vipers
- 2004 Belleville Macs
Bolded teams were the winners of the J. Ross Robertson Cup as Ontario Hockey Association champions.
League Map
[edit]
31miles
Capital League:
Metropolitan League:
References
[edit]- ↑ "Senior hockey leagues merge". Brantford Expositor. Brantford, Ontario. 16 May 2008. p. 13.
- ↑ Weir, Laurie (25 January 2021). "New senior hockey league sprouts with Smiths Falls Rideaus in the fray". InsideOttawaValley.com. Metroland Media Group. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ↑ MacAlpine, Ian (19 March 2021). "Two area senior hockey teams hope to make debut in fall". thewhig.com. Postmedia. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- 1 2 3 4 "History - NPHL Capital League".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Hambleton, Todd (14 May 2024). "Cornwall Prowlers' move to Manotick leaves senior-hockey void in city". standard-freeholder.com. Postmedia. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ↑ "History - NPHL Metropolitan League".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
Further reading
[edit]- Weir, Laurie (25 January 2021). "New senior hockey league sprouts with Smiths Falls Rideaus in the fray". InsideOttawaValley.com. Metroland Media Group. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- Dempsey, Keith (12 August 2024). "Islanders seek continued support from Gananoque council". recorder.ca. Postmedia. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- Hambleton, Todd (5 April 2024). "Gananoque Islanders beat North Dundas Rockets for EOSHL title". standard-freeholder.com. Postmedia. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- Hambleton, Todd (14 May 2024). "Cornwall Prowlers' move to Manotick leaves senior-hockey void in city". standard-freeholder.com. Postmedia. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- Prudhomme, Adam (16 May 2024). "Deseronto Bulldogs tab Brandon Tucker as next head coach". napaneebeaver.ca. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- "North Dundas Rockets, Gananoque Islanders to clash Thursday in EOSHL finale". standard-freeholder.com. Postmedia. 1 April 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- Gordanier, Tim (3 April 2024). "North Dundas Rockets down Gananoque Islanders to repeat as senior champs". thewhig.com. Postmedia. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- "Rockets defeat Sr. Rangers in game one of EOSHL East final". recorder.ca. Postmedia. 27 March 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- Peerenboom, Greg (4 March 2024). "North Dundas Rockets and South Stormont Mustangs in EOSHL Eastern Conference final, again". standard-freeholder.com. Postmedia. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
External links
[edit]- [https://www.nphlhockey.ca// NPHL official Website