Junior C Bid Denied for Amherstburg

The local Great Lakes Junior C League nearly took on a new look for next season as the City of Amherstburg applied for a Junior C franchise, however the bid was denied by the Ontario Hockey Association Board.

“The application lacked League support and fears of impacting on existing members in the immediate area were the underlying reasons for the denial,” said the OHA in an official release earlier this week.

Essex County already contains multiple Junior C franchises in the Essex 73s, Belle River Canadiens, and Kingsville Coments, as well as Junior B teams in the LaSalle Vipers and Leamington Flyers.

The Wheatley Sharks, another Junior C team which borders Essex and Kent County’s also draws players from Essex County’s minor hockey programs.

Although the decision that an additional franchise would impact drawing areas and diffuse talent in the league, the additional team would have been a welcomed site for many teams to bring the league up from 9 to 10 teams.

Currently, all four South Division teams (Belle River, Essex, Wheatley, Kingsville) make the playoffs regardless of their overall standing, however one North Division team (Blenheim, Wallaceburg, Dresden, Mooretown, Alvinston) could finish above other teams, yet fail to make the playoffs.

Amherstburg was seen as a prime candidate for a new franchise as the town has a brand new arena and is supported by two ‘AAA’ franchises with the Sun County Panthers and Windsor Junior Spitfires playing locally. Town support was also present in the bid.

Amherstburg had a Junior C team, nicknamed the Vikings, until 1997. Other local centres to leave the league in the last two decades include Tilbury and Walpole Island.

The Amherstburg group will continue to pursue a Junior C franchise and plan to re-apply to the OHA next season.