Junior B or Junior A? How About Reorganize, Not Reclassify

There has been much debate about whether the GOJHL should remain a Junior B league, or reclassify as a Junior A league.

Personally, I don’t think reclassification of an entire league is the fix. I also don’t think keeping every Junior A league available in Ontario in, or North of the GTA is logical.

The OHL is evenly spread across Ontario. You can find Junior C teams spread across Ontario, and there is Junior B in various regions, although not all, as well. How about trying a not so novel idea, evenly distribute Junior A and B teams across Ontario, by reorganizing the current leagues.

So how would it look?

For arguments sake, let’s agree that an OHL and Junior A team won’t exist in the same town (even though they do in places, eg: Sault Ste. Marie). Instead, let’s look at it logically in terms of drawing area. If LaSalle or Leamington (or both) became a Junior A centre, the best Windsor and Essex County players, and possibly some from Michigan and Ohio, would play there.

Avoiding Sarnia and London, perhaps Chatham becomes a Junior A centre, drawing from Chatham-Kent, Lambton, and likely again Michigan. St. Thomas would be the next logical area for Junior A, drawing from London and area.

Heading North, it’s easy to imagine Waterloo, Brantford, Stratford, and Cambridge holding Junior A teams, and again seeing them East in places like St. Catherines. Cambridge actually launched an “outlaw” Junior A team in the GMHL this season.

The addition of these towns would, hypothetically, create a true South Division for the OJHL. Struggling teams from that loop, should then be re-assigned into Junior B leagues surrounding the GTA.

What about the Junior B league? Well, put Essex or Lakeshore in to replace a removed team. Add a team in Petrolia, or heck, “re-assign” Lambton Shores or St. Marys down. Woodstock would be another town that would look nice in a Junior B league.

Arguing an entire league should be bumped up to Junior A, in my opinion, is illogical. Truth be told, many, many players in the GOJHL would step into Junior A teams and dominate, or at least contribute. And many players in Junior A, would be better suited down a level.

Canada continues to discuss how to better develop elite players, well, how about providing players from all corners of the country, in particular in places like densely populated Ontario, with a full spectrum of opportunities, without forcing them to move to Toronto.

The GOJHL is a large league, and could survive without 2-3 teams per conference.

I think the Ontario Hockey Association should stop holding the door shut to GOJHL teams desiring a Junior A classification, and rather, open a second door, one that sees a more even distribution of Junior A and B teams across the province.

If an NCAA scout knew that by travelling to Leamington or Chatham, they would see all of the best NCAA eligible players South of London, it would be enticing. If they knew all the best NCAA players in London and the surrounding counties were in St. Thomas, they’d make the trip.

Speaking of trips, of course travel would be an issue, but that’s the price an organization would need to pay to play Junior A hockey. Forcing an entire league to jump isn’t the answer, but allowing Southern Ontario teams to choose which league, with OHA approval of course, is an answer.

It’s simple. Open the door, open the discussion, and be willing to make a drastic reorganization, not a drastic reclassification. The OJHL is a great league, but it could be a much greater league with changes. After all, it’s called the Ontario Junior Hockey League for a reason, and all of Ontario should have an opportunity to join.