The 2023–24 AJHL season was the 60th season of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). The season began with 16 teams and ended with 11 teams after the surprise mid-season departure of five teams to join the BCHL. The Calgary Canucks swept the Whitecourt Wolverines in 4 games to win the league championship.[1]
League changes
The season began with 16 teams distributed between 2 divisions of 8 teams each. On January 20, 2024, the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) announced that the Blackfalds Bulldogs, Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Sherwood Park Crusaders, and Spruce Grove Saints would move from the AJHL to the BCHL in the 2024-25 season.[2] The BCHL had planned to wait until the end of the season to make the announcement, however rumours had already begun to circulate online.[3] The AJHL responded to the announcement by cancelling most of the five teams' remaining scheduled matches except those between each other.[4][5] It was then decided by the BCHL that the five teams would play out the rest of the season as a stand-alone division under the aegis of the BCHL. The AJHL then consolidated the remaining teams from its North and South divisions into a single unit for the rest of the season.[6][7][8]
The league began a pilot program for video review on goals at specific arenas.[9] It subsequently decided to extend the pilot program through the 2024–25 season.[10][11]
Regular season
Map of AJHL, 2023–24
200km 125miles
Bobcats
Pontiacs
Oil Barons
Bandits
Dragons
Kodiaks
Crusaders
Bulldogs
Saints
Oilers
Canucks
Grizzlies
Thunder
Eagles
Wolverines
Storm
North Division, team played full season
North Division, team joined BCHL in January
South Division, team played full season
South Division, team joined BCHL in January
The standings at the end of the regular season were as follows:
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, GA = Goals Against, Sv% = Save Percentage, GAA = Goals Against Average, SO = Shutouts, Mins = Minutes played.
