The Noralta Junior Hockey League is a Junior "C" ice hockey league in Alberta, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada, under Hockey Alberta. It currently has 15 teams throughout the greater Edmonton area.
History
The league was founded in 1992 as a non-contact juvenile league known as the North Central Junior Hockey League. The original two teams were located in St. Albert and Sherwood Park. The league added a team in Edmonton in 1993 on condition it would be a non-contact league. The league was back down to two teams in 1994.
Body contact and strict fighting rules were adopted for the 1995–96 season which attracted teams back. Teams from Drayton Valley, Edmonton Braves, St Albert Shooters and Thorhild competed in the circuits first full season. Provincial play was contested for the first time in 1996 with St Albert hosting a four-team provincial. Sexsmith Vipers were the first Hockey Alberta Junior C Provincial winner defeating Grande Prairie Wheelers in the final.
The circuit was reorganized for the 1996–97 season expanding to eight teams (Beaumont Braves, Calahoo, Fort Saskatchewan, Legal, Morinville Super C's, Paul Band, St. Albert Shooters and Thorhild),
St. Albert rebranded as the Mustangs for the 1997–98 while Fort Saskatchewan, Legal and Thorhild folded. Calahoo and Paul Band would fold after the 1998–99 season.
On January 18, 2001 the league held its first annual All-Star Game in memory of longtime local volunteer John Anderson.
The league was incorporated as the Noralta Junior Hockey League on December 22, 2003 as league membership grew to 13 teams.
In 2015 Noralta Junior Hockey League partnered with Friends of Alberta Junior Hockey Society to provide hockey players with scholarships to continue on to higher education after high school while staying in competitive ice hockey. Since its inception the scholarships have been given out on a yearly basis to many recipients.
The league added the New Sarepta Falcons to the league for the 2017–18 season. Fort Saskatchewan Jr. C Traders withdrew before that same season over speculation of the city getting a new Alberta Junior Hockey League team.
The Edmonton-based Junior Braves were added to the league for the 2018–19 season. Beaumont Buccaneers joined for 2021–22. In the 2022-23 season, three new teams were added (Millet Lightning, NEZ North Stars & Devon Bison). The Edmonton Wolverines joined for the 2025-26 season.
Teams TeamCentre1st Season St. Albert Comets St. Albert1992–93 SouthWest Zone Oil Kings Edmonton1999–00 Gibbons Broncos Gibbons2006–07 Seera Icemen Edmonton2006–07 Sherwood Park Renegades Sherwood Park2006–07 Edmonton Mavericks Edmonton2014–15 Junior Braves Edmonton2018–19Strathcona WarriorsStrathcona2020–21 Beaumont Buccaneers Beaumont2021–22Devon BisonDevon2022-23Millet LightningMillet2022-23NorthEast Zone NorthstarsEdmonton2022-23CR KnightsRivière Qui Barre2023-24North Edmonton WolverinesEdmonton2025-26Parkland FlyersStony Plain2026-27
Champions Typically the champion and two runners-up compete against the top three teams of the Calgary Junior C Hockey League for the Hockey Alberta Provincial Junior "C" title. +YearLeague playoff championProvincial champion1996St. Albert ShootersSexsmith Vipers1997St. Albert ShootersCalgary Southland (CJCHL)1998St. Albert Mustangs ---1999Beaumont Braves ---2000Morinville Super C'sOyen Bees (CJCHL)2001Morinville Super C's ---2002Beaumont Braves ---2003St. Albert BluesSpringbank Rockies (CJCHL)2004RCAC RivermenSpringbank Rockies (CJCHL)2005SWZ Oil KingsSWZ Oil Kings2006SWZ Oil KingsSWZ Oil Kings2007Millet LightningSpringbank Rockies (CJCHL)2008Edmonton IceSherwood Park Renegades2009SWZ SentinelsEdmonton Ice2010Beaumont BravesSeera Icemen2011Beaumont BravesBeaumont Braves2012Edmonton AvalancheEdmonton Avalanche2013Gibbons BroncosEdmonton Avalanche2014Gibbons BroncosEdmonton Avalanche2015Edmonton AvalancheEdmonton Avalanche2016Edmonton AvalancheEdmonton Avalanche 2017SWZ Oil KingsNEZ North Stars2018Edmonton AvalancheSherwood Park Renegades 2019Edmonton AvalancheEdmonton Avalanche 2020Play suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic ---2021Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic ---2022Gibbons BroncosSpringbank Rockies (CJCHL)2023SWZ Oil KingsCalgary Wolverines (CJCHL)2024Edmonton MavericksWolverines Jr HC (CJCHL)2025St. Albert CometsEdmonton Mavericks (Noralta)2026Gibbons BroncosSherwood Park Renegades (Noralta)
Former teams Calahoo (1996–99) Drayton Valley (1996–97) Edmonton Avalanche (2009–2019) Edmonton Braves (1995–96) - relocated to Beaumont Beaumont Braves (1996–2007; 2009–13) Edmonton Capitals (1997–??) Edmonton Ice (2006–13) Edmonton Firebirds (????–10) Edmonton Rivermen (2001–03) - renamed RCAC Rivermen Fort Saskatchewan (1996–97) Fort Saskatchewan Mustangs (1999–2007) Fort Saskatchewan Rangers (2013–2014) - renamed Jr. C Traders Fort Saskatchewan Jr. C Traders (2014–17) Legal (1996–97) Millet Lightning (2006–14) Morinville Titans (2009–2019) - assumed original name Morinville Super C's New Sarepta Falcons (2017–19) - renamed New Sarepta Blades (2019–21) Northeast Zone Northstars (2006–20) Oil Capital Blades (2000–01) - renamed Edmonton Blades Edmonton Blades (2001–??) Oil Capital Wildcats (1999–2001) - renamed Edmonton Wildcats Edmonton Wildcats (2001–??) Paul Band (1996–99) RBQ Desperados (??–2007) St. Albert Shooters (1992–97) - renamed St. Albert Mustangs St. Albert Mustangs (1997–02) - renamed St. Albert Blues St. Albert Blues (2002–12) - renamed St. Albert Comets Seera Stealth (2009–16) Sherwood Park (1992–97) SouthWest Zone Sentinels (2007–11) SouthWest Zone Ice Kings (2014-25) Strathcona Sabres (~2002–08) Thorhild (1995–97) Wabamun Wings (2006–12)
References
External links NJHL website Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships