Manitoba Female Hockey League

The Manitoba Female Hockey League is an under-18 ice hockey league in the province of Manitoba, Canada. It is designated as an 'AAA' league – the highest level of minor hockey in Canada – and operates under the supervision of Hockey Manitoba.

Manitoba Female Hockey League
SportIce hockey
Founded2008
Inaugural season2008-09
No. of teams8
Most recent
champion(s)		Eastman Selects
Most titlesPembina Valley Hawks (7)
Related
competitions		Esso Cup

History

The league was founded in 2008 to provide elite female hockey players in Manitoba with the opportunity to play at a more competitive level. A number of players who have played in the league have joined NCAA or CIS hockey programs. The league was built using the same model used by Hockey Manitoba for the Manitoba Midget 'AAA' Hockey League, which has been operating quite successfully since the 1980s. Manitoba was the last western province to have a female under-18 'AAA' league.[1]

Teams

The league began its inaugural season with five teams; it had as many as nine team (2011–12), but now has seven. All teams are regionally based and are operated by Hockey Manitoba's regional minor hockey associations. Each team is composed of players from local minor hockey associations within its region.

TeamRegionLeague TitlesNational Titles
Central Plains CapitalsCentral Plains10
Eastman SelectsEastman10
Pembina Valley HawksPembina Valley71
Westman WildcatsWestman South21
Winnipeg AvroWinnipeg00
Winnipeg IceWinnipeg10
Yellowhead ChiefsYellowhead10

Former Teams
  • Brandon Wheat Kings
  • Parkland Panthers
  • Norman Wild

Championship

Since the 2011–12 season, the league championship has doubled as the provincial female under-18 AAA championship. Each year, the Manitoba champion competes in an interprovincial playoff series against the champion from Saskatchewan. The winner of that series earns a berth in the Esso Cup, the national female under-18 championship.[1]

The Pembina Valley Hawks were national champions in 2012, while the Westman Wildcats won the inaugural Esso Cup in 2009, prior to joining the league. Pembina Valley hosted the 2017 Esso Cup in Morden.

League Champions
  • 2008-09 Pembina Valley Hawks
  • 2009-10 Pembina Valley Hawks
  • 2010-11 Pembina Valley Hawks
  • 2011-12 Pembina Valley Hawks National Champions
  • 2012-13 Pembina Valley Hawks
  • 2013-14 Pembina Valley Hawks
  • 2014-15 Central Plains Capitals
  • 2015-16 Yellowhead Chiefs
  • 2016-17 Pembina Valley Hawks (Westman Wildcats advanced to regional playoff)
  • 2017-18 Eastman Selects
  • 2018-19 Westman Wildcats
  • 2019-20 Winnipeg Ice/Winnipeg Avros

(tie due to Covid-19)

  • 2020-21 No Champion (Covid-19)
  • 2021-22 Westman Wildcats

See also

References
  1. Prest, Ashley (2011-10-06). "AAA female hockey debuts in Manitoba". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
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