The Ontario Women's Hockey League U22 Elite (OWHL), formerly the Provincial Women's Hockey League, is a women's junior ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada. Founded in 2004, it is considered to be the highest level of amateur women's ice hockey in Ontario, and is sanctioned by Hockey Canada and the Ontario Women's Hockey Association.
Former Provincial Women's Hockey League logoSouthwest and Barrie battle during 2013–14 season.Kingston skater during 2013–14 season.
The league was founded in 2004 as the Provincial Women's Hockey League by the Ontario Women's Hockey Association (OWHA). It is the women's equivalent to men's junior hockey, but is officially classified by the OWHA as "Intermediate AA," as the OWHA does not have an official "junior" classification system. Despite this, its teams market themselves as women's junior hockey.[1][2]
In the early years of the league, when PWHL teams had to compete for OWHA provincials they would do so with representatives of the Ottawa District.[citation needed] The PWHL franchises proved much more competitive than their Ottawa counterparts and after two seasons Ottawa applied to and joined the PWHL. By the 2009 league playoffs, the Ottawa Senators beat the league powerhouse Toronto Jr. Aeros to win its first league championship.
In the 2019–20 season, the playoffs were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.[3] The following season was not played due to coronavirus-related restrictions.[4]
At some point following the pandemic, the league was renamed to the Ontario Women's Hockey League (OWHL).[5]
Teams
Southwest Jr. Wildcats player during 2014–15 season.Cambridge Rivulettes goalie during 2013–14 season.
Two teams have won the regular season, league championship, and provincial championship in the same season. The first to do it was the Toronto Jr. Aeros, accomplishing the feat back-to-back in the league's first two seasons.
2005 Toronto Jr. Aeros
2006 Toronto Jr. Aeros
2017 Oakville Jr. Hornets
2018 Toronto Jr. Aeros
Awards
Barrie Jr. Sharks goalie 2013–14 season.
Regular Season champions
Season
Team
Record
Points
2004–05
Toronto Jr. Aeros
23–5–2
48
2005–06
Toronto Jr. Aeros[7]
27–0–3
57
2006–07
Toronto Jr. Aeros[8]
22–6–4
48
2007–08
Stoney Creek Jr. Sabres[8]
27–2–3
57
2008–09
Toronto Jr. Aeros[8]
27–5–2
56
2009–10
Mississauga Chiefs[9]
29–2–3–0
61
2010–11
Mississauga Chiefs[10]
33–3–0–0
66
2011–12
Toronto Jr. Aeros[8]
31–1–1–1
64
2012–13
Whitby Jr. Wolves
29–6–2–1
61
2013–14
Nepean Jr. Wildcats[11]
32–3–2–1
67
2014–15
Oakville Jr. Hornets
31–3–4–0
66
2015–16
Durham West Jr. Lightning
27–2–5–4
63
2016–17
Oakville Jr. Hornets
31–3–4–0
66
2017–18
Toronto Jr. Aeros
31–3–4–0
66
2018–19
Kingston Ice Wolves
28–2–7–1
64
2019–20
Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins
27–4–6
61
2020–21
2021–22
Durham West Jr. Lightning
28–0–1–1
58
2022–23
Durham West Jr. Lightning
2023–24
Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins
Scoring champion
Season
Player
Team
G-A-P
2004–05
2005–06
Mallory Deluce
Bluewater Jr. Hawks
18-45–63
2006–07
Laura McIntosh
Mississauga Jr. Chiefs
21-33–54
2007–08
Kelly Sabatine
Stoney Creek Jr. Sabres
28-32–60
2008–09
Kelly Sabatine
Stoney Creek Jr. Sabres
33-35–68
2009–10
Theadora Imbrogno[12]
Mississauga Jr. Chiefs
28-34–62
2010–11
Jenna Dingeldein
Mississauga Jr. Chiefs
21-40–61
2011–12
Emily Janiga
Burlington Jr. Barracudas
27-21–48
2012–13
Krista Yip-Chuck
Whitby Jr. Wolves
29-36–65
2013–14
Victoria Bach[13]
Mississauga Jr. Chiefs
36-32–68
2014–15
Jessie Eldridge
Toronto Jr. Aeros
29-35–64
2015–16
Daryl Watts
Mississauga Jr. Chiefs
30-35–65
2016–17
Emma Maltais
Oakville Hornets
22-34–56
2017–18
Maggie McKee
London Devilettes
14-32–46
2018–19
Maggie McKee
London Devilettes
15-41–56
2019–20
Kiara Zanon
Kingston Ice Wolves
33-31–64
Goaltending Award
Kingston goalie during 2013–14 season.
Season
Player
Team
GAA
2004–05
Melissa John/ Jamie Miller
Toronto Jr. Aeros
1.50
2005–06
Christina Kessler/ Jamie Miller
Toronto Jr. Aeros
0.93
2006–07
Jamie Miller
Toronto Jr. Aeros
1.28
2007–08
Cassandra McNichol
Mississauga Jr. Chiefs
1.13
2008–09
Cassie Seguin
Ottawa Senators
1.34
2009–10
Olivia Ross
Mississauga Jr. Chiefs
0.98
2010–11
Ali Binnington/ Bridget Smith
Mississauga Jr. Chiefs
1.00
2011–12
Taylor Hough
Toronto Jr. Aeros
0.71
2012–13
Jackie Rochefort
Durham West Jr. Lightning
0.94
2013–14
Kira Bombay[14]
Nepean Jr. Wildcats
0.82
2014–15
Sarah McDonnell
Stoney Creek Jr. Sabres
1.03
2015–16
Danika Ranger
Durham West Jr. Lightning
0.83
2016–17
Makenzy Arsenault
Whitby Wolves
.84
2017–18
Natalie Thompson
Toronto Aeros
.71
2018–19
Andrea Fausto
Stoney Creek Sabres
1.04
2019–20
Michelle Pasiechnyk
Nepean Wildcats
1.33
Coach of the Year
Season
Coach
Team
2004–05
Paul Rockett
Brampton Jr. Canadettes
2005–06
2006–07
2007–08
2008–09
2009–10
Dave Gwyn
Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins
2010–11
Rick Sullivan
Bluewater Jr. Hawks
2011–12
Christina Jolliffe
London Jr. Devilettes
2012–13
Wayne McDonald
Durham West Jr. Lightning
2013–14
Bruce MacDonald
Nepean Jr. Wildcats
2014–15
Jessica Turri
Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins
2015–16
Kim McCullough
Leaside Wildcats
2016–17
Troy Sweet
Kingston Jr Ice Wolves
2017–18
Geoff Haddaway
Cambridge Rivulettes
2018–19
Chad Campbell
Waterloo K-W Rangers
2019–20
Stacey Marnoch
Stoney Creek Sabres
Christie Rose Scholarship
Barrie Jr. Sharks players line up for a draw during 2013–14 season.
For ten years, the PWHL awarded a scholarship in memory of former PWHL player Christie Rose. She was an 18-year-old young woman who died on June 24, 2008, as a result of her injuries suffered in a car accident.[8] The scholarship is awarded on an annual basis to recognize a young woman who shares the same qualities and characteristics as Christie. The scholarship program was ended after it awarded its tenth recipient.
Recipients
Year
Player
Team
2009
Kaitlyn Bannon[15]
London Jr. Devilettes
2010
Blair Connelly
Bluewater Jr. Hawks[8]
2011
Stacey Scott
London Jr. Devilettes
2012
Michelle Tanel
Durham West Jr. Lightning
2013
Clare McKellar[16]
London Jr. Devilettes
2014
Caitlin Lee/ Erran Lee[17]
Kingston Ice Wolves
2015
Davis Smith[18]
Bluewater Jr. Hawks
2016
Emma Forcey[19]
Bluewater Jr. Hawks
2017
Tayler Murphy
Mississauga Chiefs
2018
Maggie McKee
London Devilettes
References
^"PWHL Constitution" (PDF). Provincial Women's Hockey League. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
^Ellis, Steven (March 8, 2021). "Feeder League to the Future: PWHL a Stepping Stone for Next Generation". thehockeynews.com. The Hockey News. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
^"PWHL.ca – Provincial Women's Hockey League | Provincial Women's Hockey League". pwhl.pointstreaksites.com. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
^ abGuignard, Jonathan (September 20, 2021). "Barrie Jr. Sharks eager to begin 2021-22 PWHL season". BVM Sports. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
^Kennedy, Ian (August 7, 2023). "Dominance of OWHL Evident In Hockey Canada's U-18 Roster". thehockeynews.com. The Hockey News. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
^"Welcome to the Provincial Women's Hockey League". Retrieved August 9, 2010.
^"Provincial Womens Hockey League". Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
^ abcdef"PWHL.ca – Provincial Women's Hockey League | Provincial Women's Hockey League". pwhl.pointstreaksites.com.
^"Provincial Women's Hockey League | Pointstreak Stats". pwhl3.stats.pointstreak.com.
^"Provincial Women's Hockey League | Pointstreak Stats". pwhl3.stats.pointstreak.com.
^"Provincial Women's Hockey League | Pointstreak Stats". pwhl3.stats.pointstreak.com.
^"Provincial Women's Hockey League | Pointstreak Stats". pwhl3.stats.pointstreak.com.
^"Provincial Women's Hockey League | Pointstreak Stats". pwhl3.stats.pointstreak.com.
^"Hockey scholarship remembers Christie – St. Thomas Times-Journal – Ontario, CA". Archived from the original on July 16, 2011.
^"Clare McKellar wins Christie Rose Scholarship | Provincial Women's Hockey League". pwhl.pointstreaksites.com. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
^Forrest, Ben (September 5, 2014). "Hockey-playing twins win Christie Rose Scholarship". St Thomas Times Journal. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
^McCallum, Ian (September 22, 2015). "Davis Smith is this year's Christie Rose Scholarship recipient". St Thomas Times Journal. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
^McCallum, Ian (September 10, 2016). "Eighteen-year-old Emma Forcey this year's recipient of Christie Rose PWHL scholarship". St Thomas Times Journal. Retrieved October 26, 2020.