October 2, 2018

Immediate Release 

Grand Falls-Windsor, NL – Since the end of the 2017-18 hockey season, Hockey NL and senior hockey franchises across the Province have come together to develop a plan for sustainable, community-based hockey. It is our expectation that this new and exciting format will enable fans to see the very best senior hockey competition in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Following a successful second season of exciting hockey with huge fan support, the West Coast Senior Hockey League (WCSHL) will again operate with four (4) returning franchises and the Deer Lake Red Wings hoping to retain their League Championship status.

The Central West Senior Hockey League (CWSHL) and the East Coast Senior Hockey League (ECSHL) have agreed to come together as the Newfoundland Senior Hockey League (NSHL) to build on progress made over the past three hockey seasons.  In 2015-16, the ECSHL (former AESHL) league champion St. John’s Caps played the Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts in the Herder Memorial Championship for the first time.  In the 2017-2018 season, the two leagues participated in interlocking games, culminating in another joint Herder series.  The NSHL will now see the Clarenville Caribous compete in the ECSHL division for the first time and hockey fans in the Metro St. John’s will now be able to watch the Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts and the Gander Flyers travel east to take on rivals in the ECSHL during regular season play. 

The seven (7) participating franchises will include: the St. John’s Caps, Southern Shore Breakers, CBS Blues, Northeast Eagles, Clarenville Caribous, Gander Flyers and the Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts. All franchises will participate in interlocking games (home and away), while also coming together in a revamped Herder Memorial Championship.  This season’s Herder Memorial Championship will see four (4) NSHL teams qualify to participate in a round robin tournament, similar to the MasterCard Memorial Cup, with the winner being crowned the Herder Champion over the 2019 Easter weekend.

“We are excited to implement the next step in our master plan which will return senior hockey to its grassroots while rejuvenating the Herder Memorial Championships”, stated Hockey NL Senior Council Chair Gary Gale. Expanded marketing partnerships with provincial and local businesses are being forged to benefit fans and teams alike. It is anticipated that new League sponsors will be unveiled at a launch event in mid-October, 2018 along with releasing our regular season and Herder schedules and website details.

For more information, please contact:

Craig Tulk
Executive Director

Hockey NL
(709) 489-5512
[email protected]