Newfoundland Junior A Hockey League

The Newfoundland Junior A Hockey League (NJAHL) was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league in the province of Newfoundland. The NJAHL was in competition for the Callaghan Cup and the Canadian National Junior A Championship, the Centennial Cup.

Founded in 1971, the NJAHL had a short and rocky history. In its first season, the team originated with teams in Gander, Clarenville, Bay St. George, and Port-aux-Basques. The first season had no true playoffs, with the league title being awarded to the Gander Jr. Flyers for having a superior record. Mid-season, Gander was elected to play the St. John's Jr. Capitals, the only Jr. A team in the East, for the Veitch Memorial Trophy and the right to proceed in the 1972 Centennial Cup playdowns. St. John's won the series 2-games-to-1.

In the second season, Clarenville and Bay St. George were replaced by Buchans and Corner Brook. With no Jr. A in St. John's, Gander and Buchans would play for the Veitch Memorial Trophy with Buchans winning 4-games-to-3. Buchans would proceed to the 1973 Centennial Cup playdowns, where they lost 3-games-to-none to the Moncton Beavers of the New Brunswick Junior Hockey League.

In 1973-74, the league expanded to seven teams and separated into two divisions. Joining the league were St. John's and Conception Bay North, rejoining were Clarenville and Bay St. George, as the league lost their Buchans entry. In what would be the league's biggest season, the East Division champs, Gander Jr. Flyers, and West Division champs, Bay St. George Huskies, met for the league title and Veitch Memorial Trophy. Gander took the series 4-games-to-1. In the 1974 Centennial Cup playdowns, the Jr. Flyers were defeated by the Island Junior Hockey League's Charlottetown Colonels 3-games-to-none.

...
Wikipedia