Hockey PEI announced Tuesday that the City of Charlottetown and the Sherwood Junior Falcons of the Island Junior Hockey League (IJHL) have been awarded the right to play host to the 2008 Don Johnson Cup, Atlantic Junior B Championships. The site was approved recently by Hockey PEI.
The event features the best of Junior B hockey in Atlantic Canada will be played at the MacLauchlan Arena (CARI Complex) on the campus of the University of PEI. The Championships will run from April 15-20, 2008.
The round robin championship format will crown the top Junior B team from the region. The five team tournament will include representatives from Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, the IJHL Provincial Champion and the host Sherwood Falcons. Upwards of 125 players and team staff will invade the city for the 2008 Championships (plus families and fans).
“Hockey PEI is proud to be the host branch for the 2008 Don Johnson Cup and look forward to working with the host committee in delivering a first class event,” states Cliff Affleck, Hockey PEI’s Chair of Junior Council. “Don Johnson is indeed one of Canada’s great hockey personalities, we look forward to hosting Don and the best Junior B teams in the region at the 2008 Championships.”
The Don Johnson Cup Story
The year was 1930, the location was Halifax, Nova Scotia were Don Johnson was born. There was no minor hockey at the time, Johnson did play school hockey in his early days. He went on to St. Mary’s High School and College where he continued to compete at both levels. Later, he coached both teams with the latter playing at the AUAA level. Johnson also played junior hockey at St. Mary’s in Halifax. The next two seasons Johnson played with the Annapolis Valley’s Middleton Maple Leafs, then he moved on to play with the Digby Ravens. Returning to Halifax in the 1950’s, he laced up with the Fairview Aces of the Halifax Suburban Hockey League.
In the late 50’s Johnson moved to Campbellton, New Brunswick where he helped the Tigers claim a provincial title during his second year with the team.
As an employee of the Bank of Nova Scotia, Johnson was transferred to St. John’s, Newfoundland in December of 1959. He played senior hockey at the local level for two years. During this time his St. Pat’s team won the historic Boyle Trophy both seasons (only the Stanley Cup is older than the Boyle Trophy). Johnson was an assistant coach with the St. John’s Capitals when they won three consecutive provincial titles to claim the Herder Memorial Trophy.
After his playing and coaching days were over, Johnson was elected president of the St. John’s Junior and Senior Hockey League and in the mid 60’s was elected president of the Newfoundland Amateur Hockey Association where he would helped lead that province into union with the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. In the 70’s he was the first elected an officer of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA), and later was elected president of the national body, a position he held for two years.
During Johnson’s term in office, the CAHA returned to international hockey and the Canada Cup, and helmets were made mandatory. He was an officer of the association for ten years and was elected an Honorary Life Member in 1982.
The first Don Johnson Cup was played in 1982 in Kensington P.E.I. Johnson had the privilege of presenting the trophy to his own son, who was the assistant captain for the winning Brother Rice Junior Celtics from St.John’s Newfoundland. Robert Cousins was the organizer of the inaugural tournament and led the initiative to have the trophy named in honour of Don Johnson.
ROLE of CHAMPIONS
2007 – East Hants Penguins
2006 – Bay Ducks
2005 – Sackville Blazers
2004 – Sackville Blazers
2003 – Sackville Blazers
2002 – O’Leary Potato Packer Eagles
2001 – Windsor Royals
2000 – Subway Slammers
1999 – Richibucto Bears
1998 – Windsor Royals
1997 – Cape Breton Alpines
1991 – 1996 No Tournament
1990 – St. Margaret’s Bay Mariners
1989 – Sydney Jr. Mills
1988 – St. John’s Jr. 50s
1987 – St. John’s Jr. 50s
1986 – Mount Pearl Junior Blades
1985 – St. John’s Jr. 50s
1984 – Antigonish Bulldogs
1983 – Antigonish Bulldogs
1982 – Brother Rice Jr. Celtics
“I am delighted that Charlottetown has been awarded the hosting-rights to the 2008 Don Johnson Cup,” said Mayor Lee. “Charlottetown is a strong and successful event-hosting destination, with a focus on attracting major sporting events such as the Don Johnson Cup through the SCORE! initiative. The City of Charlottetown has had the privilege of hosting a number of regional and national hockey championships and values its strong relationship with local organizations like the Sherwood Jr. B Falcons and Hockey PEI.”
“Tourism Charlottetown is delighted to work in partnership with the City of Charlottetown through SCORE!, and with local sporting groups such as the Sherwood Jr. B Falcons to bring sporting events to Charlottetown,” states Kevin Murphy, President of Tourism Charlottetown. “SCORE has scored again and we look forward to hosting the 2008 Don Johnson Cup.”
Comments are closed.