Alberta Junior Hockey League < br > The Alberta Junior Hockey League ( AJHL ) is an Alberta - based Junior A hockey league that belongs to the Canadian Junior Hockey League ( CJHL ) . It was formed as a five - team league in 1964 . There are currently 16 teams in the league . The regular season league champions receive the Dave Duchak Trophy . The playoff champions receive the Enerflex Cup ( the Carling O ' Keefe Trophy before 1998 and the Rogers Wireless Cup until 2008 ) . The winner of the AJHL playoffs continues on to play in the Doyle Cup in a best - of - seven series against the champion of the British Columbia Hockey League . The winner of the Doyle Cup competes in the Junior " A " National Championship for the Royal Bank Cup . History . The early 1960s saw a much different junior hockey scenario in Alberta than what currently exists . The Edmonton Oil Kings were the only true Junior - A - calibre team in the province and drew most of the top talent Alberta had to offer . The Oil Kings were the Western Canadian champions from 1962 until 1966 , Abbott Cup champions in 1954 and from 1960 to 1966 , and Memorial Cup national champions in 1963 and 1966 . In 1966 , the Oil Kings helped create the Western Hockey League . The issue in 1964 was that there were hundreds of junior - calibre players in the province , but really only one team to play for . A group of business and hockey people got together in 1964 and decided to form a Junior " A " league in an attempt to truly develop Alberta hockey . The original league consisted of the Edmonton Safeway Canadians , the Edmonton Maple Leafs , the Lethbridge Sugar Kings , Calgary Cowboys , and the Calgary Buffaloes . The season prior to establishment of the AJHL the Buffaloes and Oil Kings had played in Intermediate ( Senior ) level Central Alberta Hockey League while the Cowboys and Sugar Kings played in the mixed level ( junior , intermediate , and senior level ) Alberta Big Six League and the Canadians appeared to have played an independent schedule . The 1963 - 64 Alberta Junior Playoffs were used as the impetus to form the league . The Edmonton Safeway Canadians and Maple Leafs would later merge in 1971 to become the Edmonton Mets , then move to Spruce Grove to become the Spruce Grove Mets in 1974 . They lasted only three seasons in Spruce Grove ; however , they won the AJHL title twice , and the Manitoba Centennial Trophy in 1975 . In 1976 , they moved again to become the St . Albert Saints , where they won three more league titles . In 2004 , the team returned to Spruce Grove as the Spruce Grove Saints . This well - travelled franchise has sent over 30 players into the National Hockey League , including Hockey Hall of Fame r Mark Messier . One of the AJHL ' s most famous franchises , the Red Deer Rustlers , joined the league in 1967 , capturing the championship in their first season . The Rustlers had attempted to join the Western Canada Junior Hockey League , but were blocked by the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association , and instead placed in the AJHL . In 1971 , the Rustlers captured the first Manitoba Centennial Trophy as national Junior A champions . The Rustlers , who featured all six Sutter brothers who would go onto the National Hockey League , won eight AJHL titles and two Centennial Trophies during their existence . They were expelled from the league , however , in 1989 , and formally folded in 1992 when the Red Deer Rebels joined the WHL . In 1971 , the Calgary Canucks were founded following the demise of the Cowboys and Buffaloes . Today , the Canucks are the oldest franchise still operating in the AJHL . It was founded with a mandate to focus on giving Calgary - area kids a place to play while focusing on their educational needs . The Canucks have captured a league record nine AJHL championships and won the Centennial Cup in 1995 , the Canadian Championship of Junior A hockey , now know know as the Royal Bank Cup . National Junior A Champions . Seven AJHL teams have captured the Royal Bank Cup , or its predecessor , the Manitoba Centennial Trophy , as Canadian national champions since the tournament was introduced in 1971 : Western Canada Championships . From 1971 to 1989 , Pacific Region champions ( the Pacific Centennial Cup ( 1971 to 1984 ) and Doyle Cup ( 1985 to 1989 ) ) would advance to the Abbott Cup for a spot in the Manitoba Centennial Cup . Starting in 1990 ( and lasting until 1999 , when the trophy was retired ) the Pacific Region champion and the Western Region champion ( Anavet Cup ) would advance to the Centennial Cup ( then Royal Bank Cup ) . The winner of the game played in the round robin portion of the tournament between the two champions would be awarded the Abbott Cup . Regional Championships . From 1971 to 2012 the champions of Alberta and British Columbia would meet for the Doyle Cup and a birth in the national championship tournament . The tournament was known as the Pacific Centennial Cup from 1971 to 1984 and as the Doyle Cup from 1985 to 2012 . The Doyle Cup and Anavet Cup were retired after the 2011 - 12 season and replaced by the Western Canada Cup as the tournaments were merged into the new tournament which gave two berths in the Royal Bank Cup . AJHL Champions . The cup awarded to the champion of the Alberta Junior Hockey League has gone under four different names , as follows : NHL alumni . Nearly 200 AJHL grads have gone on to play in the National Hockey League . Among them :