Northumberland Dairy Senior AAA Hockey League

The Northumberland Dairy Senior AAA Hockey League was a top-flight senior competition played in the Maritimes from 1995 to 1998.
== History ==
The Northumberland Dairy Senior AAA Hockey League began during the 1995-1996 season. The league, originally called the Bay of Chaleur Senior Hockey League, went through a rebranding after the 1994-1995 season. The league moved up the the Senior A level from Senior B and the Dalhousie Rangers and Bouctouche both took a one-year leave of absence.
The Tigers folded following the 95-96 season, but the Truro Bearcats joined after the Nova Scotia Senior Hockey League folded. 
The Bearcats were the only AAA team in 1996-1997 and competed in the Allan Cup. They defeated Miramichi 4-2 in the league finals.
Tracadie-Sheila folded after the 96-97 season, but the Saint John Ice Bears joined the league keeping the league as a four-team loop. All four teams registered as AAA.
The Tim Horton Leafs defeated the Bearcats 4-2 in the league final, but lost to the London Admirals 2-1 in the 1998 Bolton Cup.
The Bearcats hosted the 1998 Allan Cup and defeated the Admirals 6-1 in the finals.
Following the 1998 season, the Bearcats and Chaleur both folded. The Bearcats made way for junior A hockey in the region while Chaleur folded due to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League moving into the area.
With only two teams remaining, the Northumberland Dairy Senior Hockey League folded. Miramichi would get a junior a franchise in 2000-2001 while Saint John received a team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League during the 2005-2006 season.
==Participating teams==
*1995-96: Chaleur, Miramichi, Tracadie-Sheila, Campbellton, *Truro *Truro played in the Nova Scotia Senior Hockey League in 1995-1996, but did play in several exhibition games in Northumberland Dairy Senior AAA Hockey League.
*1996-97: Truro, Miramichi, Chaleur, Tracadie-Sheila
*1997-98: Miramichi, Saint John, Truro, Chaleur
==Allan Cup Qualifying==
*The Truro Bearcats represented the league in the Allan Cup in 1997 and 1998 (host). They would also qualify for the Allan Cup in 1996 as the only remaining Senior AAA in the region.
*Miramichi represented the league in 1998 Allan Cup qualifying (losing in the Eastern Canada Final)
==Sources==
*League information
Category:Defunct ice hockey leagues