Life in the League
The Major Junior Season From Start to Finish
Training camp opens in late August. The Memorial Cup is awarded the next May. Everything in between, in the order it happens.
August: Training camp
Players report to their CHL team in late August. Camp opens with fitness testing, then on-ice sessions, scrimmages, and exhibition games. Drafted players who have not yet committed to the team make their decision here. A 16-year-old who does not make the opening roster typically returns to AAA or a Junior A team for another year of development.
September to December: First half
The 68-game regular season starts in mid-to-late September. Most teams play three games a week, often with two on weekend nights and one mid-week game. The CHL/USA Prospects Challenge, the World Junior Championship, and the world juniors selection camps all happen during this stretch, pulling some star players away from their teams.
January: Trade deadline
The annual CHL trade deadline (typically early-to-mid January) is one of the most consequential days of the season. Contenders trade picks and prospects for veteran rentals. Rebuilding teams cash in 20-year-olds for futures. Trades can move a player across the country with a few hours' notice.
February and March: The stretch run
Standings races, playoff seeding, and overage decisions dominate this stretch. Teams adjust lines for the playoff style of hockey.
Playoffs and the Memorial Cup
Each league runs a best-of-seven playoff bracket that produces a champion (the J. Ross Robertson Cup in the OHL, the Ed Chynoweth Cup in the WHL, the Gilles-Courteau Trophy in the QMJHL). The three league champions plus a host team meet at the Memorial Cup, the CHL's national championship.