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GMHL
GREATER METRO
HOCKEY LEAGUE
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GMHL LEAGUE GUIDE
GREATER METRO HOCKEY LEAGUE
HOW TO PLAY IN THIS LEAGUE
North American players can enter the GMHL through a number of avenues, including
Midget AA and AAA, as well as Junior B and American tier III junior. It is also not uncommon
for overage Junior A players to come join this league for an extra season of junior.
GMHL teams scout locally in Ontario to find top talent, as well as at showcases, tournaments
and games in the United States (and other parts of Canada).
Furthermore, the league has longstanding connections to Europe where it regularly recruits.
This is not to mention the past players from Asia and Oceana.
Many players enter this league through its annual draft and subsequent training camps.
However, players need not be drafted to play in this league.
Some teams in this league recruit harder than others and have a stronger reputation of
winning. As such, there is some disparity between top-level teams and those who fill in the
bottom half of the league.
AVERAGE AGE TO BREAK INTO THE LEAGUE
Player ages in the GMHL are wide-ranging. While players can and do start as young as 16
and 17, the league also accepts 21 year-old players.
Midget-aged players will use this league as an alternative to AAA or Junior B depending on
their situation. By playing in the GMHL these players get exposed to the junior lifestyle and
get to go up against older, more mature players.
At the same time, some teams in this league skew toward older players, with 21 year-olds
from the OJHL crossing over to play another year of junior. Sometimes these players can
land division III scholarships from this move.
IMPORT PLAYERS
Since the GMHL is outside of the Hockey Canada system, it doesn’t face import restrictions
that other leagues do.
The league not only is open to import players, but also it gets a fair number of players from
around the world. Popular spots players have come from are Russia, Sweden, Latvia, and
Great Britain. Others have also come from Asia and Oceana.
Of course, the league is also open to American players and has a fair amount of them on
rosters.
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GMHL LEAGUE GUIDE
Simply put, the GMHL will go to great lengths to find talent, and foreign talent seeks out the
GMHL too.
(If you would like to contact an GMHL team for a tryout, check out Junior Hockey Truth’s
Training Camp Invite Formula to learn how.)
NHL DRAFT PROSPECTS
GMHL players do not get drafted to the NHL, nor is it really the league’s goal. The league
does, however, send players to the lower tiers of European pro hockey—particularly its
European players.
On top of that, players have been taken as high picks in the Kontinental Hockey League
(KHL) draft. Other European (and Oceanic and Asian) players have also played for national
teams in the division II and division III World Junior Championships.
The GMHL has also forwarded players on to semi-professional leagues in America.
TRAVEL
Although the core of the GMHL is centered around the Greater Toronto Area, the league
does extend northward, even dipping into Quebec.
The league corrals travel for teams by playing an unbalanced schedule, a common practice
in all junior and pro leagues. Teams play nearby rivals more often than those teams further
away. Every second year a team will make a trip across the league.
SCHOLARSHIP POTENTIAL
The GMHL is not a division I scholarship league. However, it does get division III
scholarships.
Being close to the American border and in close proximity to many schools helps players to
get noticed.
The league holds an annual showcase to put the best teams in front of college scouts.
After 20 games are played in the regular season, the top 10 teams will enter the showcase
tournament to play in front of college scouts from all levels. This showcase happens in
December every season.
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GMHL LEAGUE GUIDE
ENTRY DRAFT
The GMHL draft takes place in early May of every year. Players 16 - 21, i.e. junior aged
players, can be drafted.
Like all drafts, this one aligns future players to teams, creates investment by both parties
and starts the recruiting process.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
Unlike in America, players in an independent league like the GMHL cannot transfer to a
Hockey Canada league during the same season. These Hockey Canada leagues include the
GOJHL and EOJHL Junior B leagues, the CCHL and OJHL Junior A leagues and the OHL.
Players who play games with a GMHL team will have to wait until the completion of the
GMHL season before they can sign or affiliate with a Hockey Canada league team. At
season’s end, all restrictions are lifted. These restrictions do not exist in America and player
can move south at any time.
PAY TO PLAY
The GMHL is a pay-to-play league. Players fees cover everything from ice time to equipment
to travel and billets. Parents must also purchase insurance. With stable ownership in
place, players get good bang for their parents buck within a the typical Tier III pay to play
structure.
GMHL DETAILS
Nicknames you’ll hear: Greater Metro league
Provinces/States covered: Ontario, Quebec
Established: 2006
Teams: 24
Games Played: 42
Trophy Name: Russell Cup
Reigning League Champion: Bradford Bulls
SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED
There are currently no hard numbers for commitments for recent years on the GMHL
website. However, the league consistently sends a couple dozen players to American
division III schools each season.
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LEAGUE CONTACTS
126 Bridge Street
Unit #2
Bradford, ON
L3Z 3H2
Phone: (905) 775-0062
Website: www.gmhl.net
GMHL LEAGUE GUIDE
Commissioner: Ken Girard
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