Today (Aug. 17), 10 teams formerly comprising the WOAA Sr. AA Hockey League announced the formation of the Ontario Elite Hockey League (OEHL), which will operate beginning in 2023–24 under affiliation with the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA).
To be quite clear, this decision was not reached due to any dissatisfaction or disagreement with the WOAA.
“The Western Ontario Athletic Association (WOAA) have been exemplary stewards of senior hockey and amateur sport in western Ontario for eight decades,” said Winterhawks President Gord Lamont. “We owe the WOAA a great debt of gratitude for their support and guidance over the many years our league has successfully operated.
Ultimately, it was agreed that establishing the OEHL through the OHA represented the best path forward for our league to grow and prosper.”
“Our teams have carefully considered our future over the past couple of years. It was not a decision we took lightly or quickly,” added Lamont.
“Our fans can be assured the OEHL will pick up where we left off in the WOAA, providing the highest quality hockey product at family-friendly prices throughout all of the communities we represent.
The Winterhawks open the 2023-24 OEHL season on October 6, 2023 when they host the Milverton 4 Wheel Drives at The Plex.
