Sport Ice hockey Inaugural season 2008-09 Most recent
champion(s) Yellowhead Chiefs | Founded 2008 No. of teams 8 | |
Most titles Pembina Valley Hawks (6) | ||
The Manitoba Female Midget Hockey League is an ice hockey league in the province of Manitoba, Canada. It is designated as an 'AAA' league – the highest level of minor hockey – and operates under the supervision of Hockey Manitoba.
Contents
History
The league was founded in 2008 to provide elite female hockey players in Manitoba with the opportunity to play at a more competitive level. A number of players who have played in the league have joined NCAA or CIS hockey programs. The league was built using the same model used by Hockey Manitoba for the Manitoba Midget 'AAA' Hockey League, which has been operating quite successfully since the 1980s. Manitoba was the last western province to have a Female Midget 'AAA' league.
Teams
The league began its inaugural season with five teams; it had as many as nine team (2011-12), but now has seven. All teams are regionally based and are operated by Hockey Manitoba's regional minor hockey associations. Each team is composed of players from local minor hockey associations within its region.
Former Teams
Championship
Since the 2011-12 season, the league championship has doubled as the Provincial Female Midget 'AAA' championship. Each year, the Manitoba champion competes in an interprovincial playoff series against the champion from the Saskatchewan Female Midget 'AAA' Hockey League. The winner of that series earns a berth in the Esso Cup, the National Female Midget Championship tournament. The Pembina Valley Hawks were national champions in 2012, while the Westman Wildcats won the inaugural Esso Cup in 2009, prior to joining the league.