Three periods
A game is three 20-minute periods of 5-on-5 hockey, with intermissions in between. The team that scores more goals wins.
Canada / United States · 2026–27
OHL, explained.
Twenty major-junior clubs. One J. Ross Robertson Cup. A shot at the Memorial Cup. Here’s the quick guide.
The Ontario Hockey League is the CHL's Ontario and U.S. Midwest circuit: 20 clubs, a 68-game regular season, and a playoff for the J. Ross Robertson Cup. The winner goes to the Memorial Cup.
A short history
The OHL is the oldest of the three current CHL leagues, with roots in Ontario junior hockey that predate the NHL.
Guelph hosts the 2027 Memorial Cup. The 2026–27 regular season opens September 17.
Current teams
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East
Central
Midwest
How the league works
Major junior in Ontario, Michigan, and Pennsylvania — same CHL age band as the WHL and QMJHL.
Standings points
A win is worth two points. A regulation loss is zero. If the game goes to overtime or a shootout, the loser still gets one point.
Conferences
The East is the East and Central divisions. The West is the Midwest and West.
Power play
A penalty puts the other team a skater up. That extra-man advantage is the power play; the shorthanded side is on the penalty kill.
Offside and icing
A player cannot enter the offensive zone ahead of the puck (offside). Icing is shooting the puck the length of the ice from behind centre; play stops and the faceoff comes back.
Age
Players are typically 16–20, with a limited number of 20-year-old overagers on each roster.
The CHL
The OHL champion meets the WHL, QMJHL, and Memorial Cup host in May.
How the playoffs work
Sixteen teams, eight per conference, then the J. Ross Robertson Cup.
Who gets in
The top eight teams in each conference qualify.
Conference playoffs
Best-of-seven rounds through the conference final.
Two trophies
The OHL champion lifts the J. Ross Robertson Cup, then plays the Memorial Cup.