Junior hockey could soon make its return to Clinton, and possibly at a higher level than before.
With Central Huron Council offering its support for a new team in time for the 2026-27 season, discussions are underway about whether Clinton could host a club in the Greater Ontario Hockey League (GOHL) or the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL).
GOHL Commissioner Craig Spada confirmed to CKNXNewsToday.ca that his league is actively working on expansion and that Clinton fits their geographic footprint. "We do have a number of applications in, and we'll be narrowing those down over the next few weeks," said Spada. "Clinton certainly fits our geography. It would work in numerous ways as far as travel and development opportunities."
Spada says the GOHL has two franchise slots available under the Ontario Hockey Federation and expects to move forward with at least one, and likely both, heading into 2026-27. "It'd be kind of foolish to leave money off the table," Spada said. "There's a real guarantee that we'll expand one, but a large percentage that we'll go to two this season."
If a GOHL team were approved for Clinton, it would join a small group of Junior B teams in Midwestern Ontario, and could become a close rival for the Listowel Cyclones.
Meanwhile, according to a presentation at Central Huron council, former Goderich Flyers representative Ryan Olmstead said relocating the dormant PJHL franchise to Clinton would improve player recruitment and reignite community enthusiasm for local hockey. "Given the longstanding success and strong fan support enjoyed by the Clinton Radars Senior AA team, we believe there is tremendous enthusiasm within the municipality for the return of competitive hockey," Olmstead told council.
Council supported the plan and passed a motion to provide a letter of support for the project.
Whether Clinton ultimately joins the GOHL or returns to the PJHL’s Pollock Division remains to be seen, but Spada says expansion decisions could be finalized by early next year. "We’d like to have something firmer towards the end of January," he said. "It's an exciting time for our league, and we look forward to making the right decisions in the expansion process."
