2009 Royal Bank Cup

The 2009 Royal Bank Cup is the 39th Junior "A" 2009 ice hockey National Championship for the Canadian Junior Hockey League. 2009 marked the 14th year the Royal Bank Cup has been awarded and the 39th year of modern Junior "A" hockey.

The Royal Bank Cup was competed for by the winners of the Doyle Cup, Anavet Cup, Dudley Hewitt Cup, the Fred Page Cup and the host city, the Victoria Grizzlies of the British Columbia Hockey League.

The tournament was hosted by the Victoria Grizzlies and run from May 2 to May 10 of 2009 with games played at the Bear Mountain Arena in Victoria, British Columbia.

The Vernon Vipers won the 2009 Royal Bank Cup with a 2–0 win over the Humboldt Broncos.

Teams

 * Victoria Grizzlies (Host) - The Grizzlies are the hosts of the 2009 Royal Bank Cup. The Grizzlies finished the British Columbia Hockey League regular season with both the best record in the Coastal Conference and the overall league.  Victoria ran into a tough Powell River Kings team in the Conference Final, where the Grizzlies fell in Game 7.
 * Regular Season: 43 wins, 13 losses, 1 ties, 3 overtime losses
 * Playoffs: Defeated Cowichan Valley Capitals 4-3, Lost to Powell River Kings 3-4


 * Humboldt Broncos (Western) - The Broncos are the defending 2008 Royal Bank Cup champions. After easily brushing through the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoffs, the Broncos found themselves down 3-games-to-1 in the Anavet Cup to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League's Portage Terriers. The Broncos came to life in Game 5 to win 12–2, they won Game 6 in Overtime, and in Game 7 they rallied from a three-goal deficit in the third period to force overtime to win the Anavet Cup in the extra frame.
 * Regular Season: 45 wins, 8 losses, 1 overtime loss, 2 shootout losses
 * Playoffs: Defeated Battlefords North Stars 4-2, Defeated Flin Flon Bombers 4-0, Defeated Melville Millionaires 4-1, Defeated Portage Terriers (MJHL) 4-3


 * Kingston Voyageurs (Central) - The Voyageurs, the top team in the Ontario Junior Hockey League's Rudduck Division, battled through five rounds of league playoffs to win the Ruddock Division crown, the Conference championship, and the Buckland Cup as OJHL champions. At the Dudley Hewitt Cup in Schreiber, Ontario, the Voyageurs defeated the Superior International Junior Hockey League's Fort William North Stars 4–1 in the tournament final.
 * Regular Season: 36 wins, 9 losses, 1 overtime loss, 3 shootout losses
 * Playoffs: Defeated Pickering Panthers 3-1, Defeated Ajax Attack 4-0, Defeated Peterborough Stars 4-2, Defeated Huntsville Otters 4-1, Defeated Oakville Blades 4-2, Won Dudley Hewitt Cup (3-1)


 * Summerside Western Capitals (Eastern) - The Capitals finished the 2008-09 regular season with the best record in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League. Summerside had little problem battling through the three rounds of Maritime League playoffs to move on to the Fred Page Cup in Moncton, New Brunswick. The Capitals defeated the Dieppe Commandos in the tournament final 3–2 in double overtime, pelting their goaltender with 71 shots on net before finally taking their place in the 2009 Royal Bank Cup.
 * Regular Season: 39 wins, 13 losses, 2 shootout losses
 * Playoffs: Defeated Dieppe Commandos 4-0, Defeated Miramichi Timberwolves 4-0, Defeated Truro Bearcats 4-1, Won Fred Page Cup (4-1)


 * Vernon Vipers (Pacific) - The Vipers were the top team in the British Columbia Hockey League's Interior Conference and second best overall behind Victoria. The Vipers convincingly walked through the BCHL playoffs, defeating all three of their opponents to win the League championship.  In the Doyle Cup, the Viper made quick work of the Alberta Junior Hockey League's Grande Prairie Storm with a 4-games-sweep to clinch their spot in the 2009 Royal Bank Cup.
 * Regular Season: 42 wins, 14 losses, 1 tie, 3 overtime losses
 * Playoffs: Defeated Penticton Vees 4-1, Defeated Salmon Arm Silverbacks 4-2, Defeated Powell River Kings 4-2, Defeated Grande Prairie Storm (AJHL) 4-0

Awards

 * Roland Mercier Trophy (Tournament MVP): Kyle Bigos (Vernon Vipers)
 * Top Forward: Connor Jones (Vernon Vipers)
 * Top Defencemen: Kyle Bigos (Vernon Vipers)
 * Top Goaltender: Anthony Grieco (Victoria Grizzlies)
 * Tubby Smaltz Trophy (Sportsmanship): Ryan Santana (Vernon Vipers)

Roll of League Champions

 * AJHL: Grande Prairie Storm
 * BCHL: Vernon Vipers
 * CJHL: Pembroke Lumber Kings
 * MJHL: Portage Terriers
 * MJAHL: Summerside Western Capitals
 * NOJHL: Soo Thunderbirds
 * OPJHL: Kingston Voyageurs
 * QJAAAHL: Sherbrooke Cougars
 * SJHL: Humboldt Broncos
 * SIJHL: Fort William North Stars