A Halifax, Nova Scotia, based Maritime Junior ‘A’ Hockey League team, formerly known as the Metro Marauders, has made a big splash, re-naming itself the Halifax Shipbuilders. The MHL board of Governors approved the name change recently, and there are great hopes that the name change will help give the franchise a big boost locally in terms of both sponsorship and attendance.

As the Official Site of the Shipbuilders site notes, “This name change will provide a better connection and identification to our local community, potential sponsors and fans, as the area prepares for the influx and influence of the shipbuilding indutry on our local economy in Metro Halifax-Dartmouth.”

As some people may or may not know, Halifax, and in particular, Irving Shipyards, has been awarded a 25 billion dollar contract to build 21 Canadian combat ships over the next 25-30 years. Halifax is the largest city in Canada's Atlantic Provinces. The contract is expected to bring a boom to Halifax, and certainly an influx of all kinds of skilled trades and workers to the region – many of whom will no doubt be junior hockey fans.

The MHL has been in existence since 1967, and in 2010 changed the name of the league from the Maritime Junior A Hockey League to the Maritime Hockey League. The league is highly competitive and provides many top players to the university ranks, including the NCAA, and major junior teams throughout Atlantic Canada, and beyond.

Check out the great new look and Goalline powered website of the Halifax Junior A Shipbuilders - wishing the organization great success in 2012-2013!

~ Editor, Goalline Nation