The NJHL was formed in the summer of 1978 as a Junior B League which comprised the
Flin Flon Bombers, Snow Lake Spartans, The Pas Lumber Kings and Thompson King Miners as a result of Flin Flon and Thompson seeking new leagues after leaving the
Western Canada Junior Hockey League and
Manitoba Junior Hockey League respectively. Previously, Flin Flon had experimented with a Jr. B farm team when they were playing Major Junior and had won the 1978
Baldy Northcott Trophy as provincial champions. For the 1979–80 season, the league was promoted to Junior "A".
Churchill, Manitoba was interested in expanding into the league in 1980, but the team never materialized. During the 1981–82 season, the
Flin Flon Bombers pulled off a perfect regular season record of 42 wins, no losses, and no ties. The Bombers were such a powerhouse in the NJHL that
The Pas Huskies refused to play them in the league semi-finals. In the finals, the Bombers swept the
Thompson King Miners in four games to claim the league title. Next was to challenge the
Manitoba Junior Hockey League champion
Fort Garry Blues. Much to the dismay of the Bombers, the Blues were from a much stronger league and crushed the Bombers in a 3-game sweep by scores of 11–2, 9–1, and 10–4. In 1984, Flin Flon made the jump to the more talent-laden
Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The NJHL survived one more season before folding. During the last season, there was interest from groups in
Melfort and
Nipawin, Saskatchewan to join the league but both were eventually granted franchises in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
Cross Lake, Manitoba also showed interest in joining the league, but never did. In the final season, the
Cranberry Portage Winter Hawks joined the league to help balance out the schedule. Additionally, the NJHL began the season with an interlocking schedule with the
Kelsey Intermediate Hockey League, including the
Thompson Hawks,
Snow Lake North Stars, and
Cross Lake Selects, but this schedule was complete cancelled in December when the Hawks and North Stars withdrew from the interlock. All results were thrown out at this point and the NJHL season was restarted. Late in the 1984–85 season, The Pas left the league hoping to play Junior B. The finals were played between Thompson and Snow Lake, won by Thompson 4-games-to-1. In the summer the NJHL closed its doors. Thompson was still hopefully to play Junior A hockey in the region in 1986-87 or to play in the MJHL, but nothing ever transpired. From 1980 until 1985, the champion of the NJHL played the winner of the MJHL for the
Turnbull Cup, but never won a series. ==Teams==