Sanctioned by the AAU, the league is based in the Great Lakes region of the Midwestern United States.

The league sent two teams, the Illinois Frontenacs and Chicago Huskies, to the 2009 USA Hockey Tier-III Junior Nationals.

Ultimately, the Chicago Huskies became the Tier III Junior C National Champions,[1] defeating the Atlanta Knights from the SEJHL.

Dan Esdale, Vice President of USA Hockey and Chairman of the Junior Council, commented in the trophy presentation, “this is a new milestone, something never done before.

In response, eight GLJHL teams left to join the Minnesota Junior Hockey League as a Great Lakes Division.