Brantford Alexanders

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Brantford Alexanders
Brantford alexanders.jpg
City Brantford, Ontario
League Ontario Hockey League
Operated1978 (1978)–1984
Home arena Brantford Civic Centre
ColoursRed and white
Franchise history
1946–1953 Windsor Spitfires
1953–1960 Hamilton Tiger Cubs
1960–1974 Hamilton Red Wings
1974–1978 Hamilton/St. Catharines Fincups
1978–1984Brantford Alexanders
1984–1988 Hamilton Steelhawks
1988–1996 Niagara Falls Thunder
1996–present Erie Otters

The Brantford Alexanders were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League from 1978 to 1984. The team was based in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.

Contents

History

The Hamilton Fincups were relocated in 1978 becoming the Brantford Alexanders. The OMJHL junior team took the name of the OHA senior team which had played for two years prior, which in themselves were named for Brantford's most famous former resident, telephone pioneer Alexander Graham Bell. After two years in the OMJHL, the league changed names to the OHL and the Alexanders played four more seasons in Brantford, before moving back to Hamilton as the Steelhawks.

The Alexanders made the playoffs for five straight years after missing out its first year in Brantford. The team narrowly missed out on winning its division in 1980–81 by a single point. Their playoff nemeses were the Windsor Spitfires and the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Two years in a row they were eliminated by the Spitfires, followed by three years in a row at the hands of the Greyhounds.

In 1981, the Alexanders implemented country music into their image, when they began using the theme song, "Cowboys of the Ice" recorded by the band County Line. [1] [2]

In 1982–83 OHL season, forward Dave Gagner who graduated from North Park Collegiate and Vocational School, was awarded the Bobby Smith Trophy as the league's scholastic player of the year. [3]

Coaches

List of coaches: [4]

NHL alumni

There have been 29 alumni of the Alexanders to play in the National Hockey League (NHL): [5]

Season-by-season results

Regular season

Regular season results: [4]

Season GamesWonLostTiedPointsPct %Goals
for
Goals
against
Standing
1978–79 6823423490.3602813496th Emms
1979–80 6831352640.4714123983rd Emms
1980–81 6834340680.5003503542nd Emms
1981–82 6825412520.3822933135th Emms
1982–83 7034333710.5072752824th Emms
1983–84 7039283810.5793032352nd Emms

Playoffs

Playoffs results: [4]

Arena

The Brantford Alexanders played home games at the Brantford Civic Centre from 1978 to 1984. The OHL All-Star game was hosted here in 1982. [6]

References

  1. "A's will dress new goaltender". The Expositor . Brantford, Ontario. January 13, 1981. p. 6.
  2. "A's hope reserves will pay dividends". The Expositor . Brantford, Ontario. March 13, 1981. p. 8.
  3. Radio, Steve (February 12, 1983). "High School Highlights". The Expositor . Brantford, Ontario. p. 14.
  4. 1 2 3 "Brantford Alexanders Statistics and History [OHL]". HockeyDB . Retrieved March 5, 2026.
  5. "Brantford Alexanders all-time player list". HockeyDB . Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  6. Jordan, Kevin (October 24, 2023). "Brantford Bulldogs". The OHL Arena Guide. Retrieved March 5, 2026.