Kingston Canadians

Last updated
Kingston Canadians
Kingston canadians.png
City Kingston, Ontario
League Ontario Hockey League
ConferenceLeyden
Founded1973 (1973)–74
Home arena Kingston Memorial Centre
ColoursRed, white and blue
Franchise history
1972–73Kingston Frontenacs Jr. A.
1973–88Kingston Canadians
1988–89 Kingston Raiders
1989–present Kingston Frontenacs

The Kingston Canadians were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League from 1973 to 1988. The team played home games at the Kingston Memorial Centre in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

Contents

History

The Kingston Canadians arrival in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) for the 1973–74 OHL season, was a result of the Montreal Junior Canadiens switch to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in 1972. During the summer of 1972, the QMJHL had threatened a lawsuit against the OHA to force the Junior Canadiens to return to the Quebec-based league. To solve the problem, the OHA granted the Junior Canadiens franchise a "one-year suspension" of operations, while team ownership transferred the team and players into the QMJHL, renaming themselves the Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge in the process.

The OHA then reactivated the suspended franchise after a one-year hiatus, under new ownership and with new players, calling the team the Kingston Canadians. A group of Kingston business and professionals negotiated the purchase from the Montreal Arena Corporation. The new ownership, the Kingston Frontenacs Hockey Ltd. was made up of a combination of the owners of two local organizations, the local OHA Junior 'A' Franchise owners, James W. Magee, George 'Doc' Myles, Dr. William. A. Osborne, and Dr. Wilmer J. Nuttall and a local Minor Hockey Organization operated by Dr. Gerry Wagar, Dr. Michael Simurda, J.Douglas Cunningham Q.C., Peter J. Radley Q.C., Ken Linseman, Hugh Bennett, and Terry French who withdrew from the group shortly after the purchase was completed. The new Kingston team was essentially an expansion franchise promoted from the OHA's Tier II league, that had only common name to share with the old Junior Canadiens. However, in some OHA histories (such as the annual Media Guide) the Kingston team is still shown as the legitimate successors of the Junior Canadiens' legacy.

The Kingston Canadians used the same colours and uniforms as the NHL's Montreal Canadiens and Junior Canadiens. The Kingston logo replaced the "H" with the letter "K" for Kingston. Some sources show the name as "Kingston Canadiens", but the English "Canadians" is correct.

The team played from 1973 to 1980 in the OHA, then from 1980 to 1988 in the OHL. The Kingston Canadians franchise was sold following the 1987–88 season, and the new owner renamed the team Kingston Raiders. The following season they were again sold and renamed Kingston Frontenacs.

Notable Events

The Kingston Canadians are now a minor rep hockey team that represents the KAMHA league in Kingston Ontario and they are named after the old OHL team.

Coaches

Jim Morrison coached the Canadians for almost half the team's tenure in the OHA & OHL. He was an NHL veteran defenceman of 704 games, as well as being a player coach with the AHL Baltimore Clippers.

Four other Canadians coaches also played in the NHL. They are, Jack Bownass, Rod Graham, Fred O'Donnell & Jim Dorey.

Jack Bownass was the recipient of the Matt Leyden Trophy as OHA Coach of the Year in 1973-1974.

List of Coaches

(Multiple years in parentheses)

Players

Award winners

Retired numbers

NONE. Five numbers have been "honoured" from the Kingston Canadians, although not retired and still in circulation. (#5 Mike O'Connell, #7 Tony McKegney, #10 Brad Rhiness, #14 Ken Linseman and #29 Chris Clifford).

Notable alumni

In 2004, Paul Coffey became the only Kingston Canadian inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame to date. In 1977-78 Paul was a late season addition from the North York Rangers. He played eight regular reason games with the Canadians, and five playoffs games the same season.[ citation needed ]

Jim Aldred played for the Canadians from 1979 to 1981, and later became coach of the Portugal men's national ice hockey team. [1]

List of alumni to play in the National Hockey League: [2]

Season-by-season results

Regular season

Season GamesWonLostTiedPointsPct %Goals
for		Goals
against		Standing
1973–747020437470.33625637810th in OHA
1974–75 70253510600.4292973458th in OHA
1975–76 6633249750.5683573163rd in Leyden
1976–77 66322410740.5612952593rd in Leyden
1977–78 6827329630.4632883234th in Leyden
1978–79 6826384560.4122653065th in Leyden
1979–80 6835267770.5663202984th in Leyden
1980–81 6839263810.5963342733rd in Leyden
1981–82 6829345630.4633023165th in Leyden
1982–83 7024451490.3503514257th in Leyden
1983–84 7025450500.3573133787th in Leyden
1984–85 6618471370.2802393807th in Leyden
1985–86 6635283730.5532972574th in Leyden
1986–87 6626391530.4022873164th in Leyden
1987–88 6614520280.2122464327th in Leyden

Playoffs

Kingston Memorial Centre

The home arena of the Canadians was the Kingston Memorial Centre with a seating capacity 3,079 seated, and 3,300 including standing room.

References

  1. ↑ "Jim Aldred, o senhor Hóquei". Portuguese Winter Sports Federation (in Portuguese). 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  2. ↑ http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayersByTeam.jsp?team=Kingston+Canadians
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