Kirkland Lake Gold Miners

Last updated
Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Logo New Kirkland Lake Gold Miners.png
City Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada
League Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League
DivisionEast
Founded2003;21 years ago (2003)
Home arena Joe Mavrinac Community Complex
ColoursBlack, yellow, and white
   
General managerJamy Bernier
Head coachKyle Adams
Website KL Gold Miners
Franchise history
2003–2005Manitoulin Wild
2005–2011Manitoulin Islanders
2011–2012Kirkland Lake Blue Devils
2012–presentKirkland Lake Gold Miners
Championships
Playoff championships1: 2014

The Kirkland Lake Gold Miners are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.

Contents

History

Manitoulin

Manitoulin Islanders' Logo Manitoulin Islanders.png
Manitoulin Islanders' Logo

Founded in 2003 as the Manitoulin Wild, the franchise changed its name to the Manitoulin Islanders in 2005. They were eventually taken over by former NHLer Reggie Leach and the team started to split its time between Little Current, Ontario, and the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Reserve's Arena. With limited community support and win totals dwindling, volunteers were facing burnout and in 2011, direction was given to team president, Kevin Eshkawkogan to find a buyer for the team from off the Island.[ citation needed ]

Kirkland Lake

After eight years on Manitoulin Island, the team had to either move or fold. [1] In mid-May 2011, the NOJHL conditionally approved the move of the Manitoulin Islanders to Kirkland Lake, Ontario to become the Kirkland Lake Blue Devils. [2] In their final four seasons in Little Current, the Islanders managed 17 wins in 200 games played.

The Blue Devils moniker was a long used traditional team name in Kirkland Lake, the most notable team to use the name was the Kirkland Lake Blue Devils who defeated the Calgary Stampeders 3-games-to-none to win the 1940 Allan Cup.

On September 9, 2011, the Blue Devils played their inaugural home game and regulation game in their history. The Blue Devils dropped a 9-2 decision to the North Bay Trappers. On October 12, 2011, the Blue Devils won their first game since relocation 3–2 in a shootout against the Sudbury Cubs. Two nights later, the Blue Devils scored their first ever home win, 5-4 in a shootout, against the Blind River Beavers.

On January 12, 2012, team owner, Robert Kasner, announced that he was folding the club mid-season. [3] The folding of the team happened right after Kasner was suspended by the league for six months for multiple roster violations. [4] Soon after the folding, the league announced that a new ownership group was to be brought in to run the team, keeping the team in Kirkland Lake. The team completed the 2011–12 season under the new name, the Gold Miners. [5]

The Gold Miners won their first NOJHL championship in 2014 when they defeated the Soo Thunderbirds. The Gold Miners then traveled to Wellington, Ontario, to participate in the 2014 Dudley Hewitt Cup where they failed to record a win. In 2014–15, the Gold Miners and the Soo Thunderbirds were fighting for first place all season, but Kirkland Lake finished second and the Powassan Voodoos won the playoff series against Kirkland Lake.

The Kirkland Lake Gold Miners were awarded hosting duties for the 2016 Dudley Hewitt Cup, and lost to the Thunderbirds in the semifinal game. The 2022-23 season marked the first year that the Goldminers did not qualify for post season play.

Season-by-season results

SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGAPtsResultsPlayoffs
Manitoulin Wild
2003–0448153201179245316th NOJHLLost Quarterfinal
2004–0548143013164266326th NOJHLLost Quarterfinal
Manitoulin Islanders
2005–064883631114229207th NOJHLLost Quarterfinal
2006–0748113007138232297th NOJHLLost Quarterfinal
2007–0850247—110931166th NOJHLLost Quarterfinal
2008–0950740—3141322178th NOJHLLost Quarterfinal
2009–1050445—113135998th NOJHLLost Quarterfinal
2010–1150446—013334788th NOJHLLost Quarterfinal
Kirkland Lake Blue Devils/Gold Miners
2011–1250939—2138288206th NOJHLLost Quarterfinals, 0–4 vs. Sudbury Cubs
Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
2012–1348251823173145554th NOJHLWon Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Blind River Beavers
Lost Semifinals, 1–4 vs. North Bay Trappers
2013–145643715234118922nd NOJHLWon Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. North Bay Trappers
Won Semifinals, 4–1 vs. Elliot Lake Bobcats
Won League Finals, 4–2 vs. Soo Thunderbirds
NOJHL CHAMPIONS
2014–1552381022264131801st of 5, East
2nd of 9, NOJHL		Lost Div. Semifinals, 2–4 vs. Powassan Voodoos
2015–1654391212247135813rd of 6, East
4th of 12, NOJHL		Won Div. Semifinals, 4–2 vs. Powassan Voodoos
Won Div. Finals, 4–1 vs. Cochrane Crunch
Lost League Finals, 0–4 vs. Soo Thunderbirds
Dudley Hewitt Cup as Hosts
2016–1756282143232190634th of 6, East
6th of 12, NOJHL		Won Div. Play-in series, 2–1 vs. Iroquois Falls Eskis
Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–4 vs. Powassan Voodoos
2017–1856242147163180593rd of 6, East
7th of 12, NOJHL		Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–4 vs. Cochrane Crunch
2018–19563317—6194156722nd of 6, East
3rd of 12, NOJHL		Lost Div. Semifinals, 2–4 vs. Powassan Voodoos
2019–20561832—6154228425th of 6, East
9th of 12, NOJHL		Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 1–2 vs. Cochrane Crunch]
2020–21532—020156Withdrew from season due to the COVID-19 pandemic [6]
2021–22481233—3151231275th of 6, East
11th of 12, NOJHL		Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. French River Rapids
2022–235874811104219165th of 6, East
11th of 12, NOJHL		Did Not Qualify for Playoffs
2023–2458104152145294275th of 6, East
10th of 12, NOJHL		Did Not Qualify for Playoffs

Dudley Hewitt Cup

Central Canada Championships
Winners of the NOJHL, OJHL, SIJHL, and Host
Round robin play with 2nd vs 3rd in semifinal to advance against 1st in the finals.

YearRound RobinRecordStandingSemifinalGold Medal Game
2014L, Wellington Dukes (OJHL/Host) 1–4
L, Toronto Lakeshore Patriots (OJHL) 1–4
L, Fort Frances Lakers (SIJHL) 3–6		0–3–04th of 4Did not qualify
2016
Host		W, Fort Frances Lakers (SIJHL) 8–5
L, Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL) 1–5
L, Soo Thunderbirds (NOJHL) 2–3		1–2–03rd of 4L, Soo Thunderbirds 1–4—

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References

  1. ↑ "NOJHL notations - Sault This Week - Ontario, CA". 2011-07-24. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
  2. ↑ "NOJHL Notes: Bertoncello recommended as new commish - Sault This Week - Ontario, CA". 2011-07-24. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
  3. ↑ "Kirkland Lake Blue Devils Burn Out". Archived from the original on July 9, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
  4. ↑ "MID DECEMBER IN THE NOJHL". Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ↑ "NOJHL welcomes new member in the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners". nojhl.com. January 20, 2012. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012.
  6. ↑ "GoldMiners Request LOA for Balance of Season". Gold Miners. February 22, 2021.
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