Laurentian Voyageurs men's ice hockey

Last updated
Laurentian Voyageurs men's ice hockey
University Laurentian University
Arena Sudbury, Ontario
ColorsBlue and Gold
   
U Sports tournament appearances
1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971
Conference tournament champions
1965, 1971
Conference regular season champions
1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971

The Laurentian Voyageurs men's ice hockey team was an ice hockey program representing the Laurentian Voyageurs athletic department of Laurentian University. The team played for approximately 45 years before the 2021 Laurentian University financial crisis necessitated the termination of several athletic programs, including the ice hockey teams. [1]

Contents

History

Laurentian University was just two years old when it decided to field its first varsity intercollegiate sport. 1962 saw the club hit the ice for the first time as members of the Ontario Intermediate Athletic Association (OIAA) an Intermediate (2nd tier) conference. By season's end the program had not only made its first postseason appearance but also earn its moniker as the 'Voyageurs'. [2] The very next season, looking to raise its profile to the senior collegiate level, the OIAA petitioned the CIAU for a bid into the University Cup tournament but were denied. In response, the entire league cancelled its schedule midway through the year. That summer, the CIAU reversed their decision and conferred an automatic bid for the conference champion. The timing couldn't have been better for Laurentian as the team won six of the next seven championships, making trips to the national tournament each time. For a new program, the Voyageurs did well in University Cup play, finishing third twice and as runners-up in 1967.

In 1971, the four conferences that had teams in Ontario and Quebec were realigned provincially and Laurentian found that its path to the national tournament had gotten far more difficult. The Voyageurs were unable to weave their way through the gauntlet of teams in the Ontario University Athletic Association (OUAA) and never again reached a University Cup. By the 1990s, the team's lack of success had almost become expected and the university decided to stop funding the expensive program in 2000.

The Voyageurs remained dormant for 13 years before being brought back in 2013. Once more, there was little to write home about for Laurentian, with just 1 playoff win over the succeeding seven years. As happened to every Canadian college in 2021, Laurentian was forced to cancel its season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the school was impacted far more heavily than other institutions at the time. The strain of the pandemic exacerbated an ongoing financial crisis at the school and in February 2021, Laurentian filed for creditor protection and declared insolvency. [3] During the school's restructuring, several cost-cutting measures were taken that included the firing of dozens of professors as well as cutting 69 academic programs. Additionally, Laurentian was forced to cancel its swimming program as well as both the men's and women's ice hockey teams.

Season-by-season results

1966-67 Laurentian Voyageurs,
national runners-up Laurentian men's ice hockey 1966-67.webp
1966–67 Laurentian Voyageurs,
national runners-up

Senior and intermediate play

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points

Extra-League Champion U Sports SemifinalistConference regular season championsConference Division ChampionsConference Playoff Champions
SeasonConferenceRegular SeasonConference Tournament ResultsNational Tournament Results
ConferenceOverall
GPWLTPts*FinishGPWLT%
1962–63OIAA???????????Lost Semifinal, 4–7 (Waterloo Lutheran)
1963–64OIAA?????N/A ?????
TotalsGPWLT%Championships
Regular Season?????
Conference Post-season?????
Regular Season and Postseason Record?????

† season ended early when the league cancelled its remaining schedule in protest.

Senior collegiate

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, Pts = Points

U Sports Champion U Sports SemifinalistConference regular season championsConference Division ChampionsConference Playoff Champions
SeasonConferenceRegular SeasonConference Tournament ResultsNational Tournament Results
ConferenceOverall
GPWLTOTLSOLPts*FinishGPWLT%
1964–65OIAA90001.000T–1st121110.917Won Championship , 4–2 (Windsor)Lost Semifinal, 4–10 (Manitoba)
Won Third Place Game, 8–3 (Sir George Williams)
1965–66OIAA10901191st12921.792Lost Semifinal, 4–10 (Alberta)
Lost Third Place Game, 3–5 (St. Francis Xavier)
1966–67OIAA111001211st141211.893Won Quarterfinal, 4–2 (Sir George Williams)
Won Semifinal, 7–2 (Saskatchewan)
Lost Championship, 2–16 (Toronto)
1967–68OIAA121020201st141040.714Lost Semifinal, 2–7 (Alberta)
Lost Consolation Final, 3–5 (Toronto)
1968–69OIAA10820161st12840.667Lost Quarterfinal, 3–6 (Toronto)
Lost Consolation Semifinal, 9–10 (Alberta)
1969–70OIAA10541112nd12651.542Won Semifinal, 8–2 (Waterloo Lutheran)
Lost Championship, 2–8 (York)
1970–71OIAA101000201st141310.929Won Championship , 5–3 (York)Won Quarterfinal, 6–3 (Loyola)
Lost Semifinal, 2–4 (Saint Mary's)
Won Consolation Final, 7–4 (British Columbia)
1971–72 OUAA 18106222T–4th191072.579Lost Quarterfinal, 1–6 (York)
1972–73OUAA171151233rd191261.658Won Quarterfinal, 5–4 (OT) (Queen's)
Lost Semifinal, 4–5 (Western Ontario)
1973–74OUAA191063236th201073.575Lost Quarterfinal, 2–8 (York)
1974–75OUAA14842186th15852.600Lost Quarterfinal, 3–4 (Toronto)
1975–76OUAA1641021012th164102.313
1976–77OUAA20893199th218103.452Lost Quarterfinal, 1–4 (Toronto)
1977–78OUAA188100167th198110.421Lost Quarterfinal, 1–4 (York)
1978–79OUAA16835214th????? results unavailable
1979–80OUAA22136329T–4th231373.630Lost Quarterfinal, ? (Guelph)
1980–81OUAA226151139th226151.750
1981–82OUAA229103218th229103.477
1982–83OUAA241112123T–8th2411121.479
1983–84OUAA24128428T–4th251294.560Lost Quarterfinal, 1–10 (Guelph)
1984–85OUAA241473314th251483.620Lost Quarterfinal, 1–4 (York)
1985–86OUAA2411130227th2411130.458
1986–87OUAA245172.25013th 245172.250
1987–88OUAA261015121T–11th2810171.375Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Brock)
1988–89OUAA263221715th263221.135
1989–90OUAA223190615th223190.136
1990–91OUAA2291301811th239140.391Lost First Round, 7–4 (Wilfrid Laurier)
1991–92OUAA22714115T–12th227141.341
1992–93OUAA2271141812th237124.391Lost First Round, 4–10 (Waterloo)
1993–94OUAA26101602011th2710170.370Lost First Round, 3–4 (York)
1994–95OUAA2681711713th278181.315Lost Division Semifinal, 3–5 (York)
1995–96OUAA261691334th2918101.638Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Brock)
Lost Semifinal, 1–4 (Waterloo)
1996–97OUAA2614120289th2915140.517Won Division Semifinal, 4–2 (Brock)
Lost Division Final series, 0–2 (York)
1997–98OUA2691611912th2910181.362Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Brock)
1998–99OUA2681352112th299155.397Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Brock)
1999–00OUA26914321T–10th289163.375Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (York)
Program suspended
2013–14OUA28522011119th285221.196
2014–15OUA2614930317th2915140.517Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Queen's)
2015–16OUA287155120T–16th307221.250Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
2016–17OUA281112502716th3011190.367Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (McGill)
2017–18OUA281017012118th3010191.350Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (McGill)
2018–19OUA28918101918th309201.317Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Ottawa)
2019–20OUA28521111220th285221.196
2020–21Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
Program suspended
TotalsGPWLT/SOL%Championships
Regular Season89437346556.4496 OIAA Championships, 1 Mid-West Division Title
Conference Post-season4712350.2552 OIAA Championships
U Sports Postseason14590.3576 National Tournament appearances
Regular Season and Postseason Record95539050956.438

Note: Totals include senior collegiate play only except for 1978–79.
† Laurentian was penalized 4 points in the standings for using an ineligible player

See also

References

  1. "NEWS: Laurentian University cuts swimming, hockey to follow". 49 Sports. April 13, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
  2. "The Beginning". Laurentian Univ. Men's Hockey Alumni Association. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
  3. "Laurentian University, key school for northern Ontario, files for creditor protection". CBC News Sudbury . 2021-02-01. Retrieved 2021-02-01.