Bill Burgess, coach and general manager of the local Intermediate Flyers, formed the Junior Flyers in 1954. They were a Junior B team in the Southwestern League until 1958 when they quit the league.
The Flyers were a part of the BCJBHL 1958 until 1964. When the OHA allowed the Border Cities League to fail in 1964, the town mothballed the junior team and operated a top-notch juvenile team in its stead. In 1966, the team operated as an independent team, playing only in OHA playdowns and exhibition against local all-star, juvenile, and intermediate teams. In 1967, they joined the Western Junior B League. They entered the new Border Cities league in 1968. When the league became the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League in 1970, the Flyers stayed on board. The Flyers were promoted to the Western Junior "B" league in 1992. After winning the Sutherland Cup in 2023, the Flyers announced they were moving up to Junior A and playing in the Ontario Junior Hockey League
Flyers player during 2013–14 season.
On January 3, 1993, the Leamington Flyers helped set a record for the highest scoring tie in the history of the Western Ontario Hockey League by tying the London Nationals 11–11. The Flyers hold the record for the most lopsided game in the history of the WOHL. On January 20, 1995, the Flyers defeated the Windsor Bulldogs by a score of 30–3. On January 26, 2002, the Flyers set the WOHL record for largest margin in a shutout victory by defeating the Aylmer Aces by a score of 16–0.[permanent dead link]
In Piroski's first season the team went from 7 wins to 26 wins, losing Game 7 in overtime to the Lasalle Vipers. In spring 2011 the Flyers brought aboard OHL scout Mike Sadler as the club's general manager.
On May 11, 2015, General Manager Mike Sadler stepped down from the organization. Kevin Hopper takes over as the team General Manager.
April 2, 2018, owner Abe Fehr announced that he had sold the team to five local businessman, Jason Melo, Dan Jancevski, Cam Crowder, David Halliwill & Craig Mahon. Eight-year Head Coach Tony Piroski also announced he would not be returning to the team. In eight seasons under Piroski the Flyers had a record of 262–108–31 (a .692 winning percentage) in 401 regular-season games with the Flyers and took the team to the conference final four-straight years with two titles.
April 10, 2018, Cam Crowder was named head coach of the Leamington Flyers. Starting the season with only 10 returning players, Leamington stumbled out of the gate with a 12–8–1–2 record. Following a shocking trade of their top two scorers Maddux Rychel and Griffin Robinson, Leamington went on to finish the regular season 21–4–1–1 and claim the Western Conference regular season title. Leamington played Strathroy in the first round and clinched the series 4–1. Moving on to the conference semifinals Leamington played a tightly contested playoff series coming back from a 1–3 deficit defeating the Komoka Kings on home ice to clinch the series 4–3. In the Western Conference finals the young Flyers team were out matched by a veteran London Nationals team, and were swept 0–4.
Although the season ended in disappointment, Leamington had a very successful season having multiple award winners. Adam Jeffrey Top Rookie Scorer, Ryan Gagnier Rookie of the year, Levi Tetrault Defenceman of year, Zach Borgiel Goalie of year, and Cam Crowder being named coach of the year.
The current version of the Leamington Flyers led by Cam Crowder and General Manager Justin Solcz, take great pride in competing for the Sutherland cup while developing players for higher levels of hockey. The 2018–19 team moved on two players to major junior ( Ryan Gagnier Oshawa Generals and Colton O'Brien Quebec Remparts), and four players to tier II.
In the 2022–23 season the Flyers finished the regular season with a record of 35–11–4 for a total of 72 points finishing first in the Western Conference. In the playoffs the Flyers swept the Sarnia Legionnaires and the LaSalle Vipers before defeating the St. Marys Lincolns 4–1 in the Western Conference finals. The Flyers went 2–2 in the Sutherland Cup Round Robin which was enough to advance to the Sutherland Cup Championship Series against the Stratford Warriors. The series went the full seven games and in the seventh and final game on May 9, the Flyers defeated the Warriors 4–0 to capture the franchises first Sutherland Cup. Following the victory, on May 17 the Flyers announce they would be leaving the GOJHL and would be joining the Junior A level Ontario Junior Hockey League for the 2023–24 season.[4]
Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–1 (Sarnia) Lost Conf. Semifinal, 1–4 (London)
2013–14
49
37
10
–
2
232
120
76
1st GOJHL-W
Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–0 (St. Marys) Won Conf. Semifinal, 4–1 (London) Won Conf. Finals, 4–1 (Chatham) Lost Sutherland Cup Semifinals, 1–4 (St. Catharines)
2014–15
49
38
9
–
2
210
130
78
1st GOJHL-W
Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–0 (Lambton Shores) Won Conf. Semifinal, 4–2 (London) Won Conf. Finals, 4–2 (LaSalle) Lost Sutherland Cup Semifinals, 1–4 (Caledonia)
2015–16
50
41
8
1
0
200
95
83
1st of 9-W 3rd of 26-GOJHL
Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–0 (St. Marys) Won Conf. Semifinals 4–2 (Chatham) Lost Conf. Finals 2–4 (London)
2016–17
50
27
16
1
6
163
140
61
4th of 9-W 12 of 27-GOJHL
Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–2 (Sarnia) Won Conf. Semifinals, 4–2 (LaSalle) Lost Conf. Finals, 1–4 (London)
2017–18
50
31
11
5
3
202
142
70
2nd of 9-W 7th of 26-GOJHL
Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–0 (Kings) Lost Conf. Semifinal 3–4 (Stars)
2018–19
48
33
10
2
3
193
122
71
1st of 9 -W 3rd of 26 GOJHL
Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–1 (Strathroy) Won Conf. Semifinals, 4–3 (Kings) Lost Conf Finals, 0–4 (London)
2019–20
50
38
9
1
2
225
132
79
2nd of 9 -W 3rd of 26 GOJHL
Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–0 (Kings) Incomplete Conf. Semifinals, 1–0 (Lincolns) 'Playoffs cancelled due to COVID-19
2020–21
Season Lost due to COVID-19 pandamic
2021–22
48
36
12
0
0
194
119
72
1st of 9 -W 3rd of 25 GOJHL
Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–0 (Strathroy) Won Conf. Semifinals, 4–2 (Lincolns) Lost Conf Finals, 2–4 (Chatham)
2022–23
50
35
11
4
0
217
121
72
1st of 9 -W 6th of 25 GOJHL
Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–0 (Sarnia) Won Conf. Semifinals, 4–0 (LaSalle) Won Conf Finals, 4–1 (Lincolns) Round Robin 2–2 (Hamilton)(Stratford) (Advance to finals) Won League Finals, 4–3 (Warriors)
Ontario Junior Hockey League - Jr "A"
2023-24
56
34
14
5
3
209
139
76
3rd of 12-West 4th of 24-OJHL
Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–0 (Raiders) Won Conf. Semifinals, 4–1 (Menace) Lost Conf Finals, 0-4 (Blues)
The Windsor Spitfires are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1971, the franchise was promoted to the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League for the 1975–76 season. An unrelated Windsor Spitfires team, founded in 1946, moved to become the Hamilton Tiger Cubs in 1953, and later became the Erie Otters in 1996.
The Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) is the governing body for the majority of junior and senior level ice hockey teams in the province of Ontario. Founded in 1890, the OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the OHF include the Hockey Eastern Ontario and Hockey Northwestern Ontario. The OHA controls three tiers of junior hockey; the "Tier 2 Junior "A", Junior "B", Junior "C", and one senior hockey league, Allan Cup Hockey.
The Kingston Frontenacs are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, based in Kingston, Ontario. The Frontenacs play home games at Slush Puppie Place, which opened in 2008. The team's history predates the Ontario Hockey League, to a team known as the Kingston Victorias in 1945. This current Frontenacs franchise was founded in the Ontario Hockey Association in 1973–74, then known as the Kingston Canadians until 1987–88. The team was briefly known as the Kingston Raiders in 1988–89, and as the Frontenacs since.
The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada. It is under the supervision of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL).
The Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League was a Junior "C" ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association. The champion of the Great Lakes competed for the All-Ontario Championship and the Clarence Schmalz Cup. It is now a division in the Provincial Junior Hockey League.
The Western Ontario Hockey League (WOHL) was a junior ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association from 1969 until 2007. In 2007, the league became a division of the newly formed Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League along with the Mid-Western Junior Hockey League and Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League.
In 1970, the Junior A level was divided into two more levels, Tier I and Tier II. In 1974, the "Major Junior A" division of the OHA became the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL) and began to operate independently of the OHA. Finally in 1980, the OMJHL became the Ontario Hockey League.
The Brantford 99ers were a Junior A ice hockey team in the Ontario Junior Hockey League based in Brantford, Ontario. The 99ers have previously been known as the Milton Icehawks, Milton Merchants, Milton Flyers, and Milton Steamers as Milton hosted junior hockey from 1966 to 2018. After purchasing the team, Darren DeDobbelaer of Brantford moved the club to that city for the start of the 2018-19 season, re-branding the team as the 99ers. In 2023, DeDobbelaer sold the team. The team relocated to King, Ontario and became the King Rebellion in the 2024–24 OJHL season.
The London Nationals are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in London, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL).
The Stratford Warriors are a junior ice hockey team based in Stratford, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Mid-Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. The team was originally named the Warriors but was changed to Cullitons in 1975 in honour of the team sponsor the Culliton brothers. The sponsorship from the Culliton brothers ended in 2016, bringing the name "Warriors" back to the city.
The Chatham Maroons are a junior ice hockey team based in Chatham, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL). The Maroons were the 1970 Western Ontario Junior A Champions and 1973 Southern Ontario Junior A Champions. The Maroons have won multiple Junior B league titles and the 1999 Sutherland Cup as Ontario Hockey Association Junior B Champions. In the 2021-2022 season, the Maroons won the GOJHL Western Conference Championship 4-2 over the Leamington Flyers. The Maroons dedicated their Championship in honour of their longtime equipment manager and team volunteer, Randy DeWael, who died suddenly during the playoffs.
The Sarnia Legionnaires are a junior ice hockey team based in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.
The LaSalle Vipers are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in LaSalle, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. As a franchise, the Vipers are two-time Sutherland Cup provincial champions, two-time Great Lakes champions and five-time Western Ontario champions.
The Ayr Centennials are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team based in Ayr, Ontario. They play in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association.
The Lambeth Lancers were a Junior ice hockey team based in Lambeth, Ontario, Canada. They played in the Provincial Junior Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association.
The Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) is a Canadian junior ice hockey league based in Southern Ontario, Canada. The league is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association, Ontario Hockey Federation, and Hockey Canada. The league is considered Junior B by the OHA, although it has attempted several times to be promoted to Junior A.
The Midland Flyers are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Midland, Ontario. They play in the Provincial Junior Hockey League and were former members of the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League.
Tony Piroski is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender.
The Caledonia Corvairs are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Caledonia, Ontario, Canada. They played in the Golden Horseshoe Conference of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. The team announced it would not participate in the 2018–19 season.
The Flint Firebirds are a major junior ice hockey team based in Flint, Michigan. The team plays home games at the Dort Financial Center, and operates as a member of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The team began play for the 2015–16 season. In September 2022, the Firebirds announced the Leamington Flyers as an affiliate.
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