The Pembroke Lumber Kings (colloquially referred to as the Kings) are a Junior A ice hockey team based in Pembroke, Ontario, Canada.[1] The Lumber Kings compete in the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) as a member of the Robinson Division, which is the west division of the league. The franchise is one of the so called ''Original Six'' teams of the league.[2] Founded in 1958, the team was known as the Pembroke Ironmen for their first seven seasons before changing their name to the Lumber Kings in 1965.[3]
The Lumber Kings have won the most Bogart Cup championships of any CCHL franchises with 14 in total, and have the most team records in league history.[4] The Kings played their home games at the Pembroke Memorial Centre from 1958 until 1979, and came back for the 1980–81 season.[5] The Lumber Kings are one of the most popular and successful franchises in the CCHL; fans and sports commentators refer to the Pembroke area as "Hockeytown", which has been a registered trademark owned by the franchise since 1996.[6]
Between the 1965–66 and 2015–16 seasons, the Lumber Kings have not missed the playoffs a single time.[7] They struggled between the 2016–17 and 2025–26 seasons, only making the playoffs four times in that stretch.[8] Even when making the playoffs, the team would often lose in the first round. The Lumber Kings own the CCHL's longest streak without losing a game, with 33 games undefeated in the 1972–73 season, which is also the third-longest undefeated streak in Junior A hockey history.[9] Since 1970, their home arena has been constantly listed as the CCHL's busiest rink, usually receiving the highest attendance compared to any other teams in the league.[10]
History
The Pembroke Lumber Kings are one of the first members of the CCHL, since its creation in 1961.[11] They were previously part of the IPJHL from 1958 to 1961 when they were known as the Pembroke Ironmen.[12] In 1979, the Lumber Kings were suspended for one season and replaced with the Pembroke Royals.[13] The Royals spent the 1979–80 season at the 1,248-seat Pembroke & Area Community Centre, the city of Pembroke's second arena facility. After one season, the Lumber Kings were approved to rejoin the league and the Royals ceased operations.
Pembroke won a total of 14 Art Bogart Cup league championships between 1973 and 2011. Six of those championships came in the 1980s when the Kings were coached by Jim Farelli. Farelli coached 420 games for the Kings, the most of any coach in Lumber Kings history. His teams advanced to the Art Bogart Cup championship series eight consecutive years, winning six titles. This included three consecutive championships from 1987 to 1989, tying the record for longest streak set by the Cornwall Royals (1966–1968).
The Kings had previously won three Art Bogart Cups in the 1970s. The 1972–73 team was coached by Mac MacLean and made it to the Centennial Cup, losing 4 games to 1 to the Portage la Prairie Terriers. Under coach Bryan Murray the Kings won consecutive titles in 1977 and 1978. The 1977 team made it to the Centennial Cup Final, losing to the Prince Albert Raiders. Murray was fired by the Lumber Kings after the 1978 season. Three years later he was starting a long NHL coaching/general manager career as coach of the Washington Capitals.
Pembroke broke their own (shared) league record by winning five consecutive Art Bogart Cup championships from 2007 to 2011, appearing in five Fred Page Cup tournaments for the Eastern Canada Junior A championships (2006 as hosts), winning in 2007 and 2011, and finishing as finalists in 2006, 2008, and 2010. In 2011, Pembroke became only the second team since the 1976 Rockland Nationals to win the National Junior A championship. The team was led by owner, coach and general managerSheldon Keefe, who had purchased the Kings in June 2006.[14]
Keefe announced on May 29, 2013, that he had sold the Lumber Kings to former Calgary Flames player (9 games) and Eganville native Dale McTavish.[15] With Keefe no longer in charge of ownership, general management and coaching duties, the Lumber Kings' success began to fade away, despite making the league finals in 2015, losing to Carleton Place; and failing to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in 13 years in 2017. The team then was sold to a businessman Alex Armstrong in June 2019.[16]
Team identity
Arena and facilities
The Pembroke Lumber Kings have called the Pembroke Memorial Centre their home arena since the team's inception as a junior squad in the CCHL in 1961. Constructed in 1951 as a memorial to local soldiers who served in the World Wars, the multi-purpose facility originally opened with an exhibition game featuring the Senior Lumber Kings against the Montreal Canadiens, drawing nearly 5,000 fans at the game.[17] With a seating capacity of 2,250 people, the arena features wooden benches, concessions on both upper and lower levels, and accessibility enhancements including an elevator, automatic door openers, and adapted washrooms.[18]
As of March 2025, the city is evaluating options to repair or rebuild the aging facility amid ongoing concerns about its infrastructure. Beyond hockey, the facility hosts diverse activities such as trade shows, concerts, and charity initiatives, including the annual Jamie Bramburger Fall Classic, a memorial game featuring Lumber Kings alumni against local teams to honor the late broadcaster and raise community funds. This versatility has solidified the arena's status as a cornerstone of Pembroke's recreational life, making it the busiest arena in the CCHL.[19]
Colors, logos, and nicknames
The official colors of the Pembroke Lumber Kings are red and white, adopted in 1964 when the team joined the CJHL, symbolizing local pride in the community's heritage. The nickname "Lumber Kings" originates from Pembroke's longstanding lumber industry in the Ottawa Valley, initially used for the senior team before being adopted by the junior squad in the late 1960s to replace earlier sponsor-based monikers like the Ironmen and Domestics, thereby reconnecting with the town's economic roots.[20]
Fanbase
The Pembroke Lumber Kings have maintained robust attendance figures over their history, often leading the Central Canada Hockey League in fan turnout due to the community's deep-rooted hockey enthusiasm. In the 1970s, league attendance surged from around 300 fans per game to approximately 1,500, driven by the team's on-ice intensity and local pride.[21] The team set a notable benchmark with the largest crowd ever for a CJHL game, exceeding 5,200 spectators at the Pembroke Memorial Centre for a matchup against the Ottawa Primrose, highlighting the draw of intense regional rivalries. Playoff contests have also produced overflowing crowds, such as more than 4,000 fans during Game 7 of the 2005 Bogart Cup semifinals against the Brockville Braves. In the 2020s, the Lumber Kings have continued to top CCHL attendance rankings, with consistent averages between 800 and 1,400 per game in the regular season.[22]
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points
(*) denotes the removal of 9 points from Pembroke's totals by the CJHL for disciplinary reasons. The Lumber Kings lost their franchise prior to the start of the 1979–80 season for failing to remain in good standing with the league.[24]
Fred Page Cup
Eastern Canada championships MHL - QAAAJHL - CCHL - Host Round robin play with 2nd vs 3rd in semi-final to advance against 1st in the finals.
The Pembroke Lumber Kings are the oldest member of the CCHL, having begun operations in 1961. However, in 1979–80 the Lumber Kings were suspended for one season and replaced with the Pembroke Royals. The Pembroke Lumber Kings were approved to rejoin the league for 1980–81.
The Pembroke Lumber Kings won a total of 14 Art Bogart Cup league championships between 1973 and 2011. Six of those championships came in the 1980s when the Kings were coached by Jim Farelli. Farelli coached 420 games for the Kings, the most of any coach in Lumber Kings history. His teams advanced to the Art Bogart Cup championship series eight consecutive years, winning six titles. This included three consecutive championships from 1987 to 1989, tying the record for longest streak set by the Cornwall Royals (1966–1968).
The Kings had previously won three Art Bogart Cups in the 1970s. The 1972–73 team was coached by Mac MacLean and made it to the Centennial Cup Canadian Junior A Final, losing 4 games to 1 to the Portage la Prairie Terriers. Under coach Bryan Murray the Kings won consecutive titles in 1977 and 1978. The 1977 team made it to the Centennial Cup Final, losing to the Prince Albert Raiders. Murray was fired by the Lumber Kings after the 1978 season. Three years later he was starting a long NHL coaching/general manager career as coach of the Washington Capitals.
The Lumber Kings broke their own (shared) league record by winning five consecutive Art Bogart Cup championships from 2007 to 2011, appearing in five Fred Page Cup tournaments for the Eastern Canada Junior A championships (2006 as hosts), winning in 2007 and 2011, and finishing as finalists in 2006, 2008, and 2010. In 2011, the Pembroke Lumber Kings became only the second team since the 1976 Rockland Nationals to win the National Junior A championship. The team was led by owner, coach and general managerSheldon Keefe, who had purchased the Kings in June 2006.[1]
Keefe announced on May 29, 2013, that he had sold the Pembroke Lumber Kings to former Calgary Flames player (9 games) and Eganville native Dale McTavish.[2] With Keefe no longer in charge of ownership, general management and coaching duties, the Lumber Kings' success began to fade away, despite making the league finals in 2015, losing to Carleton Place; and failing to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in 13 years in 2017.
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(October 2021)
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points
(*) denotes the removal of 9 points from Pembroke's totals by the CJHL for disciplinary reasons. The Lumber Kings lost their franchise prior to the start of the 1979–80 season for failing to remain in good standing with the league.[4]
Fred Page Cup
Eastern Canada championships MHL - QAAAJHL - CCHL - Host Round robin play with 2nd vs 3rd in semi-final to advance against 1st in the finals.
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