Walkerton Capitals (PJHL)

Last updated
Walkerton Capitals
Walkerton Hawks.png
City Walkerton, Ontario [1]
League Provincial Junior Hockey League
ConferenceNorth
DivisionPollock
Founded1973 [2]
Home arena Walkerton Community Centre [3]
Colours Black, Red, and White [4]
General managerJordan Lang (2024)
Head coachKevin Wallace (2024)
Franchise history
1973–2000 [2] Walkerton Blackhawks [2]
2000–2022 [1] Walkerton Hawks [1]
2022–PresentWalkerton Capitals

The Walkerton Capitals are a Junior ice hockey team based in Walkerton, Ontario, Canada. [1] They played in the Western Junior C Hockey League. [5] until the 2016-17 season when the league became a division became the Pollock Division of the Provincial Junior Hockey League.

Contents

History

The Walkerton Blackhawks entered the Central Ontario Junior C Hockey League in 1976, jumping up from Junior D. [2] The Hawks finished that season with a moderate 11-24-1 record as an expansion franchise and had their first playoff berth. [6]

In 1980, the Central League became the Grey-Bruce Junior C Hockey League as many of the further reaching teams like the Listowel Cyclones and New Hamburg Hahns left the league to pursue Junior B hockey. [2]

In 1987, the league accepted the expansion of the Mount Forest Patriots and in 1988 renamed itself the Western Ontario Junior C Hockey League. [2] The Walkerton Hawks have been a long running mainstay in this league. They sat out the 2004-05 season to reorganize their franchise, but have come back strong since. [7] During their time off, ownership considered a move to Saugeen Shores, Ontario. [7]

In the 2005-06 season, their first after their short hiatus, the Walkerton Hawks finished in fifth place. They challenged the fourth-seeded Goderich Sailors in the league quarter-final and defeated them 2-games-to-none. In the league semi-final, they competed against the league's top seeded Wingham Ironmen. The Ironmen swept the series 4-games-to-none. [8]

The 2006-07 season saw the Walkerton Hawks step into high gear at the end of the season and push into the third seed over the Hanover Barons. In the league quarter-final, the Hawks played against the sixth seeded Goderich Sailors. Walkerton won the series 3-games-to-1. In the semi-final, the Hawks drew the second seeded Wingham Ironmen. To the dismay of the Ironmen, the Hawks swept them 4-games-to-none. This resulted in Western league final between the Walkerton Hawks and the first seeded Kincardine Bulldogs. This was the end of the road for the Hawks as the Bulldogs came out on top 4-games-to-1. [8]

The playoffs for the 2019-20 season were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the team not being able to play a single game.

May 20, 2022 the team announced that they were re-branding the club to the Walkerton Capitals [9]

Season-by-season standings

SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGAPResultsPlayoffs
1973-742715102-148111342nd of 6 NJDHLLost semi-final (Eagles)
1974-75273231-10122377th of 7 NJDHLDNQ
1975-76285230-68156107th of 7 NJDHLDNQ
1976-773611241-165232236th CJCHL West
1977-783518125-176154413rd CJCHL West
1978-79309174-109143226th CJCHL West
1979-803017103-169130373rd CJCHL West
1980-81301875-165122411st GBJCHL
1981-82302253-195109472nd GBJCHLWon league
1982-83302082-144114422nd GBJCHL
1983-84306204-142206165th GBJCHL
1984-853011154-152196263rd GBJCHL
1985-863014133-181159313rd GBJCHL
1986-87268144-125154204th GBJCHL
1987-883011154-126150265th GBJCHL
1988-89308184-125204205th WJCHL
1989-90309147-174197255th WJCHL
1990-91304251-12725897th WJCHL
1991-923014133-169171314th WJCHL
1992-93297184-109188186th WJCHL
1993-94315215-----155th WJCHL
1994-953012108-140137324th WJCHL
1995-963012153-153135275th WJCHL
1996-973011145-143139275th WJCHL
1997-983615147-141142374th WJCHL
1998-993614211-138162294th WJCHL
1999-00*3512167-132160314th WJCHL
2000-013813214-140174304th WJCHL
2001-02357244-106208185th WJCHL
2002-0335239-3160125492nd WJCHL
2003-0434141433120123344th WJCHLLost quarter-final
2004-05Did not participate
2005-0639112521131190255th WJCHLLost semi-final
2006-0740291001196135593rd WJCHLLost final
2007-0840289-3205122592nd WJCHLWon league, lost CSC QF
2008-0936323-120673651st WJCHLWon league, lost CSC QF
2009-1036312-317898651st WJCHLWon league, lost CSC QF
2010-1135313-123899631st WJCHLWon league, lost CSC QF
2011-1236286-2212122581st WJCHLWon league, lost CSC QF
2012-1336285-320693591st WJCHLWon league, lost CSC QF
2013-1435236-6177121522nd WJCHLLost final
2014-15362790-17890542nd WJCHLWon quarters, 4-1 (Hawks)
Won semi's, 4-1 (Barons)
Won league finals, 4-3 (Ironmen)
Lost CSC Quarters, 3-4 (Alliston)
2015-16362781-176112551st of 7 WJCHLQuarters - BYE
Won semifinals, 4-3 (Hawks)
Lost League Finals,3-4 (Bulldogs)
2016-17362961-18889591st of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Div Quarters - BYE
Won Div Semifinals, 4-0 (Barons)
Lost Div. Finals, 3-4 (Patriots)
2017-1840251221173126532nd of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Won Div Quarters, 4-0 (Barons)
Won Div Semifinal, 4-2 (Bulldogs)
Lost Div. Finals, 0-0 (Patriots)
2018-1942132234136179335th of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Won Div Quarters, 4-2 (Barons)
Lost div semi-final, 0-4 (Patriots)
2019-20426331290219157th of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Ironmen)
2020-21Season Lost due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22325212477160166th of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Patriots)
WALKERTON CAPITALS
2022-234283211129205186th of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Barons)
2023-2442182022122133405th of 8
Pollock Div-PJHL
Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Whalers)

(*) The 1999-00 Season was altered drastically due to the folding of the Lakeshore Pirates. As a disproportionate number of games had been played by each team against Lakeshore, all history of these games was erased. [10]

Notable alumni

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Walkerton Hawks
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Walkerton Blackhawks
  3. Walkerton Hawks – Western Jr C Hockey Club
  4. Walkerton Hawks – Western Jr C Hockey Club
  5. Western C Teams | Western Junior C Hockey League | Junior C | Leagues | Ontario Hockey Association
  6. Owen Sound Sun Times Sports section, final standings
  7. 1 2 Owen Sound Sun Times - Ontario, CA
  8. 1 2 3 Home | Ontario Hockey Association
  9. "Hawks Rebrand as Walkerton Capitals".
  10. Owen Sound Sun Times Sports Section, November 1999.
  11. Owen Sound Sun Times Sports Section final standings
  12. London Free Press Sports Section final standings
  13. Mount Forest Confederate Sports Section final standings
  14. Owen Sound Sun Times Sports Section for Goal totals
  15. "Kevin Czuczman". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  16. "NLL Teams Submit Final Roster Moves | National Lacrosse League". www.pointstreaksites.com. Archived from the original on 2018-08-10.
  17. Legends of Hockey – NHL Player Search – Player – Nathan Perrott