1995–96 OHL Season
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The 1995–96 OHL season was the 16th season of the
Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overa ...
. The league expanded as the
Barrie Colts The Barrie Colts are a junior ice hockey team in Ontario Hockey League, based in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. Pre-OHL history There were two previous Barrie Colts teams which played Junior A & B hockey in the Ontario Hockey Association, one from 1 ...
entered into the central division. The Detroit Junior Red Wings become the
Detroit Whalers The Detroit Whalers were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League for two seasons from 1995 to 1997. The Whalers were based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. History The creation of the Detroit Whalers resulted after a failed takeover bid ...
. Seventeen teams each played 66 games. The
Peterborough Petes The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played at the Peterborough Memorial Centre in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league. ...
won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the
Guelph Storm The Guelph Storm are a major junior ice hockey team based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. They have played in the OHL since the 1991–92 season. The team plays home games at the Sleeman Centre. History The franchise started as the Toronto Ma ...
.


Expansion


Barrie Colts

On May 6, 1994, The
Barrie Colts The Barrie Colts are a junior ice hockey team in Ontario Hockey League, based in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. Pre-OHL history There were two previous Barrie Colts teams which played Junior A & B hockey in the Ontario Hockey Association, one from 1 ...
were approved as an expansion team in the
Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overa ...
beginning in the 1995-96 season. The Colts began their inaugural season playing in the Barrie Arena, however, on December 31, 1995, the Colts moved into their new home, the
Barrie Molson Centre Sadlon Arena (formerly known as the Barrie Molson Centre) is a 4,195-seat multi-purpose arena in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. It is primarily home to the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League. It is located in the south end of the city on Bayvi ...
. The Colts joined the Central Division.


Rebranding


Detroit Junior Red Wings to Detroit Whalers

At the conclusion of the 1994-95, the Detroit Junior Red Wings severed all ties with the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranke ...
Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
, as Peter Karmanos renamed the franchise the
Detroit Whalers The Detroit Whalers were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League for two seasons from 1995 to 1997. The Whalers were based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. History The creation of the Detroit Whalers resulted after a failed takeover bid ...
. The Whalers moved out of
Joe Louis Arena Joe Louis Arena was an arena in Downtown Detroit. Completed in 1979 at a cost of US$57 million as a replacement for Olympia Stadium, it sat adjacent to Cobo Center on the bank of the Detroit River and was accessible by the Joe Louis Arena sta ...
and into the
Palace of Auburn Hills The Palace of Auburn Hills, commonly referred to as the Palace, was a multi-purpose arena built in 1988 and located in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It was the home of the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Detroit Shoc ...
, home of the
Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at L ...
of the
National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball sports league, league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues i ...
and the
Detroit Vipers The Detroit Vipers were an International Hockey League team. The team was founded in 1994, and played at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Their mascot was a polar bear named Vipe-bear. History Beginning The Vipers were originally formed as the Sa ...
of the International Hockey League. The Whalers would play 21 of their 33 home games in the regular season at the
Palace of Auburn Hills The Palace of Auburn Hills, commonly referred to as the Palace, was a multi-purpose arena built in 1988 and located in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It was the home of the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Detroit Shoc ...
while playing their remaining 12 home games at Oak Park Ice Arena. The Whalers played all of their home playoff games at the Oak Park Ice Arena. The club remained in the West Division.


Regular season


Final standings

''Note: DIV = Division; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PTS = Points; x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = earned first round bye''


East Division


Central Division


West Division


Scoring leaders


Playoffs


Division quarter-finals


East Division


=(2) Peterborough Petes vs. (5) Kingston Frontenacs

=


=(3) Belleville Bulls vs. (4) Oshawa Generals

=


Central Division


=(2) Kitchener Rangers vs. (5) Barrie Colts

=


=(3) Niagara Falls Thunder vs. (4) Owen Sound Platers

=


West Division


=(1) Detroit Whalers vs. (4) Windsor Spitfires

=


=(2) Sarnia Sting vs. (3) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

=


OHL quarter-finals


(C1) Guelph Storm vs. (C3) Niagara Falls Thunder


(W1) Detroit Whalers vs. (C2) Kitchener Rangers


(E1) Ottawa 67's vs. (E3) Belleville Bulls


(W2) Sarnia Sting vs. (E2) Peterborough Petes


OHL semi-finals


(C1) Guelph Storm vs. (E3) Belleville Bulls


(W1) Detroit Whalers vs. (E2) Peterborough Petes


J. Ross Robertson Cup


(C1) Guelph Storm vs. (E2) Peterborough Petes


All-Star teams


First team

*
Alyn McCauley Alyn Daniel McCauley (born May 29, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for ten years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks, and the Los Angeles Kings. Prior to his ...
, Centre,
Ottawa 67's The Ottawa 67's are a major junior ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, that plays in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Established during Canada's centennial year of 1967 and named in honour of this, the 67's currently play their h ...
* Daniel Cleary, Left Wing,
Belleville Bulls The Belleville Bulls were a junior ice hockey team, founded in 1981 and based in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. The team played in the Eastern Division of the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League. The team moved to Hamilton, Ontario at ...
*
Cameron Mann Cameron Douglas Mann (born April 20, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey Winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins and Nashville Predators. He finished his career with the EIHL's Nottingham Panth ...
, Right Wing,
Peterborough Petes The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played at the Peterborough Memorial Centre in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league. ...
*
Bryan Berard Bryan Wallace Berard (born March 5, 1977) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. Berard was the first overall pick in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators. He is most noted for a debilitating eye injury he received ...
, Defence,
Detroit Whalers The Detroit Whalers were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League for two seasons from 1995 to 1997. The Whalers were based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. History The creation of the Detroit Whalers resulted after a failed takeover bid ...
*
Kevin Bolibruck Kevin Bolibruck (born February 8, 1977) is a former Canadians, Canadian professional ice hockey player. After playing professionally in Canada and the U.S.A., he moved to Europe in 2003 and latterly was a member of Sport Ghiaccio Pontebba in the It ...
, Defence,
Peterborough Petes The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played at the Peterborough Memorial Centre in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league. ...
* Craig Hillier, Goaltender,
Ottawa 67's The Ottawa 67's are a major junior ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, that plays in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Established during Canada's centennial year of 1967 and named in honour of this, the 67's currently play their h ...
* Brian Kilrea, Coach,
Ottawa 67's The Ottawa 67's are a major junior ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, that plays in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Established during Canada's centennial year of 1967 and named in honour of this, the 67's currently play their h ...


Second team

*
Aaron Brand Aaron Brand (born June 14, 1975) is a Canadian retired ice hockey center. He attended Lambton College, 1994-96. He lives in Sarnia, Canada. Junior career Brand had a successful junior career culminating in the 1995–96 OHL season. In that seaso ...
, Centre,
Sarnia Sting Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes where Lake Huron flo ...
*
Sean Haggerty Sean F. Haggerty (born February 11, 1976) is a former professional ice hockey left winger. Biography Haggerty was born in Rye, New York. As a youth, he played in the 1989 and 1990 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a minor ice ...
, Left Wing,
Detroit Whalers The Detroit Whalers were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League for two seasons from 1995 to 1997. The Whalers were based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. History The creation of the Detroit Whalers resulted after a failed takeover bid ...
* Jeff Johnstone, Right Wing,
Niagara Falls Thunder The Niagara Falls Thunder was a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League from 1988 to 1996. The team was based in Niagara Falls, Ontario. History Niagara Falls became home to its third OHL franchise in 1988 upon the relocation of the ...
* Sean Brown, Defence,
Sarnia Sting Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes where Lake Huron flo ...
*
Jay McKee Jay McKee (born September 8, 1977) is a Canadian coach and former professional ice hockey defenceman. He last played for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League, and was previously with the Buffalo Sabres and the St. Louis Blu ...
, Defence,
Niagara Falls Thunder The Niagara Falls Thunder was a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League from 1988 to 1996. The team was based in Niagara Falls, Ontario. History Niagara Falls became home to its third OHL franchise in 1988 upon the relocation of the ...
* Dan Cloutier, Goaltender,
Guelph Storm The Guelph Storm are a major junior ice hockey team based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. They have played in the OHL since the 1991–92 season. The team plays home games at the Sleeman Centre. History The franchise started as the Toronto Ma ...
* Bert Templeton, Coach,
Barrie Colts The Barrie Colts are a junior ice hockey team in Ontario Hockey League, based in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. Pre-OHL history There were two previous Barrie Colts teams which played Junior A & B hockey in the Ontario Hockey Association, one from 1 ...


Third team

* Sean Venedam, Centre,
Sudbury Wolves The Sudbury Wolves are an Ontario Hockey League (OHL) ice hockey team based in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. Sudbury has had various hockey teams competing at the junior and senior ice hockey levels of the game known as the "Wolves" (or "Cub Wolve ...
* Jamie Wright, Left Wing,
Guelph Storm The Guelph Storm are a major junior ice hockey team based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. They have played in the OHL since the 1991–92 season. The team plays home games at the Sleeman Centre. History The franchise started as the Toronto Ma ...
* David Nemirovski, Right Wing,
Sarnia Sting Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes where Lake Huron flo ...
* Marc Moro, Defence, Kingston Frontenacs * Ryan Risidore, Defence,
Guelph Storm The Guelph Storm are a major junior ice hockey team based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. They have played in the OHL since the 1991–92 season. The team plays home games at the Sleeman Centre. History The franchise started as the Toronto Ma ...
*David Belitski, Goaltender,
Kitchener Rangers The Kitchener Rangers are a major junior ice hockey team based in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Midwest Division of the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League. The Rangers have won the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OH ...
* Travis Scott, Goaltender,
Oshawa Generals The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. In November 2016, ...
* Mark Hunter, Coach,
Sarnia Sting Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes where Lake Huron flo ...


Awards


1996 OHL Priority Selection

On June 1, 1996, the OHL conducted the 1996 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium in
Kitchener, Ontario ) , image_flag = Flag of Kitchener, Ontario.svg , image_seal = Seal of Kitchener, Canada.svg , image_shield=Coat of arms of Kitchener, Canada.svg , image_blank_emblem = Logo of Kitchener, Ontario.svg , blank_emblem_type = ...
. The
London Knights The London Knights are a junior ice hockey team from London, Ontario, Canada, playing in the Ontario Hockey League, one of the leagues of the Canadian Hockey League. The Knights started out in 1965 as the London Nationals but changed to their ...
held the first overall pick in the draft and selected Rico Fata from the
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (often shortened to Soo Greyhounds) are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the GFL Memorial Gardens. The present team was founded in 1962 as a team in the ...
. Fata was awarded the
Jack Ferguson Award The Jack Ferguson Award is awarded each year to the top draft pick in the Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute th ...
, awarded to the top pick in the draft. Below are the players who were selected in the first round of the 1996 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.


See also

*
List of OHA Junior A standings This is a list of OHA standings and season-by-season summaries of the Ontario Hockey Association's Junior A division from 1933 to 1972, and its Tier I division from 1972 to 1974. ;Legend * GP = games played * W = wins * L = losses * T = ties * P ...
* List of OHL seasons * 1996 Memorial Cup * 1996 NHL Entry Draft *
1995 in sports 1995 in sports describes the year's events in world sport. Alpine skiing * Alpine Skiing World Cup ** Men's overall season champion: Alberto Tomba, Italy ** Women's overall season champion: Vreni Schneider, Switzerland American football * Su ...
*
1996 in sports 1996 in sports describes the year's events in world sport. Alpine skiing * Alpine Skiing World Cup ** Men's overall season champion: Lasse Kjus, Norway ** Women's overall season champion: Katja Seizinger, Germany American football * Super Bo ...


References


HockeyDB
{{DEFAULTSORT:1995-96 OHL season Ontario Hockey League seasons OHL