The Brantford Eagles were a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
junior ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
team based in
Brantford
Brantford (Canada 2021 Census, 2021 population: 104,688) is a city in Ontario, Canada, founded on the Grand River (Ontario), Grand River in Southwestern Ontario. It is surrounded by County of Brant, Brant County, but is politically separate with ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. They played in the Mid-Western Conference of the
Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League
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 c ...
.
On May 23, 2012, the Eagles were transplanted to
Caledonia, Ontario, and renamed the
Caledonia Corvairs, the name of the long-running
Junior C team in the town.
History
In 1967, the Brantford Majors were a member of the Niagara Junior "B" League. In 1968, a second Brantford team, by the name of the Foresters, joined the renegade Western Junior "B" League. The Foresters absorbed by the Majors in 1970 when the Majors joined the
Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League
The Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League was a Tier II Junior "A" ice hockey that lasted from the late 1960s until 1977 in Southern Ontario, Canada. The league was swallowed by what is now called the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League ...
. The Majors folded in 1972.
In 1973, the Diamond Kings entered the Southwestern Junior "B" League. In 1974, an additional junior team was created in Brantford at the "C" level. When the Kings folded, the Penguins jumped up to Junior "B" to take their place. The Brantford Junior "B" franchise spent most of their early days in the
Golden Horseshoe Junior B Hockey League
The Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League (GHL) was a junior ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association from 1974 until 2007. In 2007, the league became a division of the newly formed Greater Ontario Juni ...
. The Penguins originated in the
Central Junior C Hockey League
The Central Ontario Junior C Hockey League was a junior ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association. The "Central" played inter-league games with the Empire Junior "C" League. The champion of the Central c ...
before jumping to the Southwestern Ontario Junior "B" before taking their place, as well, in the GHJHL.
In 1986, the
Ontario Hockey Association
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. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey As ...
, concerned with elevating violence in the game, banned the Brantford Classics and the
Streetsville Derbys and both teams' management for at least one season.
[''Toronto Star''. July 8, 1986. Page F08.]
Since 1987 the Brantford Eagles in one way or another have stayed the course with the Midwestern "B". Despite various name changes and a couple minor moves, the Eagles have been a charter member of the league for almost 20 years.
Season-by-season results
Majors, Selects, Kings
Playoffs
* 1971 ''DNQ''
* 1972 ''DNQ''
Foresters
Playoffs
* 1969 ''Lost Final''
:Brantford Foresters defeated
Guelph Imperials
The Guelph Platers were a junior ice hockey team based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. The team played in the Ontario Hockey League, Ontario Junior Hockey League, and Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League. They were originally known as the CMC's ...
''4-games-to-1''
:
St. Thomas Barons
The St. Thomas Stars are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. The team plays in the Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.
History
Junior ice hockey in St. Thomas began in 1961 with ...
defeated Brantford Foresters ''4-games-to-none''
* 1970 ''Lost Final''
:Brantford Foresters defeated
Guelph Beef Kings
The Guelph Platers were a junior ice hockey team based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. The team played in the Ontario Hockey League, Ontario Junior Hockey League, and Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League. They were originally known as the CMC's ...
''4-games-to-none''
:
Chatham Maroons
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 Sout ...
defeated Brantford Foresters ''5-games-to-2''
Sutherland Cup appearances
:''2009'': Brantford Eagles defeated
Stoney Creek Warriors
The Stoney Creek Warriors were a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Golden Horseshoe division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League as well as the Golden Horseshoe Junior B Hockey Leagu ...
''4-games-to-1''
:''2010'':
LaSalle Vipers
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 champ ...
defeated Brantford Eagles ''4-games-to-1''
:''2012'':
St. Catharines Falcons defeated Brantford Eagles ''4-games-to-2''
George S. Dudley Trophy Super "C" appearances
:''1976'':
Woodstock Navy-Vets defeated Brantford Penguins ''4-games-to-none''
Notable alumni
''This list includes only
National Hockey League alumni.''
:*
Rob Blake
:*
Chris Gratton
Christopher Allan Gratton (born July 5, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who last played with the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is the cousin of Josh Gratton, who had also briefly played in ...
:*
Brent Gretzky
:*
Adam Mair
Adam Mair (born February 15, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings, Buffalo Sabres and the New Jersey Devils. He is currently a pl ...
:*
Adam Munro
Adam Munro (born November 12, 1982) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Hamilton Steelhawks of the Allan Cup Hockey (ACH) league.
Playing career
Munro was drafted in the 1st round, 29th overall by the Ch ...
:*
Paul Szczechura
References
External links
*
{{GOJHL
Ice hockey teams in Ontario
Sport in Brantford
1970 establishments in Ontario
2012 disestablishments in Ontario
Ice hockey clubs established in 1970
Sports clubs disestablished in 2012