The Detroit Junior Red Wings were a
junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...
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 overag ...
for three seasons from 1992 to 1995. The Jr. Red Wings were based in
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...
.
History
The Compuware Ambassadors were renamed the Detroit Junior Red Wings in 1992 and played in the same arena as the
NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
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 ...
. The Junior team was the most popular attraction in town during the NHL lockout of 1995, setting attendance records for the Ontario Hockey League and
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League (CHL; french: Ligue canadienne de hockey ‒ LCH) is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canada-based major junior ice hockey leagues. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey L ...
.
After a failed takeover bid by
Peter Karmanos
Peter Karmanos Jr. (born March 11, 1943) is an American businessman who was most recently the minority owner and alternate governor of the Carolina Hurricanes franchise until June 30, 2021. He served as their principal owner from 1994 (when the Hu ...
to buy the NHL Red Wings from
Mike Ilitch
Michael Ilitch Sr. (July 20, 1929 – February 10, 2017) was an American entrepreneur, founder and owner of the international fast food franchise Little Caesars Pizza. He owned the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League and Detroit Tig ...
, the relationship between the two clubs soured after the season ended. The Jr. Red Wings played for three seasons before severing all ties with the NHL Red Wings and renaming themselves as the Detroit Whalers, in association with the NHL
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to ...
, which Karmanos bought in 1994.
1992–93
Former
Windsor Compuware Spitfires
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 1975â ...
coach
Tom Webster was hired to coach for the 1992–93 season, with
Paul Maurice
Paul Maurice (born January 30, 1967) is a Canadian former ice hockey player and coach. He is the head coach of the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). At age 43, Maurice became the youngest coach in NHL history to coach 1,000 g ...
as his assistant coach. Webster worked previously with Jr. Red Wings President
Jim Rutherford
James Earl Rutherford (born February 17, 1949) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and front office executive. He is the president of hockey operations of the Vancouver Canucks. Prior to his position with the Canucks, Rutherf ...
and owner
Peter Karmanos
Peter Karmanos Jr. (born March 11, 1943) is an American businessman who was most recently the minority owner and alternate governor of the Carolina Hurricanes franchise until June 30, 2021. He served as their principal owner from 1994 (when the Hu ...
, when Windsor won the OHL title in 1987–88. Webster was returning from NHL coaching duties with the
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
and
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
.
Key acquisitions made to build the team during the season were, defenceman
Jamie Allison
James E. Allison (born May 13, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played for the Calgary Flames. Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators and Florida Panthers of the National ...
, forward
Kevin Brown Kevin Brown may refer to:
Entertainment
* Kevin Brown (blues musician) (born 1950), English blues guitarist
* Kevin Brown (author) (born 1960), American journalist and translator
* Kevin Brown (poet) (born 1970), American poet and teacher
* Kevin ...
, and goalie
Fred Brathwaite
Fredrick Brathwaite (born November 24, 1972) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former player.
Brathwaite played as a goaltender, and spent his career with the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL ...
.
Jim Rutherford
James Earl Rutherford (born February 17, 1949) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and front office executive. He is the president of hockey operations of the Vancouver Canucks. Prior to his position with the Canucks, Rutherf ...
was chosen
OHL Executive of the Year
The OHL Executive of the Year Award was given annually to the top executive in the Ontario Hockey League, whose team demonstrates success both on the ice, and at the administration level. It was first awarded in 1989–90 OHL season. The most rec ...
in 1992–93 for role as team president and general manager in building the expansion franchise into a winning team.
The Jr. Wings played a run-and-gun style game. They were led in scoring by the ''Junior Production Line'' featuring,
Pat Peake
Patrick Michael Peake (born May 28, 1973) is an American former professional ice hockey forward.
Peake was drafted 14th overall by the Washington Capitals in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. Peake played 134 career NHL games, scoring 28 goals and 41 as ...
,
Bob Wren
Robert "Bob" Wren (born September 16, 1974) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center for EHC Klostersee of the Regionalliga.
Wren was drafted 94th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. He played five games in the Na ...
and Kevin Brown. The trio combined for 163 goals on the season.
Todd Harvey
Todd Douglas Ross Harvey (born February 17, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward and current director of amateur scouting for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). During his playing career, he played for ...
also scored 50 goals playing on the second line.
Detroit finished the season with 81 points, and second place in the Emms division tied with Sault Ste. Marie but had less wins with London finishing 10 points behind Detroit but the others finished with 66 points or below. The Junior Red Wings defeated 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 Marlb ...
in 5 games in the first round of the playoffs, but lost
Pat Peake
Patrick Michael Peake (born May 28, 1973) is an American former professional ice hockey forward.
Peake was drafted 14th overall by the Washington Capitals in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. Peake played 134 career NHL games, scoring 28 goals and 41 as ...
for the rest of the season when he suffered a broken collarbone.
Detroit defeated the rival
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 cu ...
in 5 games in second round to play the division champs
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (often shortened to Soo Greyhounds) are a Junior ice hockey#Major junior, major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the GFL Memorial Gardens. The present team was ...
in the division finals. The more experienced Greyhounds team won the series in 5 games. The highlight of the round was the game three win, when with only three seconds left and the opposing net empty, goalie
Fred Brathwaite
Fredrick Brathwaite (born November 24, 1972) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former player.
Brathwaite played as a goaltender, and spent his career with the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL ...
set franchise history when he scored a goal.
1993–94
Before the start of the season, assistant coach Paul Maurice was promoted to head coach, when Tom Webster was relieved of his duties after a disagreement in team policies. Maurice brought along an old teammate as his new assistant, close friend Peter DeBoer. The two played together with the Windsor Compuware Spitfires in the mid to late 1980s.
Maurice and Deboer led the Junior Red Wings to their first division title after several years of chasing Sault Ste. Marie who finished with 79 points while the others in the division finished with 70 points or below. Detroit posted a franchise-best record of 42-20-4, second overall in the OHL to the North Bay Centennials. Jim Rutherford was chosen
OHL Executive of the Year
The OHL Executive of the Year Award was given annually to the top executive in the Ontario Hockey League, whose team demonstrates success both on the ice, and at the administration level. It was first awarded in 1989–90 OHL season. The most rec ...
for the second consecutive year in 1993–94. After the trading deadline, the Junior Wings won 16 of 23 games over the last two months of the regular season to win the Emms Division title.
Detroit got a round bye for the first round but went against the
Owen Sound Platers
Owen Sound Platers was a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Owen Sound, Ontario. The team played in the Ontario Hockey League from 1989 to 2000, then was sold to new owners who renamed the team the Owen Sound Attack.
History
In 1989 the H ...
and swept them in the second round. Detroit finally eliminated
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (often shortened to Soo Greyhounds) are a Junior ice hockey#Major junior, major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the GFL Memorial Gardens. The present team was ...
in the division finals in 6 games during the playoffs. As Emms Division champions, they moved on to meet the
North Bay Centennials
The North Bay Centennials were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, who played from 1982–2002. The team was based in North Bay, Ontario.
History
The North Bay Centennials or "Cents" as they were popularly known, were named afte ...
in the OHL Finals. Despite leading the series 3 games to 2, Detroit came up short as North Bay came back to win the series and the
J. Ross Robertson Cup
The J. Ross Robertson Cup is a Canadian ice hockey trophy. It is awarded annually in junior ice hockey to the champion of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. It was donated by John Ross Robertson to the Ontario Hockey Association in 1910, and ...
. Although the team fell short of its ultimate goal, it was a breakthrough season nonetheless.
1994–95
Paul Maurice took over as general manager after Jim Rutherford moved to take over managing the NHL Hartford Whalers. Maurice would continue to serve as the coach in a dual role.
The OHL realigned into three divisions for the 1994–95 season. Detroit would now play in the West Division versus Windsor, London, Sarnia and Sault Ste. Marie. As the season unfolded, the Junior Wings quickly developed into a balanced team that could play the game in many strategic ways. The team finished with a franchise best record of 44-18-4 for 92 points a close call for Windsor who finished with 85 points. It was the best defensive year to date for the team since only Windsor finished above .500, Sarnia finished with 53 points with London finished with 40 points and Sault Ste. Marie finished with 38 points.
Junior hockey in Detroit received a boost when the National Hockey League owners locked out their players until the middle of January. The Jr. Wings set an all-time Canadian Hockey League attendance record when 19,875 packed Joe Louis Arena on February 5, 1995 in a 5-5 tie with Windsor.
NHL scouts regularly attended the OHL games as did Red Wings head coach Scotty Bowman was a regular at the games. Looking to fill gaps in coverage, Red Wing broadcasters Dave Strader and Mickey Redmond broadcast several games for PASS-TV. In addition, The Junior Wings received regular coverage in the Detroit News and Free Press and found a friend in WDIV's Van Earl Wright.
The Junior Wings rolled through the first two rounds of the playoffs, sweeping 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 cu ...
and
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.
...
. In the third round versus the
Sudbury Wolves
The Sudbury Wolves are an Ontario Hockey League (OHL) ice hockey team based in Greater Sudbury, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.
Sudbury has had various hockey teams competing at the Junior ice hockey, junior and senior ice hockey levels of the game k ...
, the visiting team won each of the first six games in overtime. Detroit won game seven on May 8, 1995 playing on home ice, scoring an 11-4 victory. The Junior Red Wings defeated the first place Guelph Storm in the league finals to win their first
J. Ross Robertson Cup
The J. Ross Robertson Cup is a Canadian ice hockey trophy. It is awarded annually in junior ice hockey to the champion of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. It was donated by John Ross Robertson to the Ontario Hockey Association in 1910, and ...
as OHL Champions, and get their first berth in the
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup () is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League, a consortium of three major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tournament played between t ...
Tournament.
Memorial Cup 1995
The Canadian Hockey League championship in 1995 was hosted in
Kamloops
Kamloops ( ) is a city in south-central British Columbia, Canada, at the confluence of the South flowing North Thompson River and the West flowing Thompson River, east of Kamloops Lake. It is located in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, w ...
,
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
at the
Riverside Coliseum
The Sandman Centre (formerly known as Riverside Coliseum and Interior Savings Centre) is a 5,464-seat multi-purpose arena in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. It is home to the Kamloops Blazers Ice hockey team. The arena is owned by The City of ...
. The Junior Red Wings would face off in the Memorial Cup Tournament against the QMJHL champions Hull Olympiques, the WHL finalists Brandon Wheat Kings, and the Kamloops Blazers as hosts and WHL champions.
The Junior Wings finished the round-robin in second place. They defeated Brandon again 2-1 in the semi-final game to advance to the finals against the defending champion Blazers. During that game vs. Brandon, there was an online report that said that Milan Kostolny scored the winning goal, but in fact after video research, the goal was scored by
Matthew Ball, off of
Wade Redden
Wade Redden (born June 12, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and a development coach of the Ottawa Senators, with whom he spent the majority of his career in the National Hockey League (NHL). He also played for the New Yo ...
's foot Detroit then started the final game vs Kamloops shorthanded, playing without
Shayne McCosh
Shayne McCosh (born January 27, 1974) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey defenceman. Between 1994 and 2005 he has played in the American Hockey League (AHL) and the ECHL in North America as well as the British Ice Hockey Superleague (I ...
(broken wrist) and Bryan Berard, trying to play with a bad charley horse. The Blazers blew the game open in the second period and went on to win 8-2.
Paul Maurice put the Junior Wings season in perspective:
"I have a picture hanging in my office," Maurice said. "It's not a picture of us winning the championship but a picture of the crowd the day we won (May 8, 1995). It was a real special time and I remember that fondly.
"My time with the Ambassadors and Junior Wings was one of the best times of my life, in terms of coaching. I think probably more so because a lot of people really caught on to junior hockey. I know a lot of those faces I see in the pictures and I remember the people being so loyal..."
Later years
The
Detroit Compuware Ambassadors
The Detroit Compuware Ambassadors were an elite Midget Major ice hockey team playing in the Tier I Elite Hockey League. The Ambassadors previously had separate franchises that competed in the North American Hockey League and in the Ontario Hocke ...
became the Detroit Jr. Red Wings in 1992, despite the fact that Jr. Wings owner Peter Karmanos had an ongoing feud with
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 ...
owner
Mike Ilitch
Michael Ilitch Sr. (July 20, 1929 – February 10, 2017) was an American entrepreneur, founder and owner of the international fast food franchise Little Caesars Pizza. He owned the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League and Detroit Tig ...
. The Jr. Wings even played in the Red Wings'
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 TCF Center, Cobo Center on the bank of the Detroit River and was accessible by the Joe Lou ...
—until the rivalry between Ilitch and Karmanos finally came to a head, and the junior club was evicted in 1995, right after winning the OHL crown. When Karmanos bought the
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to ...
, the Jr. Wings became 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 bi ...
, and played out of the tiny
Oak Park Arena. (Some home games were held in the
Palace of Auburn Hills, which with a capacity of over 20,000 was big enough to host the NHL Whalers; it would become home ice the
IHL 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 Sal ...
later in the decade.) In 1997, Karmanos built his own arena,
Compuware Arena
The USA Hockey Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Plymouth Township, Michigan, opened in 1996. Originally known as the Compuware Sports Arena, its name was shortened to Compuware Arena on September 11, 2007, to better market the venue for non-spo ...
in
Plymouth, Michigan
Plymouth is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, United States. The population was 9,370 at the 2020 census. The city of Plymouth is surrounded by Plymouth Township, but the two are administered autonomously. Plymouth is a western suburb of Metro ...
, and re-dubbed the team the
Plymouth Whalers
The Plymouth Whalers were a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They played out of Compuware Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, USA, a suburb of Detroit until 2015 when they were relocated to Flint, Michigan.
History
The Whalers ...
—that same year, Karmanos moved the
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to ...
to
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, making the Plymouth club the only team to still use the name "Whalers". (In 2015, the junior team moved again, to
Flint, Michigan
Flint is the largest city and seat of Genesee County, Michigan, United States. Located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit, it is a principal city within the region known as Mid Michigan. At the 2020 census, Flint had a population of 8 ...
, and is now the
Flint Firebirds
The Flint Firebirds are a major junior ice hockey team based in Flint, Michigan. The team plays home games at the Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center, and operates as a member of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The team began play for the 2 ...
.)
Championships
J. Ross Robertson Cup
The J. Ross Robertson Cup is a Canadian ice hockey trophy. It is awarded annually in junior ice hockey to the champion of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. It was donated by John Ross Robertson to the Ontario Hockey Association in 1910, and ...
- OHL Champion
*''1993–94'' Finalists vs. North Bay Centennials
*''1994–95'' Champions vs. Guelph Storm
Division Trophies
*''1993–94''
Emms Trophy
The Emms Trophy is presented annually to the regular season champion of the Central division in the Ontario Hockey League. The trophy was inaugurated in the 1975–76 season for the winner of the Emms division, the more westerly of the two division ...
Emms Division
*''1994–95''
Bumbacco Trophy
The Bumbacco Trophy is awarded annually to the regular season champion of the West division 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 le ...
West Division
Coaches
*1992–93
Tom Webster - Won the 1967–68 OHA scoring title with the Niagara Falls Flyers. Also played for the Detroit Red Wings (NHL) and Hartford Whalers (WHA).
*1993–95
Paul Maurice
Paul Maurice (born January 30, 1967) is a Canadian former ice hockey player and coach. He is the head coach of the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). At age 43, Maurice became the youngest coach in NHL history to coach 1,000 g ...
(2 seasons) - Played for Tom Webster as a member of the Windsor Compuware Spitfires. Later coached the Carolina Hurricanes for seven seasons.
Players
The Detroit Junior Red Wings sent 13 players onto the NHL while only operating for three seasons. Pat Peake was the first MVP for the franchise. His # 14 would be retired by the Whalers organization. Cameron Gruich was chosen 3rd in the 2nd round by the
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 ...
in the
1993 NHL Entry Draft
The 1993 NHL Entry Draft was the 31st NHL Entry Draft. It took place on June 26, 1993, at the Colisée de Québec in Quebec City, Quebec.
First overall pick Alexandre Daigle is widely regarded today as one of the all-time greatest draft busts ...
. Todd Harvey was chosen 9th overall by the
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and were founde ...
in the
1993 NHL Entry Draft
The 1993 NHL Entry Draft was the 31st NHL Entry Draft. It took place on June 26, 1993, at the Colisée de Québec in Quebec City, Quebec.
First overall pick Alexandre Daigle is widely regarded today as one of the all-time greatest draft busts ...
in the first round.
Bryan Berard was the most awarded player for the 1994-95 season in the Canadian Hockey League. He was chosen 1st overall in the first round of the
1995 NHL Entry Draft
The 1995 NHL Entry Draft was the 33rd NHL Entry Draft. It was held at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta. The drafting order was now set partially by a lottery system whereby teams would not be guaranteed first pick if they finished last. I ...
by the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
.
Award winners
*''1992–93'' - Pat Peake,
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League (CHL; french: Ligue canadienne de hockey ‒ LCH) is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canada-based major junior ice hockey leagues. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey L ...
Player of the Year,
Red Tilson Trophy
The Red Tilson Trophy is awarded annually by the Ontario Hockey League to the most outstanding player (MVP) as voted by OHL writers and broadcasters. It was donated by ''The Globe and Mail,'' and first awarded in the 1944–45 OHA season by the O ...
Most Outstanding Player,
William Hanley Trophy
The William Hanley Trophy is awarded annually by Ontario Hockey League to the most sportsmanlike player. It is named for Bill Hanley, a former secretary-manager of the Ontario Hockey Association who served in that capacity for twenty-five years. T ...
Most Sportsmanlike Player
*''1992–93'' - Kevin Brown,
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy
The Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy is awarded annually by the Ontario Hockey League since 1972, to the right winger who scores the most points in the regular season. The Peterborough Petes donated the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy in his memory to the top s ...
Top Scoring Right Winger
*''1993–94'' - Kevin Brown,
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy
The Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy is awarded annually by the Ontario Hockey League since 1972, to the right winger who scores the most points in the regular season. The Peterborough Petes donated the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy in his memory to the top s ...
Top Scoring Right Winger
*''1994–95'' - Bryan Berard,
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League (CHL; french: Ligue canadienne de hockey ‒ LCH) is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canada-based major junior ice hockey leagues. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey L ...
Rookie of the Year;
Emms Family Award
The Emms Family Award is presented annually to the Rookie of the Year (top first-year player) in the Ontario Hockey League. The winner is also nominated for the CHL Rookie of the Year. The award was donated by Hap Emms. Leighton "Hap" Emms was a c ...
, OHL Rookie of the Year;
Max Kaminsky Trophy
The Max Kaminsky Trophy is awarded annually by the Ontario Hockey League to the most outstanding defenceman. The award is named in honour of Max Kaminsky, who coached the St. Catharines Teepees to the Memorial Cup in 1960 and died shortly thereaf ...
, Defenceman of the Year;
CHL Top Draft Prospect Award
The CHL Top Draft Prospect Award is given out every year to the top eligible prospect player in the Canadian Hockey League for the annual NHL Entry Draft. The award was first given in 1991, but not awarded from 2003 to 2005. The Quebec Major J ...
*''1994–95'' - Jason Saal,
Hap Emms Memorial Trophy
The Hap Emms Memorial Trophy is awarded to the outstanding goaltender at the Memorial Cup of the Canadian Hockey League. The award is named after Leighton "Hap" Emms, a former NHL player, who had a 33 year presence in the Ontario Hockey Associ ...
Outstanding Goaltender at Memorial Cup
NHL alumni
*
Jamie Allison
James E. Allison (born May 13, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played for the Calgary Flames. Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators and Florida Panthers of the National ...
*
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 ...
*
Fred Brathwaite
Fredrick Brathwaite (born November 24, 1972) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former player.
Brathwaite played as a goaltender, and spent his career with the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL ...
*
Kevin Brown Kevin Brown may refer to:
Entertainment
* Kevin Brown (blues musician) (born 1950), English blues guitarist
* Kevin Brown (author) (born 1960), American journalist and translator
* Kevin Brown (poet) (born 1970), American poet and teacher
* Kevin ...
*
Eric Cairns
Eric Cairns (born June 27, 1974) is a Canadian former ice hockey defenceman and current director of player development for the New York Islanders. His last season (2006) was with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL.
Playing career
Drafted in the ...
*
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 h ...
*
Todd Harvey
Todd Douglas Ross Harvey (born February 17, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward and current director of amateur scouting for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). During his playing career, he played for ...
*
Eric Manlow
Eric James Manlow (born April 7, 1975) is a former professional ice hockey player who played 37 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders.
Playing career
Manlow grew up in Stirling, Ontario in his ...
*
Jeff Mitchell
Jeffrey Clay Mitchell (born January 29, 1974) is an American former college and professional football player who was a center in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Mitchell played college footbal ...
*
Pat Peake
Patrick Michael Peake (born May 28, 1973) is an American former professional ice hockey forward.
Peake was drafted 14th overall by the Washington Capitals in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. Peake played 134 career NHL games, scoring 28 goals and 41 as ...
*
Mike Rucinski
*
Derek Wilkinson
*
Bob Wren
Robert "Bob" Wren (born September 16, 1974) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center for EHC Klostersee of the Regionalliga.
Wren was drafted 94th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. He played five games in the Na ...
Yearly results
;Regular season
;Playoffs
*1992–93 - Defeated Guelph Storm 4 games to 1 in first round.
Defeated London Knights 4 games to 1 in quarter-finals.
Lost to S.S.Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 1 in semi-finals.
*1993–94 - Earned first round bye. 1st place in Emms division.
Defeated Owen Sound Platers 4 games to 0 in division semi-finals.
Defeated S.S.Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 2 in semi-finals.
Lost to North Bay Centennials in finals.
*1994–95 - Defeated London Knights 4 games to 0 in division quarter-finals.
Defeated Peterborough Petes 4 games to 0 in quarter-finals.
Defeated Sudbury Wolves 4 games to 3 in semi-finals.
Defeated Guelph Storm 4 games to 2 in finals. OHL CHAMPIONS
Finished Memorial Cup round-robin in second place (2 wins, 1 loss).
Defeated Brandon Wheat Kings 2-1 in semi-final game.
Lost to Kamloops Blazers 8-2 in Memorial Cup championship game.
Arena
The Junior Red Wings played at
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 TCF Center, Cobo Center on the bank of the Detroit River and was accessible by the Joe Lou ...
concurrently with the NHL Detroit Wings. The Junior Red Wings set OHL attendance records for three consecutive years. The Junior Wings set a
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League (CHL; french: Ligue canadienne de hockey ‒ LCH) is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canada-based major junior ice hockey leagues. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey L ...
attendance record at the time, on February 5, 1995, when 19,875 fans packed Joe Louis Arena to see a 5-5 tie with the local rival Windsor Spitfires.
*'
Joe Louis Arena'' The OHL Arena & Travel Guide
{{OHL
Defunct Ontario Hockey League teams
Ice hockey clubs established in 1992
1992 establishments in Michigan
1995 disestablishments in Michigan
Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 1995
Ice hockey teams in Michigan
Defunct sports teams in Michigan
Sports in Detroit