The Fort William Canadians 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 based in

Fort William, Ontario Fort William was a city in Ontario, Canada, located on the Kaministiquia River, at its entrance to Lake Superior. It amalgamated with Port Arthur and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Since th ...

, Canada. The Canadians were members of the

Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League The Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League (TBJHL) was a Canadian junior ice hockey league that existed from c. 1920 to 1980. The TBJHL operated in Northwestern Ontario, primarily in the Thunder Bay region. The Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League wa ...

and were

Abbott Cup The Abbott Memorial Cup, commonly referred to as the Abbott Cup, was awarded annually from 1919 through 1999 to the Junior "A" ice hockey Champion for Western Canada. The Cup was named after Captain E.L. (Hick) Abbott who was a noted hockey pl ...

finalists three times. For a while, the ''Fort William Canadiens'' were a development club for the

National Hockey League 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 ...

Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...

Season-by-season standings

Playoffs

*1971 ''Lost Semi-final'' :

Westfort Hurricanes The Westfort Hurricanes were a Canadian Junior ice hockey club from Fort William, Ontario. The Herks were members of the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League and were Abbott Cup finalists once. History In 1972, the Hurricanes broke away from the ...

defeated Fort William Canadians ''3-games-to-2'' *1972 ''DNQ'' *1973 ''Won League Jr. A Crown, Lost TBAHA Canadian Final'' :Fort William Canadians defeated

Thunder Bay Eagles The Port Arthur Marrs were a junior ice hockey team that played in Port Arthur, Ontario (now part of the city of Thunder Bay). They were named for trucking company and sponsor W.H. Marr, Ltd., and contested the 1967 Memorial Cup, which they lost ...

''3-games-to-none'' TBJHL JR. A CHAMPIONS : Thunder Bay Centennials (CAJHL) defeated Fort William Canadians ''2-games-to-none'' *1974 ''Won League, Lost TBAHA Jack Adams Trophy final'' :Fort William Canadians defeated

Thunder Bay Beavers The Thunder Bay Beavers were a Canadian Junior ice hockey club from Thunder Bay, Ontario. The Canadians were members of the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League and were 1972 National Centennial Cup quarter-finalists, losing to the eventual winner G ...

''3-games-to-2'' TBJHL CHAMPIONS :

Thunder Bay Hurricanes The Westfort Hurricanes were a Canadian Junior ice hockey club from Fort William, Ontario. The Herks were members of the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League and were Abbott Cup finalists once. History In 1972, the Hurricanes broke away from the ...

( MWJHL) defeated Fort William Canadians ''4-games-to-none'' *1975 ''Lost Semi-final'' :

defeated Fort William Canadians ''4-games-to-2'' *1976 ''Lost Semi-final'' :

defeated Fort William Canadians ''4-games-to-none'' *1977 ''Lost Semi-final'' :

defeated Fort William Canadians ''3-games-to-none'' *1978 ''DNQ''

Championships

TBJHL The Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League (TBJHL) was a Canadian junior ice hockey league that existed from c. 1920 to 1980. The TBJHL operated in Northwestern Ontario, primarily in the Thunder Bay region. The Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League wa ...

Champions'': :1939, 1947, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1966 ''

Finalists'': :1952, 1954, 1957

Notable players

''Columbus Club Canadians'' *

Dave Creighton David Theodore Creighton (June 24, 1930 – August 18, 2017) was a Canadian ice hockey forward. Creighton started his National Hockey League career with the Boston Bruins in 1948. He would also play with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Black H ...

Danny Lewicki Daniel Vladimir Lewicki (March 12, 1931 – September 25, 2018) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Black Hawks and New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the 1950s and ear ...

''Canadiens'' *

John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Befor ...

* Stan Baluik * Rick Bragnalo * Mike Busniuk *

Ron Busniuk Ronald Edward Busniuk (born August 13, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played 6 games in the National Hockey League, all with the Buffalo Sabres, during the 1973 and 1974. Busniuk then moved to the WHA, playing a tot ...

Jean Gauthier Joseph Jean-Philippe Gauthier (April 29, 1937 – February 20, 2013) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played 166 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers and ...

Pete Goegan Peter John Goegan (March 6, 1934 – October 8, 2008) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played 383 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, and Minnesota North Stars between 195 ...

Danny Gruen Daniel Patrick Gruen (born June 26, 1952) is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 49 games in the National Hockey League and 181 games in the World Hockey Association. He played with the Colorado Rockies, Detroit Red Wings, Michi ...

Don Johns Donald Ernest Johns (December 13, 1937 – July 8, 2017) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played 153 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Minnesota North Stars. He pla ...

Eddie Kachur Edward Charles "Ed" Kachur (April 22, 1934 – December 16, 2014) was a Canadian ice hockey forward who played 96 games in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = ...

Lou Marcon Luigi Angelo Marcon (May 28, 1935 – May 30, 2023) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 60 games in the National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professiona ...

* Stu McNeill * Dennis Olson *

Mel Pearson Melvin K. Pearson (born February 8, 1959) is a former college ice hockey player and the former head coach of the Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey team. Pearson played for Michigan Tech from 1977 to 1981, then served as an assistant coach for ...

John Schella John Edward Schella (May 9, 1947 – August 3, 2018) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 385 games in the World Hockey Association and 115 games in the National Hockey League. After three seasons in the minor leagues, Sch ...

Dave Siciliano Dave Siciliano (born July 1946) is a Canadian former ice hockey coach and player. He played university hockey for the Lakehead Nor'Westers, and led them to the International Collegiate Hockey Association championship as the most valuable playe ...

* Ralph Stewart * Joe Szura *

Ted Tucker Edward William Tucker (born May 7, 1949 in Fort William, Ontario), is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender who briefly played for the California Golden Seals of the National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; f ...

Gary Veneruzzo Gary Raymond Veneruzzo (born June 28, 1943) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played seven games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the St. Louis Blues during the 1967–68 and 1971–72 seasons, and 348 games in th ...

* Murray Wing

References

Hockey Northwestern Ontario 1935 establishments in Ontario 1978 disestablishments in Ontario {{Ontario-icehockey-team-stub