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The Brantford 99ers are a
Junior A 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 ...
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 from
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. They are a part of the
Ontario Junior Hockey League The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada. It is under the supervision of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). The league was listed as the 7th best ...
. The 99ers have previously been known as the Milton Icehawks, Milton Merchants, Milton Flyers, and Milton Steamers as Milton hosted junior hockey from 1966 to 2018. After purchasing the team, Darren DeDobbelaer of Brantford moved the club to that city for the start of the 2018-19 season, re-branding the team as the 99ers.


History

The Icehawks were one of the most historical teams in the Ontario Junior Hockey League, having been formed in 1964 until the team was purchased and moved to Brantford for the 2018-19 season. The Icehawks (2003–2018) have previously been known as the Milton Flyers (1971-1983), Milton Steamers (1983-1986), and Milton Merchants (1966-1971, 1986-2003).


Early years

After serving in the Second World War as a RCAF wireless air gunner, David Brush returned to Milton and managed the Fred Armstrong Arena on Brown Street for two years, before Milton had artificial ice. His dedication to hockey included coaching at the minor league level and founding the town’s first Junior C club, the Milton Merchants, in 1964 as co-owner and president, which later became Jr. B and eventually Jr. A. For his efforts Brush was inducted into the Milton Sports Hall of Fame in 2018. In the 1970s, Vern Gooding owned the local team when they were known as the Milton Flyers. In 1974, three players including the team captain and top scorer left the team mid season over an imposed curfew dispute. Two of the three players had had tryouts with OHL clubs, and all three were club veterans. Grant Turner, Mark Grenier, Howie Scannell, and John Morgan owned the Milton Steamers in the early 1980s. Morgan sold his stake in the club to Turner, prompting Scannell to announce that he was preparing to sell his stake as well. On April 10, 1986, Turner, Grenier and Scannell sold the Steamers to Brad Grant who owned trucking company Sandstone Transport.


Grant era and championship successes

Trucking magnate Brad Grant purchased the team in April 1986 when it seemed like the organization might fold. For the 1986-87 season, he immediately changed the team's name from the Steamers to the Merchants after the Junior C team of old, and brought in former coach Gerry Inglis, who had also coached the Georgetown Raiders and had won five intermediate championships at the time. Grant led the team to tremendous success in the late 1990s. During his 15-year ownership run, the team captured four division crowns, three league championships and a provincial title. In 1992, the Milton Merchants were Central Junior B Hockey League champions with a 4-2 victory in Game 7 over the Aurora Eagles. They made 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 ...
Sutherland Cup Junior B championship but lost in five games to the
Mid-Western Junior B Hockey League The Mid-Western Junior Hockey League (MWJHL) was a junior ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association from 1973 until 2007. In 2007, the league became a division of the newly formed Greater Ontario Junior ...
's Kitchener Dutchmen. Following the 1992-93 season, the Merchants made the jump to Junior A in the OPJHL. The 1994-95 season marked the beginning of a historical run for the franchise as the club won five straight division titles. The surge of success increased when the Merchants were crowned league champions in 1997, winning the Buckland Trophy after defeating the Newmarket 87's. In the 1997 Dudley Cup playoffs, the Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (NOJHL) beat Milton four games to one. In 1998, the Milton Merchants repeated their Buckland Trophy title, dispatching the
Newmarket Hurricanes The Newmarket Hurricanes were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Newmarket, Ontario. They played in the Ontario Junior Hockey League. The franchise existed from 1972 until 2019, based in Newmarket starting in 1975. History In 1972, the Seneca Fly ...
this time, and then went on to become Central Canadian Junior A Champions by winning the
Dudley Hewitt Cup The Dudley-Hewitt Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy awarded to the Central Canadian Junior A champion. The trophy is currently decided by round robin tournament format, at the conclusion of the playoffs of the Ontario Junior Hockey League, ...
, defeating the Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (NOJHL) four games to two, and exacting revenge for the previous year's loss to Rayside-Balfour. At the 1998 Royal Bank Cup, the Milton Merchants went 1-3 in round robin play. In the semifinal game, Milton lost 6-2 to the
South Surrey Eagles The Surrey Eagles are a junior "A" ice hockey team based in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Mainland Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at South Surrey Arena. History New ...
and were eliminated from the tournament. In 2018, the Milton Sports Hall of Fame announced that it is inducting the 1996–97 and 1997-98 Merchants teams, and Brad Grant as a builder, during a ceremony in November.


Forgione era

In 2001, Grant sold the team to an Oakville trio that consisted of ex-NHLer
Dave Gagner David Rene Gagner (born December 11, 1964) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current Director of Player Development for the Orr Hockey Group player agency. Playing career Dave Gagner spent two full seasons with the OHL's Bra ...
, Mario Forgione who owned the
Mississauga IceDogs The Mississauga IceDogs were a junior ice hockey team in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. They played in the Ontario Hockey League from 1998 to 2007. A sale relocated the team to St. Catharines, Ontario for the 2007–08 season and they are now cal ...
at the time and was an automotive parts manufacturing president, and wine distillery consultant Ken Chase. For the 2003-04 season, Forgione changed the team's name from the Merchants to the IceHawks to reflect the team's connection with the local minor hockey programs called the Winterhawks, and Forgione's ownership of the Mississauga IceDogs. In 2005, the Ontario Hockey Association fined the Icehawks $12,000 and suspended then-General Manager George Dupont for signing two players outside of OHA guidelines. In 2006, Forgione officially affiliated the Icehawks with the IceDogs.


Heinz era

In the spring of 2006, ex-NHL goaltender Rick Heinz' attempt to purchase the nearby
Georgetown Raiders The Georgetown Raiders are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Georgetown, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Ontario Junior A Hockey League. The team began play in the Central Ontario Jr. B league and was known as the "Georgetown Gemini" u ...
fell through, but by July 2006 the local Campbellville resident Heinz had talked Forgione into selling the Icehawks, and the affiliation with the IceDogs ended. Heinz sold the team just nine months later after starting the season with essentially no committed players.


DeVincentis and Piett era

Dean Piett, a commercial real estate businessman from Burlington, and Rob DeVincentis, the Ancaster owner of a construction business, purchased the team from Heinz and owned the team from 2007 to 2017.


Move to Brantford

DeVincentis sold the team in 2017 to Darren DeDobbelaer of Brantford, whose son Eric played on the Junior B Brantford 99ers, which DeDobbelaer also owned. The Ontario Hockey Association originally blocked the $500,000 sale of the IceHawks to prevent DeDobbelaer from moving the team to Brantford, or promoting the 99ers to Jr. A and demoting the IceHawks in Milton to Jr. B. Complicating matters was the fact that Brad Grant who previously owned the team was OHA chairman at the time of the proposed sale. The sale was ultimately approved on the condition that the IceHawks remain in Milton for the 2017–18 season. The team the announced that starting in the 2018–19 season the team would relocate to Brantford to play under the 99ers name with the OJHL's approval. However, this move was denied by 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 ...
, the overseeing organization for the
Ontario Junior Hockey League The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada. It is under the supervision of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). The league was listed as the 7th best ...
, by refusing to send officials to their first game in Brantford on September 13 and the Icehawks were forced to stay in Milton for another season. On October 21, the OHA and OJHL announced the relocation of the team back to Brantford.


Season-by-season results


Sutherland Cup appearances

:''1992'': Kitchener Dutchmen defeated Milton Merchants ''4-games-to-1''


Notable alumni

Many notable players have suited up for Milton over the years including NHL stars
John Tavares John Tavares (born September 20, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected first overall by the New York Islanders in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft ...
,
Daniel Carcillo Daniel Carcillo (born January 28, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. He most recently played under contract to the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). His on-ice reputation as an enforcer has led ...
,
Rick Nash Richard McLaren Nash (born June 16, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who serves as the director of player development for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). After being selected first overal ...
,
Sam Gagner Sam William Gagner (born August 10, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who plays in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Winnipeg Jets. He was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round, 6th overall, of the 2007 NHL En ...
,
Rich Peverley John Richard Peverley (born July 8, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He spent four years with the St. Lawrence University hockey team before turning professional, then playing three years for several teams in both the ...
,
Darren Haydar Darren J. Haydar (born October 22, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. Haydar was selected by the Nashville Predators in the ninth round (248th overall) of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He is one of the top AHL players of all ...
,
Cody Goloubef Cody Goloubef (born November 30, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for SC Bern of the National League (NL). Goloubef was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second round, 37th overall, of the ...
and
Matt Read Matthew Zachary Jarrett Read (born June 14, 1986) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL). He previously played ...
. Some famous Miltonians have also played for the franchise, including four-time Stanley Cup champion
John Tonelli John Alexander Tonelli (born March 23, 1957) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward from Milton, Ontario. He was a four-time Stanley Cup champion with the New York Islanders, and also played with the Calgary Flames, Los Angele ...
, AHL star
Darren Haydar Darren J. Haydar (born October 22, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. Haydar was selected by the Nashville Predators in the ninth round (248th overall) of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He is one of the top AHL players of all ...
, two-time NCAA Frozen Four champion Boston College captain Matt Price, and his brother Jeremy Price (Vancouver Canucks' draft pick). *
Akim Aliu Akim Aliu (born April 24, 1989) is a Nigeria-born Canadian- Ukrainian former professional ice hockey player. He last played for HC Litvínov in the Czech Extraliga (ELH). Aliu was a second round selection of the Chicago Blackhawks, 56th overall, ...
*
John Tonelli John Alexander Tonelli (born March 23, 1957) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward from Milton, Ontario. He was a four-time Stanley Cup champion with the New York Islanders, and also played with the Calgary Flames, Los Angele ...
*
Daniel Carcillo Daniel Carcillo (born January 28, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. He most recently played under contract to the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). His on-ice reputation as an enforcer has led ...
*
Jay Caufield John Jay Caufield (born July 17, 1960) is an American former NHL right winger. Caufield was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was raised in the Towamencin Township, Pennsylvania, area about a mile outside Lansdale borough. He graduated ...
*
Jeff Daw Jeffrey R. Daw (born February 28, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played in one National Hockey League game for the Colorado Avalanche during the 2001–02 NHL season. As a youth, he played in the 1986 Quebec Interna ...
*
Sam Gagner Sam William Gagner (born August 10, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who plays in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Winnipeg Jets. He was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round, 6th overall, of the 2007 NHL En ...
*
Darren Haydar Darren J. Haydar (born October 22, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. Haydar was selected by the Nashville Predators in the ninth round (248th overall) of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He is one of the top AHL players of all ...
*
John Tavares John Tavares (born September 20, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected first overall by the New York Islanders in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft ...
*
Matt Read Matthew Zachary Jarrett Read (born June 14, 1986) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL). He previously played ...
*
Rich Peverley John Richard Peverley (born July 8, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He spent four years with the St. Lawrence University hockey team before turning professional, then playing three years for several teams in both the ...


References


External links


99ers website
{{Toronto Sports Milton, Ontario Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League teams Ice hockey clubs established in 1966 1966 establishments in Ontario