The Oshawa Generals are 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 ...

. They are based in

Oshawa Oshawa ( , also ; 2021 population 175,383; CMA 415,311) is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario, approximately east of Downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of the G ...

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. The team is named for

General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...

, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. In November 2016, the General Motors Centre changed its name to Tribute Communities Centre. Its 184 graduates to 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 ...

are second in the OHL. The Generals have won 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 ...

five times, as well as a record thirteen Ontario Hockey League Championships, 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 ...

. The Generals have two distinct eras in their history. The original Generals operated from 1937 to 1953. The team went on a hiatus from 1953 to 1962 due to a fire at the

Hambly Arena The Hambly Arena was an indoor ice rink in Oshawa, Ontario, also known as the Oshawa Arena. It operated from 1930 to 1953, and was primarily used as an ice hockey venue for the Oshawa Generals. The Hambly Arena was built as a replacement to the woo ...

. The team was resurrected in 1962. Famous alumni of the Generals include

Hockey Hall of Fame , logo = Hockey Hall of Fame Logo.svg , logo_upright = 0.5 , image = Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto.jpg , caption = The Hall's present location on Yonge Street since 1992 , map_type = , former_name = , established = 1943 , location = 30 Y ...

Bobby Orr Robert Gordon Orr (born March 20, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest of all time. Orr used his ice skating speed, scoring, and play-making abilities to revolutionize the pos ...

Ted Lindsay Ted Lindsay (born Robert Blake Theodore Lindsay; July 29, 1925 – March 4, 2019) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played as a forward for the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Lindsa ...

Alex Delvecchio Alexander Peter "Fats" Delvecchio (born December 4, 1931) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, coach, and general manager who spent his entire National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Detroit Red Wings. In a playing career t ...

Dave Andreychuk David John Andreychuk (born September 29, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Ligh ...

and

Eric Lindros Eric Bryan Lindros (; born February 28, 1973) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Lindros was born in London, Ontario, but grew up in Toronto. He played junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for the Oshawa Generals pr ...

History

Early years (1908–1937)

Prior to 1908, Oshawa belonged to the Midland Hockey League. It competed against other teams from

Whitby Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a maritime, mineral and tourist heritage. Its East Clif ...

Bowmanville Bowmanville is a town of approximately 40,000 people located in the Municipality of Clarington, Ontario, Clarington, Regional Municipality of Durham, Durham Region, Ontario, Canada. It is approximately east of Toronto, and east of Oshawa along ...

, Port Hope and

Cobourg Cobourg ( ) is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in Southern Ontario east of Toronto and east of Oshawa. It is the largest town in and seat of Northumberland County. Its nearest neighbour is Port Hope, to the west. It is ...

. The first Oshawa team in 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 ...

junior division began play in the 1908–1909 season, known as the Oshawa Shamrocks. Ed Bradley, a prominent local businessman was responsible for organizing the team and bringing junior hockey to Oshawa and was the team's manager for the next 13 seasons. Success came early to the team reaching the semifinals in 1909. In the 1920s, the team enjoyed many successful years, battling against

Orillia Orillia is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is in Simcoe County between Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe. Although it is geographically located within Simcoe County, the city is a single-tier municipality. It is part of the Huronia region of Cent ...

and

Owen Sound Owen Sound ( 2021 Census population 21,612) is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. The county seat of Grey County, it is located at the mouths of the Pottawatomi and Sydenham Rivers on an inlet of Georgian Bay. The primary tourist attract ...

. In June 1928, Bradley's Arena burnt to the ground. The team relocated to Whitby until the new Oshawa Arena was built for 1930. In the early 1930s, the team became known as the Oshawa Majors. The Majors won the OHA title in 1935 versus the

Kitchener Greenshirts The Kitchener Greenshirts name has been used by five separate ice hockey teams playing in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. These include one 'Senior A' level hockey team, two 'Junior A' level teams, and two 'Junior B' level teams. The name has also b ...

, and played the Northern Ontario champion Sudbury Cub Wolves. In a protest by Kitchener, the title was taken away from Oshawa while games were already underway with Sudbury. In 1936, different sources name the team as the Majors, the Red Devils, and the

Junior G-Men ''Junior G-Men'' was an American boys club and popular culture phenomenon during the late 1930s and early 1940s that began with a radio program and culminated with films featuring the Dead End Kids. Origins After leaving the Federal Bureau of Inve ...

. This team coached by Bill Hancock and managed by

Matt Leyden Matthew Leyden (1904 – December 23, 1975) was a former ice hockey executive, administrator, and builder with the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA). He managed the Oshawa Generals from 1937 to 1953, and built the team which won seven consecutive ...

played the season against St. Michael's College,

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...

Toronto Young Rangers The Toronto Young Rangers were a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1937–38 until the conclusion of the 1947–48 season. While most teams in the league had an affiliation with a National Hockey League club, ...

Toronto Marlboros The Toronto Marlborough Athletic Club, commonly known as the Toronto Marlboros, was founded in 1903. It operated junior ice hockey and senior ice hockey teams in the Ontario Hockey Association and later the Ontario Hockey League. The Marlboros ...

Toronto Native Sons The Toronto Native Sons were a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) from 1933 until 1942. They played at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. Prior to moving up to the OHA, the team played in the Toronto Junior Ho ...

and the Toronto Lions.

OHA dynasty (1937–1944)

In 1937, the Oshawa Generals were created and named after the sponsor,

General Motors of Canada General Motors of Canada Company (french: La Compagnie General Motors du Canada), commonly known as GM Canada, is the Canadian subsidiary of US-based company General Motors. It is headquartered in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. In the aftermath of ...

. The Generals put together an unequalled feat of seven consecutive OHA Championships, and winning three

s in the same span. The Generals grew a reputation for treating its players well and signed many young men who would go on to

fame. Players were admitted free to theatres, dancing, wrestling, roller skating and other attractions at the arena. Sponsors gave full scholarships to school and weekly stipends. Through the whole dynasty, the team was managed by

, and its secretary was Neil Hezzlewood. Both men would be inducted in the Oshawa Sports

Hall of fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

. From 1937 to 1944, Oshawa Generals graduated 20 players to become NHL alumni, and another player in David Bauer, who would be inducted into the

in the Builder's Category. NHL alumni from 1937 to 1944 include; Frank Bennett, Harvey Bennett, Les Colvin,

Jim Conacher James Conacher (May 5, 1921 – April 9, 2020) was a Scottish-born Canadian ice hockey forward. He played in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks, and New York Rangers between 1945 and 1952. Conacher was bo ...

, Floyd Curry, Buck Davies,

Bob Dawes Robert James "Bobby" Dawes (November 29, 1924 – May 26, 2003) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman. He played 32 games in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens between 1947 and 1951. The rest of his care ...

, Jim Drummond,

Frank Eddolls Frank Herbert Eddolls (July 5, 1921 – August 13, 1961) was a defenceman in the National Hockey League who played for the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers, and coached the Chicago Black Hawks in 1954–55. He won the Stanley Cup with Mont ...

Bill Ezinicki William "Wild Bill" Ezinicki (March 11, 1924 – October 11, 2012) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs (1944–1950), the Boston Bruins (1950–1952), and the New York Rangers (1954–1955) of the NHL. Pl ...

, Armand (Bep) Guidolin, Nick Knott,

, Jud McAtee, Norm McAtee,

Gus Mortson James Angus Gerald "Old Hardrock" Mortson (January 24, 1925 – August 8, 2015) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Black Hawks, and Detroit Red Wings, winning ...

Chuck Scherza Charles Henry Scherza (February 15, 1923 – March 16, 2014) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played 36 games in the National Hockey League with the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers between 1943 and 1945. The rest of his career, ...

, Ken Smith, Billy "The Kid" Taylor and Wally Wilson.

Fire (1953)

In September 1953 a great tragedy struck in Oshawa when Hambly's Arena burned down. The city lost their arena, and their OHA team. Donations poured in from many fellow OHA teams and local businessmen. Equipment and other items were dispersed to all the players attending the training camp to cover individual losses. The Generals, homeless so close to the start of the new season, were disbanded. Salvaged from the disbanded team, General Manager Wren Blair made a Senior B team known as the Oshawa Truckmen, who played in Bowmanville for the 1953–1954 season. The year after, this team became the Whitby Dunlops. The Dunlops were

Allan Cup The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men's ice hockey champions of Canada. It was donated by Sir Montagu Allan of Ravenscrag, Montreal, and has been competed for since 1909. The current champions are the ...

Champions in 1957 & 1959, and World Champions in 1958.

Rebirth of the Generals (1962)

In 1960, Wren Blair began negotiations with

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...

president

Weston Adams Weston Woollard Adams (August 9, 1904 – March 19, 1973) was an American hockey executive with the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Early life Adams was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. ...

to begin building the new Oshawa Generals. The agreement was made contingent on a new arena being built in Oshawa. The

Oshawa Civic Auditorium The Oshawa Civic Auditorium was an indoor arena in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. It operated from 1964 to 2006, and was primarily used as an ice hockey venue for the Oshawa Generals. The auditorium was built as a replacement to the Hambly Arena, whic ...

would open in 1964. In the meantime, the Oshawa Generals were reactivated for the 1962–1963 as a team playing in the

Metro Junior A League The Metro Junior A League was a junior ice hockey league created in 1961 by Toronto Maple Leafs owner Stafford Smythe in an attempt to rival the OHA, and act as a farm system for his NHL team. The league operated for two seasons from 1961 to 196 ...

. For this year, the team played its home games at

Maple Leaf Gardens Maple Leaf Gardens is a historic building located at the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The building was initially constructed in 1931 as an arena to host ice hockey games, though it has sinc ...

. Fundraising for a new arena was well under way at the same time. The Generals wore red, white and blue jerseys until the 1965–66 season when they adopted the black, gold and white of their parent team, the Boston Bruins. In 1963 the Metro Junior A league was disbanded, and Oshawa was readmitted in the OHA. Since the

used Maple Leaf Gardens as a home rink, the Generals team played out of nearby

for one full season, and part of another.

The Bobby Orr years (1962–1966)

The greatest player ever to wear an Oshawa Generals uniform,

, became a legend in the NHL and to be inducted in the

. Orr was discovered by Wren Blair as a 14-year-old while playing a game in

Gananoque, Ontario Gananoque ( ) is a town in the Leeds and Grenville area of Ontario, Canada. The town had a population of 5,383 year-round residents in the 2021 Canadian Census, as well as summer residents sometimes referred to as "Islanders" because of the Thous ...

. He was quickly signed to a contract and invited to training camp for the 1962–63 season. He would commute three hours from Parry Sound for all weekend games he played with the Generals that year. Even so, he was selected to the Metro Junior A League's second all-star team. During the 1963–64 season (his first full season in Junior A hockey), Bobby Orr scored 29 goals to break the record for most goals by a defenceman, previously held by

Jacques Laperriere Ancient and noble French family names, Jacques, Jacq, or James are believed to originate from the Middle Ages in the historic northwest Brittany region in France, and have since spread around the world over the centuries. To date, there are over ...

. Orr was also selected as a first team all-star

defenceman Defence or defense (in American English) in ice hockey is a player position that is primarily responsible for preventing the opposing team from Goal (ice hockey), scoring. They are often referred to as defencemen, D, D-men or blueliners (the la ...

. During the 1964–65 season, the Generals moved into their new home at the

. Orr broke his own record, scoring 34 goals that season. In the 1965–66 season, Oshawa returned to the

after a 22-year absence. The Generals were coached that year by alumnus Armand "Bep" Guidolin, who played for Oshawa in the 1942 Memorial Cup, and subsequently made the

of the

(NHL) as a 16-year-old. Team captain Bobby Orr scored 38 goals during the season. The Generals defeated their bitter rivals, the St. Catharines Black Hawks, in the quarter-finals before eliminating the

Montreal Junior Canadiens The Montreal Junior Canadiens were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Junior Hockey League from 1933 to 1961, and the Ontario Hockey Association from 1961 to 1972. They played out of the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. History The ...

in the semi-finals, and winning the

over the

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 OHL ...

. The Generals then outscored the Northern Ontario Junior A champion North Bay Trappers by a combined score of 43–9 to win the series in four games, and then defeated Shawinigan Bruins in three games to be the Eastern Canadian representative for the Memorial Cup. In the Memorial Cup series, Orr played injured through most games, but the team lost to the

Edmonton Oil Kings The Edmonton Oil Kings are a major junior ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, that play in the Western Hockey League. As of July 2008, they are owned by Daryl Katz's Oilers Entertainment Group, which also owns the Edmonton Oilers. ...

in six games. After the season ended, many players graduated from the team and moved on: Orr went to the Bruins, Blair became general manager of the NHL's

Minnesota North Stars The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the team's colors for ...

and head coach Guidolin returned to coaching in Thorold.

Ninth championship (1983)

After many dismal seasons through the late 1960s and 1970s, the Generals began to rebuild for a run at the Memorial Cup. In 1979, the Generals hired Head Coach Paul Theriault, who would lead the team to nine consecutive winning seasons, including two Memorial Cup appearances. In 1983, the Generals returned to the Memorial Cup after a 17-year absence, defeating the

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 ...

for their ninth J. Ross Robertson Cup. The Memorial Cup that year was played in

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

. The Generals lost in the finals to the host team, the

Portland Winter Hawks The Portland Winterhawks are a junior ice hockey team based in Portland, Oregon, playing in the Western Hockey League (WHL), one of three leagues making up the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Prior to the 2021-22 season, the Winterhawks split the ...

, by a score of 8–3. That year's team captain, defenceman

Joe Cirella Joseph Cirella (born May 9, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in 828 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). He has additionally served as assistant coach and assistant general manager of the Oshawa Generals ...

, went on to play 16 years in the NHL.

Tragedy (1985)

During an early season practice, Bruce Melanson left the ice feeling very weak. Within a few minutes he collapsed, succumbing to a congenital heart disorder known as

Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome (WPWS) is a disorder due to a specific type of problem with the electrical system of the heart. About 60% of people with the electrical problem developed symptoms, which may include an abnormally fast heartbeat, ...

. He was 18 years old at the time. The Generals wore black arm bands for the remainder of the season in memoriam of their teammate they nicknamed "Moose." In his honour, his number 9 was never worn by another member of the Generals and was later retired in 2006 for the late Red Tilson. A memorial scholarship was also set up at his former high school in

New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...

. The Generals now hand out an award to the most scholarly student, named the Bruce Melanson Scholactic Player of the Year Award. Melanson's hard-hitting and aggressive style led him to be selected by

New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...

in the second round, 41st overall, in the

1984 NHL Entry Draft The 1984 NHL Entry Draft was the 22nd NHL Entry Draft. It took place on June 9, 1984, at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. The 1984 Entry Draft is noted for the unusually high number of future Hall of Famers picked, particularly in lower ...

Hosting the Memorial Cup (1987)

In the 1986–87 season the Generals set a team record with 101 points for the season. The Generals played on home ice in the Memorial Cup, as the host city and as the OHL champions. In 1987, the OHL organized a "super series" for the right to host the Memorial Cup tournament between the Leyden Division-winning Generals and the

Emms Division 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 overage ...

-winning

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 ...

. The super series was played before the OHL playoffs commenced, and Oshawa defeated North Bay four games to three for the right to host the Memorial Cup. Coincidentally, Oshawa also won the OHL championship series defeating North Bay four games to three. Since Oshawa won both the super series and the OHL championship, only three teams participated in the Memorial Cup. Oshawa reached the finals against the

Medicine Hat Tigers The Medicine Hat Tigers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League (WHL) who play in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Established in 1970, the team has won two national Memorial Cups, five WHL League Championships and seven Divis ...

, but lost 6–2 in the championship game.

Eric Lindros and a fourth Memorial Cup (1989–1991)

was drafted by the

, but refused to play for them, forcing the Greyhounds to trade him. After arriving in Oshawa, Lindros turned out to be the player the Generals needed to reach the Memorial Cup, in addition to the existing core of players captained by Iain Fraser. After playing for the Canadian National Team, Lindros started his rookie year with the Generals in 1989–90. Lindros would go on to score 17 goals and 19 assists in only 25 games. The same year in the playoffs, he scored 18 goals and 18 assists in only 17 games.

Copps Coliseum FirstOntario Centre (originally Copps Coliseum) is a sports and entertainment arena at the corner of Bay Street North and York Boulevard in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Opened in 1985, it has a capacity of up to 19,000. History Hamilton was lef ...

hosted the

1990 Memorial Cup The 1990 Memorial Cup occurred May 5–13 at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario. It was the 72nd annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Participating teams ...

. The Generals played against the

Kamloops Blazers The Kamloops Blazers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team plays in the B.C. Division of the Western Conference, is based out of Kamloops, British Columbia, and play home games at Sandman Centre. The Blazers o ...

Laval Titan The Laval Titan was one of the names used by a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) franchise that played in Laval, Quebec, Canada, between 1971 and 1998. History The Rosemont National began in the 1969–70 QM ...

and the OHL runners-up, the

. The championship game on May 13, 1990, attracted 17,383 spectators who eventually witnessed the Generals defeat the Rangers 4–3 in double

overtime Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways: *by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society), ...

on a goal scored by Bill Armstrong. This was the fourth Memorial Cup in Generals history. In the subsequent off-season, Lindros was chosen first overall at the

1991 NHL Entry Draft The 1991 NHL Entry Draft was the 29th NHL Entry Draft. It was held on June 22 at the Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York. A total of 264 players were drafted. The worst team in the previous 1990–91 season, the Quebec Nordiques, was give ...

by the

Quebec Nordiques The Quebec Nordiques (french: Nordiques de Québec, pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated "Quebec City Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City. The Nordiques played in the W ...

. Entering the 1990–91 season, the Generals were expected to repeat as OHL champions. In 57 regular season games, Lindros again led the team in points after scoring 71 goals and 78 assists. The Generals, however, lost the OHL final that year to Lindros' draft team, the Sault Ste. Marie.

Twelfth OHL Championship (1997)

The Generals set the benchmark for other OHL teams by winning their 12th J. Ross Robertson Cup in 1997. The Generals upset the first place

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 Canadian Centennial, centennial year of 1967 and named in honour of this, the 67's c ...

in the OHL final, 4–2. The sixth game ended just eight seconds into the first overtime on a goal from

Marc Savard Marc Savard (born July 17, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre and current head coach of the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Rangers (who o ...

. The Generals then participated in the

1997 Memorial Cup The 1997 Memorial Cup occurred May 10–18 at the Robert Guertin Centre in Hull, Quebec. It was the 79th annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Participating t ...

Hull, Quebec Hull is the central business district and oldest neighbourhood of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of the Canadia ...

, in which they finished third in the round-robin and lost in the semi-final to the

Lethbridge Hurricanes The Lethbridge Hurricanes are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team currently members of the Eastern Conference (Central Division) of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team is based in Lethbridge, Alberta, and play their home games at the E ...

. Future NHL players from Oshawa's 1997 roster included

, John Tripp, Ian MacNeil,

Kevin Colley Kevin Colley (born January 4, 1979) is an American-born Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played for the New York Islanders of the NHL, and was the head coach of the Arizona Sundogs of the CHL in 2013–14. He was raised ...

Dan Hinote Daniel Chester Hinote (born January 30, 1977) is an American former professional ice hockey player and current assistant coach for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League. He finished his playing career playing for Modo Hockey of the ...

, Jeff Ware, Bryan Allen,

Jeff MacMillan Jeff MacMillan (born March 30, 1979) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. At the height of his career he briefly played for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League. Career MacMillan began his career in 1996, icing for the junior ...

and

Tyrone Garner Tyrone "Ty" Garner (born July 27, 1978) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was drafted by the New York Islanders in the fourth round, 83rd overall in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. Playing career Garner was born in Stoney Creek, Ontar ...

New ownership, new home (2004 to present)

In 2004, John Davies purchased the team from John Humphreys. This marked the beginning of a new era for the team, as the Humphreys family had owned the team since its resurrection in 1962. In 2005, the Generals drafted 14-year-old

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 ...

first overall in the OHL Priority Selection; he was previously granted Exceptional Player Status by the OHL, which allowing him to be drafted one year earlier than the norm. Following his selection, the Generals worked to build another championship team centered around Tavares. Other building blocks added to the team included

Michael Del Zotto Michael Del Zotto (born June 24, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in ...

, Dale Mitchell,

Cal Clutterbuck Cal William Clutterbuck (born November 18, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). Clutterbuck was drafted 72nd overall by the Minnesota Wild in ...

Brett MacLean Brett MacLean (born December 24, 1988) is a former Canadians, Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the Phoenix Coyotes and Winnipeg Jets in the National Hockey League. He was drafted 32nd overall by the Coyotes in the 2007 NHL ...

(then one of the youngest players in the OHL), goaltender Anthony Peters and eventually

Calvin de Haan Calvin de Haan (born May 9, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected 12th overall by the New York Islanders at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Early life De ...

. The new ownership also brought to an end the Generals era playing in the Civic Auditorium. Led by Oshawa Mayor John Gray, the Generals were able to call a new arena in downtown Oshawa their home. The team moved into the

General Motors Centre The Tribute Communities Centre, formerly known as the General Motors Centre or GM Centre, GMC for short, is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, which opened in November 2006. The arena was constructed to replace the ...

on November 1, 2006, and played the inaugural game on November 3 against the

Owen Sound Attack The Owen Sound Attack are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League based in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. Based in Owen Sound since 1989, and operating under the current name since 2000, the Attack play their home games at the J.D. M ...

After topping scoring boards and points lists with the Generals for three and a half seasons, John Tavares and Michael Del Zotto were traded to 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 ...

on January 8, 2009, and a new crop of young talent was brought onto the Generals team. Christian Thomas, Scott Valentine and Michael Zador, along with several draft picks, were part of the Tavares deal. Other additions included Tony DeHart and

Lucas Lessio Lucas Lessio (born January 23, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is currently under contract with EC KAC of the ICE Hockey League (ICEHL). Lessio was selected 56th overall by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. ...

, a result of one of London's draft picks that was traded to Oshawa. In July 2008, the Generals' executive team announced a change of ownership structure, with Rocco Tullio of

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places Australia * Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area * Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland **Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...

, Ontario, agreeing to terms and conditions with John Davies to acquire his remaining shares of the Generals. In January 2010, Tullio welcomed two new partners as owners – former NHL star and

Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...

champion

Adam Graves Adam Scott Graves (born April 12, 1968) is a Canadian former professional hockey player. He served 10 seasons with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He also played for the Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sha ...

and former championship OHL coach and manager

Peter DeBoer George Peter DeBoer (born June 13, 1968) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the head coach for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is also a co-owner of the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Ho ...

2015: Return to the Memorial Cup

Memorial Cup at the Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame

For the first time since 1997, the Oshawa Generals made it back to the

in 2015. They ended up winning all three of their round robin games, and clinched a spot in the

2015 Memorial Cup The 2015 Memorial Cup (branded as the 2015 Mastercard Memorial Cup for sponsorship reasons) was a four-team round-robin format tournament that began on 22 May and ended on 31 May, 2015. It was the 97th Memorial Cup championship and determined the ...

final. They defeated the

Kelowna Rockets The Kelowna Rockets are a major junior ice hockey team based in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. The Rockets play in the Western Hockey League (WHL), out of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). They play their home games at Prospera Place. The Roc ...

in the final after

Anthony Cirelli Anthony Cirelli (, ; born July 15, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center who is currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Lightning in the third round (72nd overall) of ...

scored the game-winning goal in overtime. In the 2014–15 season, the Generals won their 13th

, defeating the

Erie Otters The Erie Otters are a Major junior ice hockey team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Midwest division of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), one of only three American teams in the circuit. The team name refers to the North Am ...

. They went undefeated at the Memorial Cup in Quebec City to take home their fifth

in club history.

Championships

The Generals have won 13

championships, the most of the OHL's history. Oshawa also has won five

championships.

''Ontario Hockey League Championship''

George Richardson Memorial Trophy The George Richardson Memorial Trophy was presented annually from 1932 until 1971, by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. It represented the Eastern Canada junior hockey championship, and a berth in the Memorial Cup final versus the Abbot ...

''Eastern Canadian Championship''

''Canadian Hockey League Championship''

Coaches

The Generals have had several head coaches who have also coached at the NHL level as head and/or assistant coaches including

Charlie Conacher Charles William "The Big Bomber" Conacher, Sr. (December 20, 1909 – December 30, 1967) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and New York Americans in the National Hockey Leagu ...

, Armand "Bep" Guidolin,

Paul Theriault Paul Theriault (born 1950) is a Canadian former ice hockey coach. He served as an assistant coach in the National Hockey League with the Buffalo Sabres during the 1996–97 NHL season. Theriault is the longest-serving coach in the history of the ...

Bill LaForge Bill LaForge (September 2, 1951 – June 19, 2005) was a Canadian ice hockey head coach. LaForge briefly coached the Vancouver Canucks in National Hockey League, but enjoyed more success in junior ice hockey with Western Hockey League and the On ...

, Bill Stewart, George Burnett, Brad Selwood, and

Randy Ladouceur Randall Ladouceur (born June 30, 1960) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former player, who last served as an assistant coach of the San Antonio Rampage. He previously served as an assistant coach for the Montreal Canadiens, Hamilton Bulldogs and ...

. ;Coaches of the year;

Matt Leyden Trophy The Matt Leyden Trophy is awarded annually to the Ontario Hockey League Coach of the Year. The award is chosen by fellow OHL general managers. Teams were not permitted to vote for a coach from their own hockey club. Coaches receive five points for ...

winners. *1971–72

Gus Bodnar August "Gus" Bodnar (April 24, 1923 – July 1, 2005) was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who was the Calder Memorial Trophy winner as the National Hockey League's rookie of the year for the 1943-44 season. He played 12 seasons in the ...

*1977–78 Bill White *1986–87

*2013–14 D. J. Smith

List of coaches

Players

The Oshawa Generals have graduated 184 young men onto the NHL, third behind the

and 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. ...

for most graduated future NHLers from the OHL. Five Generals have gone on to become honoured in the

Award winners

Retired numbers

The Oshawa Generals retired number nine in honour of Red Tilson at a pregame

Remembrance Day Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in t ...

ceremony on November 12, 2006. Tilson was the league's leading scorer during the 1942–43 who died during combat in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. The

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 ...

for the OHL's most outstanding player is named in his honour.

' number 88 was retired on March 6, 2008.

's number 2 was officially retired on November 27, 2008, after having been out of circulation since Orr moved on to the NHL in 1966.

' number 91 was retired on September 28, 2014. Number 27 was retired on October 2, 2016, in honour of Marc Savard. *# 2

(1963–1966) *# 9 Red Tilson (1941–1943) *# 22

Tony Tanti Anthony Tanti (born September 7, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He was a left winger and played the majority of his career in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Vancouver Canucks. Originally selected 12th overall ...

(1980-1983) *# 27

(1993-1997) *# 88

(1989–1992) *# 91

(2005–2009) Honoured numbers Bruce Melanson was last player to wear number nine. It was taken out of circulation after his death, then later retired for Red Tilson. *# 9 Bruce Melanson (1983–1985) – died during season.

Hockey Hall of Fame members

NHL alumni

List of Oshawa Generals alumni to play in the National Hockey League. * Bryan Allen *

Mike Amodeo Michael Anthony Amodeo (born June 22, 1952) is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 300 games in the World Hockey Association and 19 games in the National Hockey League. He played for the Ottawa Nationals, Toronto Toros, and Winnip ...

Andy Andreoff Andy Andreoff (born May 17, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). Andreoff was selec ...

Jason Arnott Jason William Arnott (born October 11, 1974) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He began his National Hockey League career with the Edmonton Oilers in 1993–94 after being selected seventh overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft ...

* John Arundel * Chris Beckford-Tseu *

Jan Benda Jan Benda (born 28 April 1972) is a Belgian-born German ice hockey coach and retired player. He appeared in a total of nine National Hockey League games for the Washington Capitals and participated in three Olympic Winter Games with the German na ...

* Frank Bennett * Harvey Bennett *

Adam Berti Adam Berti (born July 1, 1986, in Scarborough, Toronto, Scarborough, Ontario) is a professional ice hockey winger (ice hockey), left winger. He was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the third round, 68th overall, of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft fr ...

Nick Beverley Nicholas Gerald Beverley (born April 21, 1947) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and coach. Beverley played over 500 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) and later coached in both the NHL and American Hockey League (AHL). ...

Don Biggs Donald R. Biggs (born April 7, 1965) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player. His son, Tyler Biggs, was a first round draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Early life Biggs was raised in Mississauga, Ontario on Carrera Lane and a ...

* Chuck Blair *

Dusty Blair George Johnston "Dusty" Blair (September 15, 1929 – July 9, 2010) was a Canadian professional hockey player. He played two games in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1950–51 NHL season, 1950–51 season. The ...

Ivan Boldirev Ivan Boldirev (Serbian Cyrillic: Иван Болдирев; born August 15, 1949) is a Serbian Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Boldirev played fifteen seasons and over 1000 games in the NHL from 1970 through 1985. Boldirev was not ...

Eric Boulton Eric Boulton (born August 17, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. Boulton was drafted 234th overall in the ninth round of the 1994 draft by the New York Rangers. While he never played for the Rangers, he played for t ...

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 ...

Gerry Brown Gerry “The Gov.” Brown is a recording engineer, mixer and music producer based in Los Angeles, best known for his work with artists including Whitney Houston, John Legend, Earth, Wind & Fire, Madonna, Sting, Prince, Phil Collins, Marcu ...

Ron Buchanan Ronald Leonard "Bucky" Buchanan (born November 15, 1944 in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played extensively in the World Hockey Association and briefly in the National Hockey League between 1966 and 1976 ...

Steve Cardwell Stephen Michael Cardwell (born August 18, 1950) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey forward who played 53 games in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He would also play 152 games in the World Hockey Association wi ...

Wayne Cashman Wayne Cashman (born June 24, 1945) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and coach. He played seventeen seasons for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL) and helped them win the Stanley Cup twice, and was the last ac ...

Ray Ceresino Ramo Peter (Ray) Ceresino (April 24, 1929 – May 1, 2015) was a Canadian ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), left winger. He played 12 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League during the 1948–49 NHL season, 1948–49 season. ...

* Todd Charlesworth *

Lex Chisholm Andrew Alexander Chisholm (April 1, 1915 – August 6, 1981) was a Canadian ice hockey centre. He played 61 games in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs between 1939 and 1941. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1934 to 1 ...

* Les Colvin *

* Larry Courville * Mike Craig * Dale Craigwell * Bobby Crawford * Floyd Curry *

Michael Dal Colle Michael Dal Colle (born June 20, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is currently playing in the Liiga with HC TPS. Before signing with HC TPS he played for the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League (AHL) while un ...

Jeff Daniels Jeffrey Warren Daniels (born February 19, 1955) is an American actor, comedian, musician, and playwright, known for his work on stage and screen playing diverse characters switching between comedy and drama. He is the recipient of several accol ...

* Buck Davies *

* Dean De Fazio * Dale DeGray *

* Val Delory *

* Jim Drummond *

Ben Eager Benjamin Arthur Eager (born January 22, 1984) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010. Playing career Eager was drafted in the first round, 23rd overall, by the A ...

* George Ferguson * Lee Fogolin Jr. *

Rick Foley Gilbert Anthony "Rick" Foley (September 22, 1945 — September 29, 2015) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He played 67 games in the National Hockey League with the Chicago Black Hawks, Philadelphia Flyers, and Detroit Red Wings b ...

Mike Fountain Michael Fountain (born January 26, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, and Ottawa Senators. He also played several seasons ...

* Iain Fraser * Bob Froese *

Dick Gamble Richard Frank Gamble (November 16, 1928 – March 22, 2018) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League with the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Black Hawks, and Toronto Maple Leafs between 1950 and 1967. His ...

* Dave Gans * Paul Gardner *

* Lee Giffin *

Trevor Gillies Trevor Gillies (born January 30, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He has played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with both the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and New York Islanders. Gillies was known for being an enforcer, ...

Bob Gladney Robert Lawrence Gladney (born August 27, 1957) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played 14 games in the National Hockey League for the Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known ...

* Dan Gratton *

Gilles Gratton Gilles Gratton (born July 28, 1952 in LaSalle, Quebec) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Playing career As a youth, Gratton played in the 1965 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team fr ...

Brent Grieve Brent J. Grieve (born May 9, 1969) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left wing and coach. He played 97 games in the National Hockey League with four teams between 1993 and 1996. Playing career As a youth, Grieve played in the 1982 ...

Bep Guidolin Armand "Bep" Guidolin (December 9, 1925 – November 24, 2008) was a Canadian ice hockey player and coach. He is notable for being the youngest player in National Hockey League history. He was born in Thorold, Ontario. He and Eleanor, his wife of ...

Jeff Hackett Jeffrey David Hackett (born June 1, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the New York Islanders, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, Bosto ...

* Paul Harrison *

Chris Hayes Christopher Loffredo Hayes (; born February 28, 1979) is an American political commentator, television news anchor, activist, and author. Hayes hosts ''All In with Chris Hayes'', a weekday news and opinion television show on MSNBC. Hayes also ...

* Bill Heindl *

Ike Hildebrand Isaac Bruce Hildebrand (May 27, 1927 – August 27, 2006) was a Canadian ice hockey and lacrosse player. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, he played 41 games in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks during the 1 ...

Floyd Hillman Floyd Arthur "Bud" Hillman (November 19, 1933 – May 26, 2020) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played six games in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins during the 1956–57 season. The rest of his career, which last ...

* Larry Hopkins *

Nathan Horton Nathan Russell Horton (born May 29, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. During his career, Horton played for the Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins and Columbus Blue Jackets. He was drafted third overall by the Panthers in the ...

* Charlie Huddy * Jim Jackson *

Lou Jankowski Louis Casimer Jankowski (June 27, 1931 – March 21, 2010) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward and scout who played 131 games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks between 1951 and 1955. The ...

* Boone Jenner *

Nicklas Jensen Nicklas Jensen (born 6 March 1993) is a Danish ice hockey winger. He is currently playing for SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of the National League (NL). After beginning his career with Danish team Herning Blue Fox at the junior and men's level, ...

* Ross Johnstone * Tony Joseph * Claude Julien *

Doug Keans Douglas Frederick Keans (born January 7, 1958) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played nine seasons in the National Hockey League with the Los Angeles Kings and Boston Bruins between 1980 and 1988. Playing career In hi ...

* Bob Kelly * Rick Kessell *

Derek King Derek King (born February 11, 1967) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), left winger who currently serves as an assistant coach for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League. King played 14 seasons in the ...

Brian Kinsella Brian Edward Kinsella (February 11, 1954 – October 14, 2018) was a Canadian ice hockey player. Drafted in 1974 by the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League and Phoenix Roadrunners of the World Hockey Association, Kinsella played te ...

* Nick Knott * Steve Konroyd * Joe Kowal *

Pete Laframboise Peter Alfred Laframboise (January 18, 1950 – March 19, 2011) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Laframboise played for the National Hockey League (NHL) California Golden Seals, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals in the 1970 ...

Leo Lamoureux Leo Peter Lamoureux (October 1, 1916 – January 11, 1961) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman. Lamoureux played his entire National Hockey League career with the Montreal Canadiens. He was born in Espanola, Ontario, but grew up in Kirkland ...

Mitch Lamoureux Mitch Lamoureux (born August 22, 1962) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player. Lamoureux was born in Ottawa, Ontario, but grew up in Nepean, Ontario. He played in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers. He was ...

Rick Lanz Richard Roman Lanz (born September 16, 1961) is a Czech-born Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who spent 10 seasons in the National Hockey League and is best known for his time with the Vancouver Canucks. He was born in Czechoslov ...

Scott Laughton Scott Laughton (born May 30, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Growing up in Oakville, Ontario, Laughton spent his junior hockey career playing ...

Mike Lenarduzzi Mike "Whopper" Lenarduzzi (born September 14, 1972) is a Canadian retired ice hockey goaltender. He played four games in the National Hockey League with the Hartford Whalers during the 1992–93 and 1993–94 seasons. The rest of his career, whic ...

Tobias Lindberg Tobias Lindberg (born 22 July 1995) is a Swedes, Swedish professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), winger who is currently playing with HC Vítkovice in the Czech Extraliga. He has previously played for Södertälje SK in the HockeyAllsvenska ...

Bill Lochead William Alexander "Whip" Lochead ( ;

Ross Lowe Ross Robert Lowe (September 21, 1928 in Oshawa, Ontario – August 8, 1955) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played three seasons in the National Hockey League from 1949–50 NHL season, 1949 to 1951–52 NHL season, 1952 for th ...

* Charlie Luksa *

Jack Lynch John Mary Lynch (15 August 1917 – 20 October 1999) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979, Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1966 to 1979, Leader of the Opposition from 1973 to 1977, Minister ...

Calum MacKay Calum "Baldy" MacKay (January 1, 1927 — August 21, 2001) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens between 1947 and 1955. With Montreal he won th ...

Shawn MacKenzie Shawn Kenneth MacKenzie (born August 22, 1962) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played a total of 130 minutes during 6 games in the National Hockey League with the New Jersey Devils. He had 15 goals scored against him i ...

* John MacLean *

* Ian MacNeil *

Bud MacPherson James Albert MacPherson (March 31, 1927 in Edmonton, Alberta – August 31, 1988), known as Bud MacPherson or Jim MacPherson, was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman Defence or defense (in American English) in ice hockey is a player position that ...

* Greg Malone * Jud McAtee * Norm McAtee *

Michael McCarron Michael McCarron (born March 7, 1995) is an American professional ice hockey player. He is currently playing for the Nashville Predators in the National Hockey League (NHL). McCarron was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round (2 ...

Tom McCarthy Thomas McCarthy (also Tom and Tommy) may refer to: Academia *Thomas A. McCarthy (born 1940), American professor of philosophy *Thomas J. McCarthy (born 1956), American professor of polymer chemistry at the University of Massachusetts *J. Thomas Mc ...

Bob McCulley Robert Keith McCully (February 8, 1912 – August 15, 1993) was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played in one National Hockey League game for the Montreal Canadiens during the 1934–35 NHL season. See also *List of player ...

Brian McGrattan Brian McGrattan (born September 2, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current member of the Calgary Flames player development staff. McGrattan was a fourth-round selection of the Los Angeles Kings (104th overall) at ...

Kirk McLean Kirk Alan McLean (born June 26, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New Jersey Devils, Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers and New York Rangers. ...

Sean McMorrow Sean McMorrow (born January 19, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. He last played semi-professionally for the Jonquière Marquis of the LNAH. Originally selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, McMorr ...

Chris McRae Chris McRae (born August 26, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 21 games in the National Hockey League. He played with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings. As a youth, he played in the 1978 Quebec Inte ...

* Bryan McSheffrey *

Roland Melanson Roland "Rollie the Goalie" Joseph Melanson (born June 28, 1960) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former goaltender in the National Hockey League (NHL). He most recently served as the goaltending coach for the New Jersey Devils, previously servin ...

* Julian Melchiori *

Rick Middleton Richard David "Nifty" Middleton (born December 4, 1953) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player for the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. Playing career As a youth, Middleton played in the 1966 Quebec ...

Kevin Miehm Kevin Miehm (born September 10, 1969) is a Canadian former ice hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL) who played two seasons with the St. Louis Blues from 1992 to 1994. Miehm was born in Kitchener, Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of ...

Chris Minard Christopher Minard (born November 18, 1981) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers before finishing his career in the Deutsche ...

* Dean Morton *

Gord Murphy Gordon J. Murphy (born February 23, 1967) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers and Atlanta Thrashers. He i ...

Michal Neuvirth Michal Neuvirth ( , ; born 23 March 1988) is a Czech former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played for the Washington Capitals, New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, and Philadelphia Flyers in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selecte ...

Brandon Nolan Brandon Nolan (born July 18, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who is a member of the Ojibway group of Indigenous Peoples from the Garden River First Nations in Northern Ontario. He last played for the Carolina Hurricanes ...

* Lee Norwood * Hank Nowak *

Fred O'Donnell Frederick James O'Donnell (born December 6, 1949 in Kingston, Ontario and raised in Gananoque, Ontario) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player and coach. During his professional playing career, which lasted from 1970 to 1976, he pla ...

Terry O'Reilly Terence Joseph James O'Reilly (born June 7, 1951) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger, who played for the NHL's Boston Bruins, and one of the most effective enforcers in NHL history. O'Reilly was born in Niagara Falls, Ontar ...

* Danny O'Shea *

Jim Paek Jim Paek ( ko, 백지선, Baek Chi-sun, born April 7, 1967) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, who is currently the director of hockey for the Korea Ice Hockey Association and head coach of the South Korean national team. Paek ...

* Rob Pearson *

Nathan Perrott Nathan A. Perrott (born December 8, 1976) is a Canadian professional boxer and former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League with the Nashville Predators, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Dallas Stars between 2001 and 200 ...

Andrew Peters Andrew Peters (born May 5, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. Peters played in the National Hockey League for the Buffalo Sabres, and the New Jersey Devils. Throughout his playing career, Peters was best known for h ...

* Steve Peters *

Wayne Primeau Wayne Michael Primeau (born June 4, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He is the younger brother of Keith Primeau. Playing career Primeau was a first round draft pick of the O ...

* Dave Pulkkinen *

Nelson Pyatt Frederick Nelson Pyatt (born September 9, 1953) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Pyatt was born in Port Arthur, Ontario. Drafted in 1973 by both the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League and the Minnesota Fighting S ...

* Brad Ralph *

Paul Ranger Paul D. Ranger (born September 12, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently an assistant coach with the UOIT Ridgebacks. He has spent the majority of his professional career with the Tampa Bay Lightning of t ...

Greg Redquest Gregory Redquest (born July 30, 1956) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender who played one game in the National Hockey League with the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 1977–78 season. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1 ...

Ed Reigle Edmund Reigle (June 19, 1924 — November 20, 2003) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. Reigle playing career, which lasted from 1944 to 1957, was mainly spent in the minor leagues. He also played 17 games in the National Hock ...

* Pat Ribble *

Phil Samis Philip Lawrence Samis (December 28, 1927 – January 11, 2022) was an ice hockey defenceman. He played two regular season games in the National Hockey League during the 1949–50 season and five playoff games in 1948, when he won the Stanley Cup ...

* Norm Schmidt * Richard Scott * Travis Scott *

Sean Shanahan Sean Bryan Shanahan (February 8, 1951 – May 15, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger. Biography Shanahan was drafted by the Houston Aeros in the ninth round, 110th overall, of the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft. He caused some co ...

Peter Sidorkiewicz Peter Paul Sidorkiewicz (born June 29, 1963) is a Polish-born Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Sidorkiewicz played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Hartford Whalers, Ottawa Senators, and New Jersey Devils, represent ...

Harry Sinden Harry James Sinden (born September 14, 1932) is a Canadian former ice hockey player, coach, and executive. He served as a coach, general manager, and team president for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL), and was the coach of T ...

Jarrod Skalde Jarrod Skalde (born February 26, 1971) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and player who is a free agent. He was born in Niagara Falls, Ontario. From august 2022, he is the head coach of slovak ice hockey team Vlci Zilina in Tipos Slovenská hokejová ...

* Ken Smith * Sid Smith * Rick St. Croix *

Greg Stefan Gregory Steven Stefan (born February 11, 1961, in Brantford, Ontario) is a retired professional ice hockey goaltender in the National Hockey League and currently serves as the goaltending coach for the Flint Firebirds in the Ontario Hockey League. ...

Bud Stefanski Stanley Michael "Bud" Stefanski (born April 28, 1955) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey Centre (ice hockey), centre who played in one National Hockey League game for the New York Rangers during the 1977–78 NHL season. He is ...

* John Stevens * Bob Stewart * Jack Studnicka *

Barry Sullivan Barry Sullivan may refer to: *Barry Sullivan (American actor) (1912–1994), US film and Broadway actor *Barry Sullivan (stage actor) (1821–1891), Irish born stage actor active in Britain and Australia *Barry Sullivan (lawyer), Chicago lawyer and ...

* Frank Sullivan * Peter Sullivan * Don Sylvestri *

Dale Tallon Michael "Dale" Tallon (born October 19, 1950) is a Canadian ice hockey executive and former player. He played in the NHL for ten years as a defenceman for the Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Following his retir ...

Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the ...

* Christian Thomas * Kirk Tomlinson * John Tripp * Pete Vipond * Jeff Ware *

Barry Wilkins Barry James Wilkins (February 28, 1947 – June 26, 2011) was a professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League and the World Hockey Association during the 1960s and 1970s. He is best known for scoring the first-ever goal f ...

Butch Williams Warren Milton "Butch" Williams (born September 11, 1952 in Duluth, Minnesota) is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 108 games in the National Hockey League in 1974–76. He played for the California Golden Seals and St. Louis Blue ...

* Sean Williams *

Dunc Wilson Duncan Shepherd Wilson (born March 22, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who spent ten seasons in the National Hockey League between 1969 and 1979, with the Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs, ...

* Wally Wilson *

Stephane Yelle Stephane may refer to: * Stéphane, a French given name * Stephane (Ancient Greece) A stephane (''ancient Greek'' στέφανος, from ''στέφω'' (stéphō, “I encircle”), '' Lat.'' Stephanus = wreath, decorative wreath worn on the head ...

* Rod Zaine

Season-by-season results

The Oshawa Generals have won three Hamilton Spectator trophies for finishing first overall in the OHL regular season standings, and five Leyden trophies for finishing first overall in the eastern division OHL regular season standings. The Oshawa Generals have won 13 J. Ross Robertson Cups as the OHL/OHA playoff champions, and won five Memorial Cups as the CHL/CAHA champions.

Uniforms and logos

The current version of the Oshawa Generals uniforms has been in use since the 1989–90 season. The team has announced an updated logo to coincide with moving into a new arena. The new logo cresting will be triple layered as opposed to the single layer. Players' names and numbers with have double cresting. The Oshawa Generals have also issued two throwback style jerseys in the recent past. During alumni week for the 2001–02 season, the Generals wore a jersey based on the 'Bruins" style worn in the 1965–66 season, when Bobby Orr skated for the club. For two seasons from 2004–05 to 2005–06 the Generals "red" jersey was replaced by a jersey based on the style worn during the 1939, 1940 and 1944 Memorial Cup winning seasons, featuring the square "GM" logo. The Generals unveiled a new mascot during a pregame ceremony on November 16, 2007, who would be named "Deke" in a naming contest in Oshawa. The previous mascot, "General Shooter," had been retired at the end of the 2006–07 season.

Arenas

The Oshawa Generals have the dubious distinction of having their home arena destroyed by fire not once, but twice in the franchise history. In June 1928 the Bradley Arena was destroyed by fire. Then 25 years later, the Hambly Arena was also destroyed by fire. From 1928 to 1930, the team played out of nearby Whitby until the Hambly Arena was constructed. When the Hambly Arena burned down in 1953, the Oshawa Generals were disbanded. When the team was resurrected in 1962, they played both at

and also in the Bowmanville Community Arena (now demolished) for two seasons until moving until the Civic Auditorium.

The early years

Before Oshawa joined the OHA in 1908, it was part of the Midland Hockey League. Its games were played out of the Oshawa Curling Club located by the Oshawa Creek in the vicinity of present-day Valleyview Gardens, Kinsmen Stadium and Children's Arena. Since the curling club controlled its use and thus when games could or could not be played, a new location was sought. A new outdoor rink was built four blocks away, where the present day Oshawa Armouries stand at the corner of Simcoe St. and Richmond St. This would be the team's home until 1908.

Bradley Arena 1908–1928

The Bradley Arena, nicknamed "The Big Rink," opened up in 1908 on Duke St. in downtown Oshawa. Its namesake was Ed Bradley, a prominent local businessman who was responsible for organizing the team and bringing Junior Hockey to Oshawa. The arena was packed to the rafters many nights when Oshawa played there for the 1920s League championships versus Orillia and

. In June 1928, the predominantly wooden structure succumbed to an overnight fire.

Hambly Arena 1930–1953

The Oshawa Arena (later known as the

) opened in 1930 and was built in large part to the contributions of Colonel Robert Samuel McLaughlin. It was the first brick facade and steel support structure for hockey in Oshawa. Shortly after training camp in 1953, the arena would suffer the same demise as its predecessor and burned to the ground on September 15.

Civic Auditorium 1964–2006

The

opened in 1964, built on fundraising by citizens of Oshawa. The first scheduled OHA game was December 15, 1964 vs. the St. Catharines Black Hawks. The Generals prevailed by a score of 6 to 4 in front of 4,109 fans attending the game. In 1987 the Civic Auditorium played host to the Memorial Cup. The Generals contested for the cup against the Medicine Hat Tigers and the Longueuil Chévaliers. The last championship the Generals won was played at the Civic in May 1997. The Generals upset the 1st place Ottawa 67's in the OHL final, 4 games to 2. The sixth game ended 8 seconds into the first overtime on a goal from

. The Generals played the first five home games of the 2006–07 season in the Civic Auditorium before moving into their new arena. The final game played was October 29, 2006, against the

Kingston Frontenacs The Kingston Frontenacs are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, based in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The Frontenacs play home games at Leon's Centre, which opened in 2008. Team history predates the OHA, back to 1945, to a te ...

, the Generals won 8–6.

Downtown arena 2006–present

On March 10, 2005, Oshawa City Council approved what was then known as the "Downtown Sports & Entertainment Facility Project" after many years of waiting for a new arena. Groundbreaking for the new facility at the corner of Athol and Mary Streets in downtown Oshawa took place on June 22, 2005. The building is operated by Global Spectrum Facility Management. On October 5, 2006, the Oshawa Generals announced a

naming rights Naming rights are a financial transaction and form of advertising or memorialization whereby a corporation, person, or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, object, location, program, or event, typically for a defined period of t ...

deal which will see the arena named the

. The inaugural game was played November 3, 2006, against the

. On May 15, 2015, the Generals won their 13th

at the General Motors Centre, defeating the

4–1. On November 1, 2016, the General Moters Centre was renamed to the Tribute Communities Centre.

References

Bibliography

*Babe Brown, Bobby Attersley, and Bill Kurelo (1978). ''A History of the Oshawa Generals, Volume One''. Chimo Publishing; Toronto, ON, Canada. *Babe Brown, and Bill Kurelo (1993). ''A History of the Oshawa Generals, Volume Two''. General Printers; Oshawa, ON, Canada. *Richard M. Lapp and Alex Macaulay (1997) ''The Memorial Cup: Canada's National Junior Hockey Championship''. Harbour Publishing; Madeira Park, BC, Canada.

External links

* {{Defunct OHL Ontario Hockey League teams Sport in Oshawa Ice hockey clubs established in 1937 General Motors Canada 1937 establishments in Ontario