The Toronto Nationals are a pair of defunct Tier II Junior "A" & Junior "B"

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 ...

teams from

Vaughan Vaughan () (2021 population 323,103) is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is located in the Regional Municipality of York, just north of Toronto. Vaughan was the fastest-growing municipality in Canada between 1996 and 2006 with its population increas ...

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 were a part of the

Ontario Provincial Junior A 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 d ...

and the

Metro Junior B Hockey League The Metro Junior "A" Hockey League was a junior level ice hockey league based out of Southern Ontario. The league originated in 1956 as the Metro Junior "B" Hockey League, which lasted until 1991, when it changed its designation from Junior B to ...

Jr. A Nationals

In 1975, the Nationals won their one and only Junior "A" league title. They went on to 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 ...

Championship and met the

Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League The Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League was a Tier II Junior "A" ice hockey that lasted from the late 1960s until 1977 in Southern Ontario, Canada. The league was swallowed by what is now called the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League ...

Champion

Guelph CMC's The Guelph Platers were a junior ice hockey team based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. The team played in the Ontario Hockey League, Ontario Junior Hockey League, and Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League. They were originally known as the CMC's un ...

. Guelph came out on top 4-games-to-2. The Nationals folded in 1977.

Season-by-season results

Playoffs

*1973 ''Lost Final'' :Toronto Nationals defeated

Aurora Tigers The Aurora Tigers are a Canadian ice hockey team from Aurora, Ontario. They play in the Ontario Junior Hockey League. The team has previously played in the Metro Junior A Hockey League, Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League, and the Ontario Jun ...

''4-games-to-none'' :Toronto Nationals defeated

Richmond Hill Rams The Richmond Hill Rams were a Junior ice hockey team based in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. They played in the Greater Metro Junior 'A' Hockey League. History Richmond Hill Rams The Rams were a resurrection of the Richmond Hill Rams of the ...

''4-games-to-2'' :

Wexford Raiders The Toronto Jr. Canadiens are a Junior "A" ice hockey team based in the Downsview neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They were known as the Wexford Raiders until the end of the 2005–06 season and are a part of Ontario Junior Hockey Leag ...

defeated Toronto Nationals ''4-games-to-1'' *1974 ''Lost Quarter-final'' : North Bay Trappers defeated Toronto Nationals ''4-games-to-3'' *1975 ''Won League, Lost OHA Buckland Cup'' :Toronto Nationals defeated

''4-games-to-2'' :Toronto Nationals defeated Seneca Flyers ''4-games-to-none'' :Toronto Nationals defeated

''4-games-to-1'' OPJHL CHAMPIONS :

( SOJHL) defeated Toronto Nationals ''4-games-to-2'' *1976 ''Lost Semi-final'' :Toronto Nationals defeated

Royal York Royals The Royal York Royals are a defunct Junior "A" ice hockey team from North York, Ontario, Canada. They were a part of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League. The team was based at Downsview Arena in the Downsview neighbourhood. The team wa ...

''3-games-to-2'' :Toronto Nationals defeated

Weston Dodgers The Weston Dodgers are a defunct Tier II Junior "A" ice hockey team from Weston, Ontario, Canada. They were a part of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League. The franchise was previously known as the Woodbridge Dodgers from 1953 to 1962, a ...

''2-games-to-none'' :

North York Rangers The North York Rangers are a Junior "A" ice hockey team located in the North York district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the South Division of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) and were previously a part of the Metro Jun ...

defeated Toronto Nationals ''4-games-to-1'' *1977 ''Lost Quarter-final'' :

Markham Waxers The Markham Waxers were an Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) Junior "A" ice hockey team based in Markham, Ontario, Canada. The Waxers name is still used by the Markham Waxers minor hockey club with the Eastern AAA Hockey League, a sub league of ...

defeated Toronto Nationals ''4-games-to-none''

Jr. B Nationals

In the early 1970s, the Toronto Nationals also had an entry in the

who were 1973 Metro Champions and runners up for the

Sutherland Cup The Sutherland Cup is the ice hockey Ontario Junior "B" Provincial Championship trophy. The trophy was first awarded in 1934, and named in honour of former OHA and CAHA president, James T. Sutherland. The Sutherland Cup is now the championship t ...

All-Ontario title. The 1975-76 season saw a 14-year-old

Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...

challenge the wishes of the

Canadian Amateur Hockey Association The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA; french: Association canadienne de hockey amateur) was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey in Canada from 1914 until 1994, when it merged with Hockey Canada. Its jurisdiction include ...

and sign with the Toronto Nationals. Barely 16 years old, Gretzky had played two seasons with the Nationals and scored 63 goals for 132 points in just 60 games. The Nationals won the 1977 Metro championship, led by the young Gretzky with 75 points in just 23 playoff games. The next season, he signed with 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 ...

, a quick stop before going professional and starting what is considered by many hockey enthusiasts as the greatest career in hockey history.

Season-by-season results

Sutherland Cup The Sutherland Cup is the ice hockey Ontario Junior "B" Provincial Championship trophy. The trophy was first awarded in 1934, and named in honour of former OHA and CAHA president, James T. Sutherland. The Sutherland Cup is now the championship t ...
appearances

:''1973'':

Sarnia Bees The Sarnia Legionnaires are a junior hockey, junior ice hockey team based in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. History The Sarnia Bees joined the ranks of the current Western ...

defeated Toronto Nationals ''4-games-to-2''

Notable Jr. B alumni

* Bill Gardner *

Basil McRae Basil Paul McRae (born January 5, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is a part owner and alternate governor of the London Knights in the Ontario Hockey League and he is the director of player personnel for the Columbus Bl ...

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 ...

Dave Shand *

Daryl Evans Daryl Thomas Evans (born January 12, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League with the Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals, and Toronto Maple Leafs between 1982 and 1987. The rest of hi ...

Dwight Foster Rob Palmer Warren Holmes

External links

OHA Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Toronto Nationals (1970-80) Defunct ice hockey teams in Canada Ice hockey teams in Ontario Sport in Vaughan

Jr. A Nationals

Season-by-season results

Playoffs

Jr. B Nationals

Season-by-season results

Sutherland Cup The Sutherland Cup is the ice hockey Ontario Junior "B" Provincial Championship trophy. The trophy was first awarded in 1934, and named in honour of former OHA and CAHA president, James T. Sutherland. The Sutherland Cup is now the championship t ... appearances

Notable Jr. B alumni

External links

Sutherland Cup The Sutherland Cup is the ice hockey Ontario Junior "B" Provincial Championship trophy. The trophy was first awarded in 1934, and named in honour of former OHA and CAHA president, James T. Sutherland. The Sutherland Cup is now the championship t ...
appearances