The Western Ontario Junior C Hockey League was a Junior "C"
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 ...
league in
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, sanctioned 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 Champion of the Western will compete for the All-Ontario Championship and the
Clarence Schmalz Cup
The Clarence Schmalz Cup is the Ontario Hockey Association's Junior "C" ice hockey championship and championship trophy. The champions of the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) are awarded the Cup. The PJHL was formed in 2016 from the forme ...
. The WOJCHL merged into the
Provincial Junior Hockey League
The Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) is a Canadian junior ice hockey league spanning parts of Southern Ontario. The PJHL is the third tier of the Ontario Hockey Association and is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation and Hockey Canada ...
in the Summer of 2016.
:Western Junior "C" Hockey League 1966β1970
:Central Junior "C" Hockey League 1970β1980
:Grey-Bruce Junior "C" Hockey League 1980β1988
:Western Ontario Junior "C" Hockey League 1988β2016
History
The Western Junior C Hockey League was founded in 1966 when the original OHA Central Junior C Hockey League, a large league, was divided up. In 1970, the Western league changed its name to the Central league. A couple years later, another league from the old Central league, the Intercounty Jr. C league merged with the new Central league. Brought into the fold was the
Caledonia Corvairs
The Caledonia Corvairs are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Caledonia, Ontario, Canada. They played in the Golden Horseshoe Conference of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. The team announced it would not participate in the 2018β ...
who won the league and the
Clarence Schmalz Cup
The Clarence Schmalz Cup is the Ontario Hockey Association's Junior "C" ice hockey championship and championship trophy. The champions of the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) are awarded the Cup. The PJHL was formed in 2016 from the forme ...
in 1973, then jumped to the Junior B level.
In 1969, the
Hanover Hurricanes made the jump from the
Western Junior D Hockey League to the Central Junior "C". Early powerhouses in the league were the
Listowel Cyclones
The Listowel Cyclones are a junior ice hockey team based in Listowel, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Mid-Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. They currently play at the Steve Kerr Memorial Complex.
History and The E ...
,
Kincardine Kinucks, and
New Hamburg Hahns. The
Hanover Barons
The Hanover Barons are a junior hockey, junior ice hockey team based in Hanover, Ontario, Hanover, Ontario, Canada., Durham, Ontario (2009-10 OnlHanover Barons/ref> They play out of the Western Junior C Hockey League, Provincial Junior Hockey Lea ...
are the only remaining team that is still a member from the founding of the league in 1966. They won two
Clarence Schmalz Cup
The Clarence Schmalz Cup is the Ontario Hockey Association's Junior "C" ice hockey championship and championship trophy. The champions of the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) are awarded the Cup. The PJHL was formed in 2016 from the forme ...
s while playing in the league and dominated in the 1960s. They were promoted to Junior "B" in 1977. The league became one of at least four different leagues in the OHA to be known as the Central Jr. C league since 1960. The league may have changed its name in 1970 to the Grey-Bruce Junior C Hockey League. This lasted until 1988, as the league granted expansion to 2 teams that were not in
Grey
Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be composed o ...
or
Bruce County
Bruce County is a county in Southwestern Ontario, Canada comprising eight lower-tier municipalities and with a 2016 population of 66,491. It is named for James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine, sixth Governor General of the P ...
βin 1987, the
Mount Forest Patriots and in 1989, the
Brussels Bulls
The Brussels Bulls are a professional American football team based in Brussels, Belgium. The Bulls compete in the Flemish American Football League (FAFL) conference in the Belgian Football League (BFL).
History
2008 season
2009 season
2010 ...
. In 1988, the league donned its present name, the Western Junior "C" Hockey League.
From 1972 until 1976, the Central league (now the Western league) featured a variety of teams from the Niagara region of Ontario. In 1974, the majority of these teams broke away to form the
Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League
The Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League is a former Junior "C" ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association. The Champion of the Niagara competed for the All-Ontario Championship and the Clarence Schma ...
. In 1976, the remainder of these teams walked away to form the Southwestern Junior B Hockey League, which folded in 1978 and the remaining teams went mostly to the Niagara District league to help form a Western division.
In 1987, the
Port Elgin Bears withdrew from a playoffs series due to perceived on-ice violence by the
Hanover Barons
The Hanover Barons are a junior hockey, junior ice hockey team based in Hanover, Ontario, Hanover, Ontario, Canada., Durham, Ontario (2009-10 OnlHanover Barons/ref> They play out of the Western Junior C Hockey League, Provincial Junior Hockey Lea ...
. The OHA investigated the incident, which received national publicity when Port Elgin's coach was supported by
Otto Jelinek
Otto John Jelinek (Czech: Otakar JelΓnek; born May 20, 1940) is a businessman, former figure skater, and Canadian politician. Jelinek's family fled to Switzerland, then to Canada from Czechoslovakia in 1948, following the Communist coup d'Γ© ...
, the Canadian
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. In o ...
for Fitness and Amateur Sport. Port Elgin team officials were given one-year suspensions when the OHA found no evidence to justify abandoning the series.
During the 2004-05 season, the WJCHL played an interlocking schedule with the
Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League
The Georgian Mid Ontario Junior C Hockey League is a former Junior "C" ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association. The Champion of the league competed for the All-Ontario Championship and the Clarence Schma ...
. The WJCHL lost the series with 44 losses, 32 victories, and 6 ties.
On May 29, 2008, the Western league and 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 ...
allowed for the
Mitchell Hawks to move from the more southerly
Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
The Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League (SOJHL) is a former Canadian Junior ice hockey league sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association based out of Southwestern Ontario. Prior to the 2012-13 season, the SOJHL was promoted to the Junior C l ...
and into the Western league for the 2008-09 season. This marks the second time the Hawks have been in the loop, the first being the mid-1960s. Also, they share the same name as the
Walkerton Hawks
The Walkerton Capitals are a Junior ice hockey team based in Walkerton, Ontario, Canada. They played in the Western Junior C Hockey League. until the 2016-17 season when the league became a division became the Pollock Division of the Provincial ...
, although Walkerton's name is from the
raptor
Raptor or RAPTOR may refer to:
Animals
The word "raptor" refers to several groups of bird-like dinosaurs which primarily capture and subdue/kill prey with their talons.
* Raptor (bird) or bird of prey, a bird that primarily hunts and feeds on v ...
(since 1999), while Mitchell's is from the
Native Chief.
In 2012, the OHA entered into talks with the Western League and the
Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
The Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League (SOJHL) is a former Canadian Junior ice hockey league sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association based out of Southwestern Ontario. Prior to the 2012-13 season, the SOJHL was promoted to the Junior C l ...
. If successful, the northern half of the SOJHL would become the "Southern Division" of the WOJCHL, while the original teams would form a "Northern Division". In the Summer of 2013, the OHA opted to realign the SOJHL with the
Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League
The Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League is a former Junior "C" ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association. The Champion of the Niagara competed for the All-Ontario Championship and the Clarence Schma ...
instead. The northern half of the SOJHL remained the SOJHL, while the southern half merged with the NDJCHL. Weeks later the OHA announced that the Eastern Division of the NDJCHL would remain as the Niagara League, while the West would break off and form a new
Midwestern Junior C Hockey League
The Midwestern Junior C Hockey League (MWJCHL) was a Canadian Junior ice hockey league in Southwestern Ontario. The MWJCHL was a member of the Ontario Hockey Association and Hockey Canada. Its champion competed for the Clarence Schmalz Cup, ...
.
The teams
2015β16 League Playoffs
Western Junior "C" Champions
*''A Red Row'' indicates a team representing the league in the Super Jr. C Playdowns without being the known league champion.
*''A Blue Row'' indicates a team representing the league in the OHA Jr. C Playdowns without being the known league champion.
Regular Season Champions
Former Member Teams
:
Arthur Eagles (1978β1980)
:
Brantford Penguins (1974β1976)
:
Brussels Bulls
The Brussels Bulls are a professional American football team based in Brussels, Belgium. The Bulls compete in the Flemish American Football League (FAFL) conference in the Belgian Football League (BFL).
History
2008 season
2009 season
2010 ...
(1989β1999)
:
Caledonia Corvairs
The Caledonia Corvairs are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Caledonia, Ontario, Canada. They played in the Golden Horseshoe Conference of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. The team announced it would not participate in the 2018β ...
(1972β1973)
:
Clinton Mustangs
Clinton is an England, English toponymic surname, indicating one's ancestors came from English places called Glympton or Glinton, Cambridgeshire, Glinton.Hanks, P. & Hodges, F. ''A Dictionary of Surnames''. Oxford University Press, 1988 Clinton ha ...
(1974β1985)
:
Elmira Sugar Kings
The Elmira Sugar Kings are a junior ice hockey team based in Elmira, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Mid-Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.
History
The Elmira Juniors played at the Junior "C" level during the 1950s ...
(1966β1970)
:
Exeter Hawks
The Exeter Hawks are a Junior ice hockey team based in Exeter, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Provincial Junior Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association.
History
The Exeter Hawks were founded in 1961 as members of the Shamrock Juni ...
(1968β1969)
:
Fergus Green Machine (1980β1982)
:
Grand Valley Harvesters
Grand may refer to:
People with the name
* Grand (surname)
* Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor
* Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist
* Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper
Places
* Grand, Oklahoma
* Grand, Vosges, village and co ...
(1989β1993)
:
Hespeler Shamrocks (1966β1970)
:
Ingersoll Marlands Ingersoll may refer to:
People
*Ingersoll (surname)
*Ingersoll Lockwood (1841β1918), American lawyer and writer
Places Canada
* Ingersoll, Ontario
United States
* Ingersoll, Oklahoma
* Ingersoll, Wisconsin
* Ingersoll Township, Michigan
* ...
(1973β1976)
:
New Hamburg Hahns (1966β1977)
:
Kitchener Flying Dutchmen Kitchener may refer to:
People
* Earl Kitchener, a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
** Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener (1850β1916), British Field Marshal and 1st Earl Kitchener
** Henry Kitchener, 2nd Earl Kitchener (1846β1937 ...
(19xx-1973)
:
Listowel Cyclones
The Listowel Cyclones are a junior ice hockey team based in Listowel, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Mid-Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. They currently play at the Steve Kerr Memorial Complex.
History and The E ...
(1972β1979)
:
London Optimists (19xx-1976)
:
Owen Sound Salvagemen (1974β1975)
:
Paris-Burford Flyers (1972β1974)
:
Port Elgin Bears (1976β1989)
:
Preston Raiders
The Preston Raiders were a Canadian Junior "B" ice hockey team from the town of Preston, Ontario which later became Cambridge, Ontario.
History
The team started out as the Preston Pals of the Central Junior C Hockey League. They changed their ...
(1966β1969)
:
St. Thomas Colonels (1972β1973)
:
Simcoe Jets (1972β1974)
:
Tillsonburg Titans (1974β1976)
:
Wiarton Wolves (1994β2003)
:
Woodstock Navy-Vets
The Woodstock Navy-Vets are a junior hockey team based in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Provincial Junior Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association.
The team was known as the Woodstock Renegades for three seasons fro ...
(1972β1976)
Professional alumni
''
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockeyβLNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teamsβ25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
''
*
Kevin Czuczman
Kevin Czuczman ( ) (born January 9, 1991) is a Canadians, Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing with HC LitvΓnov in the Extraliga lednΓho hokeje.
Playing career
Undrafted, Czuczman attended Lake Superior State U ...
(Walkerton 2008-09)
*
Louie DeBrusk
Louis Dennis DeBrusk (born March 19, 1971) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is currently a colour analyst for Edmonton Oilers broadcasts on Sportsnet and the late game of ''Hockey Night in Canada''.
Playing career
DeBrus ...
(Port Elgin 1986β87)
*
Aaron Downey (Grand Valley 1990β91)
*
Paul MacDermid
Paul MacDermid (born April 14, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played 690 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Hartford Whalers, Winnipeg Jets, Washington Capitals, and Quebec Nordiques. MacDermid ...
(Port Elgin 1979β80)
*
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 ...
(Hanover 1995β96)
*
Jim Nahrgang
James Herbert Nahrgang (born April 17, 1951) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and coach who played 57 games in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings between 1975 and 1977. After his playing career he coached Mich ...
(New Hamburg 1966β67)
*
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 ...
(Walkerton 1992β93)
*
Kevin Pollock
Kevin Pollock (born February 7, 1970) is a Canadian ice hockey official. He has worked in the National Hockey League since the 1999β2000 NHL season, and officiated in ice hockey at the 2014 Winter Olympics β Men's tournament.
Career
Kevi ...
(Hanover)
*
Curtis Sanford
Curtis Sanford (born October 5, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who last played for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He is currently a goalie coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He previously ...
(Wiarton 1994β95)
*
Darryl Sittler
Darryl Glen Sittler (born September 18, 1950) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League from 1970 until 1985 for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Detroit Red Wings. He was ...
(Elmira 1966β67)
*
Jordan Willis (Hanover 1991β92)
See also
*
Provincial Junior Hockey League
The Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) is a Canadian junior ice hockey league spanning parts of Southern Ontario. The PJHL is the third tier of the Ontario Hockey Association and is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation and Hockey Canada ...
for PJHL Pollock Division
References
External links
Western Jr. "C" WebsiteOHA Website
{{Junior Hockey
C
C