Ottawa 67's
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| Ottawa 67's | |
| Missing image Ottawa67s.PNG Ottawa 67's | |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Home ice | Ottawa Civic Centre |
| Based in | Ottawa |
| Colours | red, black, white |
| League | Ontario Hockey League |
| Head coach | Brian Kilrea |
| General manager | Brian Kilrea |
The Ottawa 67’s are a junior ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Canada. They play in the Ontario Hockey League of the Canadian Hockey League. They were founded in 1967, Canada's centennial. The name commemorates the date of their founding and that of Canadian Confederation. The team's colours and uniforms are based on those of the Ottawa Senators from the 1920s and 1930s. The team has been coached since 1977 by the legendary Brian Kilrea, the winningest coach in Junior hockey.
- Founded: 1967-1968
- Arena: Ottawa Civic Centre (capacity: 9,862)
- Uniform Colours: Red, Black, White
- Logo Design: An angry “Killer” Puck shaking its fist
- Division titles won: 12 (1976-77, 1977-78, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2002-03, 2003-04)
- J. Ross Robertson Cup final appearances: 9 (1972 (lost), 1977 (won), 1982 (lost), 1984 (won), 1997 (lost), 1998 (lost), 2001 (won), 2003 (lost), 2005 (lost))
- Memorial Cup final game appearances: 3 (1977 (lost), 1984 (won), 1999 (won))
- Mascots: Riley Raccoon, Riley Jr., The Killer Puck
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Club history
The Ontario Hockey Association granted the city of Ottawa a franchise on February 16, 1967. Four months later, the team would be named the Ottawa 67's in honour of Canada's centennial year. Three local businessmen, Bill Cowley, Howard Darwin and Bill Touhey, helped bring junior hockey to Canada's capital. Bill Long would be the team's first head coach. Their first game came on October 6, 1967, against the Niagara Falls Flyers in Niagara Falls, Ontario, where they lost 9-0. The first 11 home games of the season were played in Hull, Quebec, as the Ottawa Civic Centre--the team's current home--was still under construction. The first season for the 67's was terrible at best, the final record was six wins, 45 losses and three ties. Despite this, they made the playoffs in their second season but lost in the quarterfinals to the Niagara Falls Flyers.
Nine years later (1977), the 67's qualified for the Memorial Cup--the national junior hockey championship series--in New Westminster, British Columbia. The 67's would make it to the cup final, where they lost to the host team, the New Westminster Bruins, by a score of six to five.
In 1984, the 67's would qualify for the Memorial Cup for the second time in club history. Unlike in 1977 however, the 67's would win the cup, against the home team Kitchener Rangers by a score of seven to two. The Most Valuable Player of the Tournament would be Adam Creighton.
The 67's would have to wait until the city of Ottawa hosted the Memorial Cup before they would reach the championship again. In 1999, 67's owner Jeff Hunt was able to convince the Canadian Hockey League to host the event in the city of Ottawa. He did not disappoint, as every game of the series was sold out at the 10,550 seat Ottawa Civic Centre. The host team of the Memorial Cup gets an automatic bye to the finals, and unlike the other three teams the host team does not have to win a league championship. That year, the 67's lost to the eventual OHL champion Belleville Bulls in the second round of the playoffs. However, the 67's beat those same Belleville Bulls in the Memorial Cup semifinal and went on to defeat the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL in the final in a thrilling over-time game that saw Matt Zultek score the winning goal. Nick Boynton was named MVP. The 67's became the first team ever to win the Memorial Cup without first winning a league championship.
It wasn't long before the 67's went to the Memorial Cup again--though this time they had to win a league championship first. This was in 2001 in Regina, Saskatchewan. The 67's had upset the Plymouth Whalers in the OHL final. However, the 67's would go on to their most disappointing Memorial Cup series, winning only one game--against the home town Regina Pats.
The 67's qualified for the Memorial Cup again in 2005. This was accomplished, not by winning the OHL championship, but by getting in the back door, losing the OHL finals to the London Knights, who were also hosting the event. The 67's, who had finished 6th in the East that year, and managed an impressive playoff run won only one game at the Memorial Cup, which also happened to be the longest ever game at the Cup, when they beat the Kelowna Rockets in double overtime.
The 67's have had a lot of success in their history, and much of that is owed to Brian Kilrea, who has been the head coach for most of the team's history. Brian Kilrea has won over 1000 games for the Ottawa 67's, which makes him the winningest coach in CHL history. His first game came in 1974.
Year-by-year Record
| Year | GP | W | L | T | OL | GF | GA | PTS | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1967-68 | 54 | 6 | 45 | 3 | - | 105 | 329 | 15 | 10th | N/A |
| 1968-69 | 54 | 20 | 28 | 6 | - | 214 | 253 | 46 | 8th | N/A |
| 1969-70 | 54 | 21 | 23 | 10 | - | 213 | 206 | 52 | 5th | N/A |
| 1970-71 | 62 | 37 | 19 | 6 | - | 296 | 218 | 80 | 3rd | N/A |
| 1971-72 | 63 | 33 | 25 | 5 | - | 251 | 216 | 71 | 4th | Lost Final |
| 1972-73 | 63 | 41 | 15 | 7 | - | 391 | 243 | 89 | 3rd | N/A |
| 1973-74 | 70 | 30 | 31 | 9 | - | 293 | 276 | 69 | 7th | N/A |
| 1974-75 | 70 | 33 | 30 | 7 | - | 379 | 382 | 73 | 4th | N/A |
| 1975-76 | 66 | 34 | 23 | 9 | - | 331 | 291 | 77 | 2nd Leyden | Lost Semi-Final |
| 1976-77 | 68 | 38 | 23 | 5 | - | 348 | 288 | 81 | 1st Leyden | Won J. Ross Roberson Cup Lost Memorial Cup Final |
| 1977-78 | 68 | 43 | 18 | 7 | - | 405 | 308 | 93 | 1st Leyden | Lost Semi-Final |
| 1978-79 | 68 | 30 | 38 | 0 | - | 319 | 344 | 60 | 4th Leyden | Lost First Round |
| 1979-80 | 68 | 45 | 20 | 3 | - | 402 | 288 | 93 | 2nd Leyden | Lost Semi-Final |
| 1980-81 | 68 | 45 | 20 | 3 | - | 360 | 264 | 93 | 2nd Leyden | Lost Division Semi-Final |
| 1981-82 | 68 | 47 | 19 | 2 | - | 353 | 248 | 96 | 1st Leyden | Lost Final |
| 1982-83 | 70 | 46 | 21 | 3 | - | 395 | 278 | 95 | 1st Leyden | Lost Semi-Final |
| 1983-84 | 70 | 50 | 18 | 2 | - | 347 | 223 | 102 | 1st Leyden | Won J. Ross Roberston Cup Won Memorial Cup |
| 1984-85 | 66 | 20 | 43 | 3 | - | 263 | 376 | 43 | 6th Leyden | Lost First Round |
| 1985-86 | 66 | 18 | 46 | 2 | - | 274 | 352 | 38 | 7th Leyden | Out of Playoffs |
| 1986-87 | 66 | 33 | 28 | 5 | - | 310 | 280 | 71 | 3rd Leyden | Lost Quarter-Final |
| 1987-88 | 66 | 38 | 26 | 2 | - | 341 | 294 | 78 | 2nd Leyden | Lost Semi-Final |
| 1988-89 | 66 | 30 | 32 | 4 | - | 295 | 301 | 64 | 5th Leyden | Lost Quarter-Final |
| 1989-90 | 66 | 38 | 26 | 2 | - | 320 | 265 | 78 | 4th Leyden | Lost First Round |
| 1990-91 | 66 | 39 | 25 | 2 | - | 301 | 280 | 80 | 4th Leyden | Lost Semi-Final |
| 1991-92 | 66 | 32 | 30 | 4 | - | 280 | 251 | 68 | 6th Leyden | Lost Quarter-Final |
| 1992-93 | 66 | 16 | 42 | 8 | - | 220 | 310 | 40 | 8th Leyden | Out of Playoffs |
| 1993-94 | 66 | 33 | 22 | 11 | - | 274 | 229 | 77 | 2nd Leyden | Lost Semi-Final |
| 1994-95 | 66 | 22 | 38 | 6 | - | 232 | 276 | 50 | 6th East | Out of Playoffs |
| 1995-96 | 66 | 39 | 22 | 5 | - | 258 | 200 | 83 | 1st East | Lost Quarter-Final |
| 1996-97 | 66 | 49 | 11 | 6 | - | 320 | 177 | 104 | 1st East | Lost Final |
| 1997-98 | 66 | 40 | 17 | 9 | - | 286 | 172 | 89 | 1st East | Lost Final |
| 1998-99 | 68 | 48 | 13 | 7 | - | 305 | 164 | 103 | 1st East | Lost Conference Semi-Final Won Memorial Cup (hosts) |
| 1999-00 | 68 | 43 | 21 | 4 | 1 | 269 | 189 | 91 | 1st East | Lost Conference Semi-Final |
| 2000-01 | 68 | 33 | 21 | 10 | 4 | 249 | 201 | 80 | 2nd East | Won J. Ross Robertson Cup 4th Place, Memorial Cup |
| 2001-02 | 68 | 36 | 20 | 10 | 2 | 262 | 218 | 84 | 2nd East | Lost Conference Semi-Final |
| 2002-03 | 68 | 44 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 318 | 210 | 98 | 1st East | Lost Final |
| 2003-04 | 68 | 29 | 26 | 9 | 4 | 238 | 220 | 71 | 1st East | Lost Conference Quarter-Final |
| 2004-05* | 68 | 34 | 26 | 7 | 1 | 244 | 210 | 76 | 2nd East | Lost Final 3rd place, Memorial Cup |
* The 67's qualified for the 2005 Memorial Cup, as the OHL Champion London Knights hosted the tournament, and the OHL needed to send an additional representative.
Players of Note
- Former 67's who played in the NHL in the 2003-04 season
- Mark Bell, Chicago Blackhawks
- Nick Boynton, Boston Bruins
- Brian Campbell, Buffalo Sabres
- Andrew Cassels, Columbus Blue Jackets
- Shean Donovan, Calgary Flames
- Kris Draper, Detroit Red Wings
- Grant Marshall, New Jersey Devils
- Alyn McCauley, San Jose Sharks
- Michael Peca, New York Islanders
- Gary Roberts, Toronto Maple Leafs
- Chris Simon, Calgary Flames
- Kevin Weekes, Carolina Hurricanes
- Retired Numbers
- Peter Lee (#7)
- Bobby Smith (#15)
- Denis Potvin (#14)
- Doug Wilson (#7)
- Players who hold Team Records for the Ottawa 67’s
- Lance Galbraith - Most Games Played (216), Most Penalty Minutes (960)
- Brett Seguin - Most Assists (303)
- Peter Lee - Most Points (447)
- Jim Ralph - Most Games Played In, Goaltender (174)
- Michel (Bunny) Larocque - Most Minutes Played, Goaltender (10,137), Most Shutouts (13)
- Levente Szuper - Best Goals Against Average (2.45), Best Save Percentage (.916)
- Seamus Kotyk - Most Wins (75)
External link
- Official Website (http://www.ottawa67s.com)