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Belleville Bulls

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Belleville Bulls
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City: Belleville, Ontario
League: Ontario Hockey League
Conference: Eastern
Division: East
Founded: February 2, 1981
Home Arena: Belleville Yardmen Arena
Colours: Black, Red, Gold & White
Head Coach: George Burnett
General Manager: George Burnett

 Belleville Bulls in action at home versus Oshawa Generals.
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Belleville Bulls in action at home versus Oshawa Generals.

The Belleville Bulls are a junior ice hockey team, found in 1981 based in Belleville, ON, Canada. The teams plays in the Eastern Division of the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League.

Team History

The Belleville Bulls started in 1979 as a Junior Tier II team in the OHA. In their second season in 1980-1981, the Bulls won the Tier II title, defeating the Guelph Platers in the league finals. The Bulls then competed in the national championhip for the Manitoba Centennial Trophy hosted in Halifax, Nova Scotia losing in the finals to the Prince Albert Raiders.

On February 2nd, 1981 the OHL granted an expansion franchise to the city of Belleville and the ownership group of Dr. Robert L. Vaughan & Bob Dolan. Dr. Robert L. Vaughan remained an owner/co-owner of the team for over 20 years until he sold the team in 2004 to Gord Simmonds. Dr. Vaughan was awarded the Bill Long award in 1993 for distinguished service to the OHL.

In 1983 Belleville hosted the OHL All-Star Game, known then as the OHL Chrysler Cup.

The Bulls reached the OHL finals in 1986 versus familiar foe from their Tier II days, the Guelph Platers. The Platers won the series in 6 games. In 1995 and 1996 the Bulls lost in the semi-finals the Guelph Storm.

The 1999 season would be one for the memories when the Belleville Bulls would win it all. The Bulls defeated the London Knights 9-2 in game seven of the OHL championship series at the Yardmen Arena to win their first J. Ross Robertson Cup.

The Bulls competed in the 1999 Memorial Cup, hosted in Ottawa versus the Calgary Hitmen, Acadie-Bathurst Titan & Ottawa 67's. Belleville finished 3rd, losing to Ottawa 4-2 in the semi-final.

In the 2005-2006 season the Belleville Bulls celebrated their 25th anniversary in the OHL. The team also hosted the annual OHL All-Star game for the second time, on February 1st, 2006.

OHL Team Honours

 Belleville Bulls1999 OHL Champions
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Belleville Bulls
1999 OHL Champions

Leyden Trophy East Division Regular Season Champions

Bobby Orr Trophy Eastern Conference Champions J. Ross Robertson Cup Championships: 1999 Memorial Cup Appearances: 1

Coaches

Larry Mavety coached the Belleville Bulls for 14 seasons. He is second only to Brian Kilrea for amount of time coached with an OHL team.

Lou Crawford was groomed by Mavety to replace him behind the Bulls' bench. Lou Crawford is the brother of NHL Coach Marc Crawford. Their father, Floyd Crawford, was team captain of the 1959 World Champion Belleville McFarlands.

Former coaches Lou Crawford and Shawn Mackenzie both had brief NHL careers. George Burnett briefly coached with the Edmonton Oilers. James Boyd is the only former Bulls player to later coach the Belleville team.

List of Coaches
(Multiple years in parentheses)

  • 1981-1988 Larry Mavety (14)
  • 1988-1990 Danny Flynn (2)
  • 1990 Playoffs Shawn Mackenzie
  • 1990-1997 Larry Mavety (14)
  • 1997-2000 Lou Crawford (3)
  • 2000-2003 Jim Hulton (3)
  • 2003-2004 James Boyd
  • 2004-2006 George Burnett (2)

Players

Award winners

CHL Humanitarian of the Year Award
  • 1995-1996 Craig Mills
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy
OHL Top Point Scorer.
  • 1984-1985 Dave MacLean
  • 2000-2001 Kyle Wellwood
  • 2001-2002 Nathan Robinson
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy
OHL Top Scoring Right Winger. OHL Goaltender of the Year
Voted best goaltender in the OHL.
  • 1989-1990 Jeff Fife
F.W. "Dinty" Moore Trophy
Best rookie goals against average.
  • 1982-1983 Dan Burrows
  • 1985-1986 Paul Henriques
Wayne Gretzky 99 Award
Playoffs MVP
  • 1999 Justin Papineau

Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy
Humanitarian of the year.

  • 1995-1996 Craig Mills
  • 2001-2002 David Silverstone
  • 2002-2003 Michael Mole
William Hanley Trophy
Most sportsmanlike player.
  • 1985-1986 Jason Lafreniere
  • 2002-2003 Kyle Wellwood
Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy
Overage player of the year.
  • 1984-1985 Dunc MacIntyre
  • 1998-1999 Ryan Ready
  • 2000-2001 Randy Rowe
Bobby Smith Trophy
Scholastic player of the year.
  • 1984-1985 Craig Billington
Jack Ferguson Award
First overall draft pick.
  • 1981 Dan Quinn
  • 2004 John Hughes

Retired numbers

NHL Alumni

Yearly Results

Regular Season

Legend: T = Tie (2004-05 & previous), SL = Shoot Out Loss (2005-06 & onward)

Season Games Won Lost T/SL OTL Points Pct % Goals
For
Goals
Against
Standing
1981-82 68 24 42 2 - 50 0.368 280 326 7th Leyden
1982-83 70 34 36 0 - 68 0.486 342 332 6th Leyden
1983-84 70 33 37 0 - 66 0.471 319 304 5th Leyden
1984-85 66 42 24 0 - 84 0.636 390 278 2nd Leyden
1985-86 66 37 27 2 - 76 0.576 305 268 2nd Leyden
1986-87 66 26 39 1 - 53 0.402 292 347 5th Leyden
1987-88 66 32 30 4 - 68 0.515 297 275 4th Leyden
1988-89 66 27 35 4 - 58 0.439 292 322 6th Leyden
1989-90 66 36 26 4 - 76 0.576 301 247 5th Leyden
1990-91 66 38 21 7 - 83 0.629 324 280 3rd Leyden
1991-92 66 27 27 12 - 66 0.500 314 293 6th Leyden
1992-93 66 21 34 11 - 53 0.402 280 315 6th Leyden
1993-94 66 32 28 6 - 70 0.530 303 264 4th Leyden
1994-95 66 32 31 3 - 67 0.508 295 287 4th Eastern
1995-96 66 35 26 5 - 75 0.568 300 250 3rd Eastern
1996-97 66 22 37 7 - 51 0.386 235 278 5th Eastern
1997-98 66 41 22 3 - 85 0.644 315 239 2nd Eastern
1998-99 68 39 22 7 - 85 0.625 334 246 2nd East
1999-00 68 44 22 2 - 90 0.662 319 227 2nd East
2000-01 68 37 23 5 3 82 0.581 275 224 1st East
2001-02 68 39 23 4 2 84 0.603 279 218 1st East
2002-03 68 33 27 6 2 74 0.529 195 200 3rd East
2003-04 68 15 44 8 1 39 0.279 172 279 5th East
2004-05 68 29 29 6 4 68 0.471 176 208 3rd East
2005-06 68 32 28 5 3 72 0.529 202 225 3rd East

Playoffs

Team Uniforms & Logos

right
1999 to present:
1982 to 1998:
[Bulls Uniforms]

Arena

The team has played all homes games at the Belleville Yardmen Arena (capacity 3,257) for the existence of the franchise. The Bulls also share the facility with the Belleville McFarlands, an OHA Senior team.

Capacity = 3,257
Ice Size = 199.5' x 99.5'

External links

Ontario Hockey League
Current Teams : Barrie Colts > Belleville Bulls | Brampton Battalion | Erie Otters | Guelph Storm | Kingston Frontenacs | Kitchener Rangers | London Knights | Mississauga IceDogs | Oshawa Generals | Ottawa 67's | Owen Sound Attack | Peterborough Petes | Plymouth Whalers | Saginaw Spirit | Sarnia Sting | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds | Sudbury Wolves | Toronto St. Michael's Majors | Windsor Spitfires
Canadian Hockey League>CHL: | Memorial Cup | OHL | QMJHL | WHL

 


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