Guelph Platers
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| Guelph Platers | |
| |
| City | Guelph, Ontario |
| League | Ontario Hockey League |
| Founded | 1975 (Tier II) 1982 (Tier I) |
| Home Arena | Guelph Memorial Gardens |
1986 Memorial Champions
The Guelph Platers were a junior ice hockey in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1975 to 1982, and the Ontario Hockey League from 1982 to 1989, based in Guelph, Ontario.
Franchise Identities:
- Guelph CMC's 1968 to 1975
- Guelph Platers 1975 to 1989
- Owen Sound Platers 1989 to 2000
- Owen Sound Attack 2000 to Present
History
In 1975, the Guelph CMC's were bought by Guelph, Ontario's wealthy Holody family, the owners of a local electroplating company. The Holodys changed the team name to the Guelph Holody Platers. The team played its first season in the Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League (SOJHL).
- OHA Junior 'A' years
The Platers won the 1977-78 Manitoba Centennial Trophy as national Junior 'A' champions. In 1978-79, the Platers became the first team to win the Dudley Hewitt Cup as provincial champions. In the 1980-81 season, the Platers reached the Tier II championship for southern Ontario, but were defeated by another future OHL team, the Belleville Bulls. The 1981-82 season proved to be the last season for the Platers in the OHA-A. As they won their second Dudley Hewitt Cup, they were announced as the latest expansion team of the Ontario Hockey League.
- OHL Major Junior years
In 1986, the Guelph Platers caught the entire Canadian Hockey League off-guard. Led by coach Jacques Martin, the team reached the playoffs for the first time in franchise history by finishing second in the Emms Division (Western Conference). The Platers continued their hard work through the playoffs, winning the J. Ross Robertson Cup by defeating the Belleville Bulls 8 points to 4 in the final. Guelph travelled to the Memorial Cup that year, bringing home the national championship to complete their Cinderella season.
Memorial Cup 1986
The Memorial Cup championship of 1986 was hosted by the Western Hockey League, with games originally scheduled for New Westminster, British Columbia, but were switched to Portland, Oregon due to a hotel shortage caused by Expo '86. Their opponents would be the Portland Winter Hawks (hosts), Kamloops Blazers (WHL Champs) and the Hull Olympiques (QMJHL Champs.Guelph finished first in the round-robin and took a bye to the finals, where they would play the Hull Olympiques of the QMJHL for the championship. The surprise season ended with two pairs of surprise goals 11 and 13 seconds apart respectively. The Platers won the game 5-2 to capture the Memorial Cup.
Game 1 Hull Olympiques 7 vs. Portland Winter Hawks 5 Game 2 Guelph Platers 5 vs. Kamloops Blazers 3 Game 3 Portland Winter Hawks 6 vs. Guelph Platers 4 Game 4 Hull Olympiques 5 vs. Kamloops Blazers 4 (OT) Game 5 Guelph Platers 3 vs. Hull Olympiques 1 Game 6 Kamloops Blazers 6 vs. Portland Winter Hawks 5 Tie-breaker Kamloops Blazers 8 vs. Portland Winter Hawks 1 Semi-final Hull Olympiques 9 vs. Kamloops Blazers 3 Final Guelph Platers 5 vs. Hull Olympiques 2
Fame was short-lived for the Platers however. The team suffered through more losing seasons with poor attendance. After the 1988-89 season, the Holodys moved the team to Owen Sound, Ontario, retaining the name "Platers". Alec Campagnaro was given the Bill Long Award for distinguised service to the OHL in 1989.
Championships
- SOJHL final appearances: 1976 (won)
- OPJHL Frank L. Buckland Trophy final appearances: 1978 (won), 1979 (won), 1982 (won)
- CJAHL Dudley Hewitt Cup final appearances: 1979 (won), 1982 (won)
- CJAHL Centennial Cup final appearances: 1978 (won), 1982 (lost)
- J. Ross Robertson Cup final appearances: 1986 (won)
- Memorial Cup final appearances: 1986 (won)
Coaches
Jacques Martin was a former NCAA goalie turned coach. In his one year in Guelph, he completely turned around the franchise making them into national champions. He was awarded the Matt Leyden Trophy as OHL Coach of the year in 1986. The following year he was hired as the head coach of the NHL St. Louis Blues.
- 1982-83 - Don McKee
- 1983-85 - Joe Contini
- 1983-85 - J.Contini, Mike Mahoney, Rob Holody
- 1985-86 - Jacques Martin
- 1986-87 - Gary Spoar, Rob Holody
- 1987-88 - Floyd Crawford
- 1988-89 - Ron Smith
Players
Award Winners
- 1982 - Kirk Muller, Jack Ferguson Award (First Overall draft pick) & 1982-83 William Hanley Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike player)
- 1983 - Trevor Stienburg, Jack Ferguson Award First Overall draft pick)
- 1985-86 - Lonnie Loach, Emms Family Award (Rookie of the Year)
- 1985-86 - Steve Guenette, Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy (Overage Player of the Year)
- 1986-87 - Kerry Huffman, Max Kaminsky Trophy (Most Outstanding Defenceman)
- 1986-87 - John McIntyre, Bobby Smith Trophy (Scholastic Player of the Year)
NHL Alumni
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Yearly Results
Regular Season
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | Points | Pct % | Goals For | Goals Against | Standing |
| 1982-83 | 70 | 7 | 63 | 0 | 14 | 0.100 | 246 | 555 | 8th Emms |
| 1983-84 | 70 | 20 | 46 | 4 | 44 | 0.314 | 252 | 366 | 7th Emms |
| 1984-85 | 66 | 21 | 40 | 5 | 47 | 0.356 | 230 | 332 | 7th Emms |
| 1985-86 | 66 | 41 | 23 | 2 | 84 | 0.636 | 297 | 235 | 2nd Emms |
| 1986-87 | 66 | 29 | 35 | 2 | 60 | 0.455 | 275 | 281 | 6th Emms |
| 1987-88 | 66 | 21 | 40 | 5 | 47 | 0.356 | 249 | 318 | 7th Emms |
| 1988-89 | 66 | 26 | 32 | 8 | 60 | 0.455 | 257 | 288 | 4th Emms |
Playoffs
- 1982-83 Out of playoffs.
- 1983-84 Out of playoffs.
- 1984-85 Out of playoffs.
- 1985-86 Defeated Sudbury Wolves 8 points to 0 in first round.
Won quarter-final round robin vs. North Bay Centennials & Windsor Spitfires.
Defeated Windsor Spitfires 8 points to 4 in semi-finals.
Defeated Belleville Bulls 8 points to 4 in finals. OHL CHAMPIONS
Finished first in round-robin of Memorial Cup. Earned bye to finals.
Defeated Hull Olympiques 5-2 in finals. MEMORIAL CUP CHAMPIONS - 1986-87 Lost to Hamilton Steelhawks 4 games to 1 in first round.
- 1987-88 Out of playoffs.
- 1988-89 Lost to London Knights 4 games to 3 in first round.
Arena
The Guelph Platers played at the Guelph Memorial Gardens located in downtown Guelph. The team and the arena played host to the OHL All-Star game in 1984. Demolition of the Gardens began in 2006.
- [Guelph Memorial Gardens] The OHL Arena & Travel Guide
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