# St. Thomas Stars

The St. Thomas Stars are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. The team plays in the Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.

## History

Junior ice hockey in St. Thomas began in 1961 with the St. Thomas Barons in the Western Ontario Junior "B" Hockey League. The league was replaced by the Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League in 1970, and the Barons switched to the new league and changed their name to the Elgins. The Elgins folded in 1973, and were merged into the St. Thomas Colonels in the Central Junior C Hockey League. The team moved into the Southwestern Ontario Junior "B" Hockey League in 1976, and then into the Western Ontario Junior Hockey League in 1978. The Colonels changed their name to the Pests in 1980, and then to the Stars in 1984.

### 1968–69 season

The Barons won the league championship during the 1968–69 season, then played against the Flin Flon Bombers from the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) for the Canadian Hockey Association east-west final, and for the Father Athol Murray Trophy. The series was a best-of-seven format which began in St. Thomas. It was the first Canadian national junior ice hockey championship played which was not under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association.
The Barons withdrew from the championship series during the fourth game, played at the Whitney Forum in Flin Flon on May 5. The team left after an on-ice brawl during the second period. The referee defaulted the game to the Bombers, who were leading by a 4–0 score at the time. The Bombers led the series three games to one after the default win. Game five was scheduled in Flin Flon on May 7, and games six and seven would have been in St. Thomas if necessary. The Barons were escorted from the arena to their hotel by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police due to fear of violence. The Canadian Press described the Barons as being over-matched in the series and were not up to the calibre of the WCHL. The Barons abandoned the series in the interest of player safety, and departed for home on May 6, despite a scheduled game on May 7 in Flin Flon. The team paid its own expenses to get home, with assistance from some of its fans who made the road trip to Manitoba.
Canadian Hockey Association president Ron Butlin awarded the series to Flin Flon, and suspended the St. Thomas Barons from the association. Barons' coach Keith Kewly said the decision was his to abandon the series.

## Season-by-season results

| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Results | Playoffs |
| 1972-73 | 31 | 4 | 26 | 1 | - | -- | -- | 9 | 8th CJCHL | |
| 1973-74 | 32 | 15 | 13 | 4 | - | 179 | 177 | 34 | 4th CJCHL | |
| 1974-75 | 36 | 13 | 17 | 6 | - | 248 | 259 | 32 | 4th CJCHL III | |
| 1975-76 | 27 | 8 | 18 | 1 | - | 152 | 182 | 17 | 4th CJCHL III | |
| 1976-77 | 38 | 11 | 25 | 2 | - | 201 | 284 | 24 | 6th SWJBHL | DNQ |
| 1977-78 | 40 | 19 | 20 | 1 | - | 237 | 223 | 39 | 3rd SWJBHL | Lost semi-final |
| 1978-79 | 42 | 3 | 37 | 2 | - | 148 | 330 | 8 | 8th WOJHL | |
| 1979-80 | 42 | 2 | 38 | 2 | - | 121 | 388 | 6 | 8th WOJHL | |
| 1980-81 | 42 | 7 | 29 | 6 | - | 162 | 274 | 20 | 7th WOJHL | |
| 1981-82 | 42 | 10 | 27 | 5 | - | 182 | 248 | 25 | 8th WOJHL | |
| 1982-83 | 42 | 17 | 17 | 8 | - | 178 | 193 | 42 | 4th WOJHL | |
| 1983-84 | 48 | 22 | 21 | 5 | - | 238 | 233 | 49 | 5th WOJHL | |
| 1984-85 | 48 | 20 | 23 | 5 | - | 254 | 292 | 45 | 4th WOJHL | |
| 1985-86 | 42 | 26 | 11 | 5 | - | 245 | 169 | 57 | 2nd WOJHL | Won League |
| 1986-87 | 42 | 24 | 15 | 3 | - | 271 | 234 | 51 | 4th WOJHL | Won League, won SC |
| 1987-88 | 42 | 19 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 213 | 207 | 41 | 5th WOJHL | |
| 1988-89 | 42 | 9 | 30 | 2 | 1 | 195 | 284 | 21 | 7th WOJHL | |
| 1989-90 | 40 | 17 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 173 | 185 | 38 | 6th WOJHL | |
| 1990-91 | 48 | 34 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 234 | 183 | 71 | 2nd WOJHL | |
| 1991-92 | 48 | 17 | 27 | 3 | 1 | 202 | 227 | 38 | 4th WOJHL East | |
| 1992-93 | 52 | 23 | 23 | 3 | 3 | - | - | 52 | 3rd WOJHL East | |
| 1993-94 | 51 | 10 | 36 | 2 | 3 | 192 | 307 | 25 | 5th WOJHL East | |
| 1994-95 | 52 | 36 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 351 | 245 | 75 | 1st WOJHL East | Won League, lost SC final |
| 1995-96 | 52 | 28 | 18 | 5 | 1 | 272 | 244 | 62 | 2nd WOJHL East | Won League, lost SC final |
| 1996-97 | 52 | 30 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 234 | 216 | 64 | 2nd WOJHL East | |
| 1997-98 | 52 | 36 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 304 | 210 | 77 | 1st WOJHL East | Lost final |
| 1998-99 | 52 | 37 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 301 | 195 | 78 | 1st WOJHL East | Lost final |
| 1999-00 | 54 | 31 | 17 | 0 | 6 | 229 | 200 | 68 | 4th GOHL | |
| 2000-01 | 54 | 12 | 41 | 0 | 1 | 151 | 298 | 25 | 10th GOHL | |
| 2001-02 | 54 | 13 | 37 | 4 | 0 | 183 | 289 | 30 | 9th WOJHL | |
| 2002-03 | 48 | 19 | 25 | 2 | 2 | 142 | 171 | 42 | 6th WOJHL | |
| 2003-04 | 48 | 22 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 154 | 148 | 51 | 6th WOJHL | |
| 2004-05 | 48 | 31 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 184 | 141 | 64 | 2nd WOJHL | Lost final |
| 2005-06 | 48 | 21 | 22 | 3 | 2 | 132 | 140 | 47 | 7th WOJHL | |
| 2006-07 | 48 | 25 | 20 | - | 3 | 177 | 195 | 53 | 6th WOJHL | Lost quarter-final |
| 2007-08 | 48 | 19 | 20 | - | 9 | 165 | 187 | 47 | 7th GOJHL-W | Lost quarter-final |
| 2008-09 | 52 | 12 | 31 | - | 9 | 154 | 258 | 33 | 8th GOJHL-W | Lost quarter-final |
| 2009-10 | 50 | 21 | 25 | - | 4 | 173 | 179 | 46 | 7th GOJHL-W | Lost Conf. Final |
| 2010-11 | 51 | 30 | 17 | - | 4 | 200 | 163 | 64 | 4th GOJHL-W | Lost SF Round Robin |
| 2011-12 | 51 | 26 | 23 | - | 2 | 204 | 215 | 54 | 5th GOJHL-W | Lost Conf. QF |
| 2012-13 | 51 | 26 | 18 | - | 7 | 194 | 209 | 59 | 5th GOJHL-W | Lost Conf. QF |
| 2013-14 | 49 | 20 | 26 | - | 3 | 168 | 211 | 43 | 7th GOJHL-W | Lost Conf. QF |
| 2014-15 | 49 | 22 | 20 | - | 7 | 166 | 170 | 49 | 6th GOJHL-W | Lost Conf Quarter, 2-4 (Sarnia) |
| 2015-16 | 50 | 27 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 200 | 173 | 58 | 5th of 9-W 12th of 26-GOJHL | Lost Conf Quarter, 1-4 (Chatham) |
| 2016-17 | 50 | 19 | 27 | 2 | 2 | 181 | 200 | 32 | 7th of 9-W 19th of 27-GOJHL | Lost Conf Quarter, 0-4 (Chatham) |
| 2017-18 | 50 | 29 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 182 | 154 | 63 | 5th of 9-W 11th of 26-GOJHL | Won Conf Quarter, 4-1 (Sarnia) Won Conf. Semifinals 4-3 (Flyers) Lost Conf. Finals 0-4 (Nationals) |
| 2018-19 | 48 | 17 | 24 | 3 | 4 | 145 | 176 | 41 | 7th of 9-W 17th of 25-GOJHL | Lost Conf Quarter, 1-4 (Nationals) |
| 2019-20 | 50 | 12 | 32 | 1 | 5 | 146 | 262 | 30 | 9th of 9-W 21st of 25-GOJHL | Did not qualify for post season |
| 2020-21 | Season lost due to pandemic | Season lost due to pandemic | Season lost due to pandemic | Season lost due to pandemic | Season lost due to pandemic | Season lost due to pandemic | Season lost due to pandemic | Season lost due to pandemic | Season lost due to pandemic | Season lost due to pandemic |
| 2021-22 | 48 | 18 | 26 | 3 | 1 | 149 | 175 | 40 | 7th of 9-W 18th of 25-GOJHL | Lost Conf Quarter, 2-4 (Nationals) |
| 2022-23 | 50 | 21 | 23 | 4 | 2 | 183 | 180 | 48 | 7th of 9-W 18th of 25-GOJHL | Lost Conf Quarter, 0-4 (Nationals) |
| 2023-24 | 50 | 18 | 27 | 3 | 2 | 143 | 204 | 41 | 6th of 8-W 16th of 23-GOJHL | Lost Conf Quarter, 1-4 (Rockets) |
| 2024-25 | 50 | 12 | 34 | 3 | 1 | 96 | 254 | 28 | 11th of 12-West 20th of 23-GOJHL | Did not qualify for post season |

## Barons/Elgins season-by-season results

| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Results | Playoffs |
| 1961-62 | 36 | 26 | 9 | 1 | - | 238 | 180 | 53 | 1st WOJBHL | Won League |
| 1962-63 | 35 | 24 | 11 | 0 | - | 246 | 153 | 48 | 2nd WOJBHL | |
| 1963-64 | 40 | 29 | 11 | 0 | - | 273 | 185 | 58 | 1st WOJBHL | |
| 1964-65 | 39 | 20 | 18 | 2 | - | 213 | 206 | 42 | 4th WOJBHL | |
| 1965-66 | 40 | 21 | 17 | 2 | - | 227 | 209 | 44 | 4th WOJBHL | |
| 1966-67 | 40 | 26 | 13 | 1 | - | 225 | 165 | 53 | 1st WOJBHL | Won League |
| 1967-68 | 50 | 25 | 22 | 3 | - | 297 | 241 | 53 | 3rd WOJBHL | |
| 1968-69 | 56 | 37 | 18 | 1 | - | 255 | 178 | 75 | 1st WOJAHL | Won League, lost National Final |
| 1969-70 | 54 | 31 | 21 | 2 | - | 245 | 236 | 64 | 3rd WOJAHL | |
| 1970-71 | 44 | 13 | 26 | 5 | - | 205 | 270 | 31 | 5th SOJAHL | |
| 1971-72 | 56 | 20 | 26 | 10 | - | 244 | 288 | 50 | 4th SOJAHL | |
| 1972-73 | 60 | 10 | 45 | 5 | - | 209 | 373 | 25 | 7th SOJAHL | |

### Playoffs

* 1969 Won League, lost CHA Championship
    St. Thomas Barons defeated Chatham Maroons 4-games-to-2
    St. Thomas Barons defeated Brantford Foresters 4-games-to-none WOJAHL CHAMPIONS
    Flin Flon Bombers (WCHL) defeated St. Thomas Barons 2-games-to-1 and series default
* 1970 Lost semi-final
    Chatham Maroons defeated St. Thomas Barons 4-games-to-none
* 1971 DNQ
* 1972 Lost semi-final
    Guelph CMC's defeated St. Thomas Barons 4-games-to-none
* 1973 DNQ

## Sutherland Cup appearances

    1962: Waterloo Siskins defeated St. Thomas Barons 4-games-to-1
    1987: St. Thomas Stars defeated Niagara Falls Canucks 4-games-to-none
    1995: Stratford Cullitons defeated St. Thomas Stars 4-games-to-none
    1996: Niagara Falls Canucks defeated St. Thomas Stars 4-games-to-2

## Notable alumni

* Gregory Campbell
* Dan Cloutier
* Logan Couture
* John Cullen
* Rick Foley
* Bo Horvat
* Ken Murray
* Danny Schock
* Joe Thornton
* Brian Willsie