# 1995–96 OPJHL season

The 1995–96 OPJHL season is the third season of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (OPJHL). The twenty-two teams of the MacKenzie, MacKinnon, Phillips, and Ruddock Divisions competed in a 50-game schedule. The top 4 teams of each division make the playoffs.
The winner of the OPJHL playoffs, the Newmarket 87's, won the 1996 Buckland Cup as OHA Champions and the Dudley Hewitt Cup as Central Canadian Champions, but failed to win the 1996 Royal Bank Cup.

## Changes

* League jumps from 2 to 4 divisions.
* Barrie Colts leave OPJHL for Ontario Hockey League.
* Markham Waxers leave OPJHL for MetJHL.
* Bramalea Blues, St. Michael's Buzzers, Mississauga Chargers, and Kingston Voyageurs join OPJHL from MetJHL.
* Stouffville Clippers join OPJHL.
* Trenton Sting and Bowmanville Eagles join OPJHL from COJCHL.

## Final standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PTS = Points; x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = clinched conference title
MacKenzie Division :
| Team | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | P |
| Bramalea Blues | 50 | 37 | 10 | 3 | 292 | 142 | 77 |
| Brampton Capitals | 50 | 33 | 12 | 5 | 258 | 181 | 71 |
| Mississauga Chargers | 50 | 30 | 15 | 5 | 258 | 203 | 65 |
| Streetsville Derbys | 50 | 22 | 23 | 5 | 221 | 209 | 52 |
| St. Michael's Buzzers | 50 | 21 | 26 | 3 | 212 | 205 | 47 |
| Royal York Rangers | 50 | 9 | 39 | 2 | 181 | 364 | 21 |
| MacKinnon Division |||||||||||
| Team | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | P |
| Milton Merchants | 50 | 27 | 16 | 7 | 243 | 172 | 64 |
| Hamilton Kiltys | 50 | 25 | 17 | 8 | 241 | 206 | 60 |
| Oakville Blades | 50 | 21 | 24 | 5 | 211 | 228 | 50 |
| Burlington Cougars | 50 | 20 | 28 | 2 | 184 | 199 | 43 |
| Georgetown Raiders | 50 | 6 | 41 | 3 | 165 | 357 | 19 |
| Phillips Division |||||||||||
| Team | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | P |
| Newmarket 87's | 50 | 40 | 9 | 1 | 298 | 163 | 83 |
| Collingwood Blues | 49 | 28 | 16 | 5 | 237 | 193 | 61 |
| Orillia Terriers | 50 | 23 | 27 | 0 | 222 | 233 | 48 |
| Lindsay Muskies | 50 | 25 | 22 | 3 | 232 | 212 | 55 |
| Stouffville Clippers | 50 | 13 | 35 | 2 | 182 | 288 | 30 |
| Ruddock Division |||||||||||
| Team | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | P |
| Kingston Voyageurs | 50 | 37 | 10 | 3 | 247 | 135 | 82 |
| Bowmanville Eagles | 50 | 23 | 23 | 4 | 200 | 212 | 53 |
| Trenton Sting | 50 | 23 | 23 | 4 | 243 | 252 | 50 |
| Cobourg Cougars | 50 | 21 | 27 | 2 | 201 | 214 | 45 |
| Peterborough Jr. Petes | 50 | 14 | 35 | 1 | 185 | 254 | 31 |
| Ajax Axemen | 49 | 12 | 32 | 5 | 172 | 263 | 30 |

## 1995-96 OPJHL Playoffs

Division Semi-final
    Bramalea Blues defeated Oakville Blades 4-games-to-1
    Brampton Capitals defeated Streetsville 4-games-to-none
    Mississauga Chargers defeated St. Michael's Buzzers 4-games-to-3
    Milton Merchants defeated Hamilton Kiltys 4-games-to-2
    Newmarket 87's defeated Cobourg Cougars 4-games-to-3
    Kingston Voyageurs defeated Trenton Sting 4-games-to-none
    Orillia Terriers defeated Collingwood Blues 4-games-to-3
    Lindsay Muskies defeated Bowmanville Eagles 4-games-to-none
Division Final
    Bramalea Blues defeated Milton Merchants 4-games-to-none
    Brampton Capitals defeated Mississauga Chargers 4-games-to-none
    Newmarket 87's defeated Orillia Terriers 4-games-to-1
    Lindsay Muskies defeated Kingston Voyageurs 4-games-to-3
Semi-final
    Brampton Capitals defeated Bramalea Blues 4-games-to-3
    Newmarket 87's defeated Lindsay Muskies 4-games-to-3
Final
    Newmarket 87's defeated Brampton Capitals 4-games-to-2

## OHA Buckland Cup and Dudley Hewitt Cup Championship

The 1996 Dudley Hewitt Cup was hosted by the Cobourg Cougars of Cobourg, Ontario. Both Newmarket and Brampton were granted entry into the event, Newmarket eventually won.
Round Robin
    Thunder Bay Flyers (USHL) defeated Cobourg Cougars 5-3
    Newmarket 87's defeated Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (NOJHL) 4-3
    Brampton Capitals defeated Thunder Bay Flyers (USHL) 5-2
    Cobourg Cougars defeated Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (NOJHL) 5-3
    Brampton Capitals defeated Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (NOJHL) 10-6
    Newmarket 87's defeated Cobourg Cougars 3-1
    Brampton Capitals defeated Newmarket 87's 6-3
    Thunder Bay Flyers (USHL) defeated Newmarket 87's 3-2
    Brampton Capitals defeated Cobourg Cougars 9-3
Semi-final
    Brampton Capitals defeated Cobourg Cougars 5-2
    Newmarket 87's defeated Thunder Bay Flyers (USHL) 6-3
Final
    Newmarket 87's defeated Brampton Capitals 8-2

## 1996 Royal Bank Cup Championship

The 1996 Royal Bank Cup was hosted by the Melfort Mustangs of Melfort, Saskatchewan. The Newmarket 87's were defeated in the semi-final.
Round Robin
    Newmarket 87's defeated Vernon Vipers (BCHL) 7-5
    Newmarket 87's defeated Yorkton Terriers (SJHL) 5-2
    Melfort Mustangs (SJHL) defeated Newmarket 87's 11-3
    Moncton Beavers (MJAHL) defeated Newmarket 87's 4-3
Semi-final
    Vernon Vipers (BCHL) defeated Newmarket 87's 7-4

## Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts |
| Trent Walford | Newmarket 87's | 50 | 52 | 90 | 142 |
| Scott Stephens | Newmarket 87's | 45 | 63 | 47 | 110 |
| Chris Heron | Bramalea Blues | 46 | 48 | 59 | 107 |