# Westfort Hurricanes

The Westfort Hurricanes were a Canadian Junior ice hockey club from Fort William, Ontario. The Herks were members of the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League and were Abbott Cup finalists once.

## History

In 1972, the Hurricanes broke away from the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League to join the St. Paul, Minnesota-based Can-Am Junior Hockey League. A year later, that league became the Midwest Junior Hockey League. The Herks stayed on board for one Midwest Junior season before returning to the TBJHL.
Dave Siciliano coached the Hurricanes during the 1973–74 season. His team completed the regular season in first place with 45 wins in 60 games. In the 1974 Centennial Cup playoffs, the Hurricanes defeated the Wexford Raiders four games to three in the first round, then were defeated four games to three by the Smiths Falls Bears in the second round.
The MWJHL later merged and solidified the United States Hockey League. The Buccaneers folded on July 6, 1980, when the TBAHA left them with no league to play in.

## Season-by-season standings

| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Results |
| 1940-41 | 18 | 5 | 11 | 2 | - | 89 | 106 | 12 | 3rd TBJHL |
| 1941-42 | 16 | 15 | 1 | 0 | - | 110 | 13 | 30 | 1st TBJHL |
| 1942-43 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | - | 71 | 31 | 18 | 1st TBJHL |
| 1943-45 | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1945-46 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 0 | - | 15 | 52 | 2 | 5th TBJHL |
| 1946-47 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | 31 | 25 | 9 | 2nd TBJHL |
| 1947-48 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | - | 39 | 59 | 7 | 3rd TBJHL |
| 1948-49 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 1 | - | 52 | 67 | 7 | 3rd TBJHL |
| 1949-50 | 18 | 11 | 7 | 0 | - | 109 | 86 | 22 | 2nd TBJHL |
| 1950-51 | 21 | 11 | 10 | 0 | - | 100 | 85 | 22 | 3rd TBJHL |
| 1951-52 | 30 | 15 | 14 | 1 | - | 140 | 127 | 31 | 3rd TBJHL |
| 1952-53 | 29 | 11 | 18 | 0 | - | 129 | 161 | 22 | 3rd TBJHL |
| 1953-54 | 34 | 10 | 23 | 1 | - | 114 | 180 | 21 | 4th TBJHL |
| 1954-55 | 29 | 8 | 20 | 1 | - | 97 | 143 | 17 | 4th TBJHL |
| 1955-56 | 33 | 3 | 27 | 3 | - | 88 | 167 | 9 | 3rd TBJHL |
| 1956-57 | 30 | 2 | 28 | 0 | - | 95 | 241 | 4 | 3rd TBJHL |
| 1957-58 | 22 | 4 | 17 | 1 | - | 66 | 126 | 9 | 3rd TBJHL |
| 1958-59 | 24 | 6 | 14 | 4 | - | 82 | 128 | 16 | 3rd TBJHL |
| 1959-60 | 20 | 13 | 7 | 0 | - | 94 | 76 | 26 | 1st TBJHL |
| 1960-61 | 24 | 5 | 15 | 4 | - | 77 | 108 | 14 | 3rd TBJHL |
| 1961-62 | 28 | 2 | 24 | 2 | - | 77 | 186 | 6 | 3rd TBJHL |
| 1962-63 | 28 | 9 | 17 | 2 | - | 92 | 127 | 20 | 3rd TBJHL |
| 1963-64 | 26 | 8 | 12 | 6 | - | 87 | 103 | 22 | 3rd TBJHL |
| 1964-65 | 22 | 1 | 19 | 2 | - | 93 | 189 | 4 | 4th TBJHL |
| 1965-66 | 30 | 3 | 26 | 1 | - | 112 | 226 | 7 | 4th TBJHL |
| 1966-67 | 29 | 7 | 19 | 3 | - | 118 | 172 | 17 | 4th TBJHL |
| 1967-68 | 32 | 11 | 19 | 2 | - | 134 | 187 | 27.5 | 4th TBJHL |
| 1968-69 | 36 | 23 | 8 | 5 | - | 196 | 129 | 51 | 1st TBJHL |
| 1969-70 | 30 | 13 | 14 | 3 | - | 156 | 160 | 29 | 2nd TBJHL |
| 1970-71 | 30 | 13 | 14 | 3 | - | 133 | 156 | 29 | 2nd TBJHL |
| 1971-72 | 27 | 14 | 11 | 2 | - | -- | -- | 30 | 2nd TBMJHL |
| 1972-73 | 31 | 5 | 21 | 5 | - | 94 | 178 | 15 | 4th CAJHL |
| 1973-74 | 60 | 45 | 14 | 1 | - | 430 | 258 | 91 | 2nd MWJHL |
| 1974-75 | 27 | 19 | 4 | 4 | - | 164 | 106 | 42 | 1st TBJHL |
| 1975-76 | 30 | 19 | 6 | 5 | - | 163 | 117 | 43 | 2nd TBJHL |
| 1976-77 | 25 | 14 | 9 | 2 | - | 168 | 122 | 30 | 2nd TBJHL |
| 1977-78 | 28 | 20 | 6 | 2 | - | -- | -- | 42 | 1st TBJHL |
| 1978-79 | 25 | 16 | 6 | 3 | - | -- | -- | 35 | 1st TBJHL |
| 1979-80 | 34 | 24 | 10 | 0 | - | 216 | 163 | 48 | 1st TBJHL |

### Playoffs

* 1971 Lost final
    Westfort Hurricanes defeated Fort William Canadians 3-games-to-2
    Thunder Bay Marrs defeated Westfort Hurricanes 4-games-to-1
* 1972 Lost semi-final
    Minnesota Jr. Stars defeated Westfort Hurricanes 2-games-to-none
* 1973 Lost quarter-final/Canadian TBAHA Semi-final
    Thunder Bay Centennials defeated Westfort Hurricanes 4-games-to-2
* 1974 Won TBAHA Jack Adams Trophy final, lost Hewitt-Dudley Memorial Trophy final
    Thunder Bay Hurricanes defeated Thunder Bay Eagles (TBJHL) 3-games-to-none
    Thunder Bay Hurricanes defeated Fort William Canadians (TBJHL) 4-games-to-none JACK ADAMS TROPHY CHAMPIONS
    Thunder Bay Hurricanes defeated Wexford Raiders (OPJHL) 4-games-to-3
    Smiths Falls Bears (CJHL) defeated Thunder Bay Hurricanes 4-games-to-3
* 1975 Lost final
    Thunder Bay Hurricanes defeated Thunder Bay Beavers 4-games-to-2
    Thunder Bay Eagles defeated Thunder Bay Hurricanes 4-games-to-1
* 1976 Lost semi-final
    Thunder Bay Beavers defeated Thunder Bay Hurricanes 4-games-to-2
* 1977 Lost final
    Degagne Hurricanes defeated Thunder Bay Beavers 3-games-to-none and 1 tie
    Thunder Bay Eagles defeated Degagne Hurricanes 4-games-to-1
* 1978 Won League, lost Hewitt-Dudley Memorial Trophy Quarter-final
    Degagne Hurricanes defeated Thunder Bay Beavers 3-games-to-none
    Degagne Hurricanes defeated Atikokan Voyageurs 4-games-to-none TBJHL CHAMPIONS
    Guelph Platers (OPJHL) defeated Degagne Hurricanes 4-games-to-none
* 1979 Lost final
    Thunder Bay North Stars defeated Degagne Buccaneers 4-games-to-1
* 1980 Lost final
    Thunder Bay North Stars defeated Degagne Buccaneers 4-games-to-none with 1 tie

## Championships

TBJHL Champions:
    1942, 1943, 1952, 1960, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1974*, 1978
Abbott Cup Finalists:
    1970
Dudley Hewitt Cup/Eastern Centennial Cup Semi-final Champion
    1974
(*) denotes: Herks played in MWJHL, rejoined TBJHL for playoffs.

## Notable alumni

Fort William Hurricane-Rangers
* Gus Bodnar
* Alex Delvecchio
* Bill Johansen
* Bud Poile
Fort William Hurricanes
* Mike Busniuk
* Larry Cahan
* Dave Gatherum
* Eddie Kachur
* Dennis Owchar
* Don Poile
* Vic Venasky
* Tommy Williams
* Gord Wilson
Westfort Hurricanes
* Lou Nistico
* Murray Wing
* Benny Woit
Thunder Bay Westfort Hurricanes
* Mike Hordy
* Trevor Johansen