Oshawa Generals The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League . They are based in Oshawa , Ontario . The team is named for General Motors , an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa . The Generals are one of the most successful franchises in Canadian Hockey League history . Its 184 graduates to the National Hockey League are second only to the Peterborough Petes . The Generals have also won the Memorial Cup five times , and a record thirteen Ontario Hockey League Championships , the J . Ross Robertson Cup . The Generals have two distinct eras in their history . The original Generals operated from 1937 to 1953 . The team went on a hiatus from 1953 to 1962 due to a fire at the Hambly Arena . The team was resurrected in 1962 . Famous alumni of the Generals include Hockey Hall of Fame rs Bobby Orr and Alex Delvecchio , as well as Eric Lindros . History . Early years ( 1908 – 1937 ) . Prior to 1908 , Oshawa belonged to the Midland Hockey League . It competed against other teams from Whitby , Bowmanville , Port Hope and Cobourg . The first Oshawa team in the Ontario Hockey Association junior division began play in the 1908 – 1909 season , known as the Oshawa Shamrocks . Ed Bradley , a prominent local businessman was responsible for organizing the team and bringing junior hockey to Oshawa and was the team ' s manager for the next 13 seasons . Success came early to the team reaching the semifinals in 1909 . In the 1920s the team enjoyed many successful years , battling against Orillia and Owen Sound . In June 1928 , Bradley ' s Arena burnt to the ground . The team relocated to Whitby until the new Oshawa Arena was built for 1930 . In the early 1930s the team became known as the Oshawa Majors . The Majors won the OHA title in 1935 versus the Kitchener Greenshirts , and went on to play the Northern Ontario champion Sudbury Cub Wolves . In a protest by Kitchener , the title was taken away from Oshawa while games were already underway with Sudbury . In 1936 , different sources name the team as the Majors , the Red Devils , and the Junior G - Men . This team coached by Bill Hancock and managed by Matt Leyden played the season against St . Michael ' s College , University of Toronto , Toronto Young Rangers , Toronto Marlboros , Toronto Native Sons and the Toronto Lions . OHA dynasty ( 1937 – 1944 ) . In 1937 the Oshawa Generals were born . The team was named after the sponsor , General Motors of Canada . The Generals put together an unequalled feat of seven consecutive OHA Championships , and winning three Memorial Cup s in the same span . The Generals grew a reputation for treating its players well and signed many young men who would go on to NHL fame . Players were admitted free to theatres , dancing , wrestling , roller skating and other attractions at the arena . Sponsors gave full scholarships to school and weekly stipends . Through the whole dynasty , the team was managed by Matt Leyden , and its secretary was Neil Hezzlewood . Both men would be inducted in the Oshawa Sports Hall of fame . From 1937 to 1944 , Oshawa Generals graduated 20 players to become NHL alumni , and another player in David Bauer , who would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the Builder ' s Category . NHL alumni from 1937 – 1944 include ; Frank Bennett , Harvey Bennett , Les Colvin , Jim Conacher , Floyd Curry , Buck Davies , Bob Dawes , Jim Drummond , Frank Eddolls , Bill Ezinicki , Armand ( Bep ) Guidolin , Nick Knott , Ted Lindsay , Jud McAtee , Norm McAtee , Gus Mortson , Chuck Scherza , Ken Smith , Billy " The Kid " Taylor and Wally Wilson . The fire ( 1953 ) . In September 1953 a great tragedy struck in Oshawa when Hambly ' s Arena burned down . The city and the team lost what had become greatly endeared to themselves ; their memories , their arena , and their OHA team . Donations poured in from many fellow OHA teams and local businessmen . Equipment and other items were dispersed to the all the players attending the training camp to cover individual losses . The Generals , homeless so close to the start of the new season , were unfortunately disbanded . Salvaged from the disbanded team , General Manager Wren Blair made a Senior B team known as the Oshawa Truckmen , who played in Bowmanville for the 1953 – 1954 season . The year after , this team would become the Whitby Dunlops . The Dunlops would go on to be Allan Cup Champions in 1957 & 1959 , and World Champions in 1958 . Rebirth of the Generals ( 1962 ) . In 1960 , Wren Blair began negotiations with Boston Bruins president Weston Adams to begin building the new Oshawa Generals . The agreement was made contingent on a new arena being built in Oshawa . The Oshawa Civic Auditorium would open up in 1964 . In the meantime , the Oshawa Generals were reactivated for the 1962 – 1963 as a team playing in the Metro Junior A League . For this year , the team played its home games at Maple Leaf Gardens . Fundraising for a new arena was well under way at the same time . The Generals wore red , white and blue jerseys until the 1965 – 66 season when they adopted the black , gold and white of their parent team , the Boston Bruins . In 1963 the Metro Junior A league was disbanded , and Oshawa was readmitted in the OHA . Since the Toronto Marlboros used Maple Leaf Gardens as a home rink , the Generals team played out of nearby Bowmanville for one full season , and part of another . Bobby Orr years ( 1962 – 1966 ) . The greatest player ever to wear an Oshawa Generals uniform , Bobby Orr went on the become a legend in the NHL and to be inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame . Bobby Orr was discovered by Wren Blair as a 14 year old while playing a game in Gananoque , Ontario . He was quickly signed to a contract and invited to training camp for the 1962 – 1963 season . He would commute three hours from Parry Sound for all weekend games he played with the Generals that year . Even so , he was selected to the Metro Junior A League ' s second all - star team . During the 1963 – 64 season ( his first full season in Junior A hockey ) , Bobby Orr scored 29 goals to break the record for most goals by a defenceman , previously held by Jacques Laperrière . Orr was also selected as a first team all - star defenceman . During the 1964 – 1965 season , the Oshawa Generals moved into their new home at the Oshawa Civic Auditorium . Bobby Orr broke his own record , scoring 34 goals this season . The 1965 – 1966 season would see Oshawa ' s return to the Memorial Cup after a 22 years . The Generals were coached that year by former alumnus , Armand " Bep " Guidolin , who played for Oshawa in the 1942 Memorial Cup , and subsequently made the Boston Bruins of the NHL as a 16 year old . Team captain , Bobby Orr scored 38 goals during the season . The Generals would defeat their bitter rivals , the St . Catharines Blackhawks in quarter - finals , before eliminating the Montreal Junior Canadiens in semi - finals , and winning the J . Ross Robertson Cup as OHA CHAMPIONS versus the Kitchener Rangers . The Generals then outscored the Northern Ontario Junior A champion North Bay Trappers by a combined score of 43 - 9 to win the series in 4 games , and then defeated Shawinigan Bruins in 3 games to be the Eastern Canadian representative for the Memorial Cup . In the Memorial Cup series Orr played injured through most games , but the team played hard only to lose to Edmonton Oil Kings in 6 games . After the season ended , many players graduated from the team and moved on . Bobby Orr would go on to the Bruins for next season . Wren Blair would become General Manager of the Minnesota North Stars . Coach Bep Guidolin returned to coaching in Thorold . 9th championship ( 1983 ) . After many dismal seasons through the late 1960s and 1970s the Generals started to rebuild for the Memorial Cup . In 1979 the Generals hired coach Paul Theriault , who would lead the team to 9 consecutive winning seasons , including two Memorial Cup appearances . In 1983 the Generals returned to the Memorial Cup after a 17 year absence , defeating the Sault Ste . Marie Greyhounds for their 9th J . Ross Robertson Cup . The Memorial Cup that year would be played in Portland , Oregon . The Generals lost in the finals to the host team Portland Winter Hawks in the final game by a score of 8 - 3 . That year ' s team captain , Joe Cirella , would go on to play 16 years as an NHL defenceman . Tragedy on the Generals ( 1985 ) . During an early season practice , Bruce Melanson left the ice feeling very weak . Within a few minutes he collapsed , succumbing to a rare heart disease known as Wolff - Parkinson - White syndrome . Bruce was 18 years old . The Generals would wear black arm bands for the remainder of the season in memoriam of their teammate they nicknamed " Moose . " The club would also no longer issue his uniform # 9 . A memorial scholarship was set up at his former high school in New Brunswick . Melanson ' s hard hitting and aggressive style led him to be selected by New York Islanders in the second round ( 41st overall ) in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft . Hosting the Memorial Cup ( 1987 ) . The 1986 – 1987 season saw the Generals set a team record with 101 points for the season . It would also see the Generals playing on home ice in the Memorial Cup , as the host city and as the OHL Champions . In 1987 the OHL organized a Super Series for the right to host the Memorial Cup tournament between the Leyden Division champion Oshawa Generals , and the Emms Division champion North Bay Centennials . The super series was played before the OHL playoffs commenced . Oshawa defeated North Bay 4 games to 3 for the right to host the Memorial Cup . Oshawa also won the OHL championship series defeating North Bay 4 games to 3 . Since Oshawa won both the Super Series and the OHL Championship , only three teams participated in the Memorial Cup Oshawa reached the finals versus the Medicine Hat Tigers , but lost 6 - 2 in the championship game . Eric Lindros years ( 1989 – 1991 ) . Eric Lindros came to the Generals via a trade with the Sault Ste . Marie Greyhounds . He refused to play for the team which made him the first overall draft pick , an event which would bring prosperity to both hockey clubs in the near future . After playing the Canadian National Team , Lindros started his rookie year with the Generals in 1989 – 1990 . In only 25 games he would score 17 goals , and get 19 assists for 36 points . The same year in the playoffs , Eric scored 18 goals and 18 assists in only 17 games . It was the extra boost the Generals needed to reach the Memorial Cup , when added to the existing core of players captained by Iain Fraser . In 1990 Copps Coliseum hosted the Memorial Cup . The Generals would compete against the Kamloops Blazers , Laval Titan , and OHL runners - up Kitchener Rangers . The championship game on May 13 , 1990 attracted 17 , 383 spectators . The Oshawa Generals defeated the Kitchener Rangers by a score of 4 to 3 in double overtime on a goal by Bill Armstrong to win the 4th Memorial Cup in Oshawa Generals history . The 1990 – 1991 season had many high expectation for the Generals to repeat as Champions . Lindros would be chosen first overall in the NHL draft by the Quebec Nordiques . In 57 regular season game he would score 71 goals and 78 assists . As ironic as sports can be , the Generals lost the OHL final that year to Eric ' s draft team , the Sault Ste . Marie Greyhounds coached by Ted Nolan . 12th championship ( 1997 ) . The Generals would set the benchmark for other OHL teams by winning their 12th J . Ross Roberston cup in 1997 . The most recent championship the Generals won was played at the Oshawa Civic Auditorium Tuesday , May 6 , 1997 . The Generals upset the 1st place Ottawa 67 ' s in the OHL final , 4 games to 2 . The sixth game ended 8 seconds into the first overtime on a goal from Marc Savard . The Generals participated in the 1997 Memorial Cup in Hull , Quebec , in which they finished third in the round - robin and lost in the semi - final to the Lethbridge Hurricanes . Future NHL players from 1997 were : Marc Savard , John Tripp , Ian MacNeil , Kevin Colley , Dan Hinote , Jeff Ware , Bryan Allen , Jeff MacMillan & Ty Garner . New ownership ( 2004 to present ) . In 2004 , John Davies purchased the team from the previous owner John Humphreys . This marked the beginning of a new era for the team , as the Humphreys family had owned the team since its resurrection in 1962 . In July 2008 the Oshawa generals announced a change of ownership structure with Rocco Tullio of Windsor Ontario agreeing to terms and conditions with John Davies to acquire his remaining shares of the Oshawa Generals . Tullio then welcomed two new partners as owners – former National Hockey League star Adam Graves and former OHL coach and manager Peter DeBoer . New ownership brought new personnel to the management team . Trish Campbell was appointed the team president , and Brad Selwood was named general manager and vice president . Oshawa finished last place in the OHL in a rebuilding 2004 – 05 season , and chose first overall in the priority selection draft next season . In 2005 the Oshawa Generals drafted a 14 year old named John Tavares . He was granted exceptional player status by the OHL allowing him to be drafted one year earlier than normal . The Generals hope to build another championship team , centred around Tavares . Recent building blocks added to the team include Dale Mitchell , Cal Clutterbuck , Brett MacLean , and one of the youngest players in the OHL , goaltender Anthony Peters . John Tavares was traded to the London Knights on January 8 , 2009 . The new ownership also brought to an end the Generals era playing in the Civic Auditorium . Led by Mayor John Gray , the Generals were able to call a new arena in downtown Oshawa their home ( the General Motors Centre ) . The team moved into the General Motors Centre on November 1 , 2006 , and played the inaugural game there November 3 , 2006 . After topping scoring boards and points lists with the Generals for three and a half seasons , John Tavares was traded to the London Knights on January 8 , 2009 , and a new crop of young talent was brought onto the Generals team . Christian Thomas , Scott Valentine and Michael Zador , along with several draft picks , were part of the Tavares deal . Other additions included Tony DeHart and Lucas Lessio , a result of one of London ' s draft picks that was traded to Oshawa . In July 2008 , the Generals ' executive team announced a change of ownership structure , with Rocco Tullio of Windsor , Ontario , agreeing to terms and conditions with John Davies to acquire his remaining shares of the Generals . In January 2010 , Tullio welcomed two new partners as owners – former NHL star and Stanley Cup champion Adam Graves and former championship OHL coach and manager Peter DeBoer . In the 2014 - 2015 season , the Generals won their 13th J . Ross Robertson Cup , defeating the Erie Otters . They went undefeated at the Memorial Cup in Quebec City to take home their 5th Memorial Cup in club history . 2015 : Return to the Memorial Cup . For the first time since 1997 , the Oshawa Generals made it back to the Memorial Cup in 2015 . They ended up winning all three of their round robin games , and clinched a spot in the 2015 Memorial Cup final . They defeated the Kelowna Rockets in the final when Anthony Cirelli scored the game winning goal in overtime . Championships . The Generals have won 13 J . Ross Robertson Cup Championships , the most of the OHL ' s history . Oshawa also has won 5 Memorial Cup Championships . J . Ross Robertson Cup < br > " Ontario Hockey League Championship " George Richardson Memorial Trophy < br > " Eastern Canadian Championship " Memorial Cup < br > " Canadian Hockey League Championship " Coaches . The Oshawa Generals have had several coaches who have also coached in the NHL as head coaches and assistant coaches . Those of note are Charlie Conacher , Armand ( Bep ) Guidolin , Bill White , Paul Theriault , Bill LaForge , Bill Stewart , George Burnett , Brad Selwood and Randy Ladouceur . Matt Leyden Trophy winners . List of coaches . " ( Multiple seasons in parentheses ) " Players . The Oshawa Generals have graduated 184 young men onto the NHL ( as of 2014 - 15 season ) , third behind the Toronto Marlboros and the Peterborough Petes . Five of those players have been enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame . Retired numbers . The Oshawa Generals retired # 9 in honour of Red Tilson at a pregame Remembrance Day ceremony on November 11 , 2006 . Tilson was the league ' s leading scorer in 1942 – 43 , who died during combat in World War II . The Red Tilson Trophy for the OHL ' s most outstanding player , is named in his honour . Eric Lindros ' # 88 was retired on March 6 , 2008 . Bobby Orr ' s # 2 was officially retired on November 27 , 2008 , after having been out of circulation since Orr moved onto the NHL in 1966 . Bruce Melanson was last player to wear # 9 . It was taken out of circulation after his death , then later retired for Red Tilson . NHL alumni . List of Oshawa Generals alumni to play in the National Hockey League . Team records . < br clear = " all " > < br > < br clear = " all " > Season - by - season results . Complete data is unavailable from 1908 to 1937 . The team did not operate in the OHA between the 1953 – 54 and 1961 – 62 seasons . Regular season . " Legend " : OL = Overtime loss , SL = Shootout loss Uniforms and logos . The current version of the Oshawa Generals uniforms has been in use since the 1989 – 90 season . The team has announced an updated logo to coincide with moving into a new arena . The new logo cresting will be triple layered as opposed to the single layer . Players ' names and numbers with have double cresting . Currently , only a white and red version have been released . The Oshawa Generals have also issued two throwback style jerseys in the recent past . During alumni week for the 2001 – 02 season , the Generals wore a jersey based on the ' Bruins " style worn in the 1965 – 66 season , when Bobby Orr skated for the club . For two seasons from 2004 – 05 to 2005 – 06 the Generals " red " jersey was replaced by a jersey based on the style worn during the 1939 , 1940 and 1944 Memorial Cup winning seasons , featuring the square " GM " logo . Mascots . The Generals unvelied a new mascot during a pregame ceremony on November 16 , 2007 , who would be named " Deke " in a naming contest in Oshawa . The previous mascot , " General Shooter " had been retired at the end of the 2006 – 07 season . Arenas . The Oshawa Generals have the dubious distinction of having their home arena destroyed by fire not once , but twice in the franchise history . In June 1928 the Bradley Arena was destroyed by fire . Then 25 years later , the Hambly Arena was also destroyed by fire . From 1928 – 1930 the team played out of nearby Whitby until the Hambly Arena was constructed . When the Hambly Arena burned down in 1953 the Oshawa Generals were disbanded . When the team was resurrected in 1962 they played both at Maple Leaf Gardens and also in the Bowmanville Community Arena ( now demolished ) for two seasons until moving until the Civic Auditorium . The early years . Before Oshawa joined the OHA in 1908 , it was part of the Midland Hockey League . Its games were played out of the Oshawa Curling Club located by the Oshawa Creek in the vicinity of present day Valleyview Gardens , Kinsmen Stadium and Children ' s Arena . Since the curling club controlled its use and thus when games could or could not be played , a new location was sought . A new outdoor rink was built 4 blocks away , where the present day Oshawa Armouries stand at the corner of Simcoe St . and Richmond St . This would be the team ' s home until 1908 . Bradley Arena 1908 – 1928 . The Bradley Arena , nicknamed " The Big Rink " opened up in 1908 on Duke St . in downtown Oshawa . Its namesake was Ed Bradley , a prominent local businessman who was responsible for organizing the team and bringing Junior Hockey to Oshawa . The arena was packed to the rafters many nights when Oshawa played there for the 1920s league championships versus Orillia and Owen Sound . In June 1928 , the predominantly wooden structure succumbed to an overnight fire . Hambly Arena 1930 – 1953 . The Oshawa Arena ( later known as the Hambly Arena ) opened in 1930 and was built in large part to the contributions of Colonel Robert Samuel McLaughlin . It was the first brick facade and steel support structure for hockey in Oshawa . Shortly after training camp in 1953 , the arena would suffer the same demise as its predecessor and burned to the ground on September 15 . Civic Auditorium 1964 – 2006 . The Oshawa Civic Auditorium opened in 1964 , built on fundraising by citizens of Oshawa . The first scheduled OHA game was December 15 , 1964 vs . the St . Catharines Black Hawks . The Generals prevailed by a score of 6 to 4 in front of 4 , 109 fans attending the game . In 1987 the Civic Auditorium played host to the Memorial Cup . The Generals contested for the cup against the Medicine Hat Tigers and the Longueiul Chévaliers . The last championship the Generals won was played at the Civic in May 1997 . The Generals upset the 1st place Ottawa 67 ' s in the OHL final , 4 games to 2 . The sixth game ended 8 seconds into the first overtime on a goal from Marc Savard . The Generals played the first five home games of the 2006 – 07 season in the Civic Auditorium before moving into their new arena . The final game played was October 29 , 2006 versus the Kingston Frontenacs , the Generals won 8 to 6 . General Motors Centre 2006 – Present . On March 10 , 2005 , Oshawa City Council approved what was then known as the " Downtown Sports & Entertainment Facility Project " after many years of waiting for a new arena . Groundbreaking for the new facility at the corner of Athol and Mary Streets in downtown Oshawa took place on June 22 , 2005 . The building will be operated by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment . On October 5 , 2006 , the Oshawa Generals announced a naming rights deal which will see the arena named the General Motors Centre . The inaugural game was played November 3 , 2006 , against the Owen Sound Attack . On May 15 , 2015 , the Generals won their 13th J . Ross Robertson Cup at the General Motors Centre defeating the Erie Otters 4 - 1 .