Western Ontario Junior C Hockey League

Western Ontario Junior "C" Hockey League	Western Ontario Junior "C" Hockey League
 	
Head Office 	Cambridge, Ontario
Official Website 	WJCHL
Convenor 	Bill Fisher
Chairman 	John Kastner
Founded 	1966
The Western Ontario Junior C Hockey League is a Junior "C" ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association. The Champion of the Western will compete for the All-Ontario Championship and the Clarence Schmalz Cup.
:Western Junior "C" Hockey League 1966 - 1970
:Central Junior "C" Hockey League 1970 - 1980
:Grey-Bruce Junior "C" Hockey League 1980 - 1988
:Western Ontario Junior "C" Hockey League 1988 to Present
==History==
The Western Junior C Hockey League was founded in 1966 when the original OHA Central Junior C Hockey League, a large league, was divided up. In 1970, the Western league changed its name to the Central league. A couple years later, another league from the old Central league, the Intercounty Jr. C league merged with the new Central league. Brought into the fold was the Caledonia Corvairs who won the league and the Clarence Schmalz Cup in 1973, then jumped to the Junior B level.
In 1969, the Hanover Hurricanes made the jump from the Western Junior D Hockey League to the Central Junior "C". Early powerhouses in the league were the Listowel Cyclones, Kincardine Kinucks, and New Hamburg Hahns. The Hanover Barons are the only remaining team that is still a member from the founding of the league in 1966. They won two Clarence Schmalz Cups while playing in the league and dominated in the 1960s. They were promoted to Junior "B" in 1977. The league became one of at least four different leagues in the OHA to be known as the Central Jr. C league since 1960. The league may have changed it name in 1970 to the Grey-Bruce Junior C Hockey League. This lasted until 1988, as the league granted expansion to 2 teams that were not in Grey County or Bruce County -- in 1987, the Mount Forest Patriots and in 1989, the Brussels Bulls. In 1988, the league donned its present name, the Western Junior "C" Hockey League.
From 1972 until 1976, the Central league (now the Western league) featured a variety of teams from the Niagara region of Ontario. In 1974, the majority of these teams broke away to form the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League. In 1976, the remainder of these teams walked away to form the Southwestern Junior B Hockey League, which folded in 1978 and the remaining teams went mostly to the Niagara District league to help form a Western division.
During the 2004-05 season, the WJCHL played an interlocking schedule with the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League. The WJCHL lost the series with 44 losses, 32 victories, and 6 ties.
On May 29, 2008, the Western league and the Ontario Hockey Association allowed for the Mitchell Hawks to move from the more southerly Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League and into the Western league for the 2008-09 season. This marks the second time the Hawks have been in the loop, the first being the mid-1960's. Also, they share the same name as the Walkerton Hawks, although Walkerton's name is from the raptor (since 1999), while Mitchell's is from the Native Chief.
In 2012, the OHA entered into talks with the Western League and the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League. If successful, the northern half of the SOJHL would become the "Southern Division" of the WOJCHL, while the original teams would form a "Northern Division". In the Summer of 2013, the OHA opted to realign the SOJHL with the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League instead. The northern half of the SOJHL remained the SOJHL, while the southern half merged with the NDJCHL. Weeks later the OHA announced that the Eastern Division of the NDJCHL would remain as the Niagara League, while the West would break off and form a new Midwestern Junior C Hockey League.
==The teams==
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Team 	Founded	Centre 	Arena
Goderich Sailors 	2003 	Goderich 	Goderich & District Community Centre
Hanover Barons 	1964 	Hanover 	P&H Centre
Kincardine Bulldogs 	1994 	Kincardine 	Davidson Centre Arena
Mitchell Hawks 	1966 	Mitchell 	Mitchell & District Arena
Mount Forest Patriots	1987 	Mount Forest	Mount Forest & District Community Centre
Walkerton Hawks 	1976 	Walkerton 	Walkerton Community Centre
Wingham Ironmen 	1975 	Wingham 	North Huron Wescast Community Complex
==Western Junior "C" Champions==
 	
{| cellpadding="1" width="600px" style="font-size: 90%; border: 1px solid gray;"	 	
Year	Champion 	Finalist 	Result in Provincials
1967	New Hamburg Hahns 	Elmira Lumber Kings 	Won OHA Jr. C vs. Aurora (Sub)
1968	New Hamburg Hahns 	 	Lost Final to Georgetown (Sub)
1969	New Hamburg Hahns 	Exeter Hawks 	Lost SF to Woodstock (IC)
1970	Hespeler Shamrocks 	 	Lost Final to Newmarket (Sub)
1971	Hanover Hurricanes 	 	Lost SF to Dresden (GL)
1972	New Hamburg Hahns 	 	Lost QF to Leamington (GL)
1973	Caledonia Corvairs 	New Hamburg Hahns 	Won OHA Jr. C vs. Lindsay (CL)
-- 	Rep. for Super C Playdowns: Woodstock Navy-Vets	Rep. for Super C Playdowns: Woodstock Navy-Vets	Won Super Jr. C vs. Kitchener (WJBHL)
1974	Woodstock Navy-Vets 	Simcoe Jets 	Won Super Jr. C vs. Owen Sound (NJDHL)
-- 	Rep. for Jr. C Playdowns: Simcoe Jets 	Rep. for Jr. C Playdowns: Simcoe Jets 	Lost Final to Cobourg (CL)
1975	New Hamburg Hahns 	 	Lost SF to Essex (GL)
-- 	Rep. for Super C Playdowns: Woodstock Navy-Vets	Rep. for Super C Playdowns: Woodstock Navy-Vets	Won Super Jr. C vs. Owen Sound
1976	Clinton Comets 	 	Lost SF to Essex (GL)
-- 	Rep. for Super C Playdowns: Woodstock Navy-Vets	Rep. for Super C Playdowns: Woodstock Navy-Vets	Won Super Jr. C vs. Brantford
1977	Listowel Cyclones 	 	Lost SF to Essex (GL)
1978	Listowel Cyclones 	 	Lost QF to Essex (GL)
1979	Kincardine Kinucks 	 	Lost Final to Bowmanville (CL)
1980	Port Elgin Bears 	 	Lost QF to Leamington (GL)
1981	Wingham Ironmen 	 	Lost QF to Essex (GL)
1982	Walkerton Hawks 	 	Lost QF to Leamington (GL)
1983	Kincardine Kinucks 	 	Lost QF to Leamington (GL)
1984	Wingham Ironmen 	 	Lost QF to Dresden (GL)
1985	Hanover Barons 	Port Elgin Bears 	Lost QF to Essex (GL)
1986	Hanover Barons 	Port Elgin Bears 	Lost QF to Essex (GL)
1987	Hanover Barons 	Port Elgin Bears 	Lost SF to Norwich (ND)
1988	Hanover Barons 	 	Lost SF to Port Perry (C)
1989	Hanover Barons 	 	Lost Final to Bradford (MO)
1990	Hanover Barons 	 	Lost QF to Parry Sound (GB)
1991	Hanover Barons 	 	Won OHA Jr. C vs. Orangeville (MO)
1992	Hanover Barons 	Brussels Bulls 	Lost QF to Belle River (GL)
1993	Hanover Barons 	 	Lost Final to Napanee (EB)
1994	Mount Forest Patriots 	 	Lost SF to Belle River (GL)
1995	Mount Forest Patriots 	 	Lost SF to Bowmanville (C)
1996	Mount Forest Patriots 	 	Lost SF to Napanee (EB)
1997	Kincardine Bulldogs 	 	Lost SF to Belle River (GL)
1998	Kincardine Bulldogs 	Hanover Barons 	Lost Final to Glanbrook (ND)
1999	Kincardine Bulldogs 	Wingham Ironmen 	Lost SF to Wallaceburg (GL)
2000	Kincardine Bulldogs 	Wingham Ironmen 	Lost SF to Belle River (GL)
2001	Hanover Barons 	Kincardine Bulldogs 	Lost SF to Belle River (GL)
2002	Kincardine Bulldogs 	Hanover Barons 	Lost SF to Uxbridge (CO)
2003	Hanover Barons 	Kincardine Bulldogs 	Lost SF to Georgina (CO)
2004	Wingham Ironmen 	Kincardine Bulldogs 	Lost Final to Grimsby (ND)
2005	Wingham Ironmen 	Kincardine Bulldogs 	Lost SF to Essex (GL)
2006	Kincardine Bulldogs 	Wingham Ironmen 	Lost QF to Penetang (GMO)
2007	Kincardine Bulldogs 	Walkerton Hawks 	Lost QF to Penetang (GMO)
2008	Walkerton Hawks 	Kincardine Bulldogs 	Lost QF to Alliston (GMO)
2009	Walkerton Hawks 	Hanover Barons 	Lost QF to Alliston (GMO)
2010	Walkerton Hawks 	Hanover Barons 	Lost QF to Alliston (GMO)
2011	Walkerton Hawks 	Mitchell Hawks 	Lost QF to Alliston (GMO)
2012	Walkerton Hawks 	Mitchell Hawks 	Lost QF to Alliston (GMO)
2013	Walkerton Hawks 	Kincardine Bulldogs 	Lost QF to Alliston (GMO)
2014	Wingham Ironmen 	Walkerton Hawks 	Lost SF to Essex (GL)
2015	Walkerton Hawks 	Wingham Ironmen 	Lost QF to Alliston (GMO)
2016	Kincardine Bulldogs 	Walkerton Hawks 	Lost QF to Alliston Hornets (GMO)
*A Red Row indicates a team representing the league in the Super Jr. C Playdowns without being the known league champion.
*A Blue Row indicates a team representing the league in the OHA Jr. C Playdowns without being the known league champion.
==Regular Season Champions==
 	
{| cellpadding="1" width="410px" style="font-size: 90%; border: 1px solid gray;"	 	
Season 	Champion 	Record 	Points
Western League 	Western League 	Western League 	Western League
1966-67 	New Hamburg Hahns 	15-6-3-0 	33
1967-68 	' 	 	'
1968-69 	New Hamburg Hahns 	23-3-4-0 	50
1969-70 	Hespeler Shamrocks 	20-4-1-0 	41
Central Group 2/3	Central Group 2/3 	Central Group 2/3	Central Group 2/3
1970-71 	New Hamburg Hahns 	27-3-2-0 	56
1971-72 	 	 	
1972-73 	Caledonia Corvairs 	24-5-3-0 	51
1973-74 	Woodstock Navy-Vets 	26-3-2-0 	54
1974-75 	Woodstock Navy-Vets 	32-2-2-0 	66
1975-76 	New Hamburg Hahns 	26-8-1-0 	53
1976-77 	Listowel Cyclones 	28-7-1-0 	57
1977-78 	Listowel Cyclones 	25-8-2-0 	52
1978-79 	Kincardine Kinucks 	21-5-4-0 	46
1979-80 	Port Elgin Bears 	19-5-6-0 	44
Grey-Bruce League	Grey-Bruce League 	Grey-Bruce League	Grey-Bruce League
1980-81 	Walkerton Blackhawks 	18-7-5-0 	41
1981-82 	Kincardine Kinucks 	23-6-1-0 	47
1982-83 	Kincardine Kinucks 	25-3-1-0 	51
1983-84 	Wingham Ironmen 	19-8-3-0 	41
1984-85 	Hanover Barons 	28-0-2-0 	58
1985-86 	Hanover Barons 	24-2-4-0 	52
1986-87 	Hanover Barons 	23-2-0-0 	46
1987-88 	Hanover Barons 	25-2-3-0 	53
Western League 	Western League 	Western League 	Western League
1988-89 	Hanover Barons 	21-6-3-0 	45
1989-90 	Hanover Barons 	22-6-2-0 	46
1990-91 	Hanover Barons 	24-4-2-0 	50
1991-92 	Hanover Barons 	25-2-3-0 	53
1992-93 	Hanover Barons 	26-1-2-0 	54
1993-94 	Mount Forest Patriots	22-6-4-0 	48
1994-95 	Mount Forest Patriots	21-3-5-0 	47
1995-96 	Hanover Barons 	22-5-3-0 	47
1996-97 	Kincardine Bulldogs 	21-3-4-0 	46
1997-98 	Kincardine Bulldogs 	28-5-2-0 	58
1998-99 	Kincardine Bulldogs 	30-3-3-0 	63
1999-00 	Kincardine Bulldogs 	30-1-3-0 	63
2000-01 	Hanover Barons 	34-3-2-0 	70
2001-02 	Kincardine Bulldogs 	27-7-1-0 	55
2002-03 	Kincardine Bulldogs 	24-8-0-3 	51
2003-04 	Wingham Ironmen 	25-5-4-0 	54
2004-05 	Wingham Ironmen 	30-4-4-2 	66
2005-06 	Wingham Ironmen 	32-5-2-1 	67
2006-07 	Kincardine Bulldogs 	32-5-0-2 	66
2007-08 	Kincardine Bulldogs 	36-3-0-1 	73
2008-09 	Walkerton Hawks 	32-3-0-1 	65
2009-10 	Walkerton Hawks 	31-2-0-3 	65
2010-11 	Walkerton Hawks 	31-3-0-1 	63
2011-12 	Walkerton Hawks 	28-6-0-2 	58
2012-13 	Walkerton Hawks 	28-5-0-3 	59
2013-14 	Wingham Ironmen 	26-6-0-3 	55
2014-15 	Wingham Ironmen 	29-7-0-0 	58
2015-16 	Walkerton Hawks 	27-8-1 	55
==Former Member Teams==
:Arthur Eagles (1978-1980)
:Brantford Penguins (1974-1976)
:Brussels Bulls (1989-1999)
:Caledonia Corvairs (1972-1973)
:Elmira Sugar Kings (1966-1970)
:Fergus Green Machine (1980-1982)
:Grand Valley Harvesters (1989-1993)
:Hespeler Shamrocks (1963-1970)
:Ingersoll Marlands (1973-1976)
:New Hamburg Hahns (1966-1977)
:Kitchener Flying Dutchmen (19xx-1973)
:Listowel Cyclones (1972-1979)
:London Optimists (19xx-1976)
:Owen Sound Salvagemen (1974-1975)
:Paris-Burford Flyers (1972-1974)
:Port Elgin Bears (1976-1989)
:Preston Raiders (1966-1969)
:St. Thomas Colonels (1972-1973)
:Simcoe Jets (1972-1974)
:Tillsonburg Titans (1974-1976)
:Wiarton Wolves (1994-2003)
:Woodstock Navy-Vets (1972-1976)
==Professional alumni==
National Hockey League
*Kevin Czuczman (Walkerton 2008-09)
*Louie DeBrusk (Port Elgin 1986-87)
*Aaron Downey (Grand Valley 1990-91)
*Paul MacDermid (Port Elgin 1979-80)
*Jeff MacMillan (Hanover 1995-96)
*Jim Nahrgang (New Hamburg 1966-67)
*Nathan Perrott (Walkerton 1992-93)
*Kevin Pollock (Hanover)
*Curtis Sanford (Wiarton 1994-95)
*Darryl Sittler (Elmira 1966-67)
*Jordan Willis (Hanover 1991-92)
==External links==
*Western Jr. "C" Website
*OHA Website
Category:Ice hockey leagues
Category:Ontario Hockey Association Junior C leagues
Category:Western Ontario Junior C Hockey League