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121-471: The Rangers are one of six teams in the Canadian Hockey League ( Moose Jaw Warriors , Swift Current Broncos , Lethbridge Hurricanes , Peterborough Petes ) that are publicly owned. Since the club's inception, a 39-person Board of Directors, including a nine-person executive committee, is elected by the team's season ticket subscribers who act as trustees of the team. This Board of Directors

242-571: A 26-37-3-2 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2000–01. It didn't take long to turn things around with Spott at the helm, as the team rebounded with a 34-point improvement the following season, finishing with a record of 42-19-4-3. After a 4–2 series win over the Saginaw Spirit and an 8–3, Game 7 win over the favoured London Knights in Round 2, the Rangers were bounced from

363-522: A 3–3 tie in the third period to propel the Blueshirts to a 4–3 win. The Rangers were successful promoting the team in the community, drawing high attendance despite a poor first season in the standings which finished with a record of 9-41-6 (W-L-T). The Rangers struggled during their first three seasons in the OHA , finishing under .500 in the following two campaigns (6th in 1964–65, 7th in 1965–66). Despite

484-499: A 5–3 win over Laval. Similar to 1984, both Ontario-based team were undefeated after two games and faced each other in the last game of the round-robin. The game was played in front of 11,134 fans, lasting 4 hours 15 minutes into double overtime, with Oshawa winning 5–4. Kitchener then played Laval in the semi-finals, claiming a 5–4 victory. The Rangers played the Generals in the tournament final with 17,383 fans in attendance. Much like

605-466: A 9–2 win over Portland in game two. Brian Bellows scored 11 seconds into the game against Portland, setting a Memorial Cup record. In their third game, the Rangers shut out the Castors 4–0. The game was very physical, and included a bench-clearing brawl in the second period. Kitchener seemed to be a bit worn out the next night, losing 4–2 to Portland. The Rangers and the Castors made it to the finals on

726-485: A better goals for and against total, after all three teams won and lost two games each in the round-robin. The final game drew 4,091 spectators who saw Bellows score a hat trick and add two assists, propelling the Rangers to a 7–4 victory and their first Memorial Cup championship. In 1982–83, the Rangers finished with a 45-23-2 record and a second-place finish in the Emms Division. After a first round bye they faced

847-521: A club record. The Rangers' record during the 1979–80 season dropped to 17-51-0, but Paul Coffey , a young acquired defenceman from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds , collected 71 points in 52 regular season games before being drafted sixth overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft . The Rangers were looking to rebound from a 17-51-0 season in 1979–80, but the first half of

968-648: A first-round bye during the playoffs that year, and claimed a 7–3 win over the Sarnia Sting in Game 7 of Round 2. They fell behind, 3–1, in their third round series vs. the Oshawa Generals before winning Game 5, 5–4. But after games in three straight days and five games in their last six, the two teams had a three-day break before resuming their series. After the break, the Raiders lost 6–1 in Game 6, dropping

1089-577: A full-time coach, doctor, nutritionist, and athletic trainers . Ladds felt that junior hockey in Ontario needed to be more attractive to players, who were departing the OHA for leagues elsewhere in Canada. The OHA was governed by elected presidents from 1890 to 1980. From 1980 onward, a board of directors was elected, with a full-time employee to execute duties as the president. List of elected presidents of

1210-426: A larger arena in an established part of the city would be more profitable than 50 per cent of a smaller arena under construction in a newer part of the city. Hewitt promised to negotiate a better deal, in exchange for the contract with Arena Gardens to be renewed on a year-by-year basis. The OHA signed multiple five-year contracts with Maple Leaf Gardens , in which all Toronto-based teams in the OHA played home games at

1331-600: A linesman and cut his eyelid. Brantford's suspension was related to a violent playoff brawl against the St. Catharines Falcons . In 1987, the Port Elgin Bears withdrew from a Western Ontario Junior C Hockey League playoffs series due to perceived on-ice violence by the Hanover Barons . The OHA investigated the incident, which received national publicity when Port Elgin's coach was supported by Otto Jelinek ,

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1452-533: A pair of hockey celebrities, usually Don Cherry and Bobby Orr . The event has been held annually since 1992. From 1992 to 1995 the event was known as the CHL All-Star Challenge and usually pitted one of the CHL's leagues against the other two. The CHL Canada/Russia Series is an annual junior ice hockey exhibition tournament held between a select team of Russian players and all-star teams representing

1573-482: A rematch of the 1982 OHL Finals , but this time the 67's won the series, 3–0, with two ties. Kitchener represented the host team in the tournament, while the 67's - including right winger Don McLaren (53 goals, 113 points in 70 games), left winger Gary Roberts (27 goals, 57 points in 48 games) and goaltender Darren Pang - represented the Ontario Hockey League as champions. The Western Hockey League

1694-590: A second-round bye. They defeated the Niagara Falls Thunder in the third round, 4–1, setting up a final vs. an Oshawa Generals team which featured Eric Lindros (17 goals, 36 points in 25 games). The Rangers took a 3–1 series lead before the Generals won three straight games en route to the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions. The 1990 Memorial Cup was played at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario . The Dukes of Hamilton were slated to host

1815-617: A semi-final meeting between the two teams two nights later in which the Rangers won, 9–0. During the Kitchener-Spokane final, though, the Chiefs skated to a 4–1 win and a Memorial Cup championship on the Rangers home ice at The Aud. During the trophy presentation, the Chiefs endured an infamous gaffe which saw the Memorial Cup come apart and break while the team was passing it among themselves during their celebration. Following

1936-563: A total of $ 6,000. The team was forced out of Tilbury by the end of the 1993–94 season, relocating to Walpole Island and folding in 1999. The team was a part of an investigation and subject matter of an episode of The Fifth Estate . In 1997, parents of players on the Kingsville Comets spoke out against hazing and campaigned for its end. The OHA stated it must educate its teams and players annually on acceptable practices to prevent incidents and change future behaviour. Each team

2057-512: Is also comprised entirely and only of Kitchener Rangers season ticket subscribers. They are one of the most successful Canadian Hockey League teams in terms of alumni with over 180 players and coaches going on to serve in the NHL including Gabriel Landeskog , Jeff Skinner , Radek Faksa , John Gibson , Nazem Kadri , Mike Richards , David Clarkson , Steve Mason , Derek Roy and Peter DeBoer . Five of their alumni have gone on to be inducted into

2178-690: Is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canada -based major junior ice hockey leagues. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League , and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). For the 2023–24 season, its three leagues and 60 teams represent nine Canadian provinces (51 teams) as well as four American states (nine teams). The CHL schedule culminates in

2299-546: Is conducted online, during the last week of June, or first week of July. Teams from the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, systematically take turns making selections in reverse order of the team's standings in the CHL from the previous season. Teams can have a maximum of two imports, which may only be obtained through the draft. The Canadian Hockey League awards sixteen annual trophies for accomplishments during

2420-591: Is held by the London Knights and Plymouth Whalers for the December 29, 2013 outdoor game at Comerica Park in Detroit , Michigan . A total of 26,384 spectators took in the game. Listed below are the top CHL teams by average attendance for the 2022–23 regular season. Teams with an average attendance over 5,000 are shown. Ontario Hockey Association The Ontario Hockey Association ( OHA )

2541-465: Is the championship of Junior Canadian hockey. Each year it features the champions from the ( WHL , OHL , QMJHL ) and the host CHL team. The host team changes from year to year, and is selected by a bidding process prior to the start of each season. The annual event is one of the biggest sporting events in North America, attracting thousands of spectators and generating increasing revenue for both

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2662-705: Is the governing body for the majority of junior and senior level ice hockey teams in the province of Ontario . Founded in 1890, the OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association . Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the OHF include the Hockey Eastern Ontario and Hockey Northwestern Ontario . The OHA controls three tiers of junior hockey;

2783-749: The 2020 Memorial Cup , due to the COVID-19 pandemic in North America . The QMJHL and WHL played a 2020–21 season with limitations; the WHL played a shortened season consisting exclusively of regional play and no playoffs, with " bubbles " used for all B.C. and East Division games. The QMJHL was the only CHL league to play a full season with playoffs, albeit with disruptions and the use of bubbles due to public health orders in Quebec and travel restrictions in Atlantic Canada. Due to public health orders in Ontario,

2904-564: The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , the Canadian Hockey League cancelled the event in 2022. The current president of the CHL is Dan MacKenzie . The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is the governing body for Major Junior hockey (formerly known as Tier One Junior A), the top level of amateur hockey in Canada. The CHL currently oversees the Western Hockey League (WHL), the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and

3025-733: The Allan Cup . During the summer in 1989, the Metro Toronto Hockey League (MTHL) and the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA), broke away from the OHA and formed the Central Canada Hockey Association, due to disagreement with an OHA restructuring proposal which would have limited their voting powers. The dispute ended when the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF) was established, with equal representation for

3146-532: The Cornwall Royals which featured the likes of centre Dale Hawerchuk (81 goals, 183 points in 72 games), left winger Marc Crawford (42 goals, 99 points in 63 games) and centre Doug Gilmour (35 points in 51 games). Kitchener lost its first two games; 6–3 to Cornwall and 7–4 to Victoria. The Rangers then posted consecutive victories; 6–4 over the Royals in which Bellows scored a hat trick , and 4-2 vs.

3267-649: The Court of Appeal for Ontario overturned the decision which was then upheled by the Supreme Court of Canada . The OHA's position had been that girls could not play on a boys' team when equal opportunity existed to play on a girls' team in her geographic area. The OHA Senior A Hockey League ceased operations after the 1986–87 season, when it was reduced to three teams and the OHA was unable to find new teams. The league had become cost-prohibitive, and needed to cut costs and restructure senior ice hockey to compete for

3388-530: The Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League or Western Ontario Athletic Association (at the Senior level), which are run outside of Hockey Canada's jurisdiction and are not affiliated. Hockey Eastern Ontario represents the part of Ontario East of and including Lanark County , Renfrew County , and Leeds County , but not including the town of Gananoque . Hockey Northwestern Ontario has control of

3509-714: The Hockey Hall of Fame : Scott Stevens , Bill Barber , Paul Coffey , Larry Robinson and Al MacInnis . The Kitchener Rangers franchise was inaugurated ahead of the 1947–48 Ontario Hockey Association season as the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters . Based in nearby Guelph , Ontario , the Biltmore Mad Hatters were a farm team for the National Hockey League 's New York Rangers . The team enjoyed considerable success in

3630-626: The Memorial Cup tournament, which sees each of the three league playoff champions, as well as a host team, play a round-robin tournament to determine a national champion. The CHL also hosts the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game , for the top draft eligible players in the league, as well as the CHL Canada/Russia Series , a six-game all-star exhibition series against a team of Russian juniors . In response to

3751-540: The NHL , CHL players were historically considered to be professionals by the NCAA , and thus ineligible to play college hockey in the United States. However, the NCAA changed its position and decided that CHL players were no longer ineligible as of the 2025–26 season. The decision was made after a class action was filed on behalf of a player who was declared ineligible after having played two exhibition games in

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3872-598: The North Bay Centennials in Round 2 and won the series, 4–1. They would meet the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds for the third consecutive year in the playoffs but this time the Hounds won the series, 4–2 with one tie, eliminating the Blueshirts from post-season play. Even before the season began the Rangers knew they would be returning to the Memorial Cup for the third time in four seasons, as they were awarded

3993-501: The OHL when he was 16 years old. The CHL also seeks to raise the profile of the junior game by hosting annual events such as the Memorial Cup, the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game and the CHL Canada/Russia Series . The organization also provides many scholarships and bursaries for its players who exemplify extraordinary efforts and community involvement. These programs are supported by the many corporate sponsors. On May 9, 1975, officials from

4114-635: The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), with the OHL and WHL having teams in both Canada and the United States. Each league plays individual regular season schedules, and playoffs. The annual CHL championship is determined by the Memorial Cup tournament held in May. The CHL is generally considered the world's top junior hockey league for developing professional players and is a key supplier of new players and officials for

4235-569: The Sarnia Sting , 4–0, but were halted by the Plymouth Whalers , 4–1, in Round 2. In May 2007, it was announced that the Rangers would host the 2008 Memorial Cup , giving the team an automatic entry into the tournament. The 2007-08 team finished with a regular season record of 53-11-1-3, which remains a franchise best in wins and points to this day. They were crowned the winners of the Hamilton Spectator Trophy as

4356-453: The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds , but again skated to victory, this time with a 4–1 series win. The Ontario Hockey League final pitted the Rangers against the eastern conference champion Belleville Bulls . A 3-0 Rangers series lead evaporated into a 3–3 tie, but the Rangers earned their fourth Ontario Hockey League championship with a 4–1 win over the Bulls in the finale. The 2008 Memorial Cup

4477-575: The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds , this time in Round 3, and again earned a series win this time in five games (4-1). The Rangers faced off against the Ottawa 67's , coached by Brian Kilrea , in the league final and claimed their second straight J. Ross Robertson Cup with a 4–0 series victory, including one tie. The 1982 Memorial Cup was played at Robert Guertin Arena in Hull, Quebec . Kitchener represented

4598-518: The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds , who the Rangers beat in four straight games. The Greyhounds managed just three goals in the series, being shut out twice by goaltender Scott Dickie in Games 1 and 2. The Rangers faced the Guelph Storm in Round 2, dropping their Highway 7 rivals in five games. Round 3 saw them face the Plymouth Whalers . After skating to a 2–2 series tie through the first four games,

4719-561: The Toronto Marlboros in the semi-finals. In 1967–68, the Rangers were first again in the OHA and went on to win their second consecutive Hamilton Spectator Trophy. They played in the Finals again, but this time losing a close series 4 games to 3 with a tie, to the eventual Memorial Cup champion Niagara Falls Flyers . In 1968–69, Jim Malleck succeeded Eugene George as the team's president. In November 1968, Kitchener native Dave Weber

4840-624: The Western Hockey League champion Kelowna Rockets . The Hull Olympiques - featuring forwards Max Talbot and Jean-Michel Daoust - were the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champions while the host Quebec Remparts were led by forwards David Masse and Josh Hennessy . Kitchener went through the round-robin undefeated, beating the Remparts 4–3 in their opener, the Olympiques, 4–1 in their second game, and

4961-443: The Western Hockey League champion Spokane Chiefs . The Gatineau Olympiques - featuring forwards Claude Giroux , Matthew Pistilli and Paul Byron - were the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champions. Kitchener won its first game of the tournament, 6–5 in overtime, vs. Gatineau, before dropping a 2-1 decision to Spokane in the second game of the round robin. Their third game was a 4–3 overtime loss to Belleville, which set up

Kitchener Rangers - Misplaced Pages Continue

5082-547: The "Tier 2 Junior "A", Junior "B" , Junior "C", and one senior hockey league, Allan Cup Hockey . In 1980, the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League vacated what was known as Tier I Junior "A" hockey. The league is now known as the Ontario Hockey League . Although it is not a charter member of the OHA, the OHL is affiliated with the OHA and Ontario Hockey Federation . The OHA was founded in 1890 to govern amateur ice hockey play in Ontario. This

5203-402: The 'intermediate'-level play bracket. In 1919, the Memorial Cup was introduced, first called the 'OHA Memorial Cup', and was first won by University of Toronto Schools (UTS). It became the national championship trophy for junior-level play. In 1897, the intermediate level was introduced. This was to organize teams of a lower standard than the seniors. The first champions were Berlin, defeating

5324-483: The 1950s, winning three league championships and a Memorial Cup . However, by 1960, the team was struggling financially and was sold to new ownership. The new owners re-branded the team as the Guelph Royals to match Guelph's nickname, the "Royal City". Despite these efforts to reignite the fading brand, the team's financial struggles persisted. At the end of the 1962–63 season, Kitchener entrepreneur Eugene George

5445-538: The 1980-81 campaign left them in last place at Christmas. But a strong second half - culminating with eight wins in nine games to finish the season - propelled the Rangers to a first-place finish and an Emms Division title. They would see a 35-point improvement from the previous season, finishing with a mark of 34-33-1. Coached by Orval Tessier , the Rangers were led offensively by 49 goals and 116 points from right winger Brian Bellows , along with 54 goals and 108 points from left winger Jeff Larmer . Centreman Grant Martin

5566-553: The Association came to a disagreement over the venue of the finals, and Ottawa left the league. This was a schism that would lead to the forming of the Ottawa District Hockey Association, governing most of eastern Ontario ice hockey play. In 1892, the junior-level was introduced for play at a lower level. It was not age-limited to young men under the age of 20 until 1896, when the OHA introduced

5687-469: The CHL teams and the host city. The CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is an annual event sponsored by Home Hardware and hosted by the CHL in which 40 of the top NHL Entry Draft eligible prospects in the Canadian Hockey League play against each other much like an all-star game. Each draft prospect hopes to boost their draft ranking with the NHL scouts and general managers who attend. The players are typically coached by

5808-649: The Canadian Minister of State for Fitness and Amateur Sport. Port Elgin team officials were given one-year suspensions when the OHA found no evidence to justify abandoning the series. When 13 people from the Tilbury Hawks were charged with sex-related crimes in 1994, the OHA sought to eliminate hazing from and suspended the team's officials for one year. Team trainer Paul Everaert and captain Ed Fiala pleaded guilty to their charges and were fined

5929-595: The Cougars. The Rangers went on to face Cornwall in the tournament final but dropped a 5-2 decision to the Royals, who would win their second consecutive Memorial Cup. Joe Crozier took over the coaching duties after the 1980–81 season after coach/general manager Orval Tessier left the team to become head coach of the American Hockey League 's New Brunswick Hawks , who he would lead to a Calder Cup championship. Kitchener picked up where it left off from

6050-594: The Emms with a 41-19-6 record in 1988–89. Goaltender Gus Morschauser was named the OHL Goaltender of the Year , but the Rangers were upset in the first round of the playoffs by the North Bay Centennials . In 1989–90, the Rangers finished second overall in the Emms Division (38-21-7) but used their experience to prevail through the playoffs. Kitchener earned a 4–1 series win over the North Bay Centennials before earning

6171-498: The Frontenacs 3–0. From 1893 to 1908, teams from the OHA could and did challenge for the Stanley Cup , including: As senior-level play became professional, Stanley Cup challenges by the amateur clubs ceased, having been banned from play against professionals. After the introduction of the Allan Cup in 1908, clubs from the OHA would compete for that instead. The Ontario Professional Hockey League started to play in 1908 for senior-level men's pro hockey teams in Ontario. Champions of

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6292-404: The Memorial Cup run of 2007–08, head coach Peter DeBoer was hired as head coach of the NHL 's Florida Panthers and assistant Steve Spott was named the new head coach of the club. After seven straight winning seasons, the team took a step back in the 2008-09 campaign after losing many graduating players from their championship squad. They finished under .500 and fifth in the Midwest Division with

6413-419: The Memorial Cup). CBC Sports will also carry coverage of selected games beginning in the 2021–22 season, including a package of early-season games, and a game of the week package on TSN, RDS, and CBC Gem . Exceptional player status allows skilled, underage hockey players to enter the major junior circuit early. Hockey Canada determines if an underage player is eligible for "exceptional status". The clause

6534-509: The National Hockey League and the World Hockey Association to work together on a common drafting program to eliminate bidding wars. The CMJHL sought to represent players directly instead of agents, and proposed an escalating development fee schedule if professional teams wanted to sign a player while he was still eligible for junior hockey. The league also proposed to allow some players under professional contracts to continue playing in junior hockey. Ontario's commissioner Tubby Schmalz defended

6655-479: The OHA appointed Vern Stenlund as its first "master mentor coach", to improve the quality of coaching and the player experience in junior hockey. In 2007, the three Southwestern Ontario leagues opted to merge to form a 27-team superleague, the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League in hopes of eventually being promoted to Junior A and to attempt to prevent player poaching from the 37-team Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League . OHA president Brent Ladds led

6776-425: The OHA as Junior A Leagues. The three remaining leagues, the Mid-Western Junior Hockey League , Western Ontario Hockey League , and Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League , who had been more dominant than their Toronto-area sister leagues in the Sutherland Cup department, were left to their own devices. The Metro Junior A Hockey League (MetJHL) operated independent from the OHA as of the 1995–96 season, when it

6897-508: The OHA had transitioned into being "a more nimble and responsive organization" than when he began; and was proud of his work to advance player safety and reduce on-ice injuries, which included increased penalties for rough play and certification programs for coaches and referees. Empowered by Hockey Canada , the OHA governs all Ontario senior and junior hockey not administered by Hockey Northwestern Ontario , Hockey Eastern Ontario , or Northern Ontario Hockey Association . This does not include

7018-441: The OHA hired George Panter as an assistant secretary, then later made Panter its business manager to oversee day-to-day operations. Hewitt retained his office at Maple Leaf Gardens where he kept the OHA's records, despite that a new office was opened across the road. Bill Hanley became the business manager in 1951, and Hewitt's role gradually decreased. The OHA established a permanent referee-in-chief position in 1952, and lessened

7139-426: The OHA in July 1982. The OHA and OHL disagreed on financial terms of affiliation, then the OHL decided to handle its own administration. The OHA and the OHL later reached an interim affiliation agreement, which allowed the OHL to compete at the Memorial Cup . In 1993, the Metro Junior B Hockey League and Central Junior B Hockey League , the OHA's two Toronto -area Junior B leagues, were officially recognized by

7260-523: The OHA on April 28, 1980, after a restructuring from an elected president into an elected chairman and an appointed president. He was to focus on the increasing business demands on the OHA, fundraising and publicity, and be a technical co-ordinator. He became the first paid full-time president of the OHA. He retired as OHA president in June 2012. He stated that when he began working for the OHA, he dealt with "three or four bench-clearing brawls [each] weekend", but that culture had changed over time. He felt that

7381-496: The OHA, Northern Ontario Hockey Association , MTHL, and OMHA. The OHF was given the mandate to oversee hockey in Ontario, and be a review panel for three years to propose further restructuring if necessary. The OHA established bursaries as of the 1995–96 season, to counter the loss of players to scholarships in the United States. The OHA awarded the bursaries to students chosen to attend the University of Windsor , University of Waterloo , and Wilfrid Laurier University . In 1986,

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7502-421: The OHA: W. A. Hewitt was named secretary of the OHA on December 8, 1903, to succeed William Ashbury Buchanan . As the secretary, Hewitt was the de facto referee-in-chief of the OHA. He spoke annually at referee meetings to review interpretations of new and existing rules of play, and sought consistency and more strict enforcement of the rules when dealing with dissent and physical play. In January 1948,

7623-605: The OHL indefinitely delayed, and later cancelled the 2020–21 season. The Memorial Cup was cancelled and not awarded for the second consecutive season. On July 21, 2021, the CHL announced a new national media rights deal with Bell Media and the CBC (replacing a long-standing relationship with Sportsnet ), under which TSN (English) and RDS (French) will serve as the CHL's national media partners. TSN will carry 30 regular season games per-season, RDS will carry 20 regular season games per-season, and both will carry coverage of selected playoff games and CHL national events (including

7744-411: The OPHL would continue to challenge for the Stanley Cup. The senior-level men's league of the OHA is today composed of the six teams of Allan Cup Hockey . In 1924, the OHA voted to keep its ban on professional coaches in amateur hockey. When Queen's University at Kingston hired a full-time athletic director , OHA secretary W. A. Hewitt felt that the OHA should allow the director's involvement with

7865-420: The Ontario Hockey Association, concerned with growing violence in hockey, suspended the Streetsville Derbys and the Brantford Classics from playing in the 1986–87 season. The suspension of the Derbys had to do with a stick-swinging incident in the final game of the league quarter-final against the Nobleton Devils . A Nobleton player was struck in the back of the head with a two-hand slash, which also struck

7986-494: The Ontario Hockey League, while left winger Gerard Gallant (34 goals, 92 points in 58 regular season games) and centre John Chabot (34 goals, 143 points in 62 games) were members of the QMJHL's Sherbrooke Castors . Centre Ken Yaremchuk (58 goals, 157 points in 72 games) and right winger Brian Shaw (56 goals, 132 points in 69 games) were members of the Western Hockey League champion Portland Winter Hawks . Kitchener lost 10-4 to Sherbrooke in their opener before rebounding with

8107-411: The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The event is organized by the Canadian Hockey League and consists of six games total each year, with the Russian Selects playing two games versus each league's all-star team. All games are broadcast nationally in Canada on Sportsnet. The series often features players from the Canadian national junior team, and

8228-429: The Rangers and the visiting St. Catharines Black Hawks on Tuesday, October 15, 1963 which dressed the likes of league All-Stars Dennis Hull and Doug Jarrett . The first goal in team history was scored by John Beechey, assisted by Gary Sabourin and Tommy Miller, at 11:36 of the first period. The team's first captain, Alexander 'Sandy' Fitzpatrick , would score the first game-winning goal in team history, breaking open

8349-434: The Rangers finished first in the OHA for their third Hamilton Spectator Trophy in eight years in large part due to the goalkeeping of Don Edwards , who had the league's lowest goals against average. The team lost to the Peterborough Petes in the second round of the playoffs. In the 1974–75 season, the club finished last in the league and 20 points out of a playoff spot with a record of 17-47-6. Despite their last-place finish,

8470-464: The Rangers would host the Memorial Cup that season as no host team was in place. For the following season in 1975–76, there were changes at president, general manager and coach. The team improved by 17 points, rising to a fourth-place finish in the standings. In 1976–77, Foster would set the Rangers franchise record for points in a single season (143), a mark that still stands today. His total 382 points in 262 regular season games over 1973-77 also remains

8591-482: The Rockets, 4–2. In the championship final, the Rangers jumped out to a 1–0 lead on a goal by Andre Benoit just 1:45 into the game, and were up 2-0 after a Gregory Campbell power play goal at 3:32. Evan McGrath 's first of two second period goals made it 3-0 Kitchener, as the Rangers and Olympiques each tallied three goals a piece in the middle frame. With the Rangers holding a 5–3 lead through 40 minutes of play, David Clarkson added another with 2:38 to play to secure

8712-454: The Russian national junior team. In response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , the Canadian Hockey League cancelled the event in 2022. The CHL Import Draft is an annual event in which every team in the Canadian Hockey League may select the rights to eligible import players. An import is classified as a player whose parents are not residents of Canada or the United States. The draft

8833-778: The Western Canada Hockey League, the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, announced a constitution to establish the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League (CMJHL) composed of the three leagues under one umbrella. The new organization wanted standard contracts for all players, consistent dollar amounts for development fees paid by professional leagues to sign junior players, and for

8954-578: The Whalers claimed a 2–1 overtime win at The Aud to take a 3–2 lead. The Rangers earned a 7–4 win in Game 6 to stay alive, then skated to a berth in the OHL Final with a 3–1 win in Game 7. In the league championship they would take on the eastern conference champion Ottawa 67's . The 67's picked up a 3–2 overtime win in Game 1, but from thereon out it was all Kitchener as the Rangers won the next four games to be crowned J. Ross Robertson Cup champions for

9075-541: The [professional] coach, not exterminate him". His constitutional amendment was subsequently approved in the late-1920s. When the OHA contract with Arena Gardens was up for renewal in the late-1920s, some executives preferred the Ravina Gardens where teams could get 50 per cent of the gate receipts, compared to only 35 per cent of the gate receipts at the Arena Gardens. Hewitt argued that 35 per cent of

9196-835: The arena, except for the University of Toronto teams. The trophy emblematic of Canadian Intermediate Hockey supremacy was the Hardy Cup . Only three teams from Ontario ever won the Hardy Cup (that ran from 1968 to 1990), two from the OHA: Georgetown Raiders in 1982 and Dundas Real McCoys in 1986. The third Ontario team was the Embrun Panthers of the Ottawa District Hockey Association . The intermediate classification

9317-579: The beginning, the OHA had one league of senior men's hockey teams. This group included teams from Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, and London. In the first years, the schedule consisted of this group playing a series of elimination playoffs leading to a single-game final playoff. For the first three years the Ottawa Hockey Club was the champions, winners of the Cosby Cup . In 1894, the Ottawa team and

9438-425: The club's second Memorial Cup title, defeating Hull, 6–3. The following season the Rangers finished with a modest record of 34-26-6-2 as they competed with division rivals, the London Knights and Guelph Storm , who each finished the campaign with more than 100 points. Their first round playoff match-up was against the Plymouth Whalers , but besides eking out a 5–4 win in Game 3, the Rangers were handily defeated in

9559-413: The decade, posting only two winning seasons (a 31-24-8 record in 1971–72, and 43-18-9 in 1973–74). Barber posted his first of two straight 100+ point seasons in 1970–71, scoring 46 goals and 105 points in 61 regular season games. He was one of two players to hit the 100-point milestone ( Tom Cassidy , 104 points) that year, but the Rangers were unable to get out of the first round of the playoffs. In 1973–74,

9680-472: The exception of the 3–3 tie in Game 4. Next up was a meeting with the Windsor Spitfires in Round 3, which the Rangers won 4–0 with one tie. Again the Blueshirts offense proved formidable, scoring no fewer than four goals in each contest and twice scoring seven. This set the stage for an OHL Final vs. the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds . The Hounds were favoured to win the league title, having averaged

9801-423: The first game between the two teams, the championship went into double overtime with the Generals emerging as victors, 4–3. Following the 1990 Memorial Cup run, the remainder of the decade was lackluster for Kitchener. The team managed three winning seasons (32-30-4 in 1992–93, and 35-28-3 in 1995–96) with their best season coming in 1996–97 with a Central Division title and a record of 34-22-10. The Rangers earned

9922-587: The first two games, the Knights won the next three and eliminated the Rangers in five games. Despite registering a franchise-best 47 wins the following year in 2005-06 (47–19–1–1) (W–L–OTL–SOL), the Blueshirts and their 96-point campaign was second-best to the London Knights (49 wins, 102 points) in the Midwest Division standings. But after such a successful regular season, in the first round of

10043-518: The game 9–7. Ottawa had also won its first two games. The Rangers faced the 67's in the final game of round-robin play, posting a 7–2 victory to earn a berth in the finals. Ottawa won their semi-final, 7–2, for the right to play Kitchener for the championship where they would also hand the Rangers a 7–2 defeat to win the Memorial Cup. Following the 1984 Memorial Cup , the Rangers would finish sixth (1984–85), third (1985–86), fourth (1986–87) and sixth (1987–88) in their division before reclaiming top spot in

10164-458: The highest goals per game average in the league and finishing 27 points ahead of Kitchener in the regular season standings. The Rangers, however, held the Greyhounds to 16 goals in the series six games and were undefeated in the league final. They skated to a 3–0 series win with three ties to earn their first J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions in franchise history. The 1981 Memorial Cup

10285-403: The hockey team despite him being a paid professional. Hewitt proposed an amendment to the constitution which would allow the executive to scrutinize any coach and decide on the registration. The amendment was rejected by delegates who remained against any professionals in the OHA. Two years later, Hewitt brought up the issue again and argued that, "the original intention of this rule was to control

10406-451: The likes of Mike Richards , Derek Roy , Gregory Campbell and David Clarkson , began the season three losses and a tie in their first four games. After reaching mid-October with a record of 3-3-2-1 the team's record improved, winning eight in a row (11-3-2-1). During November and December they lost just five games, and sported a 26-8-3-1 record as the calendar year changed to 2003. It wasn't until January 12 when they lost their tenth game of

10527-496: The many North American professional hockey leagues, such as the National Hockey League , American Hockey League , and the ECHL . If a CHL player does not sign a professional contract, many also opt to play for U Sports (formerly Canadian Interuniversity Sport - CIS) and go to school due to CHL sponsored scholarship programs. Due to the use of paying player stipends and allowing junior players that have signed entry-level contracts with

10648-472: The playoffs in the third round by the Windsor Spitfires in Game 7 after holding a 3–0 series lead. The Spitfires would go on to win their first of back-to-back Memorial Cups. On October 30, 2009, 16-year-old rookie defenceman Ben Fanelli was hit from behind by 20-year-old overage forward Michael Liambis of the Erie Otters at a high speed behind the Rangers' net. The hit, which came at the 7:52 mark of

10769-478: The playoffs the Owen Sound Attack (who finished 25 points behind Kitchener in the regular season), dropped the Rangers in five games in the opening round. The 2006–07 saw the team once again turning out another 47-win campaign (47–17–1–3, 98 points), but they again finished second in the Midwest Division to the London Knights (50–14–1–3, 104 points). The Rangers barreled out of the first round, sweeping

10890-451: The previous season, finding success while being led by top players Larry Carroll , Brian Bellows and Jeff Larmer , as well as added future NHL players Scott Stevens and Mike Hough . The Rangers won the Emms Division for the second year in a row with a much improved record (44-21-3). Kitchener earned a first round bye in the playoffs, then skated to a 4–0 series win over the Windsor Spitfires in Round 2. They once again clashed with

11011-416: The regular and at the Memorial Cup to top individuals and teams among its three member leagues. The Memorial Cup is the top award for the championship team at the end-of-season Memorial Cup tournament. A set of five individual awards are given for performance at the tournament. In the regular season, Canadian Hockey League also presents ten annual awards. The nominees for each individual award are determined by

11132-434: The right to host the event in 1984. Tom Barrett took over coaching duties prior to the campaign, which saw Kitchener post the best record in the OHL (52-16-2) with 106 points. The Rangers were led offensively by right winger Wayne Presley (63 goals, 139 points in 70 regular season games) and centre John Tucker (40 goals, 100 points in 39 games). Tucker would go on to be named the OHL's Most Outstanding Player , while Presley

11253-412: The season, and they rebounded with their 30th win of the campaign the following game on January 17. They only lost back-to-back games once from January on; the final two games of the regular season. The Rangers finished the campaign with a record of 46-14-5-3 (W-L-T-OTL), winning the Midwest Division; those 46 wins setting a new franchise best. Their division title set up a first-round playoff matchup with

11374-454: The second period, occurred with such force that it caused Fanelli's helmet to fly off before his head struck a glass partition at the Zamboni entrance. He would suffer a fractured skull and orbital bone and was immediately airlifted to Hamilton General Hospital where he was placed in intensive care. Fanelli was released from Hamilton General Hospital a week later on November 6, 2009. Liambas

11495-479: The series, 4–1. In 2004–05, the Rangers once again finished the regular season third in the Midwest Division (35-20-9-4), but their run in the playoffs was much longer than the prior year's. After defeating the Erie Otters in six games, Kitchener went on to sweep the Owen Sound Attack in Round 2. Their third round match-up was vs. the London Knights , but after skating through a 1–1 series tie after

11616-406: The series, 4–2. The final two campaigns of the decade would see the team finish beneath .500, where they would remain until the early 2000s. After missing the playoffs for the second time in three years (1998–99 and 2000–01), the team fired general manager Jamie McDonald, who earlier released Jess Snyder of his duties as head coach. Prior to the start of the 2001–02 season, Peter DeBoer was named

11737-479: The seventh-place finish in 1965–66, the team finished the year strong and won the first two rounds of playoffs to make it to the OHA Finals, eventually falling 4–1 in a best-of-seven series to the Oshawa Generals and a young Bobby Orr . Kitchener finished in first place the next season (1966–67, 38-10-6), earning their first Hamilton Spectator Trophy in franchise history as regular season champions, but fell to

11858-442: The study "Tomorrow's Game" to help teams manage their finances and volunteers, which began in 2006 as a survey of teams and leagues to assess priorities and gather recommendations. The study also proposed restructuring junior hockey as of the 2010–11 season, which would have reclassified teams from A to D levels, into a premier league and two developmental leagues. Teams in the proposed premier league would have been required to employ

11979-659: The team from the New York Rangers for a sum of one dollar, but declined the opportunity for private ownership. He instead turned the team over to the community through the creation of a not-for-profit organization. The Kitchener Rangers Charter declared "no person shall be a member of the Corporation unless he is a season ticket subscriber for the current season of the home hockey games of the club, and all persons who are season ticket subscribers are automatically entitled to membership." For their debut season in 1963–64

12100-748: The team moved into the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium , which had previously been home to the Kitchener Greenshirts and the Kitchener Canucks . On Tuesday, October 1, 1963, the Rangers' first coach, Steve Brklacich, welcomed a 54-player roster of training camp hopefuls just two weeks prior to the home opener. The first exhibition game took place on Sunday, October 6, 1963 against the Peterborough Petes . The team's first regular season game featured

12221-541: The team with the most points (110) in the OHL through the regular season. In the opening round of the playoffs the Rangers downed the Plymouth Whalers in four straight games, outscoring their opponents, 29–13. In Round 2 it was another sweep for the Blueshirts, this time against the Sarnia Sting. The Rangers surrendered just six goals in those four games, outscoring Sarnia, 18–4. In the third round they met

12342-479: The team's new head coach. He would lead them to a 35-22-10-1 record and a third-place finish in the Midwest Division , culminating in a first round playoff matchup with division rival, the Guelph Storm . The Storm would sweep the season series, 4–0. In 2002-03 the Rangers brought in Steve Spott, a former assistant to Peter DeBoer in their days with the Plymouth Whalers , into the fold. The team, which featured

12463-539: The third time in their history. Of the five-game series, three games went to overtime including the series clinching game which was decided in double OT. Derek Roy was named the MVP of the playoffs . The 2003 Memorial Cup was played at Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City , Quebec . Kitchener represented the champions of the Ontario Hockey League, while defencemen Josh Georges , Duncan Keith and Shea Weber were members of

12584-588: The tournament, but due to af poor start to their season they finished last place in the league (11-49-6). They were removed from participation, and the Rangers, as league finalists, took their place. The other two opponents Kitchener would face in the Memorial Cup were the same opponents they faced the last time they played in the tournament; the QMJHL's Laval Titan (formerly Voisins) and the WHL's Kamloops Blazers (formerly Junior Oilers). Kitchener won their opener vs. Kamloops, 8–7 in overtime. They followed that up with

12705-400: The validity of the constitution, despite a challenge from Alan Eagleson that it violated antitrust laws in Canada and the United States. On July 30, 2019, Dan MacKenzie was announced as the new full-time president as of September 2019, taking over for David Branch . In March 2020, the CHL and its constituent leagues cancelled the remainder of the 2019–20 regular seasons, playoffs and

12826-525: The winner of the corresponding award handed out by each of the Canadian Hockey League's three member leagues. For the 2023–24 season, the league includes 60 teams located in nine Canadian provinces (51 teams) and four American states (9 teams). Currently, nine of the ten Canadian provinces have a member team. Newfoundland and Labrador is the only province without a team. Ontario Hockey League Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Western Hockey League The CHL single game attendance record

12947-422: The workload on Hewitt. Hewitt retired in May 1966, then the OHA transferred the secretary's duties to Hanley and renamed his position from business manager to secretary manager. Hanley served as secretary manager until he retired in 1973, when he was succeeded by David Branch who filled the role until 1977. Brent Ladds was appointed secretary-manager of the OHA on July 6, 1977. He was appointed president of

13068-410: The year that Les Bradley joined the team. Bradley was a mainstay on the bench as the team's trainer from 1969 to 1986, then after retiring as a trainer became an ambassador in the press room for more than 15 years. Gerry Forler became the Rangers' coach for the 1970–71 season but resigned in December, 1970 and was replaced by Ron Murphy for the remainder of the season. Kitchener struggled through most of

13189-538: Was abolished in 1983 by the OHA. The top league, Major Intermediate A Hockey League was divided between the OHA Senior A Hockey League and the various Senior B leagues. In September 1985, the Supreme Court of Ontario ruled against an appeal for a girl to play in the OHA, stating that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was not violated since the OHA was a private organization. In June 1986,

13310-665: Was appointed coach after Wally Kullman was relieved of his duties. But the Rangers posted just nine wins (9-40-5), finishing in 10th place after seeing 13 players from the previous season graduate to the professional ranks. In 1969, Walter (Punch) Scherer, a former scout for the Boston Bruins , became the team's general manager. The decade finished on a high note, however, as rookie Bill Barber dressed in his first of three junior seasons in Kitchener and tallied 37 goals and 86 points in just 54 regular season games. 1969 also marked

13431-568: Was approached by the New York Rangers about moving the team to Kitchener in hopes of building a more stable junior environment. In 1963, George and a group of Kitchener businessmen relocated the Guelph Royals to Kitchener and renamed them the Kitchener Rangers Junior "A" Hockey Club. The New York Rangers sponsorship of the team ended in 1967 with the expansion of the NHL's "Original Six’" Era, so George agreed to purchase

13552-682: Was introduced in the CHL rule book in the 2005–06 season, starting with John Tavares . As of 2024, nine players have been granted exceptional status: Tavares, Aaron Ekblad , Sean Day , Connor McDavid , Joseph Veleno , Connor Bedard , Shane Wright , Michael Misa , and Landon DuPont . The status has been granted six times to OHL prospects, twice in the WHL , and once in the QMJHL . As of 2022, seven have gone number one in their respective major junior drafts and four have been selected first overall in their respective NHL drafts. The Memorial Cup Tournament

13673-476: Was just two points shy of joining them in the century club, notching 41 goals and 98 points. Other standouts on the squad included Al MacInnis , Mike Eagles , Larry Carroll and goalie Wendell Young . Kitchener's playoffs began against the Niagara Falls Flyers , and they defeated them with a 4–2 series win, including one tie. The Rangers scored five or more goals in every game of the series, with

13794-649: Was opposed to a ruling by the CAHA which gave jurisdiction over junior hockey in the province to the OHA. Several teams departed the MetJHL to join the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (OPJHL) which was affiliated with the OHA. The MetJHL insisted on its own administration and was opposed to paying fees to the OHA. The MetJHL rejoined the OHA in 1997, then merged into the OPJHL in 1998. In 2001,

13915-671: Was played at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium in Kitchener, Ontario . Kitchener represented both the champions of the Ontario Hockey League and the host team. As league finalists, the Belleville Bulls (featuring Matt Beleskey ; 41 goals, 90 points in 62 regular season games and PK Subban ; eight goals, 46 points in 58 games) also earned a berth in the tournament as representatives of the OHL. Jared Spurgeon , Tyler Johnson , Jared Cowen and Dustin Tokarski were members of

14036-555: Was played at the Windsor Arena in Windsor, Ontario . Kitchener represented the Ontario Hockey League while centre Barry Pederson (65 goals, 147 points in 55 regular season games), right winger Rich Chernomaz (49 goals, 113 points in 72 games) and goaltender Grant Fuhr were key pieces of the Western Hockey League 's Victoria Cougars . The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League squad - and defending Memorial Cup Champions - were

14157-577: Was represented by centre Dean Evason (49 goals, 137 points in 57 games), defenceman Doug Bodger (21 goals, 98 points in 70 games) and the Kamloops Junior Oilers , while the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champion Laval Voisins featured a 17-year-old Mario Lemieux who tallied 133 goals and 282 points in 70 regular-season games that year. Kitchener defeated Laval 8–2 in game one, holding Lemieux scoreless. In game two, Kitchener had an 8–0 lead over Kamloops but narrowly held on to win

14278-534: Was required to have a youth worker serving as a prevention services co-ordinator; and handbooks were given to players annually which covered hazing, alcohol, drug use, tobacco, and sexual harassment. The OHA then requested that the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) include the education in coaching certification programs, and for it to be available to all hockey administrators. The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) split from

14399-650: Was suspended for the remainder of the season and the playoffs. After an absence of nearly two years, Fanelli returned to the Rangers and later became team captain. He was named the recipient of the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy as the OHL Humanitarian of the Year, and also named the CHL Humanitarian of the Year . Canadian Hockey League The Canadian Hockey League ( CHL ; French : Ligue canadienne de hockey ‒ LCH )

14520-705: Was the idea of Arthur Stanley, son of Lord Stanley , then Governor General of Canada . Arthur played for the Ottawa ' Rideau Hall Rebels ' and in the course of exhibition play against other teams in Ontario, convinced team officials to hold a meeting in November 1890 to discuss the idea. On November 27, 1890, at the Queen's Hotel in Toronto, delegates from hockey clubs around Ontario formed the Ontario Hockey Association. The first executive was: In

14641-407: Was the top scoring right winger. Shawn Burr (41 goals, 85 points in 68 games) was the league's Rookie of the Year . At the end of the regular season, Kitchener earned its third straight first round bye before sweeping the London Knights , 4–0, in the second round. The Rangers avenged the previous season's loss to Sault Ste. Marie by winning that series, 4–3. Kitchener then faced the Ottawa 67's in

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