The Norwich Merchants are a junior hockey team based in Norwich , Ontario , Canada. They are members of the Provincial Junior Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association .
18-795: Founded in 1968, the Merchants won the Southern Counties Junior D Hockey League championship the next season, then went on to win the OHA Cup as provincial champions by defeating the Haliburton Huskies of the Central League. In 1980, the Merchants were promoted to Junior C and joined the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League . In 1986, the Merchants were Niagara League champions. They went on to defeat
36-894: The Aylmer Spitfires , but gaining the Ayr Centennials , Burford Bulldogs , Delhi Travellers , Hagersville Hawks , Norfolk Rebels (Port Dover), Tavistock Braves , and Wellesley Applejacks . Not long after, the OHA split off the Western Division of the Niagara League to form the new Midwestern Junior C Hockey League , taking long time Niagara League members the Woodstock Navy-Vets , New Hamburg Firebirds , Norwich Merchants , and Paris Mounties with them. On hiatus: Winner moves on to
54-844: The Bradford Blues of the Mid-Ontario Junior Hockey League to win the Clarence Schmalz Cup as OHA Junior C champions. In 1987, they were again Niagara League champions. They again made it to the provincial final, but this time lost to the Lakefield Chiefs of the Central Ontario Junior C Hockey League . In November 2011, the Merchants were sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association for
72-550: The COVID-19 pandemic , leading to the team not being able to play a single game. Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against Niagara %26 District Junior C Hockey League The Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League is a former Junior "C" ice hockey league in Ontario , Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association . The Champion of
90-418: The Clarence Schmalz Cup . Niagara District Junior C Champions are bolded . In a year that there is no bolded champion, there seems to have not been an overall Niagara District Champion and both division entered teams against different opponents at the provincial level. In 1985, the Western Division was known as the "Southwestern Junior C Hockey League". Please note: Through much of the 1980s and 1990s,
108-649: The OHA Junior Development League . In 2006, in an attempt to gain promotion to Junior C, the league dropped any reference of Junior D or Development and renamed itself the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League. During the summer of 2006, the Yeck Conference applied to break off from the league and start their own Junior C league, but were turned down by the OHA. A talented and entertaining league,
126-802: The Ontario Hockey Association based out of Southwestern Ontario . Prior to the 2012-13 season, the SOJHL was promoted to the Junior C level. In the summer of 2016, the SOJHL was merged into the Provincial Junior Hockey League . Founded in the 1960s as the Shamrock Junior D Hockey League . In 1969, the League would change its name to the Western Junior D Hockey League and its champion would go on to win eleven of
144-552: The Ontario Hockey Association realigned and the Merchants ended up in the new Midwestern Junior C Hockey League . Three years later the eight Southern Ontario junior "C" hockey leagues amalgamated into one league, the Provincial Junior Hockey League . This means that they are now competing in the Pat Doherty Division of the Central Conference. The playoffs for the 2019-20 season were cancelled due to
162-775: The Central Junior C Hockey League and placing them in the new Niagara District league. The Central league is now known as the Western Ontario Junior C Hockey League . In 1984, the entire Western Division of the league broke away and formed the Southwestern Junior C Hockey League. The league only lasted one year before it was reabsorbed by the Niagara & District League. The Southwestern league comprised teams from Norwich, Woodstock, Tillsonburg, Simcoe, and New Hamburg. Local publications, like
180-775: The Niagara competed for the All-Ontario Championship and the Clarence Schmalz Cup . In the summer of 2016, the NDJCHL merged into the Provincial Junior Hockey League . The Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League was formed in 1974. Although corresponding with the founding of the Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League , the Niagara District league was actually founded by removing the Niagara-area teams from
198-614: The OHA as to the future of the league. The 2012-13 season will be played at the Junior C level and the league will be folded and divided up into other leagues in the summer of 2013. In the Spring of 2013, Junior C hockey in Ontario had its first major realignment since the creation of the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League in 1994. The 27 teams between the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League and
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#1732802094937216-609: The SOJHL has a long-standing tradition of the OHA in the Southwestern Ontario region. The SOJHL downsized extensively for the 2008-09 season, losing Mitchell, West Lorne, and Central Elgin. The league also reformatted into three divisions. The SOJHL saw the Central Elgin franchise return, this time as the Port Stanley Sailors, for the 2009-2010 season. As of 2012, the SOJHL is in talks with
234-717: The Simcoe Reformer, did not recognize the Southwestern League as anything but the Western Division of the Niagara District league. In the Spring of 2013, Junior C hockey in Ontario had its first major realignment since the creation of the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League in 1994. The 27 teams between the Niagara & District League and the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League were reshuffled. The Niagara & District League jumped from 12 to 18 teams, losing
252-603: The Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League were reshuffled. The SOJHL went from 15 to 9 teams, gaining the Aylmer Spitfires , but losing their reigning champion Ayr Centennials , the Burford Bulldogs , Delhi Travellers , Hagersville Hawks , Norfolk Rebels , Tavistock Braves , and Wellesley Applejacks . That summer the Niagara League would divide in half, forming the Midwestern Junior C Hockey League with its former Western Division. Winner moves on to
270-479: The decision to the Ontario Hockey Federation . The OHF overturned the roster freeze and import restrictions saying that it was not within the OHA's constitution to wield those powers. Both sides then appealed to Hockey Canada who sided with neither party, which left the fine and suspensions in place. After thirty-three years as members of the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League ,
288-433: The divisions of the league were semi-autonomous and would often have different numbers of games in their schedules. The winners, in that case, are chosen by winning percentage. The 2001-02 ended up with the two division leaders with exact records, therefore a tie. Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League The Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League (SOJHL) is a former Canadian Junior ice hockey league sanctioned by
306-707: The next nineteen provincial championships. In the Summer of 1985, the North Junior D Hockey League would fold, leaving the Western League and the Southern Counties Junior D Hockey League . In 1988, the SCJDHL would fold and its remaining teams joined the Western League. Bloated to nineteen teams, the league would continue on as the only Junior D league in Ontario. In 1991, the league became
324-404: The overpayment of a former player during his time with the team. Although the team claimed the money was for education purposes, the OHA fined the team $ 25,000, suspended three board members for the rest of the season and three additional seasons, their 2011-12 roster was frozen for the rest of the season, and they were barred from signing imports for three following seasons. The Merchants appealed
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