The Wingham Ironmen are a Junior ice hockey team based in Wingham , Ontario , Canada. They began play in the Northern Junior D Hockey League and eventually moved up to the Western Junior C Hockey League where they played until the 2016-17 season when the league became part of the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) as the Pollock Division.
25-799: Founded in 1973, the Ironmen started out in Northern Junior D Hockey League where they played for six seasons. After some success at the Junior D level, the Ironmen joined the Central Junior C Hockey League in 1979. In 1980, the league changed its name to the Grey-Bruce Junior C Hockey League to reflect the centralization of the league in Grey-Bruce counties region. The Ironmen won the league playoffs that year and advanced to
50-787: Is the Ontario Hockey Association 's Junior "C" ice hockey championship and championship trophy. The champions of the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) are awarded the Cup. The PJHL was formed in 2016 from the former 8 provincial leagues that previously competed in a tournament, commonly called the All-Ontario Championships, to determine the winner of the Cup. The trophy was named in honour of Clarence "Tubby" Schmalz , an administrator from Walkerton, Ontario . He served as
75-968: The Canadian Hockey League . The league is for players aged 16–20. There are currently 20 teams in the OHL: seventeen in Ontario, two in Michigan , and one in Pennsylvania . The league was founded in 1980 when its predecessor, the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League, formally split away from the Ontario Hockey Association , joining the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League and its direct affiliation with Hockey Canada . The OHL traces its history of Junior A hockey back to 1933 with
100-775: The Kincardine Bulldogs but were eliminated 4-games-to-1. The 2006-07 regular season ended with the Ironmen in second place. They again had a bye to the league semi-final. In the semi-final, the Ironmen ran into the Walkerton Hawks squad who defeated the Ironmen, 4-games-to-none. (*) The 1999-00 Season was altered drastically due to the folding of the Lakeshore Pirates. As a disproportionate number of games had been played by each team against Lakeshore, all history of these games were erased. Clarence Schmalz Cup The Clarence Schmalz Cup
125-605: The Memorial Cup , which is awarded to the junior hockey champions of Canada. The host team of the tournament is alternated between the three leagues every season. The most recent OHL team to win the Memorial Cup was the Saginaw Spirit in 2024. The Memorial Cup has been captured 18 times by OHL/OHA teams since the tournament went to a three-league format in 1972: The Cup was also won 16 times by OHA teams in
150-648: The Ontario Hockey Association president from 1969 to 1972. In 1974, the Major Junior A program began operating independently of the association as the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League ; Schmalz became the league's first commissioner, a post he held until 1978. He served as vice-chairman of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association from 1979 to 1981, and as chairman in 1981. The association renamed
175-638: The Clarence Schmalz Cup playoffs for the first time. Unfortunately, the Ironmen lost to the eventual finalist Essex 73's 4 games-to-1. After two poor seasons, the Ironmen stormed back to the top of the standings winning the league and advancing to the Schmalz Cup playoffs yet again in 1984. However, the Great Lakes Junior Hockey League's Dresden Kings overwhelmed the Ironmen in four straight games to advance to
200-604: The Ironmen came to play and defeating the Bulldogs 5-1. The decisive Game 7 ended with a 4–2 victory for Wingham. As Western league champions, the Ironmen found themselves competing for the Schmalz Cup again. In the provincial quarter-final, the Ironmen drew the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League 's Erin Shamrocks . The Ironmen defeated them 4-games-to-2. In the semi-finals, the Ironmen drew
225-461: The Junior "C" or "D" level and awaited the Super "C" playoffs. The class was disbanded by 1976 as the only teams eligible for the championship had found homes in Junior "B". Schmalz Cup Page OHA Junior C Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League ( OHL ; French : Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario ( LHO ) ) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute
250-853: The OHA Junior C Cup in his memory in 1982, then collaborated with Schmalz's family in the creation of a commemorative trophy case in the lobby of the Walkerton Community Centre. Bolded is winner of Clarence Schmalz Cup as PJHL and OHA champion. 7 6 5 4 3 2 This trophy was awarded during the 1970s to a new class of junior hockey known as Super "C". The teams that competed were deemed to be from centres too small for Junior "B" but yet too big for Junior "C". The cities that competed for it: Barrie, Woodstock, Kitchener, Owen Sound, and Brantford; struggled throughout that decade to find Junior "B" leagues that suited their needs. While waiting, these teams generally played "down" in
275-696: 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 March 2005, the league announced the launch of OHL Live Stream, resulting in OHL games being broadcast live on a pay-per-view (PPV) broadband basis. OMJHL and OHL Commissioners (years in office) Note: The 12 original OHL franchises were all previously members of
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#1732802574059300-472: The OHL decided to hold the "draft" via the internet, greatly reducing the costs the league and its member teams incurred in hosting a public draft. This move reduced the stress and pressure that prospective players faced with a large crowd present. The Jack Ferguson Award is presented annually to the first overall selection. The award was named in honour of long time OHL scout and former Director of Central Scouting Jack Ferguson. List of trophies and awards in
325-483: The OMJHL. Some other franchises played in different junior leagues prior to joining the OHL. Current teams are listed in blue. Gold stars denote J. Ross Robertson Cup (League championship) winners The 20 OHL clubs play a 68-game unbalanced schedule, which starts in the third full week of September, running until the third week of March. Ninety percent (90%) of OHL games are scheduled between Thursday and Sunday to minimize
350-671: The Stayner Siskens of the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League in a hard fought seven game series. Waiting for them in the semi-finals were the Dresden Kings but the Ironmen were ready. Wingham made quick work of Dresden emerging with a 4-games-to-1 series win. In the finals, their competition was the Niagara Junior C Hockey League 's Grimsby Peach Kings who swept the Ironmen to win
375-481: The challenging Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League 's Essex 73's . The 73's were too much for the Ironmen to handle and they swept Wingham 4-games-to-none. In 2005-06, the Ironmen finished in first place again. They received a bye to the league semi-final. In the semi-final, the Ironmen were up against the Walkerton Hawks , whom they swept 4-games-to-none. In the league final, the Ironmen mixed it up with
400-470: The first three rounds. In 1972 disagreements about the Toronto team's rights to its "Marlie" players (and Greg Neeld ) and claims to American player Mark Howe led to a revised system. In 1973 each team was permitted to protect eight midget area players (Toronto was allowed to protect 10 players from its midget sponsored teams). In 1975 the league phased out the area protections, and the 1976 OHA midget draft
425-550: The junior division was divided into two levels, Junior A and Junior B. In 1970 the Junior A level was divided into two levels, Tier I (or Major Junior A) and Tier II (or Minor Junior A). In 1974 the Tier I/Major Junior A group separated from the OHA and became the independent Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL). In 1980, the OMJHL became the Ontario Hockey League. The OHL split from
450-482: The newly created Ontario Hockey Association (OHA). In 1892 the OHA recognized junior hockey - referring to skill rather than age. In 1896 the OHA moved to the modern age-limited junior hockey concept, distinct from senior and intermediate divisions. Since then the evolution to the Ontario Hockey League has developed through four distinct eras of junior-aged non-professional hockey in Ontario. In 1933,
475-695: The number of school days missed for its players. Approximately 20% of players on active rosters in the National Hockey League (NHL) have come from the OHL, and about 54% of NHL players are alumni of the Canadian Hockey League . The J. Ross Robertson Cup is awarded annually to the winner of the Championship Series. The Cup is named for John Ross Robertson , who was president of the Ontario Hockey Association from 1901 to 1905. The OHL playoffs consist of
500-441: The partition of Junior A and B. In 1970, the OHA Junior A League was one of five Junior A leagues operating in Ontario. The OHA was promoted to Tier I Junior A for the 1970–71 season and took up the name Ontario Major Junior Hockey League . Since 1980 the league has grown rapidly into a high-profile marketable product, with many games broadcast on television and radio. Leagues for ice hockey in Ontario were first organized in 1890 by
525-448: The period between 1945 and 1971: The OHL's predecessor, the OHA, had a midget and juvenile draft dating back to the 50s, until voted out in 1962. In 1966 it was resumed, though not publicized. Starting in the 1970s the draft went through several changes. Originally the draft was for 17-year-old midgets not already associated with teams through their sponsored youth programs. In 1971 the league first allowed "underage" midgets to be picked in
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#1732802574059550-399: The provincial title. The 2004-05 season saw the Ironmen take first place in the league. In the league semi-final, the played against the fourth seeded Goderich Sailors and defeated them 4-games-to-none. In the league final, the Ironmen drew their most common foe, the Kincardine Bulldogs . In a hard-fought battle, the Ironmen found themselves down 3-games-to-2 to the Bulldogs. In Game 6,
575-558: The semi-finals. In 1988, the Ironmen had a strong season by finishing second in the regular season standings and advancing to the playoff finals, However, the Ironmen did not participate in league play the following 1989-90 season. In 2003-04, the Ironmen won the Western league title and went on to compete in the All-Ontario Clarence Schmalz Cup playoffs. In the quarter-final round, the Ironmen defeated
600-566: The top 16 teams in the league, 8 from each conference. The teams play a best-of-seven game series, and the winner of each series advances to the next round. The final two teams eventually compete for the J. Ross Robertson Cup . The OHL champion then competes with the winners of the Western Hockey League , the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League , and the host of the tournament to play for
625-628: Was the first in which all midget players were eligible. In 1999 the league changed the draft to a bantam age (15 and 16 year old). It is a selection of players who are residents of the province of Ontario, the states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York, and other designated U.S. states east of the Mississippi River plus Missouri. Prior to 2001, the OHL held the Priority Selection in a public forum, such as an arena. Drafts were attended by many players and family members. In 2001,
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