Detroit Jr. Red Wings (SOJHL)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Detroit Jr. Red Wings
City: Detroit, Michigan
League: Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League
Operated: 1958-2003
Home Arena: Olympia Stadium
Colors: Red and White
Head Coach: Tom Wilson
General Manager: Tom Wilson
Parent club(s): Detroit Red Wings
Franchise history
1958-1964: Detroit Jr. Wings
1964-1970: Detroit Olympia
1970-1975: Detroit Jr. Red Wings
1975-1983: Detroit Jr. Wings
1984-2003: Detroit Compuware Ambassadors

The Detroit Jr. Red Wings are a defunct Tier II Junior "A" ice hockey team that was based out of Detroit, Michigan. They played out of the Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League and were the feeder team for the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings.

[edit] History

The Jr. Red Wings started out in 1958 as a member of the Border Cities Junior B Hockey League. When the league folded in 1964, the team went back to the United States to play in the Michigan Junior Hockey League. During this time, 1964-1970, the team was known as the Detroit Olympia.

After the last great schism of Canadian junior hockey in 1970, the Detroit Jr. Red Wings became the first team to ever be crowned Tier II Junior "A" Central Canadian Champions, winners of the very first Dudley Hewitt Cup. The Championship allowed them entry into the 1971 Centennial Cup Playdowns. The team was led by league Most Valuable Player and Scoring Leader Mark Howe, son of hockey legend Gordie Howe.

In the 1974-75 season the Junior Wings defeated the Minnesota Junior Stars in the finals to capture the American Junior A National Championship. The Junior Wings were headed up by Tom Wilson (General Manager) who had put together a team that included such norables as Ken Morrow of New York Islander fame (4 Stanley Cup rings and an Olympic Gold Medal (1980) and Mark Wells (1980 Olympic Team).

Through the 1975-76 season, the team played out of Olympia Stadium with a facilities next to the Red Wings. They entered the newly formed North American Hockey League in 1976. In the 1976-77 season Wilson was named Coach of the Year. They played there until 1983, when they went on hiatus. They seem to have come back a year later as the Detroit Compuware Ambassadors.

[edit] Notable Alumni

[edit] Season-by-Season Results

Season GP W L T GF GA P Results Playoffs
1958-59 12 6 6 0 46 64 18* 3rd BCJBHL
1959-60 30 21 6 3 149 93 45 1st BCJBHL
1960-61 32 27 5 0 176 85 54 1st BCJBHL
1961-62 30 19 11 0 155 111 38 2nd BCJBHL
1962-63 35 23 11 1 157 116 47 2nd BCJBHL
1963-64 30 14 16 0 148 134 28 4th BCJBHL
1964-69 Michigan Jr. B Standings Not Available
1969-70 34 32 2 0 279 55 64 1st MJHL
1970-71 44 26 12 6 279 197 58 2nd SOJAHL Won League, Won DHC
1971-72 56 35 16 5 333 225 75 2nd SOJAHL Lost Final
1972-73 60 19 37 4 237 318 42 6th SOJAHL
1973-74 62 31 25 6 293 278 68 5th SOJAHL
1974-75 61 15 37 9 202 276 39 6th SOJAHL
1975-76 NAHL Standings Not Available
1976-77 48 30 12 6 287 197 66 2nd NAHL
1977-78 49 33 12 4 320 212 70 2nd NAHL
1978-79 50 27 17 6 317 242 60 2nd NAHL
1979-80 46 22 21 3 226 229 47 4th NAHL
1980-81 54 35 16 3 395 244 73 3rd NAHL
1981-82 46 25 18 3 259 232 53 3rd NAHL
1982-83 45 15 24 6 212 246 36 4th NAHL

(*) During the 1958-59 Season, the Jr. Red Wings played three 4-point games.

This American ice hockey team-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
Languages