Orangeville Flyers

Orangeville Flyers
City Orangeville, Ontario, Canada
League Ontario Junior Hockey League
Founded 1980
Home arena Alder Street Recreation Facility
Colors Orange, black and white
              
Owner(s) David M. Arsenault
General manager Barry M. Rice
Head coach Bob Noble
Affiliates Brampton Battalion (OHL)
Owen Sound Greys (GOJHL)
Fergus Devils (GMOJHL)
Franchise history
1980-1991 Henry Carr Crusaders
1991-1993 Weston Dukes
1993-1997 Thornhill Islanders
1997-2004 Thornhill Rattlers
2004-2005 Thornhill Thunderbirds
2005-2006 Toronto Thunderbirds
2007-2011 Villanova Knights
2011-Present Orangeville Flyers

The Orangeville Flyers are a Junior 'A' ice hockey team based in Orangeville, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Ontario Junior Hockey League.

Contents

History

Henry Carr

The Flyers lineage traces back to the Henry Carr Crusaders. Like the Toronto St. Michael's Majors and St. Michael's Buzzers, the Crusaders were a secondary school based Junior hockey team. The team's affiliation was with the Father Henry Carr Secondary School of the Toronto Catholic District School Board. In 1980 they took their high school team and joined the Metro Junior "B" Hockey League, where they played until 1991, even after the league left the Ontario Hockey Association in 1989. The team was famous for its first undefeated Metro season in 1983 (34-0-2), when they won the All-Ontario Jr. B Championship, the Sutherland Cup. After five rounds of playoffs, what it took to win the Sutherland Cup, the Crusaders had accumulated 54 wins, 2 losses, 2 ties, and 2 losses in overtime in 60 regulation games.

In 1991, when the Metro league declared itself Junior "A", they transferred the franchise to the Weston Dukes. Henry Carr still fields a team to this day, but again at the High School Hockey level.

Thornhill

In 1993 the Weston Dukes folded and their franchise was moved to Thornhill and became the Thornhill Islanders. In 1997 they were renamed the Thornhill Rattlers until 2004, when they again assumed the Thunderbirds name.

After playing in multiple league, for many years, even competing for the 2001 Royal Bank Cup. In Summer 2006, the players of the team started to get let go or traded for cash to any interested team. The team has been for sale for the better part of six months, but with no serious offers.

Villanova Knights

In 2007 local businessman David Arsenault (Governor/Owner) along with St. Thomas of Villanova College revived the team bringing it back into the OPJHL under the Villanova College name.

The Villanova Knights were announced officially on May 15, 2007 [1]. The team was be playing their home games at York University's Canlan Ice Gardens.

Orangeville Jr. Flyers

The original Orangeville Flyers were disbanded by the league in Spring 2011. April 14, 2011, ten days after the Flyers folded, the OJHL and the Villanova Knights announced that they were moving to Orangeville under the name Orangeville Flyers.[2]

Season-by-season standings

Season GP W L T OTL GF GA P Results Playoffs
Henry Carr Crusaders
1980-81 42 18 19 5 - 211 208 41 8th Metro B
1981-82 36 24 8 4 - 209 136 52 1st Metro B
1982-83 36 34 0 2 - 264 113 70 1st Metro B Won League, Won SC
1983-84 42 26 10 6 - 280 207 58 1st Metro B Won League
1984-85 36 25 7 4 - 184 126 54 1st Metro B
1985-86 37 22 10 5 - 229 164 49 4th Metro B Lost Semi-final
1986-87 37 28 4 5 - 256 162 61 1st Metro B Won League
1987-88 37 23 9 5 - 214 161 51 3rd Metro B Lost Semi-final
1988-89 39 16 18 5 - 184 180 37 7th Metro B
1989-90 44 27 9 8 - 237 137 62 2nd Metro B
1990-91 44 20 16 8 - 232 193 48 6th Metro B
Weston Dukes
1991-92 44 15 26 3 - 207 230 33 9th Metro A
1992-93 48 15 27 6 - 203 253 36 11th Metro A
Thornhill Islanders
1993-94 50 30 18 2 - 253 206 62 4th Metro A Lost Semi-final
1994-95 50 35 14 1 - 244 151 71 2nd Metro A
Thornhill Rattlers
1995-96 52 34 15 3 - 251 172 71 3rd Metro A Lost Final
1996-97 50 29 17 4 - 279 195 62 6th Metro A
1997-98 50 29 18 3 - 216 172 61 5th Metro A
1998-99 51 23 24 3 1 230 213 50 7th OPJHL-C
1999-00 49 33 9 4 3 264 170 73 2nd OPJHL-S
2000-01 49 36 8 3 2 231 148 77 1st OPJHL-S Won League, Won DHC
2001-02 49 20 21 6 2 165 183 48 4th OPJHL-S
2002-03 49 11 34 3 1 129 240 26 9th OPJHL-S
2003-04 49 18 26 4 1 184 219 41 6th OPJHL-S
Thornhill Thunderbirds
2004-05 49 16 30 1 2 143 207 35 7th OPJHL-S
2005-06 49 23 23 3 0 203 203 49 7th OPJHL-S Lost Conf. QF
2006-07 Did Not Participate
Villanova Knights
2007-08 49 6 42 - 1 124 311 13 9th OPJHL-N
2008-09 49 6 39 - 4 119 259 16 10th OJHL-P
2009-10 56 33 19 - 4 233 211 70 6th OJAHL Lost Quarter-final
2010-11 50 30 17 - 3 219 175 63 2nd OJHL-S Lost Quarter-final

Playoffs

MetJHL Years

Henry Carr Crusaders defeated Mimico Monarchs 4-games-to-none
Thornhill Thunderbirds defeated Henry Carr Crusaders 4-games-to-2
Henry Carr Crusaders defeated St. Michael's Buzzers 4-games-to-none
Bramalea Blues defeated Henry Carr Crusaders 4-games-to-2
St. Michael's Buzzers defeated Weston Dodgers 3-games-to-none
Thornhill Islanders defeated Wellington Dukes 4-games-to-1
Wexford Raiders defeated Thornhill Islanders 4-games-to-none
Thornhill Islanders defeated Kingston Voyageurs 4-games-to-none
Wexford Raiders defeated Thornhill Islanders 4-games-to-3
Thornhill Islanders defeated Markham Waxers 4-games-to-1
Thornhill Islanders defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-2
Caledon Canadians defeated Thornhill Islanders 4-games-to-3
Thornhill Islanders defeated Markham Waxers 4-games-to-3
Fifth in round robin quarter-final (2-4)
Thornhill Rattlers defeated Huntsville Wildcats 3-games-to-1
Syracuse Jr. Crunch defeated Thornhill Rattlers 3-games-to-1

OJHL Years

Couchiching Terriers defeated Thornhill Rattlers 3-games-to-2
Thornhill Rattlers defeated Oshawa Legionaires 4-games-to-1
Thornhill Rattlers defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-1
Thornhill Rattlers defeated Vaughan Vipers 4-games-to-none
Lindsay Muskies defeated Thornhill Rattlers 4-games-to-1
Thornhill Rattlers defeated Huntsville Wildcats 4-games-to-none
Thornhill Rattlers defeated St. Michael's Buzzers 4-games-to-none
Thornhill Rattlers defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-2
Thornhill Rattlers defeated Trenton Sting 4-games-to-1
Thornhill Rattlers defeated Couchiching Terriers 4-games-to-1 OPJHL CHAMPIONS
Thornhill Rattlers defeated Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (NOJHL) 4-games-to-3 RUDDOCK TROPHY, DUDLEY HEWITT CUP CHAMPIONS
Fifth and eliminated in 2001 Royal Bank Cup round robin (0-4)
Pickering Panthers defeated Thornhill Rattlers 4-games-to-3
Markham Waxers defeated Thornhill Rattlers 4-games-to-none
Stouffville Spirit defeated Thornhill Rattlers 4-games-to-2
St. Michael's Buzzers defeated Thornhill Thunderbirds 4-games-to-none
Markham Waxers defeated Toronto Thunderbirds 4-games-to-1
Georgetown Raiders defeated Villanova Knights 4-games-to-2
Villanova Knights defeated Peterborough Stars 4-games-to-1
Wellington Dukes defeated Villanova Knights 4-games-to-1

Sutherland Cup appearances

1983: Henry Carr Crusaders defeated Stratford Cullitons 4-games-to-none

Notable alumni

References

External links