Toronto Jr. Canadiens

The Toronto Jr. Canadiens are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Downsview, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of Central Division Hockey but also used to be a part of the Metro Junior A Hockey League and were known as the Wexford Raiders until the end of the 2005-06 season.

History

The team originated in 1972 as the Wexford Warriors of the Metro Junior B league, when the original Wexford Raiders jumped to the Junior A Ontario Provincial League in 1972. When the Junior A Raiders folded in the 1981, the Junior B Warriors adopted the Raider name and kept it until 2006.

The Wexford Raiders were one of the strongest teams to played in the Metro Junior A Hockey League. A losing team for much of its history, they become one of the most dominant squads in 1990, under coaches Stan Butler and Kevin Burkett. Butler and Burkett coached the Wexford Raiders midget team to the 1989 championship, then took most of the players to the Junior B level in 1990, and they served as the foundation to four consecutive Metro championship squads. During the 1990s ,under the management of Burkett and Butler, the Raiders sent more players on NCAA Division I hockey scholarships than any other junior team in North America. In 1994, the Raiders defeated the Caledon Canadians 4-games-to-0 in the Metro League final. The Canadians were granted the permission to host the Dudley Hewitt Cup that year, and ended up winning it despite losing the Metro final.

In 1998, again playing Caledon, the Raiders won the last ever Metro Junior "A" title in game 7 by a score of 10-0. In 2006, the Raiders changed their name to the Toronto Jr. Canadiens and took on the colours of the Montreal Canadiens.

2006-07

On February 11, 2007 after 154 minutes and 32 seconds of play, the Canadiens defeated the Pickering Panthers in Game 2 of the first round of the playoffs [1]. Although not confirmed, this may be the longest overtime game in the history of the OPJHL. The game winning goal was credited to Kyle Wetering at the 4:32 mark of the 6th Overtime and Toronto outshot Pickering 88-86 [2]. On February 12, 2007, TSN show That's Hockey showed highlights of the game and announced that the history of the game may be preserved in the Hockey Hall of Fame as the longest junior hockey game in history, far surpassing the last recorded record. The game has been officially named the longest game in Ontario Hockey Association history [3].

Season-by-Season results

Playoffs

MetJHL Years

• 1990 Lost Final

Wexford Raiders defeated Oshawa Legionaires 4-games-to-3

Wexford Raiders defeated Kingston Voyageurs 4-games-to-none

Thornhill Thunderbirds defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-3

• 1991 Won League

Wexford Raiders defeated Kingston Voyageurs 4-games-to-1

Wexford Raiders defeated Oshawa Legionaires 4-games-to-3

Wexford Raiders defeated Bramalea Blues 4-games-to-3 METJHL CHAMPIONS

• 1992 Won League

Wexford Raiders defeated Kingston Voyageurs 4-games-to-1

Wexford Raiders defeated Thornhill Thunderbirds 4-games-to-2

Wexford Raiders defeated Bramalea Blues 4-games-to-none METJHL CHAMPIONS

• 1993 Won League

Wexford Raiders defeated Richmond Hill Riot 4-games-to-none

Wexford Raiders defeated Wellington Dukes 4-games-to-none

Wexford Raiders defeated St. Michael's Buzzers 4-games-to-1 METJHL CHAMPIONS

• 1994 Won League, Lost OHA Buckland Cup round robin

Wexford Raiders defeated Kingston Voyageurs 4-games-to-1

Wexford Raiders defeated Thornhill Islanders 4-games-to-none

Wexford Raiders defeated Caledon Canadians 4-games-to-none METJHL CHAMPIONS

Third and eliminated in OHA Buckland Cup round robin (1-2)

• 1995 Lost Final

Wexford Raiders defeated Wellington Dukes 4-games-to-2

Wexford Raiders defeated Thornhill Islanders 4-games-to-3

Caledon Canadians defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-none

• 1996 Lost Semi-final

Wexford Raiders defeated Wellington Dukes 4-games-to-1

Thornhill Islanders defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-2

• 1997 Lost Semi-final

Wexford Raiders defeated Niagara Scenic 4-games-to-none

First in round robin quarter-final (4-2)

Caledon Canadians defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-none

• 1998 Won League, Lost OHA Buckland Cup

Wexford Raiders defeated Quinte Hawks 3-games-to-none

Wexford Raiders defeated Oshawa Legionaires 4-games-to-2

Wexford Raiders defeated Caledon Canadians 4-games-to-3 METJHL CHAMPIONS

Milton Merchants (OPJHL) defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-1

OJHL Years

Raiders 1970-1981

There also was a Wexford Raiders team in the Ontario Provincial Junior League. The team originated in 1970 as the Toronto Raiders of the Metro Junior B league, and was renamed the Wexford Raiders in 1971. In 1972 the team moved to the new Ontario Provincial Junior League in 1972 and operated until 1981. After the Junior A team folded, the Metro B "Warriors" assumed the "Raider" name in 1983.

Season-by-season results

Playoffs

• 1973 Won League, Lost OHA Buckland Cup

Wexford Raiders defeated Weston Dodgers 4-games-to-1

Wexford Raiders defeated Dixie Beehives 4-games-to-2

Wexford Raiders defeated Toronto Nationals 4-games-to-1 OPJHL CHAMPIONS

Chatham Maroons (SOJHL) defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-3

• 1974 Won League, Won OHA Buckland Cup, Lost Hewitt-Dudley Memorial Trophy semi-final

Wexford Raiders defeated Richmond Hill Rams 4-games-to-2

Wexford Raiders defeated North Bay Trappers 4-games-to-3

Wexford Raiders defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-1 OPJHL CHAMPIONS

Wexford Raiders defeated Windsor Spitfires (SOJHL) 4-games-to-3 BUCKLAND CUP CHAMPIONS

Thunder Bay Hurricanes (TBJHL) defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-3

• 1975 Lost Final

Wexford Raiders defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-none

Wexford Raiders defeated North York Rangers 4-games-to-3

Toronto Nationals defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-1

• 1976 Lost Quarter-final

North Bay Trappers defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-2

• 1977 Lost Quarter-final

Royal York Royals defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-2

• 1978 Lost Quarter-final

Guelph Platers defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-none

• 1979 DNQ
• 1980 Lost Quarter-final

Dixie Beehives defeated Wexford Raiders 4-games-to-none

• 1981 DNQ

Notable alumni

External links

• Jr. Canadiens Webpage
• Raiders Webpage