| Empire B Junior "C" Hockey League |
 |
| Head Office | Cambridge, Ontario |
| Official website | EBJCHL |
| Chairmen | Dick Woods |
| Convenor | Corrie Abrams |
| Founded | 1989 |
|
The Empire B Junior C Hockey League is a Junior "C" ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association.
- Eastern Ontario Junior "C" Hockey League 1989-1996
- Empire B Junior "C" Hockey League 1996-present
History
Pirates' Captain and goalie in 2013 Schmalz Cup finals in
Essex, Ontario.
Formed in 1989 as the Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League, the league had to change its name in 1995 to avoid ongoing confusion with the neighbouring Ottawa District Hockey Association's long running Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League. The forerunner of the EBJCHL was the Quinte-St. Lawrence Junior C Hockey League, which merged into the Central Junior C Hockey League in 1986.
The league features six franchises, which are located through Central-eastern Ontario in Amherstview, Campbellford, Gananoque, Napanee, Port Hope, and Picton. The Port Hope Panthers is the new name of the transferred Colborne Cobras franchise.
The teams play a 40-game regular season, with four home and away dates against each of the other Empire B teams. The top four teams make the playoffs — two rounds of best-of-seven play. The Empire playoff champions advance to the OHA quarterfinals against the Central champions and compete for an All-Ontario Championship and the Clarence Schmalz Cup. In its 20-year history, two Empire B teams have won the Schmalz Cup. Napanee Raiders were the first in 1993. On May 1, 2013, the Picton Pirates became the second team in Empire league history to win the Clarence Schmalz Cup as OHA Junior C champions, defeating the Essex 73's of the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League 4-games-to-1.
The Empire league has had a number of winners of the OHA Junior C Player of the Year award. Most recently, Napanee's Pete Sergeant took the honours in 2008-2009. Among the previous winners are Jason Sutton (Napanee), Adam Walsh (Picton), Joe Curry (Campbellford), and Ryan Zufelt (Amherstview).
At the conclusion of the 2014-15 hockey season the Eastern Ontario Junior B Hockey League announced a re-organization which saw them remove six teams from the league. One of those teams, the Gananoque Islanders immediately petitioned and was accepted into the Empire B Junior C League.
Teams
2014-2015 League Playoffs
For the Ontario Hockey Association "All-Ontario Jr. "C" Championship", please go to the Clarence Schmalz Cup.
| Semi-final
| | | League Final
| |
| | | | | | | | | |
| |
| 1
| Port Hope
| 4
| |
|
| 4
| Picton
| 1
| |
| | 1
| Port Hope
| 4
| |
|
|
| | 2
| Napanee
| 0
| |
| 2
| Napanee
| 4
| |
| |
| 3
| Campellford
| 1
| |
|
|
Tod Trophy Playoff Champions
| Year | Champion | Finalist | Result in Provincials |
| Eastern Ontario League |
| 1959 | Picton Merchants | | Lost CSC QF vs. Fort Erie |
| 1960 | Picton Merchants | Lindsay Muskies | Lost CSC SF vs. Whitby |
| 1961 | Gananoque Islanders | | Lost CSC Final vs. Stratford (C) |
| 1962 | Napanee Red Wings | Picton Merchants | Lost CSC SF vs. Newmarket (Sub) |
| 1963 | Napanee Red Wings | Picton Merchants | Lost CSC Final vs. New Hamburg (C) |
| 1964 | Picton Merchants | Napanee Red Wings | Lost CSC QF vs. Lindsay (Sub) |
| 1965 | Gananoque Islanders | Picton Merchants | Lost CSC QF vs. Lindsay (Sub) |
| 1966 | Napanee Warriors | | Lost CSC SF vs. Parry Sound (GB) |
| 1967 | Napanee Warriors | | Lost CSC SF vs. Aurora (Sub) |
| 1968 | Napanee Warriors | | Lost CSC QF vs. Huntsville (GB) |
| 1969 | Napanee Warriors | Gananoque Islanders | Lost CSC QF vs. Parry Sound (GB) |
| 1970 | Gananoque Islanders | | Lost CSC QF vs. Huntsville (GB) |
| 1971 | | | |
| 1972 | Gananoque G-Men | | Lost CSC SF vs. Cobourg (CO) |
| Quinte-St. Lawrence League |
| 1973 | Gananoque G-Men | | Lost SF to Lindsay (CO) |
| 1974 | | | |
| 1975 | | | |
| 1976 | | | |
| 1977 | | | |
| 1978 | Gananoque G-Men | | Lost CSC QF vs. Bowmanville (CO) |
| 1979 | Gananoque G-Men | | Lost CSC QF vs. Bowmanville (CO) |
| 1980 | Gananoque G-Men | | Lost CSC SF vs. Bradford (MO) |
| 1981 | | | |
| 1982 | Ernestown Jets | | Lost CSC QF vs. Bowmanville (CO) |
| 1983 | Wellington Dukes | | Lost CSC QF vs. Lindsay (CO) |
| 1984 | Frankford Huskies | | Lost CSC QF vs. Bowmanville (CO) |
| 1985 | Gananoque G-Men | | Lost CSC QF vs. Bowmanville (CO) |
| 1986 | Wellington Dukes | | Lost CSC QF vs. Lakefield (CO) |
| Eastern Ontario League |
| 1990 | Napanee Raiders | | Lost CSC SF vs. Orangeville (MO) |
| 1991 | Frontenac Flyers | | Lost CSC QF vs. Uxbridge (CO) |
| 1992 | Ernestown Jets | | Lost CSC QF vs. Port Perry (CO) |
| 1993 | Napanee Raiders | | Won CSC vs. Hanover (WO) |
| 1994 | Napanee Raiders | | Lost CSC QF vs. Bowmanville (CO) |
| 1995 | Napanee Raiders | | Lost CSC QF vs. Bowmanville (CO) |
| 1996 | Napanee Raiders | | Lost CSC Final vs. Paris (ND) |
| Empire B League |
| 1997 | Campbellford Rebels | | Lost CSC QF vs. Lakefield (CO) |
| 1998 | Campbellford Rebels | | Lost CSC QF vs. Little Britain (CO) |
| 1999 | Picton Pirates | Campbellford Rebels | Lost CSC QF vs. Lakefield (CO) |
| 2000 | Campbellford Rebels | Picton Pirates | Lost CSC QF vs. Lakefield (CO) |
| 2001 | Napanee Raiders | Campbellford Rebels | Lost CSC QF vs. Uxbridge (CO) |
| 2002 | Frontenac Flyers | Napanee Raiders | Lost CSC QF vs. Uxbridge (CO) |
| 2003 | Campbellford Rebels | Napanee Raiders | Lost CSC QF vs. Georgina (CO) |
| 2004 | Campbellford Rebels | Amherstview Jets | Lost CSC QF vs. Lakefield (CO) |
| 2005 | Amherstview Jets | Campbellford Rebels | Lost CSC QF vs. Uxbridge (CO) |
| 2006 | Napanee Raiders | Amherstview Jets | Lost CSC QF vs. Port Perry (CO) |
| 2007 | Amherstview Jets | Colborne Cobras | Lost CSC QF vs. Lakefield (CO) |
| 2008 | Napanee Raiders | Amherstview Jets | Lost CSC SF vs. Alliston (GMO) |
| 2009 | Amherstview Jets | Napanee Raiders | Lost CSC SF vs. Alliston (GMO) |
| 2010 | Napanee Raiders | Port Hope Panthers | Lost CSC SF vs. Alliston (GMO) |
| 2011 | Picton Pirates[1] | Napanee Raiders | Lost CSC SF vs. Alliston (GMO) |
| 2012 | Campbellford Rebels | Picton Pirates | Lost CSC SF vs. Alliston (GMO) |
| 2013 | Picton Pirates | Port Hope Panthers | Won CSC vs. Essex (GL) |
| 2014 | Picton Pirates | Amherstview Jets | Lost CSC QF vs. Lakefield (CO) |
| 2015 | Port Hope Panthers[2] | Napanee Raiders | Lost CSC Final vs. Essex (GL) |
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Regular season champions
(*) At times in the 1960s, the Junior B and C leagues in Eastern Ontario played as a single league. In those years, listed is the best Junior C team in the joint standings.
Former teams
Quinte-St. Lawrence teams
Professional alumni
The league has had a few graduates make it to the NHL. In 2006, Carolina's Justin Williams became the league's first graduate to hoist the Stanley Cup. He played with the former Colborne/Brighton franchise. Former Amherstview Jets defencemen Jay McKee (Pittsburgh Penguins), Bryan Allen (Florida Panthers), and Kip Brennan (New York Islanders) have also skated in the pro league.
National Hockey League
References
External links