Toronto Jr. Canadiens

OPJHL team
team_name = Toronto Jr. Canadiens
bg_color = DodgerBlue
text_color =
logo_

division = Central
founded = 1972
history = 1972-1983: Wexford Warriors
1983-2006: Wexford Raiders
2006-Pres: Toronto Jr. Canadiens
alternate = 1970-1971: Toronto Raiders
1971-1981: Wexford Raiders
"folded"
arena = Chesswood Arenas
city = Downsview, Ontario
team_colors = Red, Blue, and White
head_coach = Tyler Cragg
general_manager = Mike McGregor
affiliates = "Leaside Kings"
rbcs = none
dhcs = 1974 (orig. Raiders)
bucklands = 1973 and 1974 (orig. Raiders)
metro_cup = 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1998
sutherland_cup =
schmalz_cup = The Toronto Jr. Canadiens are a Tier II Junior "A" ice hockey team from Downsview, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League 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 [http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/gamesheet_full.html?gameid=451105] . 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 [http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/gamesheet_full.html?gameid=451105] . 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 [http://www.ohahockey.org/news_story.php?id=399] .

eason-by-Season Results

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.

Notable Alumni

*Keith Acton *Bill Armstrong *Mark Botell *Brian Boucher *Brian Bradley *Anson Carter *Andy Chiodo *Doug Doull *Dave Duerden *Iain Duncan

*Larry Floyd *Matt Foy *Scott Fraser *Steve Guolla *Mark Kirton *Chris Kotsopoulos *Paul Lawless *Steve Maltais *Lindsay Middlebrook *Gavin Morgan

*Bryan Muir *Mark Napier *Steve Rooney *Al Secord *Luke Sellars *George Servinis *Derrick Smith *Greg Smyth *Brad Tapper *Bill Terry

*Greg Theberge *Jeff Ware *Daniel Winnik *Mike Zigomanis

External links

* [http://www.junioracanadiens.com/ Jr. Canadiens Webpage]
* [http://www.wexfordjra.com/ Raiders Webpage]