- Detroit Jr. Red Wings (SOJHL)
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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 General manager Tom Wilson Head coach 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.
Contents
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 Cups 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.
Notable alumni
- Ken Morrow - 1980 U.S. Olympic Team/New York Islanders
- Mark Wells - 1980 U.S. Olympic Team
- Mark Howe - Philadelphia Flyers
- Gordie Roberts - Hartford Whalers
- Ron Serafini - Oakland Seals
- Gordie Buynak - St. Louis Blues
- Marty Howe - Boston Bruins
- Dave Feamster - Chicago Blackhawks
- Tom Wilson - Coach/General Manager
- Pat Peake - Washington Capitals
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 1964-68 Statistics Not Available 1968-69 32 9 21 2 76 105 20 7th BCJHL 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.
Playoffs
- 1971 Won League, Lost Hewitt-Dudley Memorial Trophy final
- Detroit Jr. Red Wings defeated Welland Sabres 3-games-to-none with 2 ties
- Detroit Jr. Red Wings defeated Guelph CMC's 3-games-to-2 with 2 ties SOJHL CHAMPIONS
- Detroit Jr. Red Wings defeated Ottawa M&W Rangers (CJHL) 4-games-to-2
- Charlottetown Islanders (MJAHL) defeated Detroit Jr. Red Wings 4-games-to-3
- 1972 Lost Final
- Detroit Jr. Red Wings defeated Welland Sabres 4-games-to-1
- Detroit Jr. Red Wings defeated Chatham Maroons 4-games-to-3
- Guelph CMC's defeated Detroit Jr. Red Wings 4-games-to-1
- 1973 Lost Quarter-final
- Guelph CMC's defeated Detroit Jr. Red Wings 4-games-to-none
- 1974 Lost Semi-final
- Windsor Spitfires defeated Detroit Jr. Red Wings 4-games-to-none
- 1975 Lost Semi-final
- Windsor Spitfires defeated Detroit Jr. Red Wings 4-games-to-1
External links
Categories:- Defunct ice hockey teams in the United States
- Detroit Red Wings
- United States ice hockey team stubs
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