Operated 1969 (1969) to 1992 Colours Blue, white and red Location Cornwall, Canada | ||
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League QMJHL (1969–82)OHL (1983–92) Championships 1972, 1980, & 1981 Memorial Cup Champions | ||
1990 cornwall royals at oshawa generals
The Cornwall Royals were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1969 to 1981 and the Ontario Hockey League from 1981 to 1992. This team should not be confused with other Cornwall Royals teams that played in the QSHL, MMJHL, or OHA-B.
Contents
- 1990 cornwall royals at oshawa generals
- History
- Championships
- Coaches
- Players
- Hockey Hall of Fame members
- NHL alumni
- Playoffs
- Uniforms and logos
- Arenas
- References
History
From 1961 until 1969, the Cornwall Royals were successful members of the Central Junior A Hockey League. After an application to join the OHL was rejected, the franchise became one of the inaugural teams of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 1969. The Cornwall Royals were one of the league's premier teams during its tenure in the QMJHL, winning 3 Memorial Cup titles. For the 1981–82 season, the team transferred into the Ontario Hockey League.
The Royals suffered through many tough seasons and poor attendance after moving to the OHL. The switch in leagues alienated many die-hard fans from across the Quebec border. Seeking better fortunes, the franchise moved to Newmarket, Ontario to play as the Newmarket Royals in 1992. In 1994 the team was bought by the Ciccarelli brothers and moved to Sarnia, Ontario as the Sarnia Sting.
Championships
The Cornwall Royals are one of only 7 clubs to win consecutive Memorial Cup championships. They did so in 1980 and 1981. In total, the Royals won 3 Memorial Cups, 3 President's Cups, and 5 division titles while in the QMJHL. The Royals did not win any OHL championships.
CJHL Bogart Cup Championships: 1966, 1967, 1968
Coaches
Orval Tessier guided the Cornwall Royals to the Memorial Cup championship in 1972. Doug Carpenter coached the 1980 Royals, and Bob Kilger in 1981.
Marc Crawford was a former Cornwall Royals player who came back to coach. He would win the Stanley Cup coaching the Colorado Avalanche. He also coached the Vancouver Canucks, the Los Angeles Kings, and the Dallas Stars.
(Multiple years in parentheses)
*1982–83 coaches Bob Kilger, Bill Murphy, Gord Woods, Jocelyn Guevremont
Players
The Cornwall Royals graduated 55 players to the National Hockey League. From these alumni, 31 played for the Royals in the QMJHL, and 29 played for the Royals in the OHL, and 5 played for the Royals in both leagues.
Hockey Hall of Fame members
Three alumni of the Cornwall Royals have been enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The first was New York Islanders goalie Billy Smith. Smith was the inaugural goalie for the Royals in the QMJHL during the 1969–70 season. After this season he was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings.
Dale Hawerchuk is the second inductee. He led the Royals to two Memorial Cup championships in 1980 and 1981. He was drafted first overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft
The most recent inductee is Doug Gilmour. Gilmour was a big part of the back to back Memorial Cup Titles in '80 and '81, and later won a Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames in 1989, scoring the Cup winning goal. He also captained the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1993 to 1997.
NHL alumni
QMJHL (1969–1981)OHL (1981–1992)Playoffs
QMJHL (1969–1981)Defeated Shawinigan Bruins 8 points to 2 in semi-finals.
Defeated Quebec Remparts 9 points to 5 in finals. QMJHL CHAMPIONS
Defeated Peterborough Petes 2-1 in Memorial Cup final. MEMORIAL CUP CHAMPIONS
Defeated Sorel Eperviers 4 games to 1 in semi-finals.
Lost to Quebec Remparts 4 games to 3 in finals.
Lost to Quebec Remparts 4 games to 0 in semi-finals.
Lost to Sherbrooke Castors 9 points to 0 in semi-finals.
Lost to Montreal Juniors 8 points to 2 in semi-finals.
Defeated Chicoutimi Saguenéens 4 games to 1 in semi-finals.
Defeated Sherbrooke Castors 4 games to 2 in finals. QMJHL CHAMPIONS
Defeated Peterborough Petes 3-2 in Memorial Cup final. MEMORIAL CUP CHAMPIONS
Defeated Sherbrooke Castors 4 games to 3 in semi-finals.
Defeated Trois-Rivières Draveurs 4 games to 1 in finals. QMJHL CHAMPIONS
Defeated Kitchener Rangers 5-2 in Memorial Cup final. MEMORIAL CUP CHAMPIONS
Lost to Ottawa 67's 8 points to 0 in quarter-finals.
Lost to Belleville Bulls 6 points to 2 in quarter-finals.
Lost to Ottawa 67's 4 games to 1 in quarter-finals.
Defeated Ottawa 67's 4 games to 2 in quarter-finals.
Lost to Peterborough Petes 4 games to 2 in semi-finals.
Uniforms and logos
The Cornwall Royals used similar red, white and blue uniforms for their entire 24-year existence. Their unusual logo was the winning entry in a contest, hand drawn by a local child.
Arenas
The Cornwall Royals played out of the Water Street Arena from 1969 to 1976 while in the QMJHL. The Arena, renamed in honour of Si Miller, the city's Director of Parks and Recreation for more than 30 years, was torn down in 2012.
From 1976 to 1992 the Royals played out for the Cornwall Civic Complex, located across the road from their previous arena. The arena hosted the 1990 Chrysler Challenge Cup, the annual All-Star game between the OHL and the QMJHL, which the OHL won by a score of 3 to 0.