The Kingston Canadians were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League from 1973 to 1988. The team played home games at the Kingston Memorial Centre in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
The Kingston Canadians arrival in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) for the 1973âÂÂ74 OHL season, was a result of the Montreal Junior Canadiens switch to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in 1972. During the summer of 1972, the QMJHL had threatened a lawsuit against the OHA to force the Junior Canadiens to return to the Quebec-based league. The OHA granted the Junior Canadiens franchise a "one-year suspension" of operations, while team ownership transferred the team and players into the QMJHL, renaming themselves the Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge.
The OHA reactivated the suspended franchise after a one-year hiatus, under new ownership and with new players, calling the team the Kingston Canadians. A group of Kingston business and professionals including J. Douglas Cunningham, purchased the rights from the Montreal Arena Corporation. The new Kingston team was an expansion franchise promoted from the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League. The Kingston Canadians used the same colours and uniforms as the NHL's Montreal Canadiens and Junior Canadiens. The Kingston logo replaced the "H" with the letter "K" for Kingston.
The team played from 1973 to 1980 in the OHA, then from 1980 to 1988 in the OHL. In 1981, Kingston hosted the annual OHL All-Star game. In 1985âÂÂ1986 season, Chris Clifford was the OHL first goalie to score a goal. Following a 28-game losing streak to end the 1987âÂÂ88 season, the Canadians franchise was sold and renamed the team Kingston Raiders.
Jim Morrison coached the Canadians for almost half the team's tenure in the OHA & OHL. He was an NHL veteran defenceman of 704 games, as well as being a player coach with the AHL Baltimore Clippers.
Four other Canadians coaches also played in the NHL. They are, Jack Bownass, Rod Graham, Fred O'Donnell & Jim Dorey.
Jack Bownass was the recipient of the Matt Leyden Trophy as OHA Coach of the Year in 1973-1974.
(Multiple years in parentheses)
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy<br />Scoring Champion.
Max Kaminsky Trophy<br />Most Outstanding Defenceman.
Jack Ferguson Award<br />First overall draft pick.
William Hanley Trophy<br />Most Sportsmanlike OHL Player.
Bobby Smith Trophy<br />Scholastic player of the year.
NONE. Five numbers have been "honoured" from the Kingston Canadians, although not retired and still in circulation. (#5 Mike O'Connell, #7 Tony McKegney, #10 Brad Rhiness, #14 Ken Linseman and #29 Chris Clifford).
Sean Simpson played for the Canadians during the 1976âÂÂ77 season, later coached Switzerland and Hungary at the Ice Hockey World Championships, and had a lengthy career coaching professional European hockey. Paul Coffey played for the Canadians during the 1977âÂÂ78 season, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004. Jim Aldred played for the Canadians from 1979 to 1981, and became coach of the Portugal men's national team in 2017. Kevin Conway played for the Canadians during the 1983âÂÂ84 season, was inducted into the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 2005. Rick Fera played for the Canadians during the 1984âÂÂ85 season, and had a lengthy British Hockey League career.
List of Canadians that also played in the National Hockey League or World Hockey Association:
Regular season and playoffs results:
The home arena of the Canadians was the Kingston Memorial Centre with a seating capacity 3,079 seated, and 3,300 including standing room.