Empire B Junior "C" Hockey League
Head OfficeCambridge, Ontario
Official websiteEBJCHL
ChairmenDick Woods
ConvenorCorrie Abrams
Operated1989-2016

The Empire B Junior C Hockey League is a former Junior "C" ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association. The league was merged into the Provincial Junior Hockey League as the Tod Division in the summer of 2016.

Eastern Ontario Junior "C" Hockey League 1989-1996
Empire B Junior "C" Hockey League 1996-2016

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.

Following the 2015-16 seasons the Empire B Junior C Hockey League amalgamated with the other southern Ontario junior "C" hockey leagues and became a division within the Provincial Junior Hockey League.

Teams

TeamCentreFounded
Amherstview JetsAmherstview1989
Campbellford RebelsCampbellford1992
Gananoque IslandersGananoque1972
Napanee RaidersNapanee1989
Picton PiratesPicton1989
Port Hope PanthersPort Hope2004

2015-2016 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 Gananoque 0
1 Port Hope 4
2 Napanee 0
2 Napanee 4
4 Amherstview 1

Tod Trophy Playoff Champions

YearChampionFinalistResult in Provincials
Eastern Ontario League
1959Picton MerchantsLost CSC QF vs. Fort Erie
1960Picton MerchantsLindsay MuskiesLost CSC SF vs. Whitby
1961Gananoque IslandersLost CSC Final vs. Stratford (C)
1962Napanee Red WingsPicton MerchantsLost CSC SF vs. Newmarket (Sub)
1963Napanee Red WingsPicton MerchantsLost CSC Final vs. New Hamburg (C)
1964Picton MerchantsNapanee Red WingsLost CSC QF vs. Lindsay (Sub)
1965Gananoque IslandersPicton MerchantsLost CSC QF vs. Lindsay (Sub)
1966Napanee WarriorsLost CSC SF vs. Parry Sound (GB)
1967Napanee WarriorsLost CSC SF vs. Aurora (Sub)
1968Napanee WarriorsLost CSC QF vs. Huntsville (GB)
1969Napanee WarriorsGananoque IslandersLost CSC QF vs. Parry Sound (GB)
1970Gananoque IslandersLost CSC QF vs. Huntsville (GB)
1971
1972Gananoque G-MenLost CSC SF vs. Cobourg (CO)
Quinte-St. Lawrence League
1973Gananoque G-MenLost SF to Lindsay (CO)
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978Gananoque G-MenLost CSC QF vs. Bowmanville (CO)
1979Gananoque G-MenLost CSC QF vs. Bowmanville (CO)
1980Gananoque G-MenLost CSC SF vs. Bradford (MO)
1981
1982Ernestown JetsLost CSC QF vs. Bowmanville (CO)
1983Wellington DukesLost CSC QF vs. Lindsay (CO)
1984Frankford HuskiesLost CSC QF vs. Bowmanville (CO)
1985Gananoque G-MenLost CSC QF vs. Bowmanville (CO)
1986Wellington DukesLost CSC QF vs. Lakefield (CO)
Eastern Ontario League
1990Napanee RaidersLost CSC SF vs. Orangeville (MO)
1991Frontenac FlyersLost CSC QF vs. Uxbridge (CO)
1992Ernestown JetsLost CSC QF vs. Port Perry (CO)
1993Napanee RaidersWon CSC vs. Hanover (WO)
1994Napanee RaidersLost CSC QF vs. Bowmanville (CO)
1995Napanee RaidersLost CSC QF vs. Bowmanville (CO)
1996Napanee RaidersLost CSC Final vs. Paris (ND)
Empire B League
1997Campbellford RebelsLost CSC QF vs. Lakefield (CO)
1998Campbellford RebelsLost CSC QF vs. Little Britain (CO)
1999Picton PiratesCampbellford RebelsLost CSC QF vs. Lakefield (CO)
2000Campbellford RebelsPicton PiratesLost CSC QF vs. Lakefield (CO)
2001Napanee RaidersCampbellford RebelsLost CSC QF vs. Uxbridge (CO)
2002Frontenac FlyersNapanee RaidersLost CSC QF vs. Uxbridge (CO)
2003Campbellford RebelsNapanee RaidersLost CSC QF vs. Georgina (CO)
2004Campbellford RebelsAmherstview JetsLost CSC QF vs. Lakefield (CO)
2005Amherstview JetsCampbellford RebelsLost CSC QF vs. Uxbridge (CO)
2006Napanee RaidersAmherstview JetsLost CSC QF vs. Port Perry (CO)
2007Amherstview JetsColborne CobrasLost CSC QF vs. Lakefield (CO)
2008Napanee RaidersAmherstview JetsLost CSC SF vs. Alliston (GMO)
2009Amherstview JetsNapanee RaidersLost CSC SF vs. Alliston (GMO)
2010Napanee RaidersPort Hope PanthersLost CSC SF vs. Alliston (GMO)
2011Picton Pirates[1]Napanee RaidersLost CSC SF vs. Alliston (GMO)
2012Campbellford RebelsPicton PiratesLost CSC SF vs. Alliston (GMO)
2013Picton PiratesPort Hope PanthersWon CSC vs. Essex (GL)
2014Picton PiratesAmherstview JetsLost CSC QF vs. Lakefield (CO)
2015Port Hope Panthers[2]Napanee RaidersLost CSC Final vs. Essex (GL)
2016Port Hope PanthersNapanee RaidersLost CSC Final vs Ayr (MW)

Regular season champions

SeasonChampionRecordPoints
Eastern Ontario League
1958-59  
1959-60  
1960-61  
1961-62Gananoque Islanders*15-7-0-030
1962-63Napanee Red Wings*12-7-0-024
1963-64Napanee Red Wings14-8-0-028
1964-65Gananoque Islanders13-6-2-028
1965-66  
1966-67Napanee Tiremen12-7-3-027
1967-68  
1968-69Napanee Tiremen14-0-2-030
1969-70  
1970-71  
1971-72  
Quinte-St. Lawrence League
1972-73  
1973-74  
1974-75  
1975-76  
1976-77  
1977-78Wellington Dukes21-10-1-043
1978-79  
1979-80Gananoque G-Men22-10-0-044
1980-81Campbellford GMC's21-9-4-046
1981-82Ernestown Jets22-9-3-047
1982-83Wellington Dukes23-6-5-051
1983-84  
1984-85Gananoque G-Men23-6-1-047
1985-86  
Eastern Ontario League
1989-90Napanee Raiders25-4-1-051
1990-91Napanee Raiders22-7-1-045
1991-92Napanee Raiders27-0-3-057
1992-93Napanee Raiders32-2-1-067
1993-94Napanee Raiders24-9-3-051
1994-95Napanee Raiders29-7-4-062
1995-96Napanee Raiders28-12-2-058
Empire B League
1996-97Napanee Raiders31-9-2-064
1997-98Picton Pirates26-6-4-056
1998-99Campbellford Rebels30-4-2-062
1999-00Picton Pirates24-11-1-049
2000-01Napanee Raiders21-8-3-247
2001-02Napanee Raiders20-14-0-242
2002-03Amherstview Jets20-12-1-142
2003-04Campbellford Rebels23-10-1-047
2004-05Napanee Raiders23-8-1-249
2005-06Napanee Raiders24-6-4-052
2006-07Colborne Cobras32-6-1-065
2007-08Amherstview Jets34-5-0-169
2008-09Napanee Raiders37-3-0-074
2009-10Napanee Raiders29-7-0-462
2010-11Napanee Raiders22-16-0-246
2011-12Picton Pirates27-12-0-155
2012-13Picton Pirates34-4-0-270
2013-14Picton Pirates36-2-1-174
2014-15Port Hope Panthers31-8-1-063
2015-16Port Hope Panthers32-4-1-065

(*) 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

  1. ↑ "Pirates end best season in history". Country Today. 11 April 2011.
  2. ↑ "Port Hope Panthers win Empire Junior C title". Northcumberland Today. 9 March 2015.
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