The Huntsville Otters are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team from Huntsville, Ontario. Starting from the 2016-17 season the Otters are members of the Provincial Junior Hockey League. Prior to this change they were members of the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League after resigning from the Ontario Junior Hockey League in the Spring of 2012.
| Huntsville Otters | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Huntsville, Ontario, Canada |
| League | Provincial Junior Hockey League |
| Conference | Northern |
| Division | Carruthers |
| Operated | 1990–present |
| Home arena | Canada Summit Centre |
| Colours | Blue, Yellow, and White |
| General manager | Brian Crozier |
| Head coach | Jason Farnsworth “Farmer” |
| Franchise history | |
| 1990–1997 | Muskoka Bears |
| 1997–2004 | Huntsville Wildcats |
| 2004–2007 | Huntsville-Muskoka Otters |
| 2007–present | Huntsville Otters |
History
editJoining the ranks of Junior hockey in 1990, the Muskoka Bears were a member of the Metro Junior A Hockey League. Prior to this, the team had played Junior C hockey.
The team made hockey history on February 21, 1997 when their goalie, Ryan Venturelli, became the first goaltender to score two goals (both empty-net) in a hockey game against the Durham Huskies during the Metro Junior A Hockey League 1996–97 regular season.[1]
From 1997 until 2004, the franchise was called the Huntsville Wildcats. The team never truly found their groove, and folded halfway through the 2003–04 season after 23 straight loses and a goals-against average of roughly 10.
For the 2004–05 Season, the team reformed as the Huntsville-Muskoka Otters after Sherwood Bassin, Ray Irwin and Tom McCarthy took ownership.
In 2007, the team was sold to local businessmen Kris House and Jason Armstrong, who shortened the team's name to the Huntsville Otters.
The town of Huntsville hosted the 2011 Ontario Junior A Dudley Hewitt Cup on the weekend of April 18–23, 2011 at the Don Lough Arena, Canada Summit Centre. The Otters went 3-0, and received a bye to the final but lost the championship to the Wellington Dukes 5-3.
In March 2012, it was announced that the Huntsville Otters were to be contracted from the Ontario Junior Hockey League[2] when a local group successfully applied to bring the team to the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League.
Season-by-season results
edit| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Results | Playoffs |
| 1990-91 | 44 | 5 | 39 | 0 | - | 116 | 356 | 10 | 12th Metro B | |
| 1991-92 | 44 | 23 | 19 | 2 | - | 224 | 233 | 48 | 4th Metro A | |
| 1992-93 | 48 | 27 | 17 | 4 | - | 251 | 223 | 58 | 3rd Metro A | |
| 1993-94 | 50 | 28 | 14 | 8 | - | 246 | 183 | 64 | 3rd Metro A | Lost semi-final |
| 1994-95 | 50 | 23 | 26 | 1 | - | 256 | 223 | 47 | 8th Metro A | |
| 1995-96 | 52 | 21 | 26 | 5 | - | 237 | 229 | 47 | 8th Metro A | Lost quarter-final |
| 1996-97 | 50 | 14 | 34 | 2 | - | 200 | 298 | 30 | 11th Metro A | |
| 1997-98 | 50 | 18 | 28 | 4 | - | 157 | 209 | 40 | 12th Metro A | |
| 1998-99 | 51 | 9 | 37 | 4 | 1 | 142 | 323 | 23 | 12th OPJHL-C | |
| 1999-00 | 49 | 21 | 20 | 6 | 2 | 181 | 198 | 50 | 6th OPJHL-N | |
| 2000-01 | 49 | 9 | 35 | 2 | 3 | 121 | 290 | 23 | 7th OPJHL-N | |
| 2001-02 | 49 | 7 | 39 | 2 | 1 | 121 | 289 | 17 | 8th OPJHL-N | |
| 2002-03 | 49 | 2 | 46 | 0 | 1 | 121 | 406 | 5 | 6th OPJHL-N | |
| 2003-04 | 23 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 209 | 0 | 6th OPJHL-N | Folded |
| 2004-05 | 49 | 23 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 177 | 207 | 49 | 4th OPJHL-N | Lost Conf. SF |
| 2005-06 | 48 | 12 | 28 | 5 | 3 | 135 | 219 | 32 | 7th OPJHL-N | Lost Conf. QF |
| 2006-07 | 48 | 20 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 182 | 186 | 47 | 4th OPJHL-N | Lost Conf. QF |
| 2007-08 | 49 | 42 | 7 | - | 0 | 218 | 92 | 84 | 1st OPJHL-N | |
| 2008-09 | 49 | 38 | 7 | - | 4 | 224 | 125 | 80 | 2nd OJHL-P | |
| 2009-10 | 56 | 22 | 31 | - | 3 | 229 | 236 | 47 | 11th OJAHL | DNQ |
| 2010-11 | 50 | 25 | 17 | - | 8 | 175 | 144 | 58 | 4th OJHL-N | Lost Qualifier |
| 2011-12 | 49 | 18 | 26 | - | 5 | 175 | 205 | 41 | 5th OJHL-N | Lost Division QF |
| 2012-13 | 40 | 8 | 30 | - | 2 | 122 | 260 | 18 | 9th GMOHL | Won Qualifier - 2-1 - (Devils) Lost quarters, 0-4 (Hornets) |
| 2013-14 | 40 | 8 | 29 | - | 3 | 96 | 186 | 19 | 9th GMOHL | Lost Qualifier, 0-2 (Devils) |
| 2014-15 | 40 | 24 | 14 | - | 2 | 176 | 149 | 50 | 3rd GMOHL | Lost quarters, 2-4 (Cougars) |
| 2015-16 | 40 | 20 | 16 | 4 | - | 156 | 134 | 44 | 2nd of 9 GMOHL | Lost quarters, 1-4 (Shamrocks) |
| 2016-17 | 42 | 16 | 26 | 0 | - | 149 | 197 | 32 | 6th of 8-PJHL Carruthers Div |
Lost Div Quarters, 2-4 (Flyers) |
| 2017-18 | 42 | 16 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 154 | 212 | 34 | 6th of 8-PJHL Carruthers Div |
Lost Div Quarters, 3-4 (Golden Hawks) |
| 2018-19 | 42 | 15 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 138 | 191 | 33 | 7th of 8-PJHL Carruthers Div |
Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Hornets) |
| 2019-20 | 42 | 11 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 113 | 208 | 23 | 8th of 8-PJHL Carruthers Div |
Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Hornets) |
| 2020-21 | Season Lost due too COVID-19 pandemic | |||||||||
| 2021-22 | 30 | 2 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 52 | 166 | 5 | 8th of 8-PJHL Carruthers Div |
Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Siskins) |
| 2022-23 | 40 | 17 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 132 | 159 | 36 | 6th of 9-PJHL Carruthers Div |
Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Cougars) |
| 2023-24 | 42 | 17 | 23 | 1 | 1 | 121 | 150 | 36 | 6th of 9-PJHL Carruthers Div |
Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Terriers) |
Playoffs
edit
MetJHL Years
- 1991 DNQ
- 1992 Lost semi-final
- Muskoka Bears defeated St. Michael's Buzzers 4-games-to-3
- Bramalea Blues defeated Muskoka Bears 4-games-to-none
- 1993 Lost semi-final
- Muskoka Bears defeated Aurora Eagles 4-games-to-2
- St. Michael's Buzzers defeated Muskoka Bears 4-games-to-none
- 1994 Lost semi-final
- Muskoka Bears defeated St. Michael's Buzzers 4-games-to-2
- Caledon Canadians defeated Muskoka Bears 4-games-to-2
- 1995 DNQ
- 1996 Lost quarter-final
- Caledon Canadians defeated Muskoka Bears 4-games-to-2
- 1997 Lost Preliminary
- Caledon Canadians defeated Muskoka Bears 4-games-to-none
- 1998 Lost Preliminary
- Thornhill Rattlers defeated Huntsville Wildcats 3-games-to-1
OJHL Years
- 1999 DNQ
- 2000 Lost Division Quarter-final
- Collingwood Blues defeated Huntsville Wildcats 4-games-to-3
- 2001 Lost Division Quarter-final
- Thornhill Rattlers defeated Huntsville Wildcats 4-games-to-none
- 2002 Lost Division Quarter-final
- Newmarket Hurricanes defeated Huntsville Wildcats 4-games-to-none
- 2003 DNQ
- 2004 Did Not Finish Season
- 2005 Lost Division Semi-final
- Huntsville-Muskoka Otters defeated Collingwood Blues 4-games-to-1
- Aurora Tigers defeated Huntsville-Muskoka Otters 4-games-to-2
- 2006 Lost Division Quarter-final
- Newmarket Hurricanes defeated Huntsville-Muskoka Otters 4-games-to-1
- 2007 Lost Division Quarter-final
- Newmarket Hurricanes defeated Huntsville-Muskoka Otters 4-games-to-1
- 2008 Lost Division Semi-final
- Stouffville Spirit defeated Huntsville Otters 4-games-to-3
- 2009 Lost Conference Final
- Huntsville Otters defeated Toronto Dixie Beehives 3-games-to-none
- Huntsville Otters defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-2
- Huntsville Otters defeated Orangeville Crushers 4-games-to-1
- Kingston Voyageurs defeated Huntsville Otters 4-games-to-1
- 2010 DNQ OJAHL Playoffs
- 2011 Lost Qualifier, Hosted and Lost Dudley Hewitt Cup Final
- Orangeville Flyers defeated Huntsville Otters 2-games-to-none
- First in Dudley Hewitt Cup round robin (3-0)
- Wellington Dukes defeated Huntsville Otters 5-3 in final
- 2012 Lost Division Quarter-final
- Markham Waxers defeated Huntsville Otters 3-games-to-none
References
edit- ^ http://www.lcshockey.com/issues/LCS65.txt [bare URL plain text file]
- ^ "CottageCountryNow Article: Junior league gets in line for Huntsville franchise". Cottagecountrynow.ca. Retrieved 2012-02-22.