St. John's Capitals were a senior ice hockey team based in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in the Newfoundland Senior Hockey League.

St. John's Capitals
CitySt. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
LeagueNewfoundland Senior Hockey League
Founded1955 (1955)
Home arenaMemorial Stadium (St. John's)
ColoursRed, white    
Franchise history
1955–1956St. John's All-Stars
1956–1990St. John's Capitals

History

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Seasons and records

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Season by season results

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Led league in points Herder Trophy champions

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, DNQ = Did not qualify

NAHA, Sr.B = Newfoundland Amateur Hockey Association senior Section B, NAHA, Sr. = Newfoundland senior "league", NSHL = Newfoundland Senior Hockey League

St. John's Capitals regular season and postseason statistics and results, 1955–1990
Season League Regular season Postseason
GP W L T OTL GF GA PTS Finish GP W L GF GA Result
1954–55 NAHA, Sr.B 2 0 2 13 17 Lost Section B eastern finals to Bell Island All-Stars, 0-2
1955–56 NAHA, Sr.B 3 1 2 14 31 Lost Section B eastern finals to Bell Island All-Stars, 1-2
1956–57 NAHA, Sr.B 2 0 2 6 11 Lost Section B eastern finals to Bell Island All-Stars, 0-2
1957–58 NAHA, Sr.B 9 4 5 29 40 Lost Section B finals to Grand Falls Bees, 1-4
1958–59 NAHA, Sr.B 10 6 4 54 37 Lost Section B finals by default to Grand Falls Bees, 3–4
1959–60 NAHA, Sr. 8 0 8 0 0 3rd, East DNQ for Herder playoffs
1960–61 NAHA, Sr. 8 2 6 4 2nd, East DNQ for Herder playoffs
1961–62 NSHL Did not enter Herder round robin playoffs
1962–63 NSHL 16 3 11 2 - 63 105 8 5th DNQ for Herder playoffs
1963–64 NSHL 20 13 7 0 - 108 90 26 3rd semi-final forfeited to Corner Brook Royals
1964–65 Did not enter the NSHL
1965–66 NSHL 32 9 22 1 120 209 19 5th DNQ for Herder playoffs
1966–67 NSHL 40 15 22 3 146 162 33 5th DNQ for Herder playoffs
1967–68 NSHL 40 18 17 5 173 180 41 5th DNQ for Herder playoffs
1968–69 NSHL 40 18 18 4 176 172 40 4th Lost in Herder semi-finals to Buchans Miners, 1–4
1969–70 NSHL 40 23 14 3 198 198 158 49† 1st Won Herder Memorial Trophy vs. Gander Flyers, 4-3‡
1970–71 NSHL 36 19 13 4 180 143 42† 1st 19 9 10 Lost Herder finals to Grand Falls Cataracts, 3–4
1971–72 NSHL 36 15 9 2 183 178 32 3rd 12 3 9 Lost Herder finals to Grand Falls Cataracts, 0–4
1972–73 NSHL 36 18 17 1 170 157 37 2nd 12 9 3 Won Herder Memorial Trophy vs. Grand Falls Cataracts, 4-0‡
1973–74 NSHL 32 27 4 1 204 113 42† 1st Won Herder Memorial Trophy vs. Grand Falls Cataracts, 4-1‡
1974–75 NSHL 16 12 2 2 115 62 26† 1st Won Herder Memorial Trophy vs. , ‡
1975–76 NSHL 12 8 2 2 84 40 30† 1st Won Herder Memorial Trophy vs. Grand Falls Cataracts, 4-1‡
1989–90 NFLD, Sr. Won Herder Memorial Trophy vs. Corner Brook Royals, 4-0‡
Labatt BlueCaps regular season and postseason statistics and results, 1976-1982
Season League Regular season Postseason
GP W L T OTL GF GA PTS Finish GP W L GF GA Result
1976–77 NSHL 31 1st, East
1977–78 NSHL 51 1st, East Won Herder Memorial Trophy vs. Gander Flyers, 4-3‡
1978–79 NSHL 43 2nd
1979–80 NSHL 41 2nd
1980–81 NSHL 43 1st
1981–82 NSHL 11 5th
Mike's Shamrocks regular season and postseason statistics and results, 1976-1982
Season League Regular season Postseason
GP W L T OTL GF GA PTS Finish GP W L GF GA Result
1976–77 NSHL 29 2nd East
1977–78 NSHL 26 3rd, East
1978–79 NSHL 32 3rd Won Herder Memorial Trophy vs. Gander Flyers, 4-3‡
1979–80 NSHL 34 4th
1980–81 NSHL 28 4th
1981–82 NSHL 29 4th

Allan Cup results

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Season Location GP W L T OTL GF GA Results Playoffs
1970 - - Lost in Eastern semi-finals to Victoriaville Tigres, 1-3
1973 - - Lost in Eastern semi-finals to Thunder Bay Twins, 1-3
1974 - - Lost in Eastern semi-finals to Thunder Bay Twins, 0-3
1975 Memorial Stadium (St. John's) - - Lost in Eastern finals to Barrie Flyers, 1-3

Leaders

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Captains

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  • Lloyd Cooke, 1956–57
  • Hugh Fardy, 1957–58
  • Bern Goobie, 1958–59

Coaches

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  • Howie Meeker, 1957–59, 1966–67
  • Jack Vinnicombe, 1957–58
  • Bob Badcock, 1972–73
  • George Faulkner, 1975–76
  • Bill Riley, 1985-86 (playing-coach)

Trophies and awards

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Team awards

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  • All-Newfoundland senior hockey championships (Herder Memorial Trophy): 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978 (as Bluecaps), 1979 (as Mike's Shamrocks), 1987, 1990
  • First place in Newfoundland Senior Hockey League regular season (Evening Telegram Trophy): 1970, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978 (as BlueCaps), 1987, 1988, 1989, 1996

Individual awards

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S. E. Tuma Memorial Trophy (Top scorer in the regular season)

  • Randy Pearcey, 1978, 1981 (BlueCaps)
  • Andy Sullivan, 1987, 1989


T.A. (Gus) Soper Memorial Award (MVP in the regular season)


Albert "Peewee" Crane Memorial Trophy (Senior league rookie of the year)

  • Bruce Butler, 1970
  • Gary Connolly, 1973
  • Glen Critch, 1975
  • John Breen, 1979 (Shamrocks)
  • Mac Tucker, 1980 (BlueCaps)
  • Roger Kennedy, 1981
  • Peter White, 1987


Howie Clouter memorial Trophy (Most sportsmanlike player in the regular season)

  • Hubert Hutton, 1976


President's Goaltender's Award (Top goaltender in the regular season)

  • Edgar (Eg) Billiard, 1970, 1971
  • Tols Chapman, 1974, 1975
  • Pat Dempsey, 1976, 1978, 1979
  • Roger Kennedy, 1981, 1988, 1989
  • Peter White, 1987

Cliff Gorman Memorial Award (Most valuable player of the Herder Playoffs)

  • Roger Kennedy, 1983
  • Andy Sullivan, 1987

Honoured members

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Retired numbers

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NL Hockey Hall of Fame

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The following people that were associated with the Capitals have been inducted into the Newfoundland and Labrador Hockey Hall of Fame.

References

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  1. ^ "Hall of Fame: George Faulkner". Hockey NL. 18 July 2014.
  2. ^ "Hall of Fame: Hugh Fardy". Hockey NL. 18 July 2014.
  3. ^ "Hall of Fame: Stanley Breen". Hockey NL. 17 July 2014.
  4. ^ "Hall of Fame: Robert George Badcock". Hockey NL. 17 July 2014.
  5. ^ "Hall of Fame: Mervyn Green". Hockey NL. 18 July 2014.
  6. ^ "Hall of Fame: Randy Pearcey". Hockey NL. 21 July 2014.
  7. ^ "Hall of Fame: Jim Penney". Hockey NL. 21 July 2014.
  8. ^ "Hall of Fame: Stan Cook". Hockey NL. 18 July 2014.
  9. ^ "Hall of Fame: Howard Meeker". Hockey NL. 21 July 2014.
  10. ^ "Hall of Fame: Edgar "Eggie" Billard". Hockey NL. 17 July 2014.

Bibliography

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  • Abbott, Bill (2000). Herder Memorial Trophy: A History of Senior Hockey in Newfoundland and Labrador. Breakwater Books.