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Leamington Flyers

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Leamington Flyers
CityLeamington, Ontario, Canada
LeagueOntario Junior Hockey League
Founded1954
Home arenaNature Fresh Farms Recreation Centre
ColoursRed and White
   
Owner(s)Cam Crowder – Jason Melo – Craig Mahon – Dan Jancevski – David Halliwill
General managerJustin Solcz
Head coachDale Mitchell
AffiliateFlint Firebirds (OHL)[1]

The Leamington Flyers are a junior ice hockey team based in Leamington, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Ontario Junior Hockey League. Prior to 2023 they played in the Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. They are an affiliate of the Ontario Hockey League's Flint Firebirds.[2]

History

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Flyers goalie during 2013–14 season.

Bill Burgess, coach and general manager of the local Intermediate Flyers, formed the Junior Flyers in 1954. They were a Junior B team in the Southwestern League until 1958 when they quit the league.

The Flyers were a part of the BCJBHL 1958 until 1964. When the OHA allowed the Border Cities League to fail in 1964, the town mothballed the junior team and operated a top-notch juvenile team in its stead. In 1966, the team operated as an independent team, playing only in OHA playdowns and exhibition against local all-star, juvenile, and intermediate teams. In 1967, they joined the Western Junior B League. They entered the new Border Cities league in 1968. When the league became the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League in 1970, the Flyers stayed on board. The Flyers were promoted to the Western Junior "B" league in 1992. After winning the Sutherland Cup in 2023, the Flyers announced they were moving up to Junior A and playing in the Ontario Junior Hockey League

Flyers player during 2013–14 season.

On January 3, 1993, the Leamington Flyers helped set a record for the highest scoring tie in the history of the Western Ontario Hockey League by tying the London Nationals 11–11. The Flyers hold the record for the most lopsided game in the history of the WOHL. On January 20, 1995, the Flyers defeated the Windsor Bulldogs by a score of 30–3. On January 26, 2002, the Flyers set the WOHL record for largest margin in a shutout victory by defeating the Aylmer Aces by a score of 16–0.[1][permanent dead link‍]

Flyers goalie during 2014–15 season on the road.

On Tuesday March 16, 2010, the Leamington Flyers hired Head Coach Tony Piroski. Previously, as coach of the Essex 73's, Piroski won seven Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League championships and three Clarence Schmalz Cups in nine seasons.

In Piroski's first season the team went from 7 wins to 26 wins, losing Game 7 in overtime to the Lasalle Vipers. In spring 2011 the Flyers brought aboard OHL scout Mike Sadler as the club's general manager.

On May 11, 2015, General Manager Mike Sadler stepped down from the organization. Kevin Hopper takes over as the team General Manager.

April 2, 2018, owner Abe Fehr announced that he had sold the team to five local businessman, Jason Melo, Dan Jancevski, Cam Crowder, David Halliwill & Craig Mahon. Eight-year Head Coach Tony Piroski also announced he would not be returning to the team. In eight seasons under Piroski the Flyers had a record of 262–108–31 (a .692 winning percentage) in 401 regular-season games with the Flyers and took the team to the conference final four-straight years with two titles.

April 10, 2018, Cam Crowder was named head coach of the Leamington Flyers. Starting the season with only 10 returning players, Leamington stumbled out of the gate with a 12–8–1–2 record. Following a shocking trade of their top two scorers Maddux Rychel and Griffin Robinson, Leamington went on to finish the regular season 21–4–1–1 and claim the Western Conference regular season title. Leamington played Strathroy in the first round and clinched the series 4–1. Moving on to the conference semifinals Leamington played a tightly contested playoff series coming back from a 1–3 deficit defeating the Komoka Kings on home ice to clinch the series 4–3. In the Western Conference finals the young Flyers team were out matched by a veteran London Nationals team, and were swept 0–4.

Although the season ended in disappointment, Leamington had a very successful season having multiple award winners. Adam Jeffrey Top Rookie Scorer, Ryan Gagnier Rookie of the year, Levi Tetrault Defenceman of year, Zach Borgiel Goalie of year, and Cam Crowder being named coach of the year.

The current version of the Leamington Flyers led by Cam Crowder and General Manager Justin Solcz, take great pride in competing for the Sutherland cup while developing players for higher levels of hockey. The 2018–19 team moved on two players to major junior ( Ryan Gagnier Oshawa Generals and Colton O'Brien Quebec Remparts), and four players to tier II.

The Leamington Flyers and the Ontario Hockey League's Flint Firebirds announced an affiliation agreement in June 2019 prior to the 2019–2020 season.[3]

In the 2022–23 season the Flyers finished the regular season with a record of 35–11–4 for a total of 72 points finishing first in the Western Conference. In the playoffs the Flyers swept the Sarnia Legionnaires and the LaSalle Vipers before defeating the St. Marys Lincolns 4–1 in the Western Conference finals. The Flyers went 2–2 in the Sutherland Cup Round Robin which was enough to advance to the Sutherland Cup Championship Series against the Stratford Warriors. The series went the full seven games and in the seventh and final game on May 9, the Flyers defeated the Warriors 4–0 to capture the franchises first Sutherland Cup. Following the victory, on May 17 the Flyers announce they would be leaving the GOJHL and would be joining the Junior A level Ontario Junior Hockey League for the 2023–24 season.[4]

Season-by-season results

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Season GP W L T OTL GF GA P Results Playoffs
1958–59 20 5 14 1 – 67 103 11 4th BCJBHL
1959–60 29 6 23 0 – 109 181 12 6th BCJBHL
1960–61 29 7 22 0 – 105 223 14 7th BCJBHL
1961–62 30 13 17 0 – 132 156 26 5th BCJBHL
1962–63 36 11 25 0 – 134 203 22 6th BCJBHL
1963–64 28 16 12 0 – 139 147 32 3rd BCJBHL
1964–67 No League, Dropped to Bluewater Juvenile
1967-68 51 5 46 0 – 160 355 10 5th WOJBHL
1968–69 30 21 8 1 – 171 119 43 2nd BCJHL
1969–70 34 23 9 2 – 159 104 48 2nd BCJHL "C" Champions
1970–71 40 30 8 2 – 247 133 62 2nd GLJHL
1971–72 36 20 12 4 – 209 169 44 2nd GLJHL Won League
Won CSC
1972–73 42 34 6 2 – 298 148 70 2nd GLJHL Won League
1973–74 43 19 20 4 – 184 193 42 6th GLJHL Won League
1974–75 42 25 9 8 – 220 129 58 2nd GLJHL
1975–76 42 26 13 3 – 235 173 55 3rd GLJHL
1976–77 42 22 16 4 – 201 166 48 2nd GLJHL
1977–78 42 21 16 5 – 204 206 47 3rd GLJHL
1978–79 40 15 19 6 – 226 223 36 6th GLJHL
1979–80 42 36 4 2 – 344 156 74 1st GLJHL Won League
Won CSC
1980–81 42 28 10 4 – 328 180 60 2nd GLJHL Won League, lost CSC Semi-final
1981–82 39 26 10 3 – 264 192 55 2nd GLJHL
1982–83 39 29 8 2 – 331 154 62 1st GLJHL Won League, lost CSC Semi-final
1983–84 40 19 16 5 – 180 170 43 5th GLJHL Won League, lost CSC Semi-final
1984–85 39 15 20 4 – 171 202 34 7th GLJHL
1985–86 40 13 20 7 – 205 252 33 7th GLJHL
1986–87 38 23 12 2 1 240 163 49 4th GLJHL
1987–88 39 26 10 3 0 247 157 55 1st GLJHL
1988–89 38 29 8 1 0 259 143 59 4th GLJHL
1989–90 40 21 13 4 2 194 176 48 4th GLJHL
1990–91 39 18 21 0 0 157 183 36 8th GLJHL
1991–92 42 13 25 2 2 163 232 30 10th GLJHL
1992–93 52 15 27 5 5 – – 40 5th WOJHL West
1993–94 52 36 14 0 2 293 213 74 1st WOJHL West
1994–95 52 37 11 0 4 320 199 78 2nd WOJHL West
1995–96 52 34 10 6 2 303 202 76 1st WOJHL West Lost final
1996–97 52 31 13 3 5 276 198 70 1st WOJHL West Lost final
1997–98 52 29 19 3 1 189 171 62 2nd WOJHL West
1998–99 52 44 5 0 3 276 142 91 1st WOJHL West
1999–00 54 36 14 0 4 250 183 76 3rd GOHL
2000–01 54 24 24 4 2 176 187 54 6th GOHL
2001–02 54 36 15 2 1 276 172 75 2nd WOJHL
2002–03 48 37 8 1 2 231 131 77 1st WOJHL
2003–04 48 28 18 1 1 178 151 58 4th WOJHL
2004–05 48 20 20 3 5 166 179 48 6th WOJHL
2005–06 48 10 33 1 4 110 196 25 9th WOJHL DNQ
2006–07 48 17 28 – 3 159 199 37 8th WOJHL Lost quarter-final
2007–08 48 25 21 – 2 187 191 52 6th GOJHL-W Lost Conf. Quarter-final
2008–09 52 28 19 – 5 184 170 61 5th GOJHL-W Lost Conf. Quarter-final
2009–10 50 7 38 – 5 128 276 19 8th GOJHL-W Lost Conf. Quarter-final
2010–11 51 26 21 – 4 183 162 56 6th GOJHL-W Lost Conf. Quarterfinals, 3–4 (LaSalle)
2011–12 51 30 17 – 4 214 163 64 2nd GOJHL-W Lost Conf. Quarterfinals, 2–4 (Strathroy)
2012–13 51 32 16 – 3 185 152 67 2nd GOJHL-W Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–1 (Sarnia)
Lost Conf. Semifinal, 1–4 (London)
2013–14 49 37 10 – 2 232 120 76 1st GOJHL-W Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–0 (St. Marys)
Won Conf. Semifinal, 4–1 (London)
Won Conf. Finals, 4–1 (Chatham)
Lost Sutherland Cup Semifinals, 1–4 (St. Catharines)
2014–15 49 38 9 – 2 210 130 78 1st GOJHL-W Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–0 (Lambton Shores)
Won Conf. Semifinal, 4–2 (London)
Won Conf. Finals, 4–2 (LaSalle)
Lost Sutherland Cup Semifinals, 1–4 (Caledonia)
2015–16 50 41 8 1 0 200 95 83 1st of 9-W
3rd of 26-GOJHL		 Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–0 (St. Marys)
Won Conf. Semifinals 4–2 (Chatham)
Lost Conf. Finals 2–4 (London)
2016–17 50 27 16 1 6 163 140 61 4th of 9-W
12 of 27-GOJHL		 Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–2 (Sarnia)
Won Conf. Semifinals, 4–2 (LaSalle)
Lost Conf. Finals, 1–4 (London)
2017–18 50 31 11 5 3 202 142 70 2nd of 9-W
7th of 26-GOJHL		 Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–0 (Kings)
Lost Conf. Semifinal 3–4 (Stars)
2018–19 48 33 10 2 3 193 122 71 1st of 9 -W
3rd of 26 GOJHL		 Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–1 (Strathroy)
Won Conf. Semifinals, 4–3 (Kings)
Lost Conf Finals, 0–4 (London)
2019–20 50 38 9 1 2 225 132 79 2nd of 9 -W
3rd of 26 GOJHL		 Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–0 (Kings)
Incomplete Conf. Semifinals, 1–0 (Lincolns)
'Playoffs cancelled due to COVID-19
2020–21 Season Lost due to COVID-19 pandamic
2021–22 48 36 12 0 0 194 119 72 1st of 9 -W
3rd of 25 GOJHL		 Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–0 (Strathroy)
Won Conf. Semifinals, 4–2 (Lincolns)
Lost Conf Finals, 2–4 (Chatham)
2022–23 50 35 11 4 0 217 121 72 1st of 9 -W
6th of 25 GOJHL		 Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–0 (Sarnia)
Won Conf. Semifinals, 4–0 (LaSalle)
Won Conf Finals, 4–1 (Lincolns)
Round Robin 2–2 (Hamilton)(Stratford)
(Advance to finals)
Won League Finals, 4–3 (Warriors)
Ontario Junior Hockey League - Jr "A"
2023-24 56 34 14 5 3 209 139 76 3rd of 12-West
4th of 24-OJHL 		Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 4–0 (Raiders)
Won Conf. Semifinals, 4–1 (Menace)
Lost Conf Finals, 0-4 (Blues)

2022–23 coaching staff

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  • General Manager: Justin Solcz
  • Ass't General Manager: Matt Dumouchelle
  • Head coach: Dale Mitchell
  • Assistant coach: Kyle Quick
  • Assistant coach: Kade McKibbin
  • Goalie Coach: Matt Anthony
  • Video coach: Garrett Fodor
  • Trainer: Donald Mouck

Sutherland Cup appearances

[edit]
2023: Leamington Flyers defeated Stratford Warriors 4-games-to-3

Clarence Schmalz Cup appearances

[edit]
1972: Leamington Flyers defeated Cobourg Cougars 4-games-to-1
1980: Leamington Flyers defeated Bradford Blues 4-games-to-none

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ "Firebirds announce affiliation with Leamington Flyers".
  2. ^ "Firebirds announce affiliation with Leamington Flyers".
  3. ^ "Firebirds announce affiliation with Leamington Flyers".
  4. ^ "OJHL Announces Leamington Flyers as New Expansion Team". Leamington Flyers. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
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