Kenora Islanders
| Kenora Islanders | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Kenora, Ontario |
| League | SIJHL |
| Founded | 2023 |
| Home arena | Moncrief Construction Sports Centre |
| Colours | |
| Owner(s) | Jack Dawson |
| General manager | Gatlin Church |
| Head coach | Kurt Walsten |
| Website | kenoraislanders |
The Kenora Islanders are a junior ice hockey team in the Superior International Junior Hockey League based in Kenora, Ontario. The team debuted as an expansion team in the 2023–24 SIJHL season.
Team identity
[edit]The name Kenora Islanders refers to the city's proximity to the Lake of the Woods and its many islands.[1] The club also considered calling itself the Kenora Thistles after the the 1907 Stanley Cup championship team that hailed from Kenora, and the present-day minor hockey club of the same name.[2]
Arena
[edit]Where the team plays its home games has been a point of contention in the local community.[3][4] The two public arenas in Kenora have been in high demand since before the Islanders existed.[5] Prior to the team's inaugural season, the City of Kenora announced that the team could not be accommodated at either of its arenas due to competing demands and concerns raised by community groups and other users of the facilities.[6] Despite this, the Islanders played 15 of their 25 regular season home games at the city-owned Moncrief Construction Sports Centre, 8 games at the Woodland Arena in the community of Vermillion Bay, Ontario — approximately 94 kilometres (58 mi) east of Kenora — one game at the Chi Key Wis Arena in Naotkamegwanning First Nation — approximately 90 kilometres (56 mi) south of Kenora — and one game was forfeit.[7]
The city issued a new ice allocation bylaw in December 2023 that prioritises minor hockey, public skating, and special events ahead of the Islanders.[8] In the 2024–25 SIJHL season, the Islanders were scheduled to play 16 regular season games at the Moncrief Construction Sports Centre and 8 games at the Woodland Arena.[7]
Inaugural season
[edit]The team finished the regular 2023–24 SIJHL season in last place with 2 wins and 47 losses.[9] In one of those games, the Kam River Fighting Walleye set an all-time league record with 104 shots on goal during a single match. It may have also been a record for the Kenora Islanders goaltender, Kaden King, who made 93 saves.[10]
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | 49 | 2 | 46 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8th overall | Lost 1st round, 0-4 (Fighting Walleye) |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Moskalyk, Gary (17 June 2023). "Islanders have landed in the SIJHL". The Chronicle-Journal. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ "SIJHL's Kenora Islanders become CJHL's newest franchise". cjhlhockey.com (Press release). Kenora, Ont.: Canadian Junior Hockey League. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
Dawson chose the Islanders to be the team's nickname, in deference to the thousands of islands that dot the renowned Lake of the Woods and contributed to the lake's 65,000 miles of shoreline.
- ^ Fleury, Clint (14 June 2023). "Group seeks city support to bring new SIJHL team to Kenora". NWONewsWatch.com. Dougall Media. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ Thoms, Randy (14 June 2023). "New junior team presses for ice time in Kenora". Kenora Online. Acadia Broadcasting. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ Kitching, Heather (16 August 2017). "Kenora ice policies shutting out women's hockey league, spokesperson says". CBC News. CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ "Position Statement Regarding Junior A Team Request". kenora.ca (Press release). City of Kenora. 14 April 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ a b "SIJHL schedule". sijhlhockey.com. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ Austin, Serena (8 August 2024). "'We don't want them to have to fold': Islanders president weighs in on women's league ice time controversy". Kenora Miner & News. Klein Group. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ "Kenora Islanders hockey team statistics and history at hockeydb.com". hockeydb.com. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ^ Dunick, Leith (4 March 2024). "Kam River tops 100 shots, blanks Kenora 11-0". TBNewsWatch.com. Dougall Media. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
Further reading
[edit]- Dunick, Leith (16 June 2023). "SIJHL confirms Kenora Islanders as new expansion team". NWONewsWatch.com. Dougall Media. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- Jeffrey, Kevin (5 September 2023). "Islanders preparing for SIJHL expansion campaign". NWONewsWatch.com. Dougall Media. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- Laskaris, Sam (23 June 2023). "Genaille hired to lead Islanders in first SIJHL campaign". NWONewsWatch.com. Dougall Media. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- Davidson, Tim (22 September 2023). "Islanders ready to hit the ice". Kenora Online. Acadia Broadcasting. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- Jeffrey, Kevin (6 March 2024). "Islanders navigating rocky first season". NWONewsWatch.com. Dougall Media. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- Dunick, Leith (4 March 2024). "Kam River tops 100 shots, blanks Kenora 11-0". TBNewsWatch.com. Dougall Media.
- Law, Sarah (29 July 2024). "Women hockey players put heat on Kenora, Ont., for earlier ice times, fearing leagues may fold". CBC News. CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- "Naming Rights Secured for Kenora Recreation Centre". kenora.ca (Press release). City of Kenora. 16 February 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- Cindy Johnson & Jill Hager (16 July 2024). Regular Meeting of Council of the City of Kenora. City Hall Council Chambers: City of Kenora.
- "Kenora Islanders hockey team statistics and history at hockeydb.com". www.hockeydb.com. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- "Ice allocation policy" (PDF). kenora.ca. City of Kenora. Retrieved 23 August 2024.