Junior ice hockey season
The 1995–96 OHL season was the 16th season of the Ontario Hockey League . The league expanded as the Barrie Colts entered into the central division. The Detroit Junior Red Wings become the Detroit Whalers . Seventeen teams each played 66 games. The Peterborough Petes won the J. Ross Robertson Cup , defeating the Guelph Storm .
Expansion
Barrie Colts
On May 6, 1994, The Barrie Colts were approved as an expansion team in the Ontario Hockey League beginning in the 1995-96 season. The Colts began their inaugural season playing in the Barrie Arena , however, on December 31, 1995, the Colts moved into their new home, the Barrie Molson Centre . The Colts joined the Central Division.
Rebranding
Detroit Junior Red Wings to Detroit Whalers
At the conclusion of the 1994-95 , the Detroit Junior Red Wings severed all ties with the National Hockey League Detroit Red Wings , as Peter Karmanos renamed the franchise the Detroit Whalers .
The Whalers moved out of Joe Louis Arena and into the Palace of Auburn Hills , home of the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association and the Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League . The Whalers would play 21 of their 33 home games in the regular season at the Palace of Auburn Hills while playing their remaining 12 home games at Oak Park Ice Arena . The Whalers played all of their home playoff games at the Oak Park Ice Arena .
The club remained in the West Division.
Teams
1995-96 Ontario Hockey League
Division
Team
City
Arena
East
Belleville Bulls
Belleville , Ontario
Yardmen Arena
Kingston Frontenacs
Kingston , Ontario
Kingston Memorial Centre
North Bay Centennials
North Bay , Ontario
North Bay Memorial Gardens
Oshawa Generals
Oshawa , Ontario
Oshawa Civic Auditorium
Ottawa 67's
Ottawa , Ontario
Ottawa Civic Centre
Peterborough Petes
Peterborough , Ontario
Peterborough Memorial Centre
Central
Barrie Colts
Barrie , Ontario
Barrie Arena Barrie Molson Centre
Guelph Storm
Guelph , Ontario
Guelph Memorial Gardens
Kitchener Rangers
Kitchener , Ontario
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
Niagara Falls Thunder
Niagara Falls , Ontario
Niagara Falls Memorial Arena
Owen Sound Platers
Owen Sound , Ontario
Bayshore Community Centre
Sudbury Wolves
Sudbury , Ontario
Sudbury Community Arena
West
Detroit Whalers
Detroit , Michigan Auburn Hills, Michigan
Oak Park Ice Arena Palace of Auburn Hills
London Knights
London , Ontario
London Ice House
Sarnia Sting
Sarnia , Ontario
Sarnia Arena
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Sault Ste. Marie , Ontario
Sault Memorial Gardens
Windsor Spitfires
Windsor , Ontario
Windsor Arena
East Division
Central Division
West Division
Regular season
Final standings
Note: DIV = Division; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PTS = Points; x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = earned first round bye
East Division
Central Division
West Division
Scoring leaders
Playoffs
[ 1]
Division quarter-finals
East Division
(2) Peterborough Petes vs. (5) Kingston Frontenacs
Peterborough wins series 4 – 2
(3) Belleville Bulls vs. (4) Oshawa Generals
Belleville wins series 4 – 1
Central Division
(2) Kitchener Rangers vs. (5) Barrie Colts
Kitchener wins series 4 – 3
(3) Niagara Falls Thunder vs. (4) Owen Sound Platers
Niagara Falls wins series 4 – 2
West Division
(1) Detroit Whalers vs. (4) Windsor Spitfires
Detroit wins series 4 – 3
(2) Sarnia Sting vs. (3) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
March 17
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
1 – 5
Sarnia Sting
Sarnia Arena
March 18
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
2 – 6
Sarnia Sting
Sarnia Arena
OHL quarter-finals
(C1) Guelph Storm vs. (C3) Niagara Falls Thunder
(W1) Detroit Whalers vs. (C2) Kitchener Rangers
Detroit wins series 4 – 1
(E1) Ottawa 67's vs. (E3) Belleville Bulls
Belleville wins series 4 – 0
(W2) Sarnia Sting vs. (E2) Peterborough Petes
April 7
Peterborough Petes
7 – 6
OT
Sarnia Sting
Sarnia Arena
Peterborough wins series 4 – 2
OHL semi-finals
(C1) Guelph Storm vs. (E3) Belleville Bulls
(W1) Detroit Whalers vs. (E2) Peterborough Petes
Peterborough wins series 4 – 1
J. Ross Robertson Cup
(C1) Guelph Storm vs. (E2) Peterborough Petes
Peterborough wins series 4 – 3
All-Star teams
First team
Alyn McCauley , Centre, Ottawa 67's
Daniel Cleary , Left Wing, Belleville Bulls
Cameron Mann , Right Wing, Peterborough Petes
Bryan Berard , Defence, Detroit Whalers
Kevin Bolibruck , Defence, Peterborough Petes
Craig Hillier , Goaltender, Ottawa 67's
Brian Kilrea , Coach, Ottawa 67's
Second team
Aaron Brand , Centre, Sarnia Sting
Sean Haggerty , Left Wing, Detroit Whalers
Jeff Johnstone , Right Wing, Niagara Falls Thunder
Sean Brown , Defence, Sarnia Sting
Jay McKee , Defence, Niagara Falls Thunder
Dan Cloutier , Goaltender, Guelph Storm
Bert Templeton , Coach, Barrie Colts
Third team
Sean Venedam , Centre, Sudbury Wolves
Jamie Wright , Left Wing, Guelph Storm
David Nemirovski , Right Wing, Sarnia Sting
Marc Moro , Defence, Kingston Frontenacs
Ryan Risidore , Defence, Guelph Storm
David Belitski, Goaltender, Kitchener Rangers
Travis Scott , Goaltender, Oshawa Generals
Mark Hunter , Coach, Sarnia Sting
Awards
J. Ross Robertson Cup :
Peterborough Petes
Hamilton Spectator Trophy :
Guelph Storm
Leyden Trophy :
Ottawa 67's
Emms Trophy :
Guelph Storm
Bumbacco Trophy :
Detroit Whalers
Red Tilson Trophy :
Alyn McCauley , Ottawa 67's
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy :
Aaron Brand , Sarnia Sting
Matt Leyden Trophy :
Brian Kilrea , Ottawa 67's
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy :
Cameron Mann , Peterborough Petes
Max Kaminsky Trophy :
Bryan Berard , Detroit Whalers
OHL Goaltender of the Year :
Craig Hillier , Ottawa 67's
Jack Ferguson Award :
Rico Fata , London Knights
Dave Pinkney Trophy :
Dan Cloutier and Brett Thompson , Guelph Storm
OHL Executive of the Year :
Bert Templeton , Barrie Colts
Emms Family Award :
Joe Thornton , Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
F.W. 'Dinty' Moore Trophy :
Brett Thompson , Guelph Storm
OHL Humanitarian of the Year :
Craig Mills , Belleville Bulls
William Hanley Trophy :
Jeff Williams , Guelph Storm
Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy :
Aaron Brand , Sarnia Sting
Bobby Smith Trophy :
Boyd Devereaux , Kitchener Rangers
1996 OHL Priority Selection
On June 1, 1996, the OHL conducted the 1996 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium in Kitchener, Ontario . The London Knights held the first overall pick in the draft and selected Rico Fata from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds . Fata was awarded the Jack Ferguson Award , awarded to the top pick in the draft.
Below are the players who were selected in the first round of the 1996 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.[ 2]
#
Player
Nationality
OHL Team
Hometown
Minor Team
1
Rico Fata (C )
Canada
London Knights
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
2
Tyler Rennette (C )
Canada
North Bay Centennials
Powassan, Ontario
Waterloo Siskins
3
Norm Milley (RW )
Canada
Sudbury Wolves
North York, Ontario
Toronto Red Wings
4
Kip Brennan (D )
Canada
Windsor Spitfires
Toronto, Ontario
St. Michael's Buzzers
5
Mike Henrich (RW )
Canada
Barrie Colts
Thornhill, Ontario
Wexford Midgets
6
Wes Goldie (RW )
Canada
Owen Sound Platers
London, Ontario
St. Thomas Stars
7
Kevin Grimes (D )
Canada
Kingston Frontenacs
Metcalfe, Ontario
Cumberland Grads
8
Brett Gibson (C )
Canada
Erie Otters
Gananoque, Ontario
Kingston Voyageurs
9
Bryan Allen (D )
Canada
Oshawa Generals
Glenburnie, Ontario
Ernestown Jets
10
Wes Jarvis (D )
Canada
Kitchener Rangers
Ottawa, Ontario
Gloucester Rangers
11
Justin Papineau (C )
Canada
Belleville Bulls
Ottawa, Ontario
Ottawa Jr. Senators
12
Pat Kavanagh (RW )
Canada
Peterborough Petes
Richmond, Ontario
Kanata Valley Lasers
13
Nick Robinson (D )
Canada
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Cavan, Ontario
Lindsay Muskies
14
Abe Herbst (D )
Canada
Sarnia Sting
Harriston, Ontario
Listowel Cyclones
15
Mark Bell (C )
Canada
Ottawa 67's
St. Paul's, Ontario
Stratford Cullitons
16
Harold Druken (LW )
Canada
Detroit Whalers
St. John's, Newfoundland
Noble & Greenough Bulldogs
17
Manny Malhotra (C )
Canada
Guelph Storm
Mississauga, Ontario
Mississauga Reps
See also
References
East Division Central Division Midwest Division West Division Defunct teams