Guelph Storm

Guelph Storm
CityGuelph, Ontario
LeagueOntario Hockey League
ConferenceWestern
DivisionMidwest
Founded1991–92
Home arenaSleeman Centre
ColoursCrimson, white, and black
     
Owner(s)Joel Feldberg
Jeffrey Bly[1]
General managerGeorge Burnett
Head coachCory Stillman
AffiliateAyr Centennials
Websitewww.guelphstorm.com
Franchise history
1904–1989Toronto Marlboros
1989–1991Dukes of Hamilton
1991–presentGuelph Storm
Current uniform
Guelph Storm face off on home ice. February 15th, 2006

The Guelph Storm are a major junior ice hockey team based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. They have played in the OHL since the 1991–92 season. The team plays home games at the Sleeman Centre.

History

The franchise started as the Toronto Marlboros, who moved to Hamilton to become the Dukes of Hamilton in 1989. Following the 1990–91 season, the franchise was relocated to Guelph and a contest was held to name the team. Tom Douglas submitted the winning entry "Storm" and the team was renamed the Guelph Storm.[2]

The first year in Guelph was dismal, but the building process for Guelph was soon successful. The Storm finished first place in the 1994–95 season. General Manager Mike Kelly was voted the OHL Executive of the Year and Craig Hartsburg voted the Coach of the Year for the Canadian Hockey League and the Ontario Hockey League. Draft picks from the early years in Guelph include Jeff O'Neill and Todd Bertuzzi.

Guelph reached the OHL finals in 1995 and 1996. The team qualified for the 1996 Memorial Cup by playing against the Memorial Cup host Peterborough Petes in the OHL final.

The Storm won their first J. Ross Robertson Cup in 1998. This success continued into the Memorial Cup Tournament as the Storm rallied to the Championship Game where they lost to the Portland Winter Hawks in overtime in the final game.

In the year 2000, the team moved from the historic but aging Guelph Memorial Gardens into the Guelph Sports and Entertainment Centre (since renamed the Sleeman Centre). The Storm were selected to host the 2002 Memorial Cup tournament. It marked the team's third appearance in the national junior championship, their first as host team.

Two years later, the Storm won their second OHL Championship, and returned to the 2004 Memorial Cup hosted in Kelowna, British Columbia.

In the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, defenceman Drew Doughty was selected 2nd overall by the Los Angeles Kings, the highest ever selection of a Guelph Storm player.

In 2014, the Storm captured their third OHL Championship, and subsequently advanced to the 2014 Memorial Cup final, hosted in London, Ontario. The Edmonton Oil Kings won Cup championship on 25 May 2014 with a 6-3 win over the Storm.[3]

In late April 2019, the team captured the Wayne Gretzky Trophy as 2019 OHL Western Conference Champions again winning the J. Ross Robertson Cup.[4] On 12 May 2019, in the sixth game of the finals, the Storm defeated the Ottawa 67's to win the OHL championship and were again headed to the Memorial Cup, their sixth appearance, to start on 17 May in Halifax.[5] Nick Suzuki (a Montreal Canadiens prospect) earned the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as OHL Playoff MVP. He was the third Storm player in the team's history to win this award.[6]

In 2021,the team agreed to stop using the song Cotton Eye Joe by the group Rednex during games after consultation with local groups alleging the song has racist origins.[7]

Championships

The Guelph Storm have appeared in the Memorial Cup tournament six times, won the J. Ross Robertson Cup four times, won the Hamilton Spectator Trophy four times, and have won five division titles.

Memorial Cup

J. Ross Robertson Cup

Wayne Gretzky Trophy

  • 2003–04, Western Conference Champions
  • 2013–14, Western Conference Champions
  • 2018–19, Western Conference Champions

Hamilton Spectator Trophy

  • 1994–95 47 W, 14 L, 5 T, 99 points
  • 1995–96 45 W, 16 L, 5 T, 95 points
  • 1997–98 42 W, 17 L, 6 T, 1 OTL, 91 points
  • 2013–14 52 W, 12 L, 4 OTL, 108 points

Division Trophies

  • 1994–95 Emms Trophy, Central Division
  • 1995–96 Emms Trophy, Central Division
  • 1997–98 Emms Trophy, Central Division
  • 1998–99 Holody Trophy, Midwest Division
  • 2013–14 Holody Trophy, Midwest Division

Head coaches

Guelph Storm head coaches have been awarded the Matt Leyden Trophy as the OHL coach-of-the-year twice in team history. Craig Hartsburg was awarded the Matt Leyden Trophy for the 1994–95 season, and was also voted the Canadian Hockey League coach-of-the-year the same year. Dave Barr won the Matt Leyden Trophy in 2005–06.

List of coaches with multiple seasons in parentheses.

  • 1991–1992 – Ron Ivany, Mike Kelly, Bill LaForge
  • 1992–1994 – John Lovell (2)
  • 1994–1995 – Craig Hartsburg
  • 1995–1997 – E.J. McGuire (2)
  • 1997–1998 – George Burnett (5)
  • 1998–1999 – Geoff Ward
  • 1999–2000 – Paul Gillis
  • 2000–2002 – Jeff Jackson (3)
  • 2002–2003 – Jeff Jackson, Shawn Camp
  • 2003–2004 – Shawn Camp (2)
  • 2004–2008 – Dave Barr (4)
  • 2008–2010 – Jason Brooks (2)
  • 2010 (interim) – Mike Kelly
  • 2010–2015 – Scott Walker (5)
  • 2015–2016 – Bill Stewart
  • 2015 (interim) – Mike Kelly
  • 2015–2017 – Jarrod Skalde (2)
  • 2017–2022 – George Burnett (5)
  • Sept.–Nov. 2022 – Scott Walker
  • 2022–2024 – Chad Wiseman
  • 2024–present – Cory Stillman

General managers

A Guelph Storm executive has won the OHL Executive of the Year on two occasions while the honour was awarded from 1990 to 2013. General manager Mike Kelly won the award in 1994–95 and team governor Rick Gaetz won the award in 2009–10.[citation needed]

List of General Managers with multiple seasons in parentheses.

  • 1991–1997 – Mike Kelly (12)
  • 1997–2003 – Alan Millar (6)
  • 2003–2008 – Dave Barr (5)
  • 2009–2010 – Jason Brooks
  • 2010–2016 – Mike Kelly
  • 2017–present – George Burnett (6)

Players

Award winners

NHL alumni

Honoured numbers

List of numbers retired/honoured by the Guelph Storm.

Hall of Famers

No former Guelph Storm members are currently in the Hockey Hall of Fame.[citation needed]

Season-by-season results

Regular season

Legend: OTL = Overtime loss, SL = Shootout loss

Season Games Won Lost Tied OTL SL Points Pct % Goals
For		 Goals
Against		 Standing
1991–92 66 4 51 11 - - 19 0.144 235 425 8th Emms
1992–93 66 27 33 6 - - 60 0.455 298 360 7th Emms
1993–94 66 32 28 6 - - 70 0.530 323 290 3rd Emms
1994–95 66 47 14 5 - - 99 0.750 330 200 1st Central
1995–96 66 45 16 5 - - 95 0.720 297 186 1st Central
1996–97 66 35 25 6 - - 78 0.576 300 251 2nd Central
1997–98 66 42 18 6 - - 90 0.682 263 189 1st Central
1998–99 68 44 22 2 - - 90 0.662 300 218 1st Midwest
1999–2000 68 29 34 4 1 - 63 0.456 250 256 4th Midwest
2000–01 68 34 23 9 2 - 79 0.566 227 205 2nd Midwest
2001–02 68 41 22 4 1 - 87 0.596 246 218 2nd Midwest
2002–03 68 29 28 9 2 - 69 0.507 217 208 3rd Midwest
2003–04 68 49 14 5 0 - 103 0.757 276 182 2nd Midwest
2004–05 68 23 34 10 1 - 57 0.412 167 189 5th Midwest
2005–06 68 40 24 - 1 3 84 0.618 232 206 3rd Midwest
2006–07 68 33 23 - 3 9 78 0.574 215 200 3rd Midwest
2007–08 68 34 25 - 5 4 77 0.566 213 187 3rd Midwest
2008–09 68 35 26 - 4 3 77 0.566 226 209 2nd Midwest
2009–10 68 35 29 - 3 1 74 0.544 242 255 3rd Midwest
2010–11 68 34 27 - 4 3 75 0.551 249 258 4th Midwest
2011–12 68 31 31 - 2 4 68 0.500 234 238 4th Midwest
2012–13 68 39 23 - 2 4 84 0.618 253 210 4th Midwest
2013–14 68 52 12 - 2 2 108 0.794 340 191 1st Midwest
2014–15 68 38 26 - 2 2 80 0.588 237 237 3rd Midwest
2015–16 68 13 49 - 4 2 32 0.235 156 297 5th Midwest
2016–17 68 21 40 - 5 2 49 0.360 202 297 5th Midwest
2017–18 68 30 29 - 5 4 69 0.507 228 263 4th Midwest
2018–19 68 40 18 - 6 4 90 0.662 308 230 2nd Midwest
2019–20 63 32 23 - 3 5 72 0.571 218 209 3rd Midwest
2020–21 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 0.000 0 0 Season cancelled
2021–22 68 36 24 - 5 3 80 0.588 251 228 2nd Midwest
2022–23 68 35 28 - 4 1 75 0.551 253 280 2nd Midwest
2023–24 68 33 28 - 6 1 73 0.537 210 225 4th Midwest

Playoffs

  • 1991–92 – Out of playoffs.
  • 1992–93 – Lost to Detroit Jr. Red Wings 4 games to 1 in first round.
  • 1993–94 – Defeated London Knights 4 games to 1 in division quarter-finals.
    Lost to S.S.Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 0 in division semi-finals.
  • 1994–95 – First place in OHL. Earned first round bye.
    Defeated Owen Sound Platers 4 games to 0 in quarter-finals.
    Defeated Belleville Bulls 4 games to 0 in semi-finals.
    Lost to Detroit Jr. Red Wings 4 games to 2 in finals.
  • 1995–96 – First place in OHL. Earned first round bye.
    Defeated Niagara Falls Thunder 4 games to 0 in quarter-finals.
    Defeated Belleville Bulls 4 games to 1 in semi-finals.
    Lost to Peterborough Petes 4 games to 3 in finals.
    Finished 4th place in Memorial Cup hosted by Peterborough Petes.
  • 1996–97 – Defeated Erie Otters 4 games to 1 in division quarter-finals.
    Defeated S.S. Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 2 in quarter-finals.
    Lost to Ottawa 67's 4 games to 3 in semi-finals.
  • 1997–98 – First place in OHL. Earned first round bye.
    Defeated Sudbury Wolves 4 games to 0 in quarter-finals.
    Defeated Plymouth Whalers 4 games to 0 in semi-finals.
    Defeated Ottawa 67's 4 games to 1 in finals. OHL CHAMPIONS
    Finished round-robin portion of Memorial Cup in 2nd place.
    Defeated Spokane Chiefs 2–1 (OT) in semi-finals.
    Lost to Portland Winter Hawks 4–3 (OT) in finals. Finished 2nd place in Memorial Cup.
  • 1998–99 – Defeated Erie Otters 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
    Lost to Owen Sound Platers 4 games to 2 in conference semi-finals.
  • 1999–2000 – Lost to Plymouth Whalers 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2000–01 – Lost to Brampton Battalion 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2001–02 – Defeated Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
    Lost to Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 1 in conference semi-finals.
    Finished round-robin portion of Memorial Cup tied for third place.
    Lost to Victoriaville Tigres 4–3 in tiebreaker game. Finished 4th place as hosts of Memorial Cup.
  • 2002–03 – Defeated Sarnia Sting 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
    Lost to Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 1 in conference semi-finals.
  • 2003–04 – Defeated Owen Sound Attack 4 games to 3 in conference quarter-finals.
    Defeated Plymouth Whalers 4 games to 0 in conference semi-finals.
    Defeated London Knights 4 games to 3 in conference finals.
    Defeated Mississauga Ice Dogs 4 games to 0 in finals. OHL CHAMPIONS
    Finished 4th place in Memorial Cup hosted by Kelowna Rockets.
  • 2004–05 – Lost to London Knights 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2005–06 – Defeated Saginaw Spirit 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
    Defeated Plymouth Whalers 4 games to 2 in conference semi-finals.
    Lost to London Knights 4 games to 1 in conference finals.
  • 2006–07 – Lost to Plymouth Whalers 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2007–08 – Defeated London Knights 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
    Lost to S.S. Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 1 in conference semi-finals.
  • 2008–09 – Lost to Saginaw Spirit 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2009–10 – Lost to London Knights 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2010–11 – Lost to Saginaw Spirit 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2011–12 – Lost to Plymouth Whalers 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2012–13 – Lost to Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2013–14 – Defeated Plymouth Whalers 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
    Defeated London Knights 4 games to 1 in conference semi-finals
    Defeated Erie Otters 4 games to 1 in conference finals.
    Defeated North Bay Battalion 4 games to 1 in finals. OHL CHAMPIONS
    Finished round-robin portion of Memorial Cup in 1st place.
    Lost to Edmonton Oil Kings 6–3 in finals. Finished 2nd place in Memorial Cup
  • 2014–15 – Defeated Owen Sound Attack 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
    Lost to S.S. Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 0 in conference semi-finals.
  • 2015–16 – Out of playoffs.
  • 2016–17 – Out of playoffs.
  • 2017–18 – Lost to Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2018–19 — Defeated Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
    Defeated London Knights 4 games to 3 in conference semi-finals.
    Defeated Saginaw Spirit 4 games to 3 in conference finals.
    Defeated Ottawa 67's 4 games to 2 in finals. OHL CHAMPIONS
    Finished round-robin portion of Memorial Cup in 2nd place.
    Lost to Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 6–4 in semifinals. Finished 3rd place in Memorial Cup
  • 2019–20 – Cancelled.
  • 2020–21 – Cancelled.
  • 2021–22 – Lost to Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2022–23 – Lost to Sarnia Sting 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
  • 2023–24 – Lost to Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.

Uniforms and logos

For the 2007/08 season, the team switched to a crimson and white colour scheme with the same logo that was on the last jerseys, except the "stripes" that appear across the "belly" of the Storm logo itself were modified from black to crimson. The white jersey has "STORM" written on top of the logo, and the crimson jersey has "GUELPH" above the logo. The new shoulder patches, featuring the alternate "GS" logo, have been redesigned and are meant to be read from the inside (the "G") outward (the "S").

The Guelph Storm primary logo is one of the team's mascots "Spyke" surrounded by a twister with the team name above it. The team colours are white, grey, crimson and black. Home jerseys have a white background with "STORM" above the logo, and away jerseys have a crimson background with "GUELPH" above the logo.

The previous Guelph Storm logo was used from 1991 to 1995. The team colours then were white, blue, grey and black. Home jerseys had a white background and away jerseys had a blue background.[8]

Arenas

The Guelph Storm played at the Guelph Memorial Gardens from 1991 until the year 2000 when moving to the new Guelph Sports and Entertainment Centre, since renamed the Sleeman Centre.[9] The GSEC was built into what was a former Eaton's department store in a downtown shopping mall. The GSEC hosted the 2001 Hershey Cup and the 2002 Memorial Cup.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ "OHL Board of Governors Approve Transfer of Ownership of Guelph Storm Hockey Club". OurSports Central. September 17, 2021. Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  2. ^ "Guelph Storm hockey team statistics and history at hockeydb.com". Archived from the original on May 13, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
  3. ^ "2014 MasterCard Memorial Cup – Championship Game – Memorial Cup". Archived from the original on May 13, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
  4. ^ "Guelph Storm are 2019 Western Conference Champions – Ontario Hockey League". OHL. April 29, 2019. Archived from the original on May 4, 2019. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  5. ^ "Guelph Storm win OHL championship with Game 6 win over Ottawa". Sportsnet. May 12, 2019. Archived from the original on May 13, 2019. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  6. ^ "Storm's Suzuki earns Wayne Gretzky '99' Award as OHL Playoff MVP – Ontario Hockey League". Archived from the original on May 13, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
  7. ^ Balintec, Vanessa (December 9, 2021). "OHL's Guelph Storm changes iconic mascot tune after confronting its racist roots". CBC. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  8. ^ Uniforms & Logos – from www.sportslogos.net
  9. ^ Guelph Memorial Gardens
  10. ^ Sleeman Centre
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Guelph Storm.