Guelph Storm - History

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 renamed the Storm.

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.

The 2005–06 season was the team's 15th season as the Storm. They will celebrate their 20th season in the coming 2010-11 season.

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.

During their time in Guelph, the Storm have a gained a reputation as a "player's" franchise with a winning tradition. Annually, Guelph Storm players are among the highest in academic achievements, winning the Bobby Smith Trophy five times.

The Storm is frequently-noticed and often commended by hockey fans around the league for the way their players very respectfully stand still and at attention until well after the national anthem is finished. This is a practice that was instituted by former coach Jeff Jackson years ago and is still in effect today.