History
The Kingston Canadians arrival in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) for the 1973–74 OHL season, was a result of the Montreal Junior Canadiens switch to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in 1972. During the summer of 1972, the QMJHL had threatened a lawsuit against the OHA to force the Junior Canadiens to return to the Quebec-based league. To solve the problem, the OHA granted the Junior Canadiens franchise a "one-year suspension" of operations, while team ownership transferred the team and players into the QMJHL, renaming themselves the Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge in the process.
The OHA then reactivated the suspended franchise after a one year hiatus, under new ownership and with new players, calling the team the Kingston Canadians. The new Kingston team was essentially an expansion franchise promoted from the OHA's Tier II league, that had only common name to share with the old Junior Canadiens. However, in some OHA histories (such as the annual Media Guide) the Kingston team is still shown as the legitimate successors of the Junior Canadiens' legacy.
The Kingston Canadians used the same colours and uniforms as the NHL's Montreal Canadiens and Junior Canadiens. The Kingston logo replaced the "H" with the letter "K" for Kingston. Some sources show the name as "Kingston Canadiens", but the English "Canadians" is correct.
The team played from 1973 to 1980 in the OHA, then from 1980 to 1988 in the OHL. The Kingston Canadians franchise was sold following the 1987–88 season, and the new owner renamed the team Kingston Raiders. The following season they were again sold and renamed Kingston Frontenacs.
- Notable Events
- In 1981 Kingston hosted the annual OHL All-Star game. The Emms division coached by Paul Gauthier beat the Leyden division coached by Terry Crisp 4 to 3.
- In 1985–1986 season, Chris Clifford was the OHL first goalie to score a goal.
- A 28 game losing streak in 1987–1988, the final season of the Canadians.
- A brawl during pre-game skate before a game with the Toronto Marlboros, in which Kingston forward Mike Maurice skated into the Marlboro end of the ice to get one of the nets. From then on, the OHL enacted a policy of having on ice officials present before the visiting team is allowed on the ice.
The Kingston Canadians is now a minor rep hockey team that represents the KAMHA league in Kingston Ontario and they are named after the old ohl team
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