Nepean Raiders
Nepean Raiders | |
---|---|
City | Nepean, Ontario, Canada |
League | Central Canada Hockey League |
Division | Yzerman |
Founded | 1966 |
Home arena | Nepean Sportsplex, Steve Yzerman Arena |
Colours | Red, Black, and White |
Owner(s) | Brian Altshuller |
General manager | vacant |
Head coach | vacant |
Media | CKDJ 107.9 |
Affiliate | Ottawa 67s (OHL) |
The Nepean Raiders are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team from Nepean, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Central Canada Hockey League. The town of Nepean was granted expansion after the Cornwall Royals and the Hull Hawks left the CJHL for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The Raiders started their operations in the Valley division of the Junior "B" League in 1966, switching over to the Central Junior Hockey League in 1972.
History
Nepean made the finals multiple times between 1972 and 1981. In the 1980s. Steve Yzerman and Darren Pang are still known for being the most-outstanding Raiders in the early era. The Raiders struggled in the 1980s and 1990s missing the playoffs multiple times, and set a season-record for the most-penalized CJHL team in 1995-96.
The Nepean Raiders were bought by businessman Gord Black in 1998, who changed the team identity. He hired Chris Byrne as the head coach in 1999-00, despite being only 24 years old, he proved to turn the Raiders organization around and changes paid off. In 2002, Byrne quit his day job and balanced both rolls as head coach and general manager for the team. Bryne's duel role paid off, as the Raiders managed to make the league finals for the first time since 1981, when Darren Pang and Steve Yzerman played for the Raiders. Nepean won their first-ever league championship in 2003, after defeating the Ottawa Junior Senators in five games.
Nepean would repeat as league champions the following year, after finishing first overall. The team also won the Fred Page Cup and finished as Royal Bank Cup semi-finalists during the 2003-04 campaign. The 2004-05 Nepean Raiders finished a strong season and boosted attendance at the same time with the NHL Lockout happening. However, the Raiders lost the finals to the Hawkesbury Hawks in 7 games in hard-fought series.
The 2005-06 season would be Chris Byrne's final season behind the Raiders bench as he accepted an assistant coaching position with the Ottawa 67's. He now works as a scout for the Los Angeles Kings. Archie Mulligan, the former coach and general manager of the Kanata Valley Lasers replaced Chris Byrne. The team slipped mid-way through the standings for the first time since 2000-01, but managed to make the league finals for the fifth season in a row. The 2007-08 season hopes collapsed as Archie Mulligan left the team abruptly in early November and forcing the team to hastly find a replacement. This created a mass exodus of players, and Nepean dropped to 6th overall and a first round playoff exit for the first time since 2000. Gord Black sold his Nepean Raiders to Arnie Vered and Brian Altshuller over the summer of 2008, even though the team was close to being sold to a group of Barrhaven residents and becoming community-owned. Altshuller got busy and spent money on renovations and new equipment and also treated the supporters to the old logo that was discontinued 10 years ago, but still used the pirate logo as an alternate. Altshuller hired CBC and former NHL Garry Galley as their head coach, but in the end the Nepean Raiders clinched top spot in the league for the first time since 2004-05, but lost to Pembroke in the finals.
December 2009 was the turning point for the Nepean Raiders as Garry Galley left the team over disagreements with management, and a similar fate from two years before unfolded. Peter Goulet was hired as a replacement and spent the next year's rebuilding the Nepean Raiders franchise and paid off in 2011-12 as they finished first overall, won the league championship, and became Fred Page Cup finalists.
The 2012-13 season saw the Raiders attempting to repeat as league champions against the Cornwall Colts in a rematch from the 2012 finals, but lost the series in 6 games. The 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons resulted in the Raiders being swept in the first round of the playoffs. The 2015-16 season marked the first time since 1994-95, that the Nepean Raiders last missed the playoffs. Possibly one of the longest playoff streaks in Central Canada Hockey League history.
Season-by-Season record
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Points | Finish | Playoffs |
1972-73 | 55 | 22 | 32 | 1 | - | 214 | 268 | 45 | 5th CJHL | |
1973-74 | 50 | 26 | 18 | 6 | - | 287 | 236 | 58 | 2nd CJHL | |
1974-75 | 50 | 23 | 17 | 10 | - | 254 | 216 | 54 | 4th CJHL | |
1975-76 | 50 | 16 | 27 | 7 | - | 186 | 240 | 39 | 5th CJHL | |
1976-77 | 50 | 28 | 13 | 9 | - | 263 | 193 | 65 | 1st CJHL | |
1977-78 | 48 | 24 | 20 | 4 | - | 258 | 205 | 52 | 3rd CJHL | |
1978-79 | 48 | 36 | 10 | 2 | - | 305 | 187 | 74 | 1st CJHL | Lost final 4-3 to Hawkesbury |
1979-80 | 50 | 25 | 22 | 3 | - | 312 | 260 | 53 | 3rd CJHL | |
1980-81 | 50 | 29 | 13 | 8 | - | 281 | 206 | 66 | 1st CJHL | |
1981-82 | 50 | 21 | 22 | 7 | - | 253 | 260 | 51 | 4th CJHL | |
1982-83 | 50 | 12 | 31 | 7 | - | 194 | 258 | 31 | 7th CJHL | |
1983-84 | 54 | 28 | 17 | 9 | - | 278 | 251 | 65 | 1st CJHL | |
1984-85 | 54 | 20 | 30 | 2 | 2 | 226 | 286 | 44 | 5th CJHL | |
1985-86 | 60 | 36 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 302 | 251 | 75 | 3rd CJHL | |
1986-87 | 52 | 30 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 266 | 207 | 61 | 2nd CJHL | |
1987-88 | 56 | 29 | 17 | 5 | 5 | 249 | 246 | 68 | 4th CJHL | |
1988-89 | 55 | 25 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 216 | 262 | 50 | 7th CJHL | |
1989-90 | 55 | 19 | 33 | 2 | 1 | 228 | 274 | 41 | 7th CJHL | |
1990-91 | 55 | 25 | 23 | 3 | 4 | 242 | 236 | 57 | 5th CJHL | |
1991-92 | 57 | 26 | 23 | 1 | 6 | 274 | 261 | 59 | 6th CJHL | |
1992-93 | 57 | 32 | 19 | 3 | 3 | 285 | 258 | 70 | 4th CJHL | |
1993-94 | 57 | 31 | 21 | 2 | 3 | 306 | 290 | 67 | 4th CJHL | |
1994-95 | 54 | 10 | 38 | 4 | 2 | 214 | 326 | 26 | 10th CJHL | Out of Playoffs |
1995-96 | 54 | 14 | 35 | 5 | 0 | 220 | 315 | 33 | 5th in Yzerman | Out of Playoffs |
1996-97 | 53 | 27 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 232 | 223 | 57 | 4th in Yzerman | Lost quarter-finals 4-1 to Smiths Falls |
1997-98 | 56 | 20 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 180 | 180 | 63 | 4th in Yzerman | Lost quarter-finals 4-1 to Brockville |
1998-99 | 54 | 31 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 202 | 194 | 64 | 3rd in Yzerman | Lost semi-final 4-1 to Hawkesbury |
1999-00 | 56 | 33 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 245 | 239 | 69 | 2nd in Yzerman | Lost quarter-final 4-1 to Kanata |
2000-01 | 55 | 26 | 19 | 10 | 0 | 222 | 186 | 63 | 3rd in Yzerman | Lost semi-final 4-0 to Cornwall |
2001-02 | 55 | 34 | 11 | 10 | 0 | 263 | 174 | 78 | 2nd | Lost semi-final 4-2 to Ottawa |
2002-03 | 55 | 32 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 227 | 185 | 72 | 1st in Yzerman | Won league 4-1 over Ottawa |
2003-04 | 55 | 37 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 229 | 144 | 78 | 1st | Won league 4-3 over Gloucester |
2004-05 | 57 | 42 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 225 | 131 | 90 | 1st | Lost final 4-3 to Hawkesbury |
2005-06 | 59 | 37 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 231 | 174 | 80 | 2nd in Yzerman | Lost final 4-2 to Hawkesbury |
2006-07 | 55 | 26 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 178 | 165 | 60 | 3rd in Yzerman | Lost final 4-1 to Pembroke |
2007-08 | 60 | 32 | 23 | 3 | 2 | 233 | 203 | 69 | 5th CJHL | Lost quarter-final 4-2 to Brockville |
2008-09 | 60 | 42 | 12 | - | 6 | 261 | 145 | 90 | 1st CJHL | Lost final 4-2 to Pembroke |
2009-10 | 62 | 33 | 26 | - | 3 | 250 | 217 | 69 | 6th CJHL | Lost Quarter-final 4-2 to Cornwall |
2010-11 | 62 | 27 | 25 | - | 10 | 207 | 227 | 64 | 6th CCHL | Lost Quarter-final 4-3 to Brockville |
2011-12 | 62 | 46 | 11 | - | 5 | 269 | 159 | 97 | 1st CCHL | Won League 4-3 over Cornwall |
2012-13 | 62 | 38 | 20 | - | 4 | 235 | 182 | 80 | 4th CCHL | Lost Final 4-2 to Cornwall |
2013-14 | 62 | 27 | 24 | - | 11 | 189 | 225 | 65 | 7th CCHL | Lost Quarter-final 0-4 Smiths Falls |
2014-15 | 62 | 23 | 35 | - | 4 | 169 | 215 | 50 | 4th of 6 Yzerman 10th of 12 CCHL |
Won Prelim. Round 2-1 (Bears) Lost Quarter-final 0-4 (Canadians) |
2015-16 | 62 | 23 | 33 | 5 | 1 | 156 | 198 | 50 | 4th of 6 Yzerman 10th of 12 CCHL |
DNQ |
Fred Page Cup
Eastern Canada Championships
MHL - QAAAJHL - CCHL - Host
Round robin play with 2nd vs 3rd in semi-final to advance against 1st in the finals.
Year | Round Robin | Record | Standing | SemiFinal | Gold Medal Game |
2003 | L, Lennoxville Cougars 2-5 W, Charlottetown Abbies 3-1 L, Campbellton Tigers 3-2 |
1-2-0 | 3rd of 4 | W, Cornwall Colts 3-2 | L, Lennoxville Cougars 0-4 |
2004 | L, Valleyfield Braves 0-4 L, St. Eustace Gladiators 4-6 W, Cornwall Colts 1-2 |
1-2-0 | 3rd of 4 | W, St. Eustace Gladiators 3-2 | W, Valleyfield Braves 4-0 Fred Page Cup Champions advance to Royal Bank Cup |
Royal Bank Cup
CANADIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Dudley Hewitt Champions - Central, Fred Page Champions - Eastern, Western Canada Cup Champions - Western, Western Canada Cup - Runners Up and Host
Round robin play with top 4 in semi-final and winners to finals.
Year | Round Robin | Record | Standing | Semifinal | Gold Medal Game |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | W, Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats 4-3 OTL, OCN Blizzard 3-4 L, Halifax Exports 1-2 L, Chilliwack Chiefs (1990–2006) 3-5 |
1-3 | 4th of 5 | L, Halifax Exports 7-9 | n/a |
Championships
- CJHL Bogart Cup Championships: 2003, 2004
- Eastern Canadian Fred Page Cup Championships: 2004
- CJAHL Royal Bank Cup Championships: None
Notable alumni
- Adrian Aucoin
- Jamie Baker
- Jeff Chychrun
- Grant Clitsome
- Rob Dopson
- Mike Eastwood
- Mike Eaves
- Stew Gavin
- Mike Meeker
- Tyler Moss
- Darren Pang
- Mark Paterson
- Dan Ratushny
- Keith Redmond
- Joe Reekie
- Travis Scott
- Larry Skinner
- Doug Smith
- Aaron Ward
- Steve Yzerman