Guelph Royals (hockey)
Encyclopedia
The Guelph Royals were a junior ice hockey
team in the Ontario Hockey Association
from 1960 to 1963. The team was based in Guelph
, Ontario
, Canada and played home games at the Guelph Memorial Gardens
. They were affiliated with the NHL New York Rangers
. This team has no connection with the similarly named OHL team that would later exist in Cornwall
.
, which played from 1908 and briefly in 1909 (played 6 games). Other than a common name the OHA team and earlier OPHL team are not the same team.
The Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters were sold in 1960, and the new ownership renamed the team the Guelph Royals after the hometown's nickname as the "Royal City". Guelph won the Hamilton Spectator Trophy
during the 1960-61 season, finishing 1st overall in the OHA. The Royals lost in the league finals to the St. Michael's Majors
, 4 games to 2 with a tie.
The Royals' Rod Gilbert
was the OHA scoring champion that year, winning the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy
with 54 goals and 49 assists, totalling 103 points. Gilbert was also awarded the Red Tilson Trophy
as the most outstanding player.
The Royals had many players graduate from junior hockey after that season, and did not manage to recover their previous form. After two declining seasons the franchise was in financial trouble again. The team moved to nearby Kitchener, Ontario
, becoming the Kitchener Rangers, taking the name of the NHL parent club.
Some of the Guelph Royals players who graduated from the junior ranks stayed in Guelph to play on the newly formed Senior OHA team, the Guelph Regals
, which existed from 1963 to 1967.
Playoffs
Junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
team in the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
from 1960 to 1963. The team was based in Guelph
Guelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada and played home games at the Guelph Memorial Gardens
Guelph Memorial Gardens
The Guelph Memorial Gardens was an arena located in Guelph, Ontario. It was originally built in 1948 out of the remnants of a nineteenth-century building that had housed the Royal Winter Fair. The Gardens hosted various hockey teams over the years, including the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters, Guelph...
. They were affiliated with the NHL New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
. This team has no connection with the similarly named OHL team that would later exist in Cornwall
Cornwall Royals
The Cornwall Royals were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1969 to 1981 and the Ontario Hockey League from 1981 to 1992. This team should not be confused with other Cornwall Royals teams that played in the QSHL, MMJHL, or OHA-B.-History:From 1961 until 1969, the...
.
History
The OHA team took their name from another Guelph hockey team, the Guelph Royals of the Ontario Professional Hockey LeagueOntario Professional Hockey League
-External links:*...
, which played from 1908 and briefly in 1909 (played 6 games). Other than a common name the OHA team and earlier OPHL team are not the same team.
The Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters were sold in 1960, and the new ownership renamed the team the Guelph Royals after the hometown's nickname as the "Royal City". Guelph won the Hamilton Spectator Trophy
Hamilton Spectator Trophy
The Hamilton Spectator Trophy is an award given to the Ontario Hockey League team who finishes the season with the best record. It was first presented to the Ontario Hockey Association by The Hamilton Spectator. The trophy was first presented in 1957–58....
during the 1960-61 season, finishing 1st overall in the OHA. The Royals lost in the league finals to the St. Michael's Majors
Toronto St. Michael's Majors
The Toronto St. Michael's Majors, was a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The hockey program was founded and operated by St. Michael's College School in 1906, and adopted the name "Majors" in 1934, and was commonly referred to as St. Mike's...
, 4 games to 2 with a tie.
The Royals' Rod Gilbert
Rod Gilbert
Rodrigue Gabriel Gilbert is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League. He played right wing on the GAG line that also featured Vic Hadfield and Jean Ratelle...
was the OHA scoring champion that year, winning the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy
The Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the top scorer in the Ontario Hockey League. The trophy was donated by the Toronto Marlboro Athletic Club in memory of Edward Powers, and was first awarded to Tod Sloan of St...
with 54 goals and 49 assists, totalling 103 points. Gilbert was also awarded the Red Tilson Trophy
Red Tilson Trophy
The Red Tilson Trophy is an annual award given to the most outstanding player in the Ontario Hockey League. The award is voted on by OHL writers and broadcasters, and is named for Red Tilson, a former played for the Oshawa Generals who was killed in service in the Second World War...
as the most outstanding player.
The Royals had many players graduate from junior hockey after that season, and did not manage to recover their previous form. After two declining seasons the franchise was in financial trouble again. The team moved to nearby Kitchener, Ontario
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
, becoming the Kitchener Rangers, taking the name of the NHL parent club.
Some of the Guelph Royals players who graduated from the junior ranks stayed in Guelph to play on the newly formed Senior OHA team, the Guelph Regals
Guelph Regals
The Guelph Regals are Junior "B" box lacrosse team from Guelph, Ontario, Canada. The Regals play in the OLA Junior B Lacrosse League.-History:...
, which existed from 1963 to 1967.
NHL Alumni
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- Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle are the former Royals in the Hockey Hall of FameHockey Hall of FameThe Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
.
Yearly Results
Regular Season| Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | Points | Pct % | Goals For |
Goals Against |
Standing |
| 1960-61 | 48 | 30 | 9 | 9 | 69 | 0.719 | 255 | 165 | 1st OHA |
| 1961-62 | 50 | 18 | 26 | 6 | 42 | 0.420 | 194 | 236 | 5th OHA |
| 1962-63 | 50 | 9 | 35 | 6 | 24 | 0.240 | 158 | 257 | 6th OHA |
Playoffs
- 1960-61 Defeated Niagara Falls Flyers 10 points to 4 in quarter-finals.
Received second-round bye.
Lost to St. Michael's Majors 9 points to 5 in finals. - 1961-62 Out of playoffs.
- 1962-63 Out of playoffs.