Whitby Dunlops
Encyclopedia
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| City: | Whitby, Ontario Whitby, Ontario Whitby is a town in Durham Region. Whitby is located in Southern Ontario east of Toronto on the north shore of Lake Ontario, and is home to the headquarters of Durham Region... |
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| League: | Major League Hockey Major League Hockey Allan Cup Hockey is the top tier Canadian Senior ice hockey league in the province of Ontario. As a member of the Ontario Hockey Association and Hockey Canada, the league contends for the famed Allan Cup. The league came to its latest incarnation when it lost several teams leaving it with two... |
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| Founded: | 1954 (Original) 2004 (Revived) |
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| Home Arena: | Iroquois Park, Pad #1 | |
| Home Arena (Original Era): |
Whitby Community Arena | |
| Colours: | Red, White, Black & Gold | |
| Head Coach: | John Winder | |
| General Manager: | Wayne Kewin | |
The Whitby Dunlops are a team in Major League Hockey
Major League Hockey
Allan Cup Hockey is the top tier Canadian Senior ice hockey league in the province of Ontario. As a member of the Ontario Hockey Association and Hockey Canada, the league contends for the famed Allan Cup. The league came to its latest incarnation when it lost several teams leaving it with two...
. Two previous teams have also played as the Whitby Dunlops. The first was an OHA Senior team from 1954 to 1960. The second was a junior team from 1962 to 1963.
The "Dunnies" were revived in 2004, on the 50th anniversary of the founding of the original senior Dunlops team. The Dunlops play home games at the Whitby Iroquois Park arena complex, on pad #1, in Whitby, Ontario
Whitby, Ontario
Whitby is a town in Durham Region. Whitby is located in Southern Ontario east of Toronto on the north shore of Lake Ontario, and is home to the headquarters of Durham Region...
.
Original Dunlops
The original Whitby Dunlops were founded from the remnants of the former Oshawa Generals team of 1952–53. After the Hambly ArenaHambly Arena
The Hambly Arena, originally known as the Oshawa Arena, opened in 1930 and was built in large part to the contributions of Colonel R.S. McLaughlin. It was the first brick facade and steel support structure for ice hockey in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada...
fire destroyed the Generals home ice, the team was disbanded and some of the older players on the team along with coach and manager Wren Blair
Wren Blair
Wren Blair is a former Canadian ice hockey coach. He was head coach of the Minnesota North Stars from 1967 to 1970. He was also the General Manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins from July 1975 to December 1976...
, became the Oshawa Truckmen and operated from Bowmanville, ON for the 1953–54 season.
In 1954, the Oshawa Truckmen were relocated to Whitby and were temporarily known as the Whitby Seniors, playing out of the now-demolished Whitby Community Arena. The team was soon sponsored by the Dunlop Rubber Company, and renamed the Whitby Dunlops. The team started as a Senior B team, winning its division the first year. The following year the Dunlops moved up to the OHA Senior A League.
The Senior A team would go on to win two Allan Cup
Allan Cup
The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...
s in 1957 and 1959 and a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the Ice Hockey World Championships
Ice Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
in 1958. Notable members of the team are, former Whitby mayor Bob Attersley, former Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
captain Sid Smith and Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
president Harry Sinden
Harry Sinden
Harry James Sinden was the long-time general manager, coach, and president for the Boston Bruins NHL hockey team, and was the coach of Team Canada during the 1972 Summit Series...
. Harry Sinden was captain of the 1958 Dunlops, while former Leaf captain Sid Smith was a playing coach. The Town of Whitby honoured this great team for their incredible achievements with their induction into the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame.
The Dunlops were Canada's representative to the 1958 World Championships, as the defending Allan Cup champions. The team took an ocean liner to the championships in Norway because team manager Wren Blair
Wren Blair
Wren Blair is a former Canadian ice hockey coach. He was head coach of the Minnesota North Stars from 1967 to 1970. He was also the General Manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins from July 1975 to December 1976...
was terrified of flying. Everyone was sick for six days because of the rough waters but the chance to restore Canada's pride was worth it. After a 14 game exhibition tour of Europe the Dunlops competed at the World Championships in Oslo, Norway.
Season-by-season results
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | Points | Winning Pct. (%) | Goals for | Goals against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954–55 | Data unavailable. | |||||||
| 1955–56 | Data unavailable. | |||||||
| 1956–57 | 52 | 34 | 16 | 2 | 70 | 0.673 | 290 | 185 |
| 1957–58 | 36 | 27 | 6 | 3 | 57 | 0.792 | 197 | 116 |
| 1958–59 | 52 | 33 | 11 | 8 | 74 | 0.712 | 254 | 174 |
| 1959–60 | 54 | 34 | 20 | 0 | 70 | 0.630 | 220 | 199 |
The Junior Dunlops
The Senior A Dunlops folded after 1960, and the void in Whitby was filled by the Whitby Mohawks, a junior ice hockeyJunior 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 for the 1960–61 season. The Mohawks played their first season as a 'Junior B' team. After one season, they were promoted to play in the new Metro Junior A League
Metro Junior A League
The Metro Junior A League was a junior ice hockey league created in 1961 by Toronto Maple Leafs owner Stafford Smythe in an attempt to rival the OHA, and act as a farm system for his NHL team. The league operated for two seasons from 1961 to 1963...
.
In their third season, the Mohawks were renamed the Dunlops. Unlike the previous Senior A version of the Dunlops which descended in part from the Oshawa Generals, the Junior A team played against the revived Oshawa Generals during the 1962–63 season.
Season-by-season results
- Competed in 1960 to 1962 seasons as the Whitby Mohawks.
Season Games Won Lost Tied Points Winning
Pct. (%)Goals
forGoals
against1960–61 Data unavaialble. 1961–62 36 14 20 2 30 0.417 123 170 1962–63 40 11 21 8 30 0.375 167 225
Modern Dunlops
2004–2005The current Dunnies were revived by a group of 31 local business and hockey personalities led by former Bowmanville Eagles
Bowmanville Eagles
The Bowmanville Eagles were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada. They were a part of the Central Canadian Hockey League. The Eagles left the OHA in 2010 when they merged with the Cobourg Cougars and left Bowmanville.-History:...
owner Mike Laing who became the revived Dunnies first president. The Dunnies were granted membership in the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
's Eastern Ontario Senior Hockey League
Eastern Ontario Senior Hockey League
The Eastern Ontario Senior Hockey League, or EOSHL, was a top Senior ice hockey league in Eastern Ontario. The league was governed by the Ontario Hockey Association, but was merged into the Major Hockey League in 2008.-History:...
for the 2004–2005 season. The first revived season for the Dunlops was a success on the ice, finishing second overall in the league with a 25-7-0 record. The team played in the league finals versus the Norwood Vipers
Norwood Vipers
The Norwood Vipers are a Senior "AAA" ice hockey team from Norwood, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Ontario Hockey Association's Allan Cup Hockey League and are eligible for the Allan Cup.-History:...
losing the series in 6 games.
2005–2006
Allan Cup
The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men’s ice hockey champions of Canada. It has been competed for since 1909. The current champion is the Clarenville Caribous hockey club of Newfoundland and Labrador.-History:...
. In their second year the Dunlops finished in first place in the EOSHL. They prevailed in a rematch versus the Norwood Vipers, winning the league championship in a 6 game series for the Re/Max Upper Canada Realty Cup.
The EOSHL champion Dunlops played the Major League Hockey
Major League Hockey
Allan Cup Hockey is the top tier Canadian Senior ice hockey league in the province of Ontario. As a member of the Ontario Hockey Association and Hockey Canada, the league contends for the famed Allan Cup. The league came to its latest incarnation when it lost several teams leaving it with two...
champion Dundas Real McCoys
Dundas Real McCoys
The Dundas Real McCoys are a Senior "AAA" ice hockey team based out of Dundas, Ontario. They play in the Ontario Hockey Association's Major League Hockey.-History:...
defeating them 3 games to 1 in a best-of-five series for the Robertson Cup.
The Dunlops hosted the defending Allan Cup champions, Thunder Bay Bombers
Thunder Bay Bombers
The Thunder Bay Twins are a Canadian Senior ice hockey team from Thunder Bay, Ontario. They play an independent schedule under the supervision of Hockey Northwestern Ontario...
in a best-of-three series for the Renwick Cup
Renwick Cup
The Gordon Renwick Cup is the Senior "AAA" Central Canada ice hockey championship. The winning of this trophy earns the champion the right to compete in the Allan Cup, the National Senior Championship. The winner of Ontario would play the winner of Quebec for this trophy...
played on three consecutive nights at Iroquois Park. The Dunlops defeated the Bombbers 2 games to 1 to win the Renwick Cup and the right to go to the 2006 Allan Cup, in Powell River, British Columbia
Powell River, British Columbia
Powell River is a city on the northern Sunshine Coast of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Most of its population lives near the eastern shores of Malaspina Strait, that part of the larger Georgia Strait between Texada Island and the Mainland...
.
After losing their first game, Whitby reached the Allan Cup finals. The Dunlops lost 7–1 in the championship game to the host team, the Powell River Regals
Powell River Regals
The Powell River Regals are a Canadian Senior ice hockey team from Powell River, British Columbia. The Regals play an independent schedule under the supervision of BC Hockey. The Regals are 3-time Allan Cup National Champions, 1-time Allan Cup National Finalists, and 1-time Hardy Cup National...
.
2006–2007
The Dunlops played their third season with a strong core of returning players to finish first overall in the EOSHL, and sweep through the playoffs defeating the Norwood Vipers in four games for the Re/Max Upper Canada Realty Cup.
The Dunlops played the Major League Hockey champions Brantford Blast
Brantford Blast
Brantford Blast are a Canadian senior ice hockey teams in the Ontario Hockey Association's Allan Cup Hockey, from Brantford, Ontario. The team was established in 2000, and play their games at the Brantford Civic Centre.-Competitive hockey back in Brantford:...
defeating them in 4 games, for the Robertson Cup. In the Ontario championship, Whitby downed the Kenora Thistles
Kenora Thistles
The Kenora Thistles were an early amateur men's ice hockey team based in Kenora, Ontario, Canada, formed in 1885 as a senior team by a group of Lake of the Woods lumbermen. The club is notable for winning the Stanley Cup as an amateur team in 1907. The town is the smallest in population to have...
in two straight games to earn a second consecutive berth in the Allan Cup.
After a tie in their first game, Whitby reached the Allan Cup finals with thee wins in a row. The Dunlops lost 4–3 in the championship game to the Lloydminster Border Kings
Lloydminster Border Kings
The Lloydminster Border Kings are a Senior AAA ice hockey team based in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada. They play in the Chinook Hockey League, as the once prominent Wild Goose Hockey League is on hiatus for 2008-09. The Border Kings captured the Allan Cup, Canada's national senior...
.
2007–2008
The Dunlops finished first overall in the regular season in the EOSHL. In the playoffs, Whitby defeated the Norwood Vipers
Norwood Vipers
The Norwood Vipers are a Senior "AAA" ice hockey team from Norwood, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Ontario Hockey Association's Allan Cup Hockey League and are eligible for the Allan Cup.-History:...
4–1, and the Simcoe County Tundras 4–0 to win the league championship. The Dunlops then defeated the Dundas Real McCoys
Dundas Real McCoys
The Dundas Real McCoys are a Senior "AAA" ice hockey team based out of Dundas, Ontario. They play in the Ontario Hockey Association's Major League Hockey.-History:...
4–0 to win the Robertson Cup. This series win guaranteed the Dunlops a third consecutive appearance in the Allan Cup. In the 2008 Allan Cup
2008 Allan Cup
The 2008 Allan Cup was the 2008 edition of the Canadian National Championship of Senior ice hockey, and the tournament marked the 100th year that the Allan Cup has been awarded. The 2008 tournament was hosted by the City of Brantford, Ontario, and the Brantford Blast of the Ontario Hockey...
, Whitby lost twice with one tie game.
2008–2009
The EOSHL folded and the Dunlops joined Major League Hockey
Major League Hockey
Allan Cup Hockey is the top tier Canadian Senior ice hockey league in the province of Ontario. As a member of the Ontario Hockey Association and Hockey Canada, the league contends for the famed Allan Cup. The league came to its latest incarnation when it lost several teams leaving it with two...
.
On December 12, 2008, Dunlops player Don Sanderson fell without his helmet on the ice and struck his head during a fight. He had brain surgery the next day but did not awake. He died early on the morning of January 2, 2009.
The Dunlops lost the MLH final to the Dundas Real McCoys
Dundas Real McCoys
The Dundas Real McCoys are a Senior "AAA" ice hockey team based out of Dundas, Ontario. They play in the Ontario Hockey Association's Major League Hockey.-History:...
4-games-to-none.
Season-by-season results
Note: OL= Overtime loss| Season | Games | Won | Lost | OL | Points | Winning Pct. (%) | Goals for | Goals against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–05 | 32 | 25 | 7 | 0 | 50 | 0.781 | ––– | ––– |
| 2005–06 | 30 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 50 | 0.833 | 219 | 109 |
| 2006–07 | 28 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 46 | 0.821 | 206 | 119 |
| 2007–08 | 28 | 24 | 3 | 1 | 49 | 0.875 | 226 | 117 |
| 2008–09 | 28 | 18 | 10 | 0 | 36 | 0.643 | 154 | 140 |
| 2009–10 | 24 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 35 | 0.729 | 141 | 90 |
| 2010-11 | 24 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 38 | 0.792 | 133 | 98 |
NHL alumni
Listed in chronological order from first season played, with dates in parentheses.- Harry SindenHarry SindenHarry James Sinden was the long-time general manager, coach, and president for the Boston Bruins NHL hockey team, and was the coach of Team Canada during the 1972 Summit Series...
(54–55, 55–56, 56–57, 57–58, 58–59, 59–60) - John HendersonJohn Henderson (ice hockey)John Henderson is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 46 games for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League as part of a professional career that spanned from 1953 to 1970....
(55–56, 56–57, 57–58, 58–59, 59–60) - Charlie BurnsCharlie Burns (ice hockey)Charles Frederick Burns is a retired professional ice hockey forward who played 749 games in the National Hockey League. He played for the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Oakland Seals, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Minnesota North Stars...
(56–57, 57–58) - Connie BrodenConnie BrodenConnell Broden is a retired Canadian ice hockey forward.Broden played his entire National Hockey League career with the Montreal Canadiens. He made his NHL debut in 1956 and would retire following the 1958 season...
(57–58) - Roy EdwardsRoy EdwardsAllan Roy Edwards was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played 206 games in the National Hockey League. He was born in Seneca Township, Ontario. On June 6, 1967 Pittsburgh Penguins selected him in the expanstion draft, but traded Edwards to the Detroit Red Wings the next day...
(57–58) - Wally MaxwellWally MaxwellWally Maxwell is a professional ice hockey player who played two games in the National Hockey League. He played with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has four children all boys named David, Timothy, Robert, and Bradley. Wally has eight grandchildren named Allison, Kimberly, Kelsey, Kolin, Taylor,...
(57–58) - Sid Smith (57–58, 58–59)
- Pete BabandoPete BabandoPeter Joseph Babando born May 10, 1925 in Braeburn-Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania and raised in South Porcupine, Ontario) is a former National Hockey League player who skated for the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks, and New York Rangers. During six NHL seasons, Babando scored 86...
(58–59, 59–60) - Bob HassardBob HassardRobert Harry Hassard was an NHL centre in the 1950s, and a long-time resident and coach in Stouffville, Ontario....
(58–59, 59–60)
- Brent GrieveBrent GrieveBrent J. Grieve is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left wing and coach. He was selected in the 4th round of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, 65th overall, by the New York Islanders and played 97 NHL games with the Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings, as well as...
(2004–05, 2005–06)
External links
- www.whitbydunlops.com – Official team web site
- www.iroquoispark.com – Iroquois Park web site
- www.whitby.ca – City of Whitby web site