Cornwall Royals

The Cornwall Royals were a junior ice hockey team based in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. The team played 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.

Cornwall Royals
CityCornwall, Ontario
LeagueQMJHL (1969–82)
OHL (1983–92)
Operated1969 (1969) to 1992
Home arenaCornwall Civic Complex
ColoursBlue, white and red
Championships1972, 1980, & 1981 Memorial Cup Champions
Franchise history
1969–92Cornwall Royals
1992–94Newmarket Royals
1994–presentSarnia Sting
Cornwall Royals
1972 Memorial Cup Champions
Cornwall Royals
1981 Memorial Cup Champions

History

From 1961 until 1969, the Cornwall Royals were successful members of the Central Junior A Hockey League. After an application to join the OHL was rejected, the franchise became one of the inaugural teams of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 1969. The Cornwall Royals were one of the league's premier teams during its tenure in the QMJHL, winning 3 Memorial Cup titles. For the 1981–82 season, the team transferred into the Ontario Hockey League.

The Royals suffered through many tough seasons and poor attendance after moving to the OHL. The switch in leagues alienated many die-hard fans from across the Quebec border. Seeking better fortunes, the franchise moved to Newmarket, Ontario to play as the Newmarket Royals in 1992. In 1994 the team was bought by the Ciccarelli brothers and moved to Sarnia, Ontario as the Sarnia Sting.

Championships

The Cornwall Royals are one of only 7 clubs to win consecutive Memorial Cup championships. They did so in 1980 and 1981. In total, the Royals won 3 Memorial Cups, 3 President's Cups, and 5 division titles while in the QMJHL. The Royals did not win any OHL championships.

CJHL Bogart Cup Championships: 1966, 1967, 1968

Memorial Cups
  • 1972 CHL Champions vs. Peterborough Petes
  • 1980 CHL Champions vs. Peterborough Petes
  • 1981 CHL Champions vs. Kitchener Rangers

Coaches

Orval Tessier guided the Cornwall Royals to the Memorial Cup championship in 1972. Doug Carpenter coached the 1980 Royals, and Bob Kilger in 1981.

Marc Crawford was a former Cornwall Royals player who came back to coach. He would win the Stanley Cup coaching the Colorado Avalanche. He also coached the Vancouver Canucks, the Los Angeles Kings, and the Dallas Stars.

List of Coaches

(Multiple years in parentheses)

*1982–83 coaches Bob Kilger, Bill Murphy, Gord Woods, Jocelyn Guevremont

Players

The Cornwall Royals graduated 55 players to the National Hockey League. From these alumni, 31 played for the Royals in the QMJHL, and 29 played for the Royals in the OHL, and 5 played for the Royals in both leagues.

CHL awards

QMJHL awards

OHL awards

Hockey Hall of Fame members

Three alumni of the Cornwall Royals have been enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame. The first was New York Islanders goalie Billy Smith. Smith was the inaugural goalie for the Royals in the QMJHL during the 1969–70 season. After that season he was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings. Dale Hawerchuk is the second inductee. He led the Royals to two Memorial Cup championships in 1980 and 1981. He was drafted first overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. The most recent inductee is Doug Gilmour. Gilmour was a big part of the back to back Memorial Cup Titles in '80 and '81, and later won a Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames in 1989, scoring the Cup winning goal. He also captained the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1993 to 1997.

NHL alumni
QMJHL (1969–1981)
OHL (1981–1992)

Season-by-season results

Regular season
SeasonLeagueGamesWonLostTiedPointsPct %Goals
for		Goals
against		Standing
1969–70QMJHL5624311490.4382232552nd West
1970–71QMJHL6222400440.35526032610th QMJHL
1971–72QMJHL6247132960.7743611821st QMJHL
1972–73QMJHL6443192880.6883652532nd QMJHL
1973–74QMJHL7046222940.6714383281st West
1974–75QMJHL72362412840.5833222963rd West
1975–76QMJHL7239249870.6043492702nd West
1976–77QMJHL72382410860.5973452812nd Lebel
1977–78QMJHL72461881000.6944042581st Lebel
1978–79QMJHL7229367650.4513613973rd Lebel
1979–80QMJHL7241256880.6113883331st Lebel
1980–81QMJHL7244262900.6254033111st Lebel
1981–82OHL6828355610.4493033276th Leyden
1982–83OHL7036331730.5213703355th Leyden
1983–84OHL7033370660.4713483756th Leyden
1984–85OHL6634302700.5303553444th Leyden
1985–86OHL6628362580.4393073565th Leyden
1986–87OHL6623403490.3712613696th Leyden
1987–88OHL6635247770.5833332553rd Leyden
1988–89OHL6631305670.5083503084th Leyden
1989–90OHL6624384520.3943093616th Leyden
1990–91OHL6623421470.3562813357th Leyden
1991–92OHL6638226820.6213282893rd Leyden

Playoffs
QMJHL (1969–1981)
  • 1969–1970 Lost to Verdun Maple Leafs 4 games to 2 in quarter-finals.
  • 1970–1971 Out of playoffs.
  • 1971–1972 Defeated Verdun Maple Leafs 8 points to 0 in quarter-finals.
    Defeated Shawinigan Bruins 8 points to 2 in semi-finals.
    Defeated Quebec Remparts 9 points to 5 in finals. QMJHL CHAMPIONS
    Defeated Peterborough Petes 2-1 in Memorial Cup final. MEMORIAL CUP CHAMPIONS
  • 1972–1973 Defeated Montreal Bleu-Blanc-Rouge 4 games to 0 in quarter-finals.
    Defeated Sorel Eperviers 4 games to 1 in semi-finals.
    Lost to Quebec Remparts 4 games to 3 in finals.
  • 1973–1974 Lost to Laval National 4 games to 1 in quarter-finals.
  • 1974–1975 Lost to Montreal Bleu-Blanc-Rouge 4 games to 0 in quarter-finals.
  • 1975–1976 Defeated Montreal Juniors 4 games to 2 in quarter-finals.
    Lost to Quebec Remparts 4 games to 0 in semi-finals.
  • 1976–1977 Defeated Trois-Rivières Draveurs 8 points to 4 in quarter-finals.
    Lost to Sherbrooke Castors 9 points to 0 in semi-finals.
  • 1977–1978 Defeated Hull Olympiques 8 points to 0 in quarter-finals.
    Lost to Montreal Juniors 8 points to 2 in semi-finals.
  • 1978–1979 Lost to Verdun Eperviers 8 points to 6 in quarter-finals.
  • 1979–1980 Defeated in Shawinigan Cataractes 4 games to 3 in quarter-finals.
    Defeated Chicoutimi Saguenéens 4 games to 1 in semi-finals.
    Defeated Sherbrooke Castors 4 games to 2 in finals. QMJHL CHAMPIONS
    Defeated Peterborough Petes 3-2 in Memorial Cup final. MEMORIAL CUP CHAMPIONS
  • 1980–1981 Defeated Quebec Remparts 4 games to 3 in quarter-finals.
    Defeated Sherbrooke Castors 4 games to 3 in semi-finals.
    Defeated Trois-Rivières Draveurs 4 games to 1 in finals. QMJHL CHAMPIONS
    Defeated Kitchener Rangers 5-2 in Memorial Cup final. MEMORIAL CUP CHAMPIONS
OHL (1981–1992)
  • 1981–1982 Lost to Toronto Marlboros 6 points to 4 in first round.
  • 1982–1983 Defeated Toronto Marlboros 7 points to 1 in first round.
    Lost to Ottawa 67's 8 points to 0 in quarter-finals.
  • 1983–1984 Lost to Peterborough Petes 6 points to 0 in first round.
  • 1984–1985 Defeated Toronto Marlboros 8 points to 2 in first round.
    Lost to Belleville Bulls 6 points to 2 in quarter-finals.
  • 1985–1986 Lost to Belleville Bulls 9 points to 3 in first round.
  • 1986–1987 Lost to Ottawa 67's 4 games to 1 in first round.
  • 1987–1988 Defeated Belleville Bulls 4 games to 2 in first round.
    Lost to Ottawa 67's 4 games to 1 in quarter-finals.
  • 1988–1989 Defeated Toronto Marlboros 4 games to 2 in first round.
    Defeated Ottawa 67's 4 games to 2 in quarter-finals.
    Lost to Peterborough Petes 4 games to 2 in semi-finals.
  • 1989–1990 Lost to Oshawa Generals 4 games to 2 in first round.
  • 1990–1991 Out of playoffs.
  • 1991–1992 Lost to Ottawa 67's 4 games to 2 in first round.

Uniforms and logos
Cornwall Royals home jersey

The Cornwall Royals used similar red, white and blue uniforms for their entire 24-year existence. Their unusual logo was the winning entry in a contest, hand drawn by a local child.

Arenas

The Cornwall Royals played out of the Water Street Arena from 1969 to 1976 while in the QMJHL. The Arena, renamed in honour of Si Miller, the city's Director of Parks and Recreation for more than 30 years, was torn down in 2012.

From 1976 to 1992 the Royals played out for the Cornwall Civic Complex, located across the road from their previous arena. The arena hosted the 1990 Chrysler Challenge Cup, the annual All-Star game between the OHL and the QMJHL, which the OHL won by a score of 3 to 0.

References
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