Pictou County Crushers

The Pictou County Crushers[1][2][3] (also commonly known as Weeks Jr. A Crushers[4] due to a sponsorship deal with Weeks Construction) are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. They are in the Maritime Junior Hockey League's Eastlink Division along with five other Nova Scotia clubs. The Crushers play their home games at the Pictou County Wellness Centre.

Pictou County Crushers
DivisionEastlink Division
Founded1967
HistoryHalifax Colonels (1967 - 1973)
Halifax Blazers
(1973 - 1975)
Halifax Centennials
(1975-1977)
Halifax Lions
(1977-1989)
Halifax DQ Blizzards
(1989-1990)
Halifax Jr. Canadians
(1990-1991)
Halifax Mooseheads
(1991-1993)
Halifax Oland Exports
(1993-1994,1998-2003)
Dartmouth Oland Exports
(1995-1998)
Halifax Team Pepsi
(2003-2004)
Pictou County Crushers
(2004-Present)
Home arenaPictou County Wellness Centre
CityNew Glasgow, Nova Scotia
ColoursRed, Black and White      
Media94.1 East Coast FM/Classic Rock 97.9
Owner(s)Weeks Hockey Organization
General managerChad McDavid (2019-20)
Head coachWillie MacDonald(2019-20)
CaptainJake Martin
Official websiteCrushers Official Site

History

The Crushers originated in Halifax. The franchise, under various names in Nova Scotia's capital city, holds the MHL (formerly the MJAHL) record for most championships with 10. As the Halifax Oland Exports, they captured the 2002 Royal Bank Cup on home ice. Due to financial reasons, the team's name was changed to Halifax Team Pepsi for the 2003-2004 campaign.

In the spring of 2004, the Weeks Hockey Organization bought the club, moved it to New Glasgow and renamed it the Pictou County Weeks Crushers. The team's name and logo are tied to its founding sponsor, Weeks Construction.

After struggling to attract fans in Halifax's crowded hockey market, the Crushers soared up the attendance ladder in New Glasgow and are now one of the league's top draws at the gate.

The Crushers hosted the 2005 MJAHL All-Star Game and the 2006 MJAHL Entry Draft.

In April 2008, the Crushers were the Fred Page Cup host team. They shocked everyone as the underdogs defeated the defending FPC champion Pembroke Lumber Kings 4-1 in the championship game. With the victory, the Crushers advanced to their first ever Royal Bank Cup, in Cornwall, Ontario. They went 1-4 at the RBC, losing the semifinal game 3-0 to the Camrose Kodiaks.

In November 2012, the Crushers moved out of their former home John Brother MacDonald Stadium that they used from 2004 to 2012 and into the new Pictou County Wellness Center.

The Crushers won their first Kent cup in 2016 defeating the Dieppe Commandos in the final, they have also come close back to back years (2010,2011) by making it to the finals but they lost both times. In 2010 they lost to the Woodstock Slammers 4-1 and, in 2011 they lost to the Summerside Western Capitals 4-0.

The team is also known to draw some of the largest crowds in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League.

Season-by-season record
SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGAPResultsPlayoffs
Halifax Colonels/Blazers
1972-734024142-201163503rd MVJHL
1973-74342383-211123493rd MVJHL
1974-75Statistics Not Available
Halifax Centennials
1975-763214162-175192305th MVJHL
1976-773214126-199157345th MVJHL
Halifax Lions
1977-783619161-177164393rd MVJHL
1978-79342383-200107491st MVJHLWon League
1979-80Statistics Not Available
1980-81393045-294127651st MVJHL
1981-824023134-211184502nd MVJHLWon League
1982-833922134-----482nd MVJHLWon League
1983-84403064-358183641st MVJHLWon League
1984-85402794-269169582nd MVJHL
1985-864020182-230220423rd MVJHL
1986-87403271-285142651st MVJHL
1987-884021127-237186491st MVJHLWon League
1988-894020128-271201482nd MVJHL
Halifax DQ Blizzards
1989-904025123-313181532nd MVJHL
Halifax Jr. Canadians
1990-91392586-219157562nd MVJHLWon League
Halifax Mooseheads
1991-92463475-304154731st MJAHLWon League
1992-9348261480290228601st MJAHL
Halifax Oland Exports
1993-944836912321202751st MJAHL
1994-9548232032216188514th MJAHL
Dartmouth Oland Exports
1995-9654302130324274633rd MJAHLWon League
1996-9756361532321242771st MJAHL
1997-9852341521286205711st MJAHL
Halifax Oland Exports
1998-994831152-231161652nd MJAHL
1999-005238842296178821st MJAHLWon League
2000-0152331900232188664th MJAHL
2001-025238842260135821st MJAHLWon League, Won FPC, Won RBC
2002-0352153520164248349th MJAHLDNQ
Halifax Team Pepsi
2003-04521827431842234310th MJAHLDNQ
Pictou County Crushers
2004-0556262460162168586th MJAHLLost Division Semi-Final
2005-0656311906173170694th MJAHLLost Division Final
2006-0758242806191208549th MJAHLLost Division Semi-Final
2007-08583521-2246180725th MJAHLLost Division Final, Won FPC
2008-09542523-6154177568th MJAHLLost Division Semi-Final
2009-10492721-1159157555th MJAHLLost Final
2010-11523116-5199152673rd MHLLost Final
2011-12522718-7187191615th MHLLost Mini Series
2012-13522819-5199185616th MHLLost Division Semi-Final
2013-14523512-5204137753rd MHLLost Division Final
2014-15482914-5182167633rd MHLLost Division Semi-Final
2015-16482518-5172143557th MHLWon Div. Semi-Final 4-2 (Wildcats)
Won Div. Finals, 4-1 (Lumberjacks)
Won League Finals, 4-2 (Commandos)
2016-1750389-3265145791st MHLLost Div. Semi-Final 3-4 (Ramblers)
2017-18502124-5157173479th MHLDNQ
2018-19502221-7170178518th MHLDNQ

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.

YearRound RobinRecordStandingSemiFinalGold Medal Game
2016L, Longueuil Collège Français 1-4
L, Carleton Place Canadians 1-3
L, Woodstock Slammers 1-9		0-2-04th of 4Failed to qualify for playoffs

Notable alumni

Mike Kirkpatrick (ECHL
Derrick Walser (NHL, KHL, NLA, DEL)
Robert Izsak (MOL Liga)
Shawn O'Donnell (AHL)
Jordan Knox (MOL Liga)
Scott Brannon (Elite Ice Hockey League)

See also

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-03-01. Retrieved 2013-08-29.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "SaltWire".
  3. http://thechronicleherald.ca/sports/387937-shewfelt-leads-crushers-win
  4. "SaltWire".


Preceded by
Camrose Kodiaks		 Royal Bank Cup Champions
2002		 Succeeded by
Humboldt Broncos
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