Brantford Bandits Explained

Bg Color:background:#FFFFFF; border-top:gold 5px solid; border-bottom:darkgrey 5px solid;
Text Color:black
Team:Brantford Titans
Logosize:175px
City:Brantford, Ontario, Canada
League:Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League
Division:Mid-Western
Founded:2013
Arena:Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre
Colours:Black, gold, brown and White
Owner:Jon Clark and Mike Christian
Coach:Daniel Fitzgerald
Gm:Daniel Fitzgerald
Name1:Brantford 99ers
Dates1:2013-2019
Name2:Brantford Bandits
Dates2:2019-2024
Name3:Brantford Titans
Dates3:2024-Present

The Brantford Titans are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Mid-Western Conference of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.

History

For years, the Brantford Eagles franchise were not very successful. From 1992 until 2002, the Eagles were only able to surpass ten wins once. Most of that time, the team had been transplanted to Ohsweken, Ontario.[1] In 2002, the team moved back to Brantford and began winning more consistently. By the 2005-06 season, the Eagles made the Mid-Western League final. In 2007, the three Ontario Hockey Association Junior B Leagues merged into the GOJHL. From that point on, the Eagles would win three Mid-Western regular season championships, three Mid-Western Conference playoff championships, and the 2009 Sutherland Cup as Ontario Champions. But the fans did not come. On May 23, 2012, the Eagles were official moved to Caledonia, Ontario and became the Caledonia Corvairs.[2]

In 2012, the GOJHL announced it was recruiting new teams for a new Toronto-based fourth conference for the league. In Spring 2013, the plan would unceremoniously die, but a Brantford group that had decided to apply for entry transferred their request to the Mid-Western Conference.[3] Their request was accepted[4] and the ownership group named themselves the 99'ers in honour of Wayne Gretzky and the Brantford Minor Hockey Association.[5]

On September 6, 2013, the 99ers played their first ever game, on the road, against the Brampton Bombers. Luc Hartholt scored the first goal in franchise history at 2:29 of the first period in a 4-3 win. Andre Keire made 20 saves to pick up the first ever win in net.[6]

The team would announce on their twitter page on May 28, 2019 that they were being renamed the Brantford Bandits, and home games were moved to the Brantford Civic Centre.

In May 2023, the Bandits were purchased by a group of seven beer league buddies. https://www.therecord.com/sports/hockey/waterloo-region-beer-league-buddies-band-together-to-buy-brantford-bandits/article_986703b4-462f-5d88-8d5b-1b6ef5e57305.html They have moved the team's home games from the Brantford Civic Centre back to the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre.

April 2024 the Bandit owners acquired ownership of the Cambridge Redhawks. In an offsetting action, Jon Clark and Mike Christian, owners of the Paris Titans purchased the Brantford Bandits and re-branded the team to the Brantford Titans. [7]

Season-by-season results

Season GP W L T OTL GF GA P Results Playoffs
Colspan=11 Brantford 99ers
2013–14 49 7 38 - 4 118 251 18 9th GOJHL-MW DNQ
2014–15 49 9 39 - 1 128 258 19 9th GOJHL-MW DNQ
2015–16 50 13 32 3 2 133 204 31 8th of 9-MW
22nd of 26-GOJHL
Lost Conf. Quarterfinals, 1-4 (Dutchmen)
2016–17 50 11 32 2 5 143 217 29 8th of 9-MW
22nd of 27-GOJHL
Lost Conf. Quarterfinals, 0-4 (Cyclones)
2017–18 50 13 30 2 5 139 216 33 7th of 8-MW
20th of 26-GOJHL
Lost Conf. Quarterfinals, 0-4 (Warriors)
2018–19 48 8 34 0 6 114 215 22 8th of 8-MW
23rd of 25-GOJHL
Lost Conf. Quarterfinals, 0-4 (Cyclones)
Colspan=11 Brantford Bandits
2019–20 50 6 39 0 5 90 225 17 8th of 8-MW
25th of 26-GOJHL
Lost Conf. Quarterfinals, 0-4 (Sugar Kings)
2020-21 Season lost due to covid-19 pandemic
2021–22 48 8 36 4 0 78 221 20 8th of 8-MW
24th of 25-GOJHL
Lost Conf. Quarterfinals, 1-4 (Sugar Kings)
2022–23 50 2 45 3 0 78 360 7 8th of 8-MW
25th of 25-GOJHL
Lost Conf. Quarterfinals, 0-4 (Siskins)
2023–24 50 11 37 2 0 122 223 24 7th of 8-MW
21st of 23-GOJHL
Lost Conf. Quarterfinals, 1-4 (Warriors)
Colspan=11 Brantford Titans

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ohsweken Golden Eagles . 2013-05-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303211158/http://officialgamepuck.com/TownIndex/Canadian/OntarioTowns/OhswekenGoldenEagles.htm . 2016-03-03 . dead .
  2. Web site: Golden Eagles wing off for Caledonia | Brantford Expositor . 2013-05-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001731/http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2012/05/24/golden-eagles-wing-off-for-Caledonia . 2016-03-04 . dead .
  3. Web site: GOJHL Expansion to Brantford. 16 January 2013.
  4. http://www.therecord.com/sports/article/906776--brantford-returns-to-gojhl
  5. Web site: Brantford Jr. B team adopts 99ers moniker.
  6. Web site: Gamesheet: Brantford at Brampton - Fri, Sep 06, 2013.
  7. https://thejuniorhockeynews.com/changes-begin-in-ontario-gojhl-ownerships-shifting/