Mitchell Hawks Explained

Team:Mitchell Hawks
Logosize:145px
City:Mitchell, Ontario
League:Provincial Junior Hockey League
Conference:Western
Division:Pollock
Arena:Mitchell & District Arena
Colours:Black, Red, and White
Coach:Daryl O’Connell (2024)
Gm:Scott R. Bridge
President:Cory Broughton
Website:www.mitchellhawks.com

The Mitchell Hawks are a Junior ice hockey team based in Mitchell, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Provincial Junior Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association.

History

The Mitchell Hawks were founded in 1966 in one of the many Ontario Hockey Association Junior C leagues. They finished low in the standings and were allowed to compete in the Junior D provincial championships. In the Junior D play downs, the Hawks found their niche and made it all the way to the OHA Cup final against a representative from Madoc, Ontario. The Hawks came up short and lost the series 4-games-to-1.

The following season, the same scenario played out in the Western Junior C league and the Hawks were entered into the Junior D playoffs. The Hawks again made it to the final and defeated a representative from Bobcaygeon, Ontario, 4-games-to-none with one tie to win their first provincial championship in only their second season. After the playoffs concluded, the Hawks dropped down to the Western Ontario Junior D Hockey League.

In 1974, the Hawks won the Western Junior D championship and challenged deep into the OHA championships. Upon reaching the OHA Cup final, they met the South-Central Junior D Hockey League champion Bradford Vasey Juniors. The Vasey Juniors defeated the Hawks 4-games-to-1 to win the provincial championship.

The Hawks fell on hard times in the 1980s and were forced to sit out the 1983–84 season. In 1988, all of Ontario's Junior D was consolidated into one "super league" and in 1991 the league was renamed the OHA Junior Development League.

In 1993, the Hawks came back to prominence and made it all the way to the league final. In the final, the Hawks challenged the Thamesford Trojans and defeated them by 4-games-to-1 to win their second OHA Cup.

The next season, the Hawks finished second overall in league standings with 35 wins and only 3 losses. They battled through the playoffs and met the first place Port Stanley Lakers in the finals. The Hawks defeated the Lakers 4-games-to-none to win their third OHA Cup and second straight OHAJDL championship.

The Mitchell Hawks finished the 2005–06 season first in their conference and fourth overall in the OHAJDL with 23 wins and 9 losses. They entered the conference quarter-final against the eighth seeded West Lorne Lakers. The Lakers created a massive upset and defeated the Hawks 4-games-to-2. The upset helped clear the way for the seventh seeded Lucan Irish to eventually win the title.

In 2006, the OHAJDL disbanded and the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League was formed. The Hawks finished their first season in the SOJHL in fifth place overall with 26 wins and 12 losses. In the first round of the playoffs, the Hawks drew the Central Elgin Express. The Hawks defeated the Express 4-games-to-none. In the second round, the Hawks came up against the Lambeth Lancers who they promptly swept 4-games-to-none as well. In the conference final, the Hawks found themselves playing the Thamesford Trojans. The Hawks ended up defeating the Trojans 4-games-to-2 to earn a berth to the SOJHL final. Their opponents in the SOJHL final was the Delhi Travellers. The Hawks ended up defeating the Travellers 4-games-to-2 to win their fourth ever OHA Cup and the first ever SOJHL championship.

On May 29, 2008, Mitchell was granted expansion into the Western Ontario Junior C Hockey League.[1] On September 19, the Hawks played their first modern Western Junior C game. They were defeated on the road by the Kincardine Bulldogs 8–2. The following night, the Hawks made their home debut and defeated the defending league champion Walkerton Hawks 3–1.

During the summer of 2016 the eight junior "C" leagues in Southern Ontario came together as the Provincial Junior Hockey League. The former leagues became divisions and assigned to one of four conferences. For the Hawks it means they will play in the Western Conference and the Pollock Division.

Season-by-season standings

Season GP W L T OTL GF GA P Results Playoffs
1969-70 30 6 21 3 - 119 185 15 6th WJDHL
1970-71 34 16 17 1 - 164 167 33 6th WJDHL
1971-72 30 17 12 1 - 211 186 35 3rd WJDHL
1972-73 32 18 10 4 - 195 144 40 2nd WJDHL
1973-74 34 19 13 2 - 186 150 40 3rd WJDHLWon League
1974-75 32 14 14 4 - 135 143 32 6th WJDHL
1975-76 27 13 13 1 - 134 115 27 6th WJDHL
1976-77 32 21 7 4 - 184 113 46 2nd WJDHL
1977-78 34 22 6 6 - 200 129 50 2nd WJDHL
1978-79 34 26 4 4 - 208 110 56 1st WJDHL
1979-80 34 26 6 2 - 228 121 54 2nd WJDHL
1980-81 34 20 10 4 - 156 129 44 3rd WJDHL
1981-82 40 18 17 5 - 187 186 41 7th WJDHL
1982-83 38 10 26 2 - 132 232 22 9th WJDHL
1983-84 Did Not Participate
1984-85 34 1 32 1 - 120 286 3 10th WJDHL
1985-86 41 10 28 3 - 161 263 23 9th WJDHL
1986-87 40 17 17 6 - 221 216 40 6th WJDHL
1987-88 36 10 23 3 - 165 213 23 9th WJDHL
1988-89 36 16 13 7 - 194 178 39 12th WJDHL
1989-90 35 20 10 5 - 196 155 45 6th WJDHL
1990-91 39 14 18 4 3 126 147 35 13th WJDHL
1991-92 40 27 7 4 2 198 130 60 1st OHAJDL
1992-93 40 32 6 1 1 211 122 66 3rd OHAJDLWon League
1993-94 40 35 3 2 - 228 103 72 2nd OHAJDLWon League
1994-95 39 15 23 1 0 142 166 31 14th OHAJDL
1995-96 37 14 17 5 1 146 161 34 13th OHAJDL
1996-97 37 18 14 4 1 128 110 41 10th OHAJDL
1997-98 40 21 17 2 0 149 151 44 9th OHAJDL
1998-99 40 24 12 1 3 146 112 52 4th OHAJDL
1999-00 40 17 18 4 1 138 162 39 9th OHAJDL
2000-01 40 16 22 2 0 -- -- 34 12th OHAJDL
2001-02 40 14 21 4 1 147 174 33 14th OHAJDL
2002-03 40 13 24 2 1 146 215 29 17th OHAJDL
2003-04 40 18 17 5 0 151 142 41 11th OHAJDL
2004-05 39 21 14 4 0 138 121 46 9th OHAJDL
2005-06 36 23 9 3 1 175 105 50 4th OHAJDL
2006-07 40 26 12 0 2 198 152 54 5th SOJHLWon League
2007-08 40 18 20 - 2 154 163 38 11th SOJHL
2008-09 36 19 15 - 2 154 136 40 5th WJCHL
2009-10 36 24 12 - 0 149 101 48 3rd WJCHLLost semi-final
2010-11 36 19 13 - 4 148 141 42 3rd WJCHL Lost final
2011-12 36 24 10 - 2 142 109 50 2nd WJCHL Lost final
2012-13 36 21 12 - 3 141 123 45 3rd WJCHL Lost semi-final
2013-14 35 14 17 - 4 119 148 32 5th WJCHL Lost quarter-final
2014-15 36 5 29 2 - 94 181 12 7th WJCHL Lost quarters - 1-4 - (Hawks)
2015-16 36 17 19 0 - 128 134 45 4th of 7 WJCHL Won quarters, 4-2 (Ironmen)
Lost semifinals, 1-4 (Hawks)
2016-17 36 23 11 1 - 170 94 47 2nd of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Won Div Quarters, 4-1 (Flyers)
Lost div semi-finals, 3-4 (Patriots)
2017-18 40 23 15 1 1 148 122 48 4th of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Ironmen)
2018-19 42 12 25 2 3 134 197 29 6th of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Lost Div Quarters, 2-4 (Bulldogs)
2019-20 42 21 14 2 5 165 153 49 5th of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Won Div Quarters, 4-0 (Barons)
Lost div. semi-finals, 3-4 (Patriots)
2020-21 Season Lost due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22 32 24 5 0 3 140 49 51 2nd of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Won Div Quarters, 4-0 (Flyers)
Won Div. Semi-finals, 4-0 (Patriots)
Won Div. Finals. 4-3 (Barons)
Lost Confer Finals 2-4 (Siskins)
2022-23 42 26 11 3 2 142 101 57 2nd of 7
Pollock Div-PJHL
Won Div Quarters, 4-0 (Flyers)
Lost div. semi-finals, 1-4 (Barons)
2023-24 42 11 26 3 2 108 154 27 7th of 8
Pollock Div-PJHL
Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Patriots)

Playoffs

Madoc Juniors defeated Mitchell Hawks 4-games-to-1 in OHA final

Mitchell Hawks defeated Bobcaygeon Juniors 4-games-to-none with one tie in OHA final

Bradford Vasey Juniors defeated Mitchell Hawks 4-games-to-1 in OHA final

Mitchell Hawks defeated Thamesford Trojans 4-games-to-1 in final

Mitchell Hawks defeated Port Stanley Lakers 4-games-to-none in final

West Lorne Lakers defeated Mitchell Hawks 4-games-to-2 in conf. quarter-final

Mitchell Hawks defeated Central Elgin Express 4-games-to-none in conf. quarter-final

Mitchell Hawks defeated Lambeth Lancers 4-games-to-none in conf. semi-final

Mitchell Hawks defeated Thamesford Trojans 4-games-to-2 in conf. final

Mitchell Hawks defeated Delhi Travellers 4-games-to-2 in final

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.mitchelladvocate.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1058623&auth=By+Andy+Bader