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28-650: The Icehawks were one of the most historical teams in the Ontario Junior Hockey League, having been formed in 1964 until the team was purchased and moved to Brantford for the 2018-19 season. The Icehawks (2003–2018) have previously been known as the Milton Flyers (1971-1983), Milton Steamers (1983-1986), and Milton Merchants (1966-1971, 1986-2003). After serving in the Second World War as a RCAF wireless air gunner, David Brush returned to Milton and managed

56-517: A commercial real estate businessman from Burlington, and Rob DeVincentis, the Ancaster owner of a construction business, purchased the team from Heinz and owned the team from 2007 to 2017. DeVincentis sold the team in 2017 to Darren DeDobbelaer of Brantford, whose son Eric played on the Junior B Brantford 99ers, which DeDobbelaer also owned. The Ontario Hockey Association originally blocked the $ 500,000 sale of

84-401: Is now a family-owned business that is run by Brad. John Grant Haulage has 57 trucks in operation. In 2015, Grant's investment company purchased a controlling interest in the transportation company, Hutton Transport from St. Marys Cement. His company also maintains financial interests in "a number of working transport companies" including Active Transport and Movin' Freight. Grant purchased

112-772: The Milton Icehawks (previously known as the Milton Merchants) , which is part of the Ontario Junior Hockey League . Grant was born in 1954 or 1955 to Kathleen "Kay" and John Grant, owner of J.B. Grant Trucking, a company that hauled cement in Ontario. Brad has four sisters and one brother. Grant's roots in harness racing stretch back to his childhood. He spent a lot of time on his father's standardbred breeding farm in Hornby , which he purchased in 1965. John Grant, who

140-647: The Newmarket Hurricanes this time, and then went on to become Central Canadian Junior A Champions by winning the Dudley Hewitt Cup , defeating the Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (NOJHL) four games to two, and exacting revenge for the previous year's loss to Rayside-Balfour. At the 1998 Royal Bank Cup , the Milton Merchants went 1-3 in round robin play. In the semifinal game, Milton lost 6-2 to

168-400: The Newmarket Hurricanes this time, and then went on to become Central Canadian Junior A Champions by winning the Dudley Hewitt Cup , defeating the Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (NOJHL) four games to two, and exacting revenge for the previous year's loss to Rayside-Balfour. At the 1998 Royal Bank Cup , the Milton Merchants went 1-3 in round robin play. In the semifinal game, Milton lost 6-2 to

196-572: The South Surrey Eagles and were eliminated from the tournament. In 2001, Grant sold the team to a trio that consisted of ex-NHLer Dave Gagner , then-owner of the Mississauga IceDogs Mario Forgione, and wine distillery consultant Ken Chase. In the 1970s, Charles Juravinski tried to get a new racetrack off the ground just outside Hamilton, Ontario . Juravinski was introduced to John Grant, Brad's father, who joined in on

224-573: The South Surrey Eagles and were eliminated from the tournament. In 2018, the Milton Sports Hall of Fame announced that it is inducting the 1996–97 and 1997-98 Merchants teams, and Brad Grant as a builder, during a ceremony in November. In 2001, Grant sold the team to an Oakville trio that consisted of ex-NHLer Dave Gagner , Mario Forgione who owned the Mississauga IceDogs at the time and

252-675: The 2018–19 season the team would relocate to Brantford to play under the 99ers name with the OJHL's approval. However, this move was denied by the Ontario Hockey Association , the overseeing organization for the Ontario Junior Hockey League , by refusing to send officials to their first game in Brantford on September 13 and the Icehawks were forced to stay in Milton for another season. On October 21,

280-485: The Fred Armstrong Arena on Brown Street for two years, before Milton had artificial ice. His dedication to hockey included coaching at the minor league level and founding the town’s first Junior C club, the Milton Merchants, in 1964 as co-owner and president, which later became Jr. B and eventually Jr. A. For his efforts Brush was inducted into the Milton Sports Hall of Fame in 2018. In the 1970s, Vern Gooding owned

308-479: The IceHawks to prevent DeDobbelaer from moving the team to Brantford, or promoting the 99ers to Jr. A and demoting the IceHawks in Milton to Jr. B. Complicating matters was the fact that Brad Grant who previously owned the team was OHA chairman at the time of the proposed sale. The sale was ultimately approved on the condition that the IceHawks remain in Milton for the 2017–18 season. The team the announced that starting in

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336-472: The Icehawks with the IceDogs. In the spring of 2006, ex-NHL goaltender Rick Heinz' attempt to purchase the nearby Georgetown Raiders fell through, but by July 2006 the local Campbellville resident Heinz had talked Forgione into selling the Icehawks, and the affiliation with the IceDogs ended. Heinz sold the team just nine months later after starting the season with essentially no committed players. Dean Piett,

364-760: The Milton Merchants were Central Junior B Hockey League champions with a 4-2 victory in Game 7 over the Aurora Eagles. They made the Ontario Hockey Association Sutherland Cup Junior B championship but lost in five games to the Mid-Western Junior B Hockey League 's Kitchener Dutchmen . Following the 1992-93 season, the Merchants made the jump to Junior A in the OPJHL. The 1994-95 season marked

392-502: The OHA and OJHL announced the relocation of the team back to Brantford. In 2023, DeDobbelaer sold the team to another buyer, marking the 2023/24 season starting under new ownership for the team. Many notable players have suited up for Milton over the years including NHL stars John Tavares , Daniel Carcillo , Rick Nash , Sam Gagner , Rich Peverley , Darren Haydar , Cody Goloubef and Matt Read . Some famous Miltonians have also played for

420-514: The Steamers to the Merchants after the Junior C team of old, and brought in former coach Gerry Inglis, who had also coached the Georgetown Raiders and had won five intermediate championships at the time. Grant led the team to tremendous success in the late 1990s. During his 15-year ownership run, the team captured four division crowns, three league championships and a provincial title. In 1992,

448-639: The Tier-II Jr. A hockey team, the Milton Steamers in April 1986 around the time the organization was speculated to fold. During the 1986-87 season, he changed the team's name from the Steamers to the Merchants, and brought in former coach Gerry Inglis. Inglis had prior experience coaching the Georgetown Raiders and had won five intermediate championships at the time. Grant led the team to tremendous success in

476-549: The beginning of a historical run for the franchise as the club won five straight division titles. The surge of success increased when the Merchants were crowned league champions in 1997, winning the Buckland Trophy after defeating the Newmarket 87's . In the 1997 Dudley Cup playoffs, the Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (NOJHL) beat Milton four games to one. In 1998, the Milton Merchants repeated their Buckland Trophy title, dispatching

504-441: The beginning of a historical run for the franchise as the club won five straight division titles. The surge of success increased when the Merchants were crowned league champions in 1997, winning the Buckland Trophy after defeating the Newmarket 87's . In the 1997 Dudley Cup playoffs, the Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (NOJHL) beat Milton four games to one. In 1998, the Milton Merchants repeated their Buckland Trophy title, dispatching

532-409: The club to Turner, prompting Scannell to announce that he was preparing to sell his stake as well. On April 10, 1986, Turner, Grenier and Scannell sold the Steamers to Brad Grant who owned trucking company Sandstone Transport. Trucking magnate Brad Grant purchased the team in April 1986 when it seemed like the organization might fold. For the 1986-87 season, he immediately changed the team's name from

560-485: The foundation. He has donated thousands of dollars to the hospital foundation through his personal donations as well as donations from his trucking companies. He is also the finance chairman of the Ontario Hockey Association . Grant lives in Milton, Ontario . He is married to his wife Bonnie. Rick Heinz Richard D. Heinz (born May 30, 1955) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 49 games in

588-465: The franchise, including four-time Stanley Cup champion John Tonelli , AHL star Darren Haydar , two-time NCAA Frozen Four champion Boston College captain Matt Price, and his brother Jeremy Price (Vancouver Canucks' draft pick). Brad Grant Bradley "Brad" J. Grant is a Canadian businessman, investor, philanthropist, and standardbred horse owner from Milton, Ontario . He is the former owner of

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616-474: The late 1990s. During his 15-year ownership run, the team captured four division crowns, three league championships and a provincial title. In 1992, the Milton Merchants were Central Junior B Hockey League champions with a 4-2 victory in Game 7 over the Aurora Eagles. They made the Ontario Hockey Association Sutherland Cup Junior B championship, but lost five games to the Mid-Western Junior B Hockey League 's Kitchener Dutchmen . The 1994-95 season marked

644-463: The local team when they were known as the Milton Flyers. In 1974, three players including the team captain and top scorer left the team mid season over an imposed curfew dispute. Two of the three players had had tryouts with OHL clubs, and all three were club veterans. Grant Turner, Mark Grenier, Howie Scannell, and John Morgan owned the Milton Steamers in the early 1980s. Morgan sold his stake in

672-542: The track) and older gelded pacer Whistle Jimmy K, who earned more than $ 47,000 racing. Two weeks later, Grant traveled to New Jersey where he spent $ 275,000 USD on three racehorses to be trained by Guelph native Ben Wallace, who had lost all 17 horses due to the Classy Lane fire. Grant is an active philanthropist who serves the Milton District Hospital Foundation as vice chair and is a past chair of

700-645: The venture. With the help of John Grant, Juravinski succeeded in founding his new racetrack in 1971. The half-mile harness horse racing track was named Flamboro Downs . Flamboro Downs proved to be a wise move for Grant as the Hamilton-area racetrack was extremely well received after opening in April 1975. During the first year of opening, Juravinski got to know John Grant's son, Brad. Years later John Grant sold his stake in Flamboro Downs due to health concerns, much to Juravinski's dismay. Many years later Juravinski and

728-547: The younger Grant joined forces to co-own a horse named American Rock. In 1997, Brad Grant got drawn back into the horse racing industry through the ownership of horses. On January 4, 2016, a devastating barn fire at Classy Lane Training Centre in Puslinch, Ontario killed 43 horses. Grant himself lost four of his horses in the fire — millionaire older pacer Apprentice Hanover, unraced three-year-old pacing mare Proven Effective, older gelded pacer Whiskey N Pie (a winner of $ 47,000 on

756-723: Was an automotive parts manufacturing president, and wine distillery consultant Ken Chase. For the 2003-04 season, Forgione changed the team's name from the Merchants to the IceHawks to reflect the team's connection with the local minor hockey programs called the Winterhawks, and Forgione's ownership of the Mississauga IceDogs. In 2005, the Ontario Hockey Association fined the Icehawks $ 12,000 and suspended then-General Manager George Dupont for signing two players outside of OHA guidelines. In 2006, Forgione officially affiliated

784-610: Was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame as a builder in 1998, bred and raced a notable list of provincial stars including Hornby Glory, Hornby Tora, Hornby Judy, Armbro Luxury, and Classic Wish. Brad opted not to continue his father's Hornby breeding operation. The elder John was not only involved in the trucking business, but also the golf course business as well as horse racing. Grant established his own trucking company, Active Transport, in 1983. His father owned and operated John Grant Haulage, but it

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