The Mississauga IceDogs were a junior ice hockey team in Mississauga , Ontario , Canada. They played in the Ontario Hockey League from 1998 to 2007. A sale relocated the team to St. Catharines , Ontario for the 2007–08 season and they are now called the Niagara IceDogs .
25-615: From 1998 to 2002, the IceDogs enjoyed little success, finishing last in the OHL 's Central Division every year. During this building phase, the team had six head coaches within the span of 4 years, including the owner, Don Cherry . Mississauga drafted first overall each year, leading to two rookies of the year, including one of the highest touted NHL prospects in Jason Spezza . The team changed ownership in 2002 with venture capitalist Joel Albin acquiring
50-703: A row, which produced two rookies of the year, and a total of ten alumni have played in the National Hockey League . CHL Rookie of the Year Emms Family Award OHL Rookie of the Year Jack Ferguson Award First Overall Draft Pick OHL Goaltender of the Year Legend: OTL = Overtime loss, SL = Shootout loss The IceDogs' colours are red, white, black and silver. The logo
75-421: Is styled after Don Cherry 's pet bull terrier named Blue. It shows a snarling dog overtop of the IceDogs name with a maple leaf in the background. The original logo (inset right) looked like an ice crystalized dog with red eyes in front of a big letter "M" with a maple leaf in the corner. The logo was redesigned after their 5th season with the change in ownership. The Mississauga IceDogs played their home games at
100-634: The Hershey Centre in northeast Mississauga, near the junction of Highways 401 , 403 and 410 . The Hershey Centre hosted the OHL All-Star Game in 2000. Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League ( OHL ; French : Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario ( LHO ) ) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League . The league is for players aged 16–20. There are currently 20 teams in
125-586: The Memorial Cup , which is awarded to the junior hockey champions of Canada. The host team of the tournament is alternated between the three leagues every season. The most recent OHL team to win the Memorial Cup was the Saginaw Spirit in 2024. The Memorial Cup has been captured 18 times by OHL/OHA teams since the tournament went to a three-league format in 1972: The Cup was also won 16 times by OHA teams in
150-558: The 2006–07 season, Melnyk sold the IceDogs, and moved the Majors to the Hershey Centre in Mississauga. On January 8, 2007, Toronto businessman Tom Bitove proposed to buy the team with plans to move to Niagara Falls , but city council declined the proposal to build a new arena. As an alternative, the team approached the City of St. Catharines about moving the team into Jack Gatecliff Arena in
175-687: The Central Division, two points behind the division champion Toronto St. Michael's Majors , and third overall in the Eastern Conference. In the first round of the playoffs, the IceDogs defeated the Oshawa Generals in seven games, winning their first-ever playoff series. The IceDogs were down three games to two against the Barrie Colts in the second round but managed to come back and win the series in seven games. The surprise IceDogs then upset
200-576: The Eastern Conference with 81 points. Despite regular season success, the IceDogs were upset in the first round of the playoffs by the eighth-seeded St. Michael's Majors in five games. In 2005–06 , the IceDogs started rebuilding and missed the playoffs again. On July 12, 2006, Eugene Melnyk , owner of the Toronto St. Michael's Majors and the NHL's Ottawa Senators , bought the Mississauga IceDogs. After
225-502: The OHA Junior A League was one of five Junior A leagues operating in Ontario. The OHA was promoted to Tier I Junior A for the 1970–71 season and took up the name Ontario Major Junior Hockey League . Since 1980 the league has grown rapidly into a high-profile marketable product, with many games broadcast on television and radio. Leagues for ice hockey in Ontario were first organized in 1890 by
250-686: The OHA in July 1982. The OHA and OHL disagreed on financial terms of affiliation, then the OHL decided to handle its own administration. The OHA and the OHL later reached an interim affiliation agreement, which allowed the OHL to compete at the Memorial Cup . In March 2005, the league announced the launch of OHL Live Stream, resulting in OHL games being broadcast live on a pay-per-view (PPV) broadband basis. OMJHL and OHL Commissioners (years in office) Note: The 12 original OHL franchises were all previously members of
275-472: The OHL decided to hold the "draft" via the internet, greatly reducing the costs the league and its member teams incurred in hosting a public draft. This move reduced the stress and pressure that prospective players faced with a large crowd present. The Jack Ferguson Award is presented annually to the first overall selection. The award was named in honour of long time OHL scout and former Director of Central Scouting Jack Ferguson. List of trophies and awards in
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#1733086007557300-807: The OHL: seventeen in Ontario, two in Michigan , and one in Pennsylvania . The league was founded in 1980 when its predecessor, the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League, formally split away from the Ontario Hockey Association , joining the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League and its direct affiliation with Hockey Canada . The OHL traces its history of Junior A hockey back to 1933 with the partition of Junior A and B. In 1970,
325-479: The OMJHL. Some other franchises played in different junior leagues prior to joining the OHL. Current teams are listed in blue. Gold stars denote J. Ross Robertson Cup (League championship) winners The 20 OHL clubs play a 68-game unbalanced schedule, which starts in the third full week of September, running until the third week of March. Ninety percent (90%) of OHL games are scheduled between Thursday and Sunday to minimize
350-857: The Ontario Hockey League. CHL Rookie of the Year The CHL Rookie of the Year Award is given out annually to the top rookie in the Canadian Hockey League . It is chosen from the winners of; the Emms Family Award (OHL Rookie of the Year), the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy (WHL Rookie of the Year), and the RDS Cup (QMJHL Rookie of the Year). List of winners of the CHL Rookie of
375-758: The St. Michael's Majors in the Eastern Conference Championship series in six games to win the Bobby Orr Trophy and earn their first-ever trip to the Ontario Hockey League finals. The dream ended there as they fell to the Guelph Storm in four straight games in the OHL final, losing the fourth game at the Hershey Centre. The 2004–05 season was another record setting season for the IceDogs. They won their first ever Central Division title and finished first in
400-414: The bench to coach the IceDogs for the 2001–02 season, after going through five coaches in three years. The team had its best season to the date, but still failed to reach the playoffs. The IceDogs were one of the highest-selling road teams in the OHL that year, as many spectators attended games to see Don Cherry coach and seek autographs. The Mississauga IceDogs had the first overall draft pick four years in
425-714: The downtown core. St. Catharines City Council voted on a leasing arrangement on April 23, 2007, which passed. Bill Burke bought the IceDogs and relocated the team to St. Catharines in time for the 2007–08 season, to be known as the Niagara IceDogs . The IceDogs played their final game in Mississauga on April 1, 2007, losing in game 5 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals at home to the Sudbury Wolves . Bobby Orr Trophy Eastern Conference Champions Emms Trophy Central Division Champions Former team owner and hockey commentator Donald S. Cherry stepped behind
450-465: The first three rounds. In 1972 disagreements about the Toronto team's rights to its "Marlie" players (and Greg Neeld ) and claims to American player Mark Howe led to a revised system. In 1973 each team was permitted to protect eight midget area players (Toronto was allowed to protect 10 players from its midget sponsored teams). In 1975 the league phased out the area protections, and the 1976 OHA midget draft
475-581: The junior division was divided into two levels, Junior A and Junior B. In 1970 the Junior A level was divided into two levels, Tier I (or Major Junior A) and Tier II (or Minor Junior A). In 1974 the Tier I/Major Junior A group separated from the OHA and became the independent Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL). In 1980, the OMJHL became the Ontario Hockey League. The OHL split from
500-409: The newly created Ontario Hockey Association (OHA). In 1892 the OHA recognized junior hockey - referring to skill rather than age. In 1896 the OHA moved to the modern age-limited junior hockey concept, distinct from senior and intermediate divisions. Since then the evolution to the Ontario Hockey League has developed through four distinct eras of junior-aged non-professional hockey in Ontario. In 1933,
525-601: The number of school days missed for its players. Approximately 20% of players on active rosters in the National Hockey League (NHL) have come from the OHL, and about 54% of NHL players are alumni of the Canadian Hockey League . The J. Ross Robertson Cup is awarded annually to the winner of the Championship Series. The Cup is named for John Ross Robertson , who was president of the Ontario Hockey Association from 1901 to 1905. The OHL playoffs consist of
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#1733086007557550-448: The period between 1945 and 1971: The OHL's predecessor, the OHA, had a midget and juvenile draft dating back to the 50s, until voted out in 1962. In 1966 it was resumed, though not publicized. Starting in the 1970s the draft went through several changes. Originally the draft was for 17-year-old midgets not already associated with teams through their sponsored youth programs. In 1971 the league first allowed "underage" midgets to be picked in
575-481: The team from owners Don Cherry, Retrocom, sports agent Elliott Kerr, and Trevor Whiffer - lawyer of Don Cherry and the general manager of the IceDogs'. In the 2002–03 season , the IceDogs finished fourth in the Central Division and made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, but lost in the first round in five games against the Ottawa 67's . 2003–04 was the IceDogs' best season. The team finished second in
600-542: The top 16 teams in the league, 8 from each conference. The teams play a best-of-seven game series, and the winner of each series advances to the next round. The final two teams eventually compete for the J. Ross Robertson Cup . The OHL champion then competes with the winners of the Western Hockey League , the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League , and the host of the tournament to play for
625-612: Was the first in which all midget players were eligible. In 1999 the league changed the draft to a bantam age (15 and 16 year old). It is a selection of players who are residents of the province of Ontario, the states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York, and other designated U.S. states east of the Mississippi River plus Missouri. Prior to 2001, the OHL held the Priority Selection in a public forum, such as an arena. Drafts were attended by many players and family members. In 2001,
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