Brockville Braves



The Brockville Braves are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Brockville, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Central Junior A Hockey League. Such NHLer's as Larry Robinson and current player Wayne Simmons of the LA Kings amongst other famous players have all played for the Braves.

History
Founded in 1963, the Braves are the second oldest team that has never ceased operation in CJHL history—second only to Pembroke. In the 1979, the teams was the focus of national attention when they were left homeless due to their arena collapsing. This did not stop the Braves though, playing their home games out of Cardinal and Rockland, Ontario, the Braves did not miss a beat.

It took until 1986 for the Brockville Braves to win a CJHL championships. They clinched the Bogart Cup on a late April night, defeating their arch-nemesis Pembroke Lumber Kings 8-7 in the finals. Braves' goalie Jacques Breault was the hero, as with 22 seconds to go in the game, turned away a penalty shot by the league's all-time leading scorers Luc Chabot. Although losing to Orillia, Ontario in the Ontario playdowns, the team was a memorable one. Notable members of this team were all-time Braves leading scorer Larry Mitchell, Breault, Paul Duford, Tim Dubas, Dan Nummikoski, Steve Rachwal, Chad Badawey and Rob White.

Since that championship, the team has experienced more bad times than good. The late 80's and early 90's were not good to the Braves, who failed to make the playoffs multiple times.

In 1997, times began to change for the better again. The Braves competed in and won in Quebec, the Fred Page Cup, the Eastern Canadian Junior "A" championship. This allowed for their team to compete in the event and give them the experience they needed for the next season. The Braves regained their league title in 1998, bringing the club around full circle.

Former NHLer Todd Gill purchased the Brockville Braves and has been the head coach since 2006-07. He helped bring the Fred Page Cup to Brockville for the first time for 2010. Gill played in the NHL from 1984 to 2003 playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks, Detroit Red Wings, Phoenix Coyotes, and St. Louis Blues. Former Braves head coach Mike McCourt was recently named head coach of the OHL's Niagara Ice Dogs for 2009-10. McCourt was head coach with Brockville from 2003 to 2006.

In 2009-2010, the Braves established a league record for most consecutive wins with 26. Brockville completed easy series wins over Kemptville (4-0) and Ottawa (4-0) to win a birth in the finals against the Pembroke Lumber Kings - as predicted by many CJHL followers. However, it was Pembroke that made CJHL history by winning four-consecutive Art Bogart Cup championships knocking off the Braves in 5 games. Despite, the finals loss to the Lumber Kings, the Braves won the Fred Page Cup against the Lumber Kings in an all-league finals tilt as the Braves won 5-1. At the Royal Bank Cup in Dauphin, Manitoba, the Braves broke a Royal Bank Cup record the highest margain of victory by defeating the Oakville Blades 11-2. (The previous record was held by the 1999 Vernon Vipers, who defeated the Charlottetown Abbies 9-3 in the championship game in Yorkton, SASK). The Braves would still have to win their last game against the LaRonge Ice Wolves, in which they did 6-3 to earn a birth in the semi-finals against the defending RBC champions VVernon Vipers. Vernon went on to win the game 2-0, leaving the Braves or any other CJHL team from the previous attempts to make the Royal Bank Cup final out.

Championships

 * CJHL Bogart Cup Championships: 1978, 1998
 * Eastern Canadian Fred Page Cup Championships: 1998, 2010
 * CJAHL Royal Bank Cup Championships: None

Notable alumni

 * Terry Carkner - Longtime NHL Defenceman
 * Brian Chapman - Former Hartford Whalers Draft Pick and longtime AHL player.
 * Todd Gill - Former Toronto Maple Leafs player and current Owner, GM, and Coach of the Braves.
 * Brett Harkins - Former NHL, AHL, European League journeyman.
 * Hank Lammens - Former New York Islanders draft pick and one time Ottawa Senators player.
 * Paul MacLean (ice hockey) - Former NHL Allstar and Current Detroit Red Wings assistant coach.
 * Andrei Mezin - 2002 Belarus Olympic Team member
 * Larry Robinson - NHL Hall of Famer and former coach of the New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings.
 * Ray Sheppard - Former 50 Goal Scorer and longtime NHLer.
 * Wayne Simmonds - 2007 Los Angeles Kings draft pick and member of the Canadian 2007 World Junior Championship Team.
 * Gord Smith - Journeyman NHLer and brother of Hall of Famer Billy Smith.
 * Sergei Stas - 2002 Belarus Olympic Team member
 * Trevor Stienburg - Former Quebec Nordiques First Round Draft Pick
 * Mike Daoust - 2001 NCAA National Champion - Plattsburgh State Cardinals
 * Guy Come- 2001 NCAA National Champion - Plattsburgh State Cardinals
 * Bryan Murray- 2001 NCAA National Champion - Plattsburgh State Cardinals