Barrie Colts

The Barrie Colts are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, based in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. There were two previous Barrie Colts team which played Junior A & B hockey in the Ontario Hockey Association, one from 1907 until 1910 and another from the 1920s to 1940s.

Original Colts
The first Barrie Colts played in the junior division of the OHA from 1907 until 1910, prior to the creation of junior A and B levels. One notable alumni is Gordon Meeking who played for the Ottawa Senators and Toronto 228th Battalion of the National Hockey Association (NHA) and later in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA).

The Barrie Colts were revived in 1921 and played in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1921 to 1944. The club started out as a Junior-B team, then were promoted to Junior-A around the start of[World War II. The Junior B Colts won the Sutherland Cup Championship in 1934–35. One of its original players was Leighton "Hap" Emms. Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Harry Lumley played for this team in 1942–43. Other NHL alumni include Ab DeMarco and Jack Dyte.

Modern Colts
The modern Barrie Colts also started out as a Junior C team in the Georgia Bay league. In 1970 they moved up to Junior B hockey in the Mid-Ontario Jr.B league, then moved to the Central Junior B Hockey League in 1978 when the Mid-Ontario league folded. This version of the Junior B Colts won the Sutherland Cup Championship in 1992–93. For the next two seasons (1993–95), the Colts played at the Junior A Tier II level. The team was granted permission to join the Ontario Hockey League as an expansion franchise on May 6, 1994, starting play during the 1995–96 season.

The Colts have been very successful since their inception. Barrie has never missed the playoffs in team history, and were the first OHL team to make the post-season in their inaugural year. The Colts won the J. Ross Robertson Cup in the 1999–2000 season, playing the seventh game on the road, defeating the Plymouth Whalers. Barrie travelled to Halifax, Nova Scotia to compete in the Memorial Cup that year, losing to the Rimouski Océanic in the championship game.

The 1999–2000 season was successful on the ice but had many off-ice problems. There was internal dissension centering around Mike Jefferson and Sheldon Keefe (both had David Frost as an agent), and Coach Bill Stewart would later be suspended by the OHL when it was found out that he smuggled an imported Russian player across the Canada-United States border in the luggage compartment of the team bus.

After a rebuilding season, the Colts made a second trip to the OHL finals in 2002, losing to the Erie Otters. Three years later, the franchise celebrated its 10th anniversary in the OHL in 2004–05.

On April 7, 2006, the Ontario Hockey League announced the approval of the transfer of 46% interest in the team, with Howie Campbell as the new majority owner of the franchise. Campbell is a partner in Superior Electric Supply (SESCO). James Massie is a minor partner in ownership, and also owns Georgian International.

On May 16, 2006 the Barrie Colts announced the resignation of the team's general manager, Mike McCann. During McCann's 25 year tenure with the team, he has also been director of player personnel, and a head scout. Mike McCann has also been inducted into the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame.

The 2007–08 season saw a return of Junior B Colts alumnus Drake Berehowsky to the team. He is currently working with them as an assistant coach.

Championships

 * OHL

Memorial Cup
 * 1999–2000—Finalists vs. Rimouski Océanic

J. Ross Robertson Cup Ontario Hockey League Championship
 * 1999–2000—Champions vs. Plymouth Whalers
 * 2001–02—Finalists vs. Erie Otters
 * 2009–10—Finalists vs. Windsor Spitfires
 * 2012–13—Finalists vs. London Knights

Bobby Orr Trophy Eastern Conference Championship
 * 1999–2000—Champions vs. Belleville Bulls
 * 2001–02—Champions vs. Toronto St. Michael's Majors
 * 2005–06—Finalists vs. Peterborough Petes
 * 2009–10—Champions vs. Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
 * 2012–13—Champions vs. Belleville Bulls
 * 2015-16 ---Finalists vs Niagara IceDogs

Emms Trophy Central Division title
 * 1998–99—105 Points (First in Eastern Conference)
 * 1999–2000—93 Points (First in Eastern Conference)
 * 2006–07—97 Points (First in Eastern Conference)
 * 2009–10—116 Points (First in OHL)
 * 2012–13—92 Points (Second in Eastern Conference)
 * 2014–15—85 Points (Second in Eastern Conference)
 * 2015-16—89 Points (Second in Eastern Conference)
 * 2017-18—89 Points (Second in Eastern Conference)

Hamilton Spectator Trophy Best Record in the League (Finishing with a 57–9–0–2 record. #1 in Canada for the final four weeks of the season)
 * 2009–10,—116 Points


 * OHA Jr. B

Sutherland Cup Junior 'B' Championship
 * 1934–35 and 1992–93

Division Titles Central Junior 'B'
 * 1984–85, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1992–93

Coaches
The legendary Bert Templeton was the first coach for the OHL Colts. Templeton was awarded the OHL Executive of the Year in 1995–96 for his role as general manager. Templeton built the inaugural team of the Barrie Colts, who became the first OHL expansion franchise to make the playoffs in its first season.

List of coaches with multiple seasons in parentheses.
 * 1995–99 - Bert Templeton (4)
 * 1999–00 - Bill Stewart
 * 2000–04 - Bud Stefanski (4)
 * 2004–10 - Marty Williamson (6)
 * 2010-present - Dale Hawerchuk

Award winners

 * 1995 - Daniel Tkaczuk Jack Ferguson Award (First Overall Priority Selection)
 * 1998–99 - Brian Finley OHL Goaltender of the Year, Wayne Gretzky 99 Award (Playoffs MVP)
 * 1998–99 - Sheldon Keefe Emms Family Award (Rookie of the Year)
 * 1999–00 - Sheldon Keefe Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy (Scoring Champion), Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy (Top Scoring Right Winger),
 * 2001–02 - Eric Reitz Max Kaminsky Trophy (Most Outstanding Defenceman)
 * 2003–04 - Paulo Colaiacovo OHL Goaltender of the Year
 * 2003–04 - Bryan Little Emms Family Award (Rookie of the Year)
 * 2009–10 – Bryan Cameron Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy (Overage Player of the Year)
 * 2011 – Aaron Ekblad Jack Ferguson Award (First Overall Priority Selection—granted exceptional status)
 * 2011–12 – Aaron Ekblad Emms Family Award (Rookie of the Year)
 * 2013-14 - Aaron Ekblad Max Kaminsky Trophy (Most Outstanding Defenceman)
 * 2014–15 – Joseph Blandisi Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy (Overage Player of the Year)
 * 2015-2016 – Kevin Labanc Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy (Scoring Champion)
 * 2015-2016 - Kevin Labanc Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy (Top Scoring Right Winger)
 * 2015–2016 – Kevin Labanc Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy (Overage Player of the Year)

NHL Drafted Colts
There have been 34 players who were drafted by the National Hockey League while playing for the Colts.

There have been 3 players who have signed as free agents in the National Hockey League while playing for the Colts.

NHL alumni
There are 53 Barrie Colts alumni who have played in the National Hockey League: 42 from the OHL Colts, and 11 from the Junior B Colts.

OHL Colts

 * As of March 27, 2015

Team records
The longest playoff game in Barrie Colts history lasted 103 minutes, and 3 seconds, on April 20, 2006 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre. The Peterborough Petes defeated the Barrie Colts 4 to 3 in the third overtime of game one of the eastern conference finals.

Regular season

 * 196x–78 Mid-Ontario Junior B League
 * 1978–93 Central Junior B League
 * 1993–95 OPJHL Junior A
 * 1995–Present OHL

Playoffs
Lost to Ottawa 67's 4 games to 1 in quarter-finals.. Lost to Oshawa Generals 4 games to 3 in conference semi-finals. Defeated Sudbury Wolves 4 games to 3 in conference semi-finals. Defeated Belleville Bulls 4 games to 1 in conference finals. Defeated Plymouth Whalers 4 games to 3 in finals. OHL CHAMPIONS Finished Memorial Cup round-robin in third place (1 win, 2 losses). Defeated Halifax Mooseheads 6-3 in semi-final game. Lost to Rimouski Oceanic 6-2 in championship game. Defeated Belleville Bulls 4 games to 2 in conference semi-finals. Defeated St. Michael's Majors 4 games to 0 in conference finals. Lost to Erie Otters 4 games to 1 in finals. Lost to Mississauga IceDogs 4 games to 3 in conference semi-finals. Defeated Brampton Battalion 4 games to 1 in conference semi-finals. Lost to Peterborough Petes 4 games to 1 in conference finals. Lost to Sudbury Wolves 4 games to 0 in conference semi-finals. Lost to Belleville Bulls 4 games to 0 in conference semi-finals. Defeated Brampton Battalion 4 games to 0 in conference semi-finals. Defeated Mississauga St.Michaels Majors 4 games to 1 in conference finals. Lost to Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 0 in Finals. Lost to Ottawa 67's 4 games to 3 in conference semi-finals. Defeated Oshawa Generals 4 games to 0 in conference semi-finals. Defeated Belleville Bullis 4 games to 3 in the conference finals. Lost to London Knights 4 games to 3 in Finals. Lost to North Bay Battalion 4 games to 2 in conference semi-finals. Lost to North Bay Battalion 4 games to 1 in conference semi-finals. Defeated North Bay Battalion 4 games to 0 in conference semi-finals. Lost to Niagara IceDogs 4 games to 0 the conference finals. Lost to Kingston Frontenacs 4 games to 2 in the conference semifinals.
 * 1969–70 Defeated Woodstock Navy-Vets 4-games-to-3 for George S. Dudley Trophy Super "C" Championship
 * 1992–93 Defeated Kitchener Dutchmen 4-games-to-none for Sutherland Cup
 * 1995–96 Lost to Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 3 in division quarter-finals.
 * 1996–97 Defeated Owen Sound Platers 4 games to 0 in division quarter-finals.
 * 1997–98 Lost to Sudbury Wolves 4 games to 2 in division quarter-finals.
 * 1998–99 Defeated Kingston Frontenacs 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
 * 1999–00 Defeated North Bay Centennials 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
 * 2000–01 Lost to Sudbury Wolves 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
 * 2001–02 Defeated Sudbury Wolves 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
 * 2002–03 Lost to Brampton Battalion 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
 * 2003–04 Defeated Kingston Frontenacs 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
 * 2004–05 Lost to Ottawa 67's 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
 * 2005–06 Defeated St. Michael's Majors 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
 * 2006–07 Defeated Brampton Battalion 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
 * 2007–08 Defeated Brampton Battalion 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
 * 2008–09 Lost to Mississauga Majors 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
 * 2009–10 Defeated Sudbury Wolves 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
 * 2010–11 Did not qualify.
 * 2011–12 Defeated Mississauga St. Michaels Majors 4 games to 2 in the conference quarter-finals.
 * 2012–13 Defeated Kingston Frontenacs 4 games to 0 in the conference quarter-finals.
 * 2013–14 Defeated Sudbury Wolves 4 games to 1 in the conference quarter-finals.
 * 2014–15 Defeated Belleville Bulls 4 games to 0 in the conference quarter-finals.
 * 2015-16 Defeated Mississauga Steelheads 4 games to 3 in the conference quarter-finals.
 * 2016-17 Did not qualify
 * 2017-18 Defeated Mississauga Steelheads 4 games to 2 in the conference quarter-finals.
 * 2018-19 Did not qualify
 * 2019-20 Playoffs cancelled
 * 2020-21 Season cancelled

Uniforms and logos
The Barrie Colts logo displays an angry horse holding a hockeystick, surrounded by a horseshoe. The Colts colours are red, white, navy blue & gold. The home uniforms are a white background, with red, navy blue and gold trim. The away uniforms are a navy blue background, with red, white & gold trim. Barrie also briefly used a third jersey which was a red background, with white, navy blue & gold trim.

For the 2007–08 season, the Colts have worn a new third jersey. It have a navy blue blackground with white, red and gold trim along the bottom, with the word "Colts" diagonally across the front. For the 2009-10 season the colts will be wearing the Rbk Edge uniforms with a new template.

Arenas
The Barrie Colts played at the Barrie Arena during their tenure in the Junior B days and Junior A Tier II days, and also for a portion of their inaugural OHL season until their new arena was completed. The Barrie Arena was located in downtown Barrie and was formerly home to the Barrie Flyers OHA team from 1945–1960 and other senior hockey teams. The Arena was torn down in 2008.

Barrie Molson Centre was completed during the early portion of the 1995–96 season. The layout of the arena served as a blueprint for many new OHL arenas built shortly thereafter. There is a Horsepower restaurant located at the west end of the arena. The Barrie Molson Centre is located near the southern entrance of Park Place, close to Highway 400.


 * Capacity = 4,195
 * Ice Size = 200' x 85'

Arena profiles from "The OHL Arena & Travel Guide"
 * Barrie Arena
 * Barrie Molson Centre