Norwich Merchants

The Norwich Merchants are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team based in Norwich, Ontario, Canada. They are playing in the Provincial Junior Hockey League after playing in the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League.

History
Founded in 1968, the Merchants won the Southern Counties Junior D Hockey League championship the next season, then went on to win the OHA Cup as provincial champions by defeating the Haliburton Huskies of the Central League.

In 1980, the Merchants were promoted to Junior C and joined the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League. In 1986, the Merchants were Niagara League champions. They went on to defeat the Bradford Blues of the Mid-Ontario Junior Hockey League to win the Clarence Schmalz Cup as OHA Junior C champions. In 1987, they were again Niagara League champions. They again made it to the provincial final, but this time lost to the Lakefield Chiefs of the Central Ontario Junior C Hockey League.

In November 2011, the Merchants were sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association for the overpayment of a former player during his time with the team. Although the team claimed the money was for education purposes, the OHA fined the team $25,000, suspended three board members for the rest of the season and three additional seasons, their 2011-12 roster was frozen for the rest of the season, and they were barred from signing imports for three following seasons. The Merchants appealed the decision to the Ontario Hockey Federation. The OHF overturned the roster freeze and import restrictions saying that it was not within the OHA's constitution to wield those powers. Both sides appealed to Hockey Canada next, the OHA to reinstate the penalties and the Merchants to wipe them out. Hockey Canada sided with neither party, which left the fine and suspensions in place.

After thirty-three years as members of the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey Association realigned and the Merchants ended up in the new Midwestern Junior C Hockey League. Three years later the eight Southern Ontario junior "C" hockey leagues amalgamated into one league, the Provincial Junior Hockey League. For the Firebirds this meant they are now competing in the Central Conference - Pat Doherty Division.

Season-by-Season record
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Clarence Schmalz Cup Final appearances

 * 1986: Norwich Merchants defeated Bradford Blues 4-games-to-3
 * 1987: Lakefield Chiefs defeated Norwich Merchants 4-games-to-2