Barrie Flyers

This is about the junior team. For the senior team of the same name, please see Barrie Flyers (1966-1979).

The Barrie Flyers were a junior and team playing in the Ontario Hockey Association in Barrie, Ontario.

History

They played in the Ontario Hockey Association's junior A series from 1945-46 through 1959-60.

The Flyers won the league title in 1947-48, 1948-49, 1950-51, and 1952-53.

They won the Memorial Cup in 1950-51 and 1952-53. They lost that final in 1947-48.

The Flyers were sponsored by the Boston Bruins, who had to get the permission of the Toronto Maple Leafs to do so. Barrie was within 50 miles of Toronto and so was in the Leafs' exclusive zone.

Hap Emms, who ran the Flyers, was opposed to Sunday hockey on religious grounds. In Toronto, the St. Michael's Majors and Toronto Marlboros, both Leafs' farm teams, played every Sunday. Emms refused to involve the Flyers in those games.

In retaliation, in 1953, the Maple Leafs withdrew permission for the Bruins to sponsor the Flyers in 1953. This continued for two seasons as the Flyers slumped.

In 1955 Emms agreed to let the Flyers play on Sundays in Toronto but held to his convictions and appointed an assistant coach to run the team on Sundays instead of him. The Bruins returned to sponsor the team and moved their players from the Galt Rockets.

The franchise was moved to Niagara Falls in 1960.

Players

The Barrie Flyers sent 37 young men onto the ranks of the National Hockey League. The best known only played one game for the Boston Bruins. His name is Don Cherry.

Award Winners

• 1948-49 - Gil Mayer, Red Tilson Trophy Most Outstanding Player
• 1950-51 - Lorne Howes, Dave Pinkney Trophy Lowest Team Goals Against

NHL Alumni

Barry Ashbee Bob Barlow Bob Beckett Bob Blackburn Ross Brooks Kelly Burnett Dick Cherry Don Cherry Real Chevrefils Murray Davison

Marv Edwards Pierre Gagne Ray Gariepy Jeannot Gilbert Howie Glover Bill Knibbs Leo Labine Stan Long Wayne Maxner Gilles Mayer

Don McKenney Sid McNabney Paul Meger Hillary Menard Doug Mohns Jim Morrison Tony Poeta Dan Poliziani George Ranieri Gerry Reid

Dale Rolfe Wayne Rutledge Myron Stankiewicz Ron Stewart Alan "Skip" Teal Orval Tessier Jerry Toppazzini Ed Westfall Larry Zeidel

Season-by-Season Results

Ontario Hockey Association (Junior A) (1945-60)

Season	Games	Won	Lost	Tied	Points	Goals for	Goals against	Standing	Playoffs
1945-46	28	8	18	2	18	89	171	7th	out of playoffs
1946-47	31	13	17	1	36	129	144	6th	Lost Semi Final
1947-48	36	23	13	0	46	198	116	3rd	Won Final, Won East, Lost Memorial Cup
1948-49	48	28	16	4	60	208	134	2nd	Won Final, Lost East Final
1949-50	48	21	24	3	45	180	217	5th	Lost Semi Final
1950-51	59	38	19	2	78	276	161	1st	Won Final, Won East, Won Memorial Cup
1951-52	53	22	30	1	45	225	230	7th	out of playoffs
1952-53	56	37	17	2	76	256	187	1st	Won Final, Won East, Won Memorial Cup
1953-54	59	25	33	1	51	260	285	7th	out of playoffs
1954-55	49	18	31	0	36	169	251	7th	out of playoffs
1955-56	48	20	25	3	43	179	207	6th	Lost Final
1956-57	52	13	37	2	28	147	218	6th	Lost Quarter Final
1957-58	51	18	29	4	40	-	-	6th	Lost Quarter Final
1958-59	54	21	27	6	48	178	192	5th	Lost Quarter Final
1959-60	48	24	18	6	54	209	191	3rd	Lost Quarter Final

Photo

This remarkable photo was taken in 1951 when the Boston Bruins, the NHL parent team of the Flyers, came to town for an exhibition game. It shows, from back to front, the Bruins then the Flyers and then all their farm teams down to the Pee Wees in front.