Napanee Raiders

Napanee Raiders
City:	Napanee, Ontario
League:	Provincial Junior Hockey League (OHA)
Founded:	1989 (1989)
Home Arena:	Strathcona Paper Centre
Colors:	Black, Red, and White
General Manager:	Adam Bramberger
Previous franchise history
1960-1963:	Napanee Red Wings
1964-1965:	Napanee Legion
1966-1980:	Napanee Kelly Tiremen
1980-1986:	Napanee Warriors

The Napanee Raiders are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team based in Napanee, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Provincial Junior Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association.

History

The current Napanee junior hockey team found its genesis in the 1960s as a member of the Quinte-St. Lawrence Junior C Hockey league. Originally known as the Napanee Kelly Tiremen, the team would make several appearances in the Clarence Schmalz Cup playoffs advancing to the cup final in 1963, semi-finals in 1966 and 1967 and the quarter-finals in 1968. In 1980 they changed their name to the Napanee Warriors. The league was floundering and in 1986 merged with the more western Central Ontario Junior C Hockey League. The merger left the Napanee Warriors without a local league and forced them to go on hiatus.

The Raiders Era

After three seasons with no junior hockey, the Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League was formed. The Napanee Raiders were its first regular season and playoff champions in 1990.

In 1993, the Napanee Raiders forced the Ontario Hockey Association to take the far-east upstart league seriously. The Raiders finished first in the regular season with thirty-two wins in thirty-five games played. They won the league playoffs and entered the Clarence Schmalz Cup provincial playdowns. They made it to the provincial final where they faced the Western Ontario Junior C Hockey League's, Hanover Barons for Ontario's crown. The Raiders shocked the Barons and came out on top with 4-games-to-2 series win. This marked both the Raiders and the new league's first provincial championship.

The Raiders won the Eastern Ontario Junior C League title again in 1994 and 1995. After the 1995 championship, the league announced that they were changing their name from the Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League to the Empire B Junior C Hockey League. The name change was to end confusion between the league and the neighbouring Ottawa District Hockey Association's long running Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League.

In 1995-96, the Napanee Raiders won their fourth straight league championship. Unlike the previous two years, the Raiders made it through to the Clarence Schmalz Cup final. Their opponents were the Paris Mounties of the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League. However unlike the 1993 finals, the Raider's fell short of their bid for a second provincial crown, losing in the championship series, 4-games-to-1.

The 2000-01 season ended up being a good one for the Raiders as they went on to win their sixth league championship.

In 2005-06, the Raiders finished the regular season in first place overall. They received a bye through the league quarter-finals and ended up against the second year Colborne Cobras in the league semi-final. The Raiders proved too much for the Cobras and crushed them 4-games-to-none. In the league final, the Raiders met up with the Amherstview Jets. In a long and tough series, the Raiders prevailed in game 7, winning the series 4-games-to-3. In the provincial semi-final, the Raiders ran into the Central Ontario Junior C Hockey League's Port Perry Mojacks. The Mojacks swept the Empire B champions 4-games-to-none.

The 2006-07 season saw the Napanee Raiders slip to third place overall in the regular season standings. The Raiders met the Amherstview Jets in the league semi-final. The Jets were set on avenging the 2006 Finals loss to the Raiders and defeated them 4-games-to-2 to move on to the league final. During the 2006-07 season, the Raiders invited the local Canada World Youth branch along with a large contingent of Peruvians from "La Brigada de Voluntarios Bolivarianos del Peru" to attend the game. The Raiders defeated the Picton Pirates 6-3 in front of their guests.

The Raiders finished the 2008-09 season with a 20-0 home record.

The Raiders regained their league championship in 2009-10 but had similar results in the CSC playdowns. They defeated the Little Britain Merchants (Central Ontario League) in 7 games but fell again to the Alliston Hornets (Georgian Mid Ontario) this time pushing them to six games.

After failing to make the playoffs for the first time in 2012-2013, the Raiders have been showing signs of improvement over the past three seasons under head coach Michael Hartwick. The team missed the playoffs by one point in 2013–2014, then reached the Empire B Junior C Hockey League final in each of the past two seasons, ultimately losing to Port Hope both years. The team has improved its wins and points records both seasons also.

Season-by-season results

Season	GP	W	L	T	OL	GF	GA	P	Results	Playoffs
1989-90	30	25	4	1	-	255	100	51	1st EOJCHL	Won League
1990-91	30	22	7	1	-	191	123	45	1st EOJCHL
1991-92	30	27	0	3	-	192	78	57	1st EOJCHL
1992-93	35	32	2	1	-	282	97	67	1st EOJCHL	Won League, Won CSC
1993-94	36	24	9	3	-	212	166	51	1st EOJCHL	Won League
1994-95	40	29	7	-	4	264	147	62	1st EOJCHL	Won League
1995-96	42	28	12	2	0	249	164	58	1st EBJCHL	Won League, Lost CSC Final
1996-97	42	31	9	2	-	207	134	64	1st EBJCHL
1997-98	36	17	18	1	-	144	157	35	4th EBJCHL
1998-99	36	13	18	3	2	142	155	31	3rd EBJCHL
1999-00	36	17	17	1	1	136	152	36	2nd EBJCHL
2000-01	34	21	8	3	2	176	126	47	1st EBJCHL	Won League, Lost CSC QF
2001-02	36	20	14	0	2	150	149	42	1st EBJCHL
2002-03	34	11	19	1	3	150	191	26	3rd EBJCHL
2003-04	34	19	12	2	1	172	147	41	2nd EBJCHL
2004-05	34	23	8	1	2	149	127	49	1st EBJCHL
2005-06	34	24	6	4	0	206	112	52	1st EBJCHL	Won League, Lost CSC QF
2006-07	40	22	16	2	1	192	146	47	3rd EBJCHL	Lost Semi-final
2007-08	40	28	8	-	4	253	156	60	2nd EBJCHL	Won League, Lost CSC SF
2008-09	40	37	3	-	0	276	113	74	1st EBJCHL	Lost Finals
2009-10	40	29	7	-	4	218	130	62	1st EBJCHL	Won League, Lost CSC SF
2010-11	40	22	16	-	2	171	149	46	1st EBJCHL	Lost Final
2011-12	40	16	18	-	6	156	173	38	4th EBJCHL	Lost Quarter Final
2012-13	40	10	27	-	3	121	197	23	5th EBJCHL	DNQ
2013-14	40	20	17	-	3	182	148	43	5th EBJCHL	DNQ
2014-15	40	22	17	1	-	182	117	45	2nd EBJCHL	Won semi-final - 4-1 - (Rebels) Lost League finals - 0-4 - (Panthers)
2015-16	40	24	12	4	-	163	129	52	2nd of 6 EBJCHL	Won semi-final - 4-1 - (Jets) Lost League Finals, 0-4 (Panthers)
2016-17	39	26	12	1	-	199	94	53	2nd of 6 Tod Div-PJHL	Won Div semi-final, 4-1 (Islanders) Lost Div. Final, 0-4 (Panthers)
2017-18	40	37	2	0	1	302	70	75	1st of 6 Tod Div-PJHL	Lost Div semi-final, 3-4 (Jets)
2018-19	43	37	4	1	1	252	69	76	1st of 6 Tod Div-PJHL	Won Div semi-final, 4-0 (Panthers) Won Div. Final, 4-0 (Pirates) Won Conf. Final, 4-0(Bruins) Won CSC Semifinals 4-0 (Hornets) Won CSC Final 4-0 (Peach Kings)
2019-20	44	36	5	1	2	240	92	75	1st of 6 Tod Div-PJHL	Led Div Final 2-0 when playoffs cancelled
2020-21	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22	30	22	4	4	0	125	57	48	2nd Tod	Lost Conference Final
2022-23	41	35	5	0	1	218	71	1st Tod	Lost Division Semifinals
2023-24	42	25	15	2	0	192	123	52	4th Tod	Lost Conference Final

Clarence Schmalz Cup Playoff Appearances

1963: New Hamburg Hahns defeated Napanee Kelly Tiremen 4-games-to-0 in the final

1966: Parry Sound Brunswicks defeated Napanee Kelly Tiremen 4-games-to-1 in semi-final play

1967: Aurora Tigers defeated Napanee Kelly Tiremen 4-games-to-2 in semi-final play

1968: Huntsville Merchants defeated Napanee Kelly Tiremen in quarter-final play

1993: Napanee Raiders defeated Hanover Barons 4-games-to-2 - **Clarence Schmalz Cup Champions**

1996: Paris Mounties defeated Napanee Raiders 4-games-to-1 in the final

External links

• Raiders' Webpage
• Napanee Community Website