Trenton Golden Hawks

History

Previous to Junior A coming to Port Hope, and subsequently leaving it, the town has operated a series of Junior C teams by the name Port Hope Panthers. 2001–2009 2009–present

Port Hope (1996–2009)

In 1996, the Port Hope Buzzards were founded in the Metro Junior A Hockey League. The league only lasted until 1998, when the Metro was absorbed by the larger and healthier Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League.

In November 2005, coach Bret Meyers was suspended for one season and the team was fined $4000 after the Ontario Hockey Association investigated the Predators over allegations of hazing and irresponsible public behaviour by the players of the team. In January 2006, the Predators were fined $1000 and their director of operations Tim Clayden was suspended for one month for signing a player to a Junior C card without his knowledge. In June 2007, the Ontario Hockey Association found Clayden guilty of tampering with players from the Cobourg Cougars' roster. He was suspended for one year and the team was fined $5000. In September 2007, Port Hope coach Brian Drumm was suspended for 20 games for striking a Lindsay Muskies player in the face during a game. The team was also fined $3500.

Trenton (2009–present)

In early 2009, the Trenton Hercs announced that they were folding mid-season and leaving the Ontario Junior Hockey League. In March, rumblings of team moving into the Trenton market came afloat. It turned out to be the Port Hope Predators. According to OJHL commissioner Bob Hooper: "The league never really wanted a team in Port Hope in the first place." In the 2008–09 season, Port Hope was second in league attendance, while Trenton was ninth.

The Trenton Golden Hawks won their first Frank L Buckland Cup Trophy as OJHL playoff champions in 2016, by defeating the Georgetown Raiders in 7 games. From there, the Golden Hawks traveled north to Kirkland Lake to compete for the Dudley Hewitt Cup, where they went 3–0 in round-robin play and defeated the defending champions Soo Thunderbirds in the final. The Golden Hawks went on to compete in the 2016 Royal Bank Cup national championship tournament in Lloydminster where they were eliminated by the Lloydminster Bobcats of the Alberta Junior Hockey League in the semifinal.

Season-by-season results

Regional championships

Main article: Dudley Hewitt Cup}}The '''Dudley Hewitt Cup''' (also known as the '''Dudley Hewitt Memorial Trophy''') was awarded annually from 1971–2019 to the championship [[Junior ice hockey, [round-robin]] to determine [seeding (sports), [seeding]], followed by a semifinal [Single-elimination tournament

The award's namesakes were George Dudley and W. A. Hewitt, who served as administrators for the Ontario Hockey Association and are inductees of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

National championships

Main article: Centennial Cup

References

References

1. (25 November 2005). "Meyers penalized for team's misconduct".
2. (6 January 2006). "Predators hit with another OHA suspension".
3. (14 June 2007). "Port Hope Predators found guilty of tampering".
4. (24 September 2007). "Port Hope coach suspended".
5. (12 January 2009). "Trenton Hercs fold".
6. "OJHL expected to approve Preds move to Trenton".
7. (16 March 2009). "Port Hope Predators weighing Trenton offer".
8. "Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League".
9. "2025 Centennial Cup Guide & Record Book". Hockey Canada.
10. "About the cup".
11. Aalto, Sherry. (2012). "The Dudley Hewitt Cup and the Business of Hockey". North Superior Publishing Inc..