Guelph Royals (ice hockey)
Several Canadian ice hockey teams
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The Guelph Royals name has been used for several hockey teams based in Guelph, Ontario. The most recent was a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) from 1960 to 1963, that played home games at the Guelph Memorial Gardens. The junior Royals were a farm team for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League.
| Guelph Royals | |
|---|---|
| City | Guelph, Ontario |
| Operated | 1908–09 (OPHL) 1920s (OHA) seniors 1960–1963 (OHA) juniors |
| Home arena | Guelph Memorial Gardens (OHA juniors) |
| Parent club | New York Rangers (OHA juniors) |
| Franchise history | |
| 1908–09 | Guelph Royals |
| c. 1920s | Guelph Royals |
| 1937–1939 | Guelph Indians |
| 1939–1942 1947–1960 | Guelph Biltmores |
| 1960–1963 | Guelph Royals |
| 1963–present | Kitchener Rangers |
Earlier versions of the Guelp Royals include a professional team during the 1908–09 Ontario Professional Hockey League season, and a senior ice hockey team in the OHA during the 1920s. The Royals namesake is the City of Guelph's nickname as the "Royal City."
History
In 1960, Madison Square Gardens Corporation who owned the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL), purchased the Guelph Biltmores as a farm team. Since "Biltmore" was considered a commercial name, the junior team was renamed.[1] The Royals were an early favourite to win the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) junior division, with Emile Francis as head coach.[2] Francis coached the Royals for the 1960–61 OHA season and the 1961–62 OHA season.[3]
Guelph won the Hamilton Spectator Trophy during the 1960–61 OHA season, finishing 1st overall.[4] The Royals' Rod Gilbert led the OHA in goals scored with 54, points scored with 103, and Jean Ratelle led the league in assists with 61.[5] Gilbert won Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy with the most goals in the league,[6] and was also awarded the Red Tilson Trophy as the most outstanding player.[7] In the playoffs, the Royals lost in the league finals to the Toronto St. Michael's Majors, 4 games to 2 with a tie.[8]
At the end of the 1962–63 OHA season, the team moved to nearby Kitchener, Ontario, becoming the Kitchener Rangers, taking the name of the NHL parent club.[9]
National Hockey League alumni
Twenty-one former Guelph Royals played in the NHL,[10] and two were elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame; Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle.[11]
Season-by-season results
Regular season and playoffs results:[12]
Legend: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
| Memorial Cup champions | League champions | League finalists |
| Season | Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | Pts | Pct | GF | GA | Finish | ||
| 1960–61 | 48 | 30 | 9 | 9 | 69 | 0.719 | 255 | 165 | 1st OHA | Won semifinal (Niagara Falls Flyers) 5–2[13] Lost OHA final (Toronto St. Michael's Majors) 4–2–1[14] |
| 1961–62 | 50 | 18 | 26 | 6 | 42 | 0.420 | 194 | 236 | 5th OHA | Did not qualify |
| 1962–63 | 50 | 9 | 35 | 6 | 24 | 0.240 | 158 | 257 | 6th OHA | Did not qualify |