Guelph Platers

Early years

The CMC's were founded as members of the Central Junior B Hockey League, now the Ontario Junior Hockey League, in 1968. In 1970, the CMC's merged with and took the place of the Guelph Beef Kings of the Western Junior "A" Hockey League (formerly the Western Division of the Big 10). The league was reincorporated into the Ontario Hockey Association and changed its name to the Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League for the 1970–71 season. CMC was an acronym for Central Mechanical Contractors.^{[citation needed]}

Southern Junior A

After two years playing in the SOJHL, the CMC's won the Junior 'A' league title, in the 1971–72 season. In the Ontario Championship, they took on the Thunder Bay Vulcans of the now defunct Thunder Bay Junior Hockey League. The CMC's were leading 3-games-to-2 (5–4, 5–4, 3–7, 0–7, 6–2) when they won the series by default after the Vulcans discontinued.^{[citation needed]}

Moving onto the Eastern Canadian Final, the CMC's faced Charlottetown from the Island Junior Hockey League. The result of the series was a four-game sweep (5–2, 6–3, 5–2, 5–2), in favour of Guelph.^{[citation needed]}

Guelph travelled to the Centennial Cup versus the Red Deer Rustlers of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. The CMC's swept the Rustlers (4–2, 3–2, 3–1, 3–0), taking the National title. The team was coached by Bill Taylor and starred Paul Fendley, Doug Risebrough, and John Van Boxmeer.^[1]

In 1972 the CMC's changed their names to the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters. The Biltmores won the SOJHL championship again in 1975, then defeated the Smiths Falls Bears of the Central Junior A Hockey League in 6 games (8–3, 3–4, 7–2, 6–4, 3–6, 5–2) to reach the Centennial Cup finals a second time.^{[citation needed]}

The Biltmores were defeated 4-games-to-2 (3–4, 2–3, 4–1, 5–2, 6–3, 6–5 OT) by the Spruce Grove Mets of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. The 1975 Biltmores were bolsterted on defence by late season pick-up Craig Hartsburg of Minnesota North Stars fame.^[1]

Following the season, the Biltmores were bought by the Holody family, the owners of a local electroplating company. The Holodys changed the team name to the Guelph Holody Platers.^{[citation needed]}

In 1975, the Biltmores of the Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League (SOJHL) were bought by Guelph, Ontario's wealthy Holody family, the owners of a local electroplating company.^{[citation needed]} The team name was changed to the Guelph Holody Platers, and team remained in the SOJHL for the next two years, finishing first both times.^[2]

OHA Junior 'A' years

The SOJHL folded in 1977. Two of its four teams, Guelph and the Hamilton Mountain A's, became part of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League. The Platers, featuring future Montreal Canadiens goaltender Brian Hayward, won the 1977–78 Manitoba Centennial Trophy as national Junior 'A' champions. It was the second national title for the franchise, which had also won the Centennial Cup in 1972 as the CMC's.^{[citation needed]}

In 1978–79, the Platers became the first team to win the Dudley Hewitt Cup as provincial champions. In the 1980–81 season, the Platers reached the Tier II championship for southern Ontario, but were defeated by another future OHL team, the Belleville Bulls. The 1981–82 season proved to be the last season for the Platers in the OHA-A. As they won their second Dudley Hewitt Cup, they were announced as the latest expansion team of the Ontario Hockey League.^{[citation needed]}

OHL Major Junior years

After being turned down as an OHL expansion team in 1981, Guelph was approved the next year for the 1982–83 season. Guelph's first season in the OHL was dismal. The team set OHL records at the time for losing 63 of their 70 games, for most home and away losses, and most goals against in one season with 555. All of these records have since been surpassed by other teams in the Canadian Hockey League.^{[citation needed]}

In 1986, the Guelph Platers caught the entire Canadian Hockey League off-guard. Led by coach Jacques Martin, the team reached the playoffs for the first time in franchise history by finishing second in the Emms Division (Western Conference). The Platers continued their hard work through the playoffs, winning the J. Ross Robertson Cup by defeating the Belleville Bulls 8 points to 4 in the final. Guelph travelled to the Memorial Cup that year, bringing home the national championship to complete their Cinderella season.^{[citation needed]}

Memorial Cup 1986

The Memorial Cup championship of 1986 was hosted by the Western Hockey League, with games originally scheduled for New Westminster, British Columbia, but were switched to Portland, Oregon due to a hotel shortage caused by Expo '86. Their opponents would be the Portland Winter Hawks (hosts), Kamloops Blazers (WHL Champs) and the Hull Olympiques (QMJHL Champs.^{[citation needed]}

Guelph finished first in the round-robin and took a bye to the finals, where they would play the Hull Olympiques of the QMJHL for the championship. The surprise season ended with two pairs of surprise goals 11 and 13 seconds apart respectively. The Platers won the game 5–2 to capture the Memorial Cup.^{[citation needed]}

Fame was short-lived for the Platers however. The team suffered through more losing seasons with poor attendance. After the 1988–89 season, the Holodys moved the team to Owen Sound, Ontario, retaining the name "Platers". Alec Campagnaro was given the Bill Long Award for distinguished service to the OHL in 1989.^{[citation needed]}

Award winners

• 1982 – Kirk Muller, Jack Ferguson Award (First Overall draft pick) & 1982–83 William Hanley Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike player)
• 1983 – Trevor Stienburg, Jack Ferguson Award First Overall draft pick)
• 1985–86 – Lonnie Loach, Emms Family Award (Rookie of the Year)
• 1985–86 – Steve Guenette, Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy (Overage Player of the Year)
• 1986–87 – Kerry Huffman, Max Kaminsky Trophy (Most Outstanding Defenceman)
• 1986–87 – John McIntyre, Bobby Smith Trophy (Scholastic Player of the Year)

Retired numbers

18 – Paul Fendley, a member of the SOJAHL's Guelph CMC's who died in an on-ice accident at Guelph Memorial Gardens in 1972. His number has not been issued to a player since, by the Guelph CMC's, Guelph Platers, or Guelph Storm. Paul Fendley's number was officially retired on Nov 15, 2008.

Paul Fendley of Georgetown, Ontario was a member of the 1971–72 Guelph CMC's who died as a result of an on ice accident at Guelph Memorial Gardens during Guelph's Centennial Cup 1972 victory. The 19-year-old player died at Kitchener-Waterloo General Hospital on May 8, 1972, seventy-three hours after striking his head on the arena ice.

Fendley was checked by an opponent with 11 minutes to play in the game. He tried to catch his balance while still handling the puck and lost his helmet in the process, falling and striking the bare back of his head on the ice.

Fendley was the 1972 SOJHL Leading Scorer with 20 goals and 24 assists in 43 games. He also scored 14 goals and 18 assists in 26 playoff games before his accident. The game in which he was fatally injured was the final and clinching game of the Centennial Cup.^[1]

NHL alumni

Platers

• List of alumni who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) or World Hockey Association (WHA):^[3][4][5]

CMC's/Mad Hatters

• List of alumni who played in the NHL or WHA:^[9][10]