The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played at the Peterborough Memorial Centre in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league.
History The Petes were formed on October 1, 1956, when the Kitchener Canucks relocated to Peterborough after the 1955–56 season. They also became a sponsored junior team for the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL. The Petes played their first game on November 4, 1956, and won their first game on November 8, 1956.
The Petes have won the OHL Championship ten times, which is the second-most in OHL history behind the Oshawa Generals who have 13 and the most in the postwar era. The franchise’s most recent OHL Championship was in 2023 with a six game victory over the London Knights. They won the Memorial Cup once, in 1979.
TPT Petes The team was sponsored by Toronto-Peterborough Transport (TPT) from 1956 to 1966. Scotty Bowman was brought in to coach by the Montreal Canadiens organization from the Ottawa-Hull Canadiens junior team, and led the team to a second-place finish in 1959. Peterborough defeated the Barrie Flyers, Guelph Biltmores and Toronto St. Michael's Majors in the playoffs to win their first OHA championship. Bowman and the TPT Petes went on to reach the Memorial Cup for the first time that year but fell to the Winnipeg Braves. The TPT Petes claimed their first Hamilton Spectator Trophy during the 1965-66 season, but were eliminated from the playoffs.
Roger Neilson era (1966–1976) The team became known as the Peterborough Petes Hockey Club in 1966–67, which was also the beginning of Roger Neilson's tenure as coach. The Petes wore the TPT logo on their sweaters until 1974–75, when their colours were changed to maroon and white and a new "Petes" logo was adopted.
Neilson led his team to seven consecutive winning seasons from 1968 to 1975, also finishing first overall in 1970–71, winning the J. Ross Robertson Cup in 1972, and were runners-up in 1973 and 1974. In the 1972 Memorial Cup, the Petes lost a close 2–1 game in the finals to the Cornwall Royals.
Neilson left behind a winning legacy in Peterborough and set the standard for coaches to come. Neilson was the first coach to use videotape analysis as a teaching method, leading to the nickname "Captain Video," and also the first to use microphone headsets to communicate with his assistant coaches.
Neilson also pushed the envelope causing several rules to be rewritten. During one Petes game, his team was up one goal, but was down two men in a five on three situation for the last minute of the game. Realizing that more penalties could not be called under the existing rules, Neilson put too many men on the ice every ten seconds. The referees stopped the play and a faceoff was held relieving pressure on the defence. After this display the rule was changed so that a call for too many men on the ice in a 5 on 3 situation now leads to a penalty shot.
Neilson also discovered that if he put a defenceman in net instead of a goalie during a penalty shot, the defenceman could rush the attacker and greatly reduce the chances of a goal. Today the rule states that a team must use a goalie in net for a penalty shot, and that the goalie may not leave the crease until the attacking player touches the puck.
Neilson was promoted for the 1976–77 season, coaching the Dallas Black Hawks in the former Central Hockey League.
Three seasons, three titles The Peterborough Petes won three consecutive OHL championships in 1978, 1979 and 1980. Gary Green coached the first two championships followed up by Mike Keenan in 1980. The Petes won the Hamilton Spectator Trophy two consecutive times in 1979 and 1980. Peterborough's success also continued into the Memorial Cup, reaching the championship game all three years, and winning the national junior title in 1979.
Many future NHL stars played for Petes in these three years. Those of note are: Keith Acton, Bob Atwell, Keith Crowder, Ken Ellacott, Doug Evans, Dave Fenyves, Tom Fergus, Larry Floyd, Mark Kirton, Rick LaFerriere, Steve Larmer, Larry Murphy, Mark Reeds, Stuart Smith, Steve Smith, Bill Gardner, Tim Trimper and Jim Wiemer.
Dick Todd era (1982–1993) Dick Todd started with the Petes as a trainer in the 1970s and was with the team through their three Memorial Cups. As a coach he led the team to two more Memorial Cup tournaments—in 1989 in Saskatoon, and in 1993 in Sault Ste. Marie. During Todd's time as coach, the Petes won six division titles and had the best overall winning percentage in the OHL. Todd was awarded the Matt Leyden Trophy as OHL Coach of the Year in 1987–88.
Memorial Cup 1996 The Peterborough Petes celebrated their 40th anniversary in 1996. The Petes won the J. Ross Robertson Cup defeating the Guelph Storm in the finals, then and also played at home while hosting the Memorial Cup tournament in 1996. The club achieved a 100% sellout each tournament game, and lost in the final that year to the Granby Prédateurs.
50th anniversary
Todd returned as head coach of the Petes in 2004. Todd's second season back behind the Petes bench, was the 50th anniversary of the Peterborough Petes founding. They are the oldest continuously operating franchise in the Ontario Hockey League (the rival Oshawa Generals date to 1937 but were inactive from 1953 to 1962).
The Petes celebrated their 50th anniversary in grand style, winning the J. Ross Robertson Cup on May 11, 2006, in a four-game sweep of the London Knights. Peterborough travelled to Moncton, New Brunswick, to play in the 2006 Memorial Cup, losing the third place tiebreaker game to the Vancouver Giants. Todd retired for good a few weeks after the Petes returned from Moncton.
60th anniversary The 2015–16 season marked the 60th in franchise history.
Rob Wilson era (2018–present) Under Rob Wilson, the franchise has made three playoff appearances. In 2023, the franchise won its tenth OHL championship and first since 2006, defeating the London Knights, earning its tenth trip to the Memorial Cup.
Championships
Memorial Cup 1959 Finalist vs. Winnipeg Braves 1972 Finalist vs. Cornwall Royals 1978 Finalist vs. New Westminster Bruins 1979 Champions vs. Brandon Wheat Kings 1980 Finalist vs. Cornwall Royals 1989 3rd place in Saskatoon, SK 1993 Finalist vs. S.S. Marie Greyhounds 1996 Finalist vs. Granby Prédateurs 2006 4th Place in Moncton, NB 2023 3rd place in Kamloops, BC
George Richardson Memorial Trophy 1959 Champions vs. Ottawa-Hull Canadiens
Hamilton Spectator Trophy First overall in the OHL regular season standings. 1965–1966 58 points 1970–1971 90 points 1978–1979 95 points 1979–1980 95 points 1985–1986 92 points 1991–1992 89 points 1992–1993 97 points Bobby Orr TrophyEastern Conference Champions. 2005 Finalist vs. Ottawa 67's 2006 Champions vs. Barrie Colts 2017 Finalist vs. Mississauga Steelheads 2023 Champions vs. North Bay Battalion
J. Ross Robertson Cup Ontario Hockey League Champions 1959 Champions vs. St. Michael's Majors 1972 Champions vs. Ottawa 67's 1973 Finalist vs. Toronto Marlboros 1974 Finalist vs. St. Catharines Black Hawks 1978 Champions vs. Hamilton Fincups 1979 Champions vs. Niagara Falls Flyers 1980 Champions vs. Windsor Spitfires 1985 Finalist vs. S.S. Marie Greyhounds 1988 Finalist vs. Windsor Compuware Spitfires 1989 Champions vs. Niagara Falls Thunder 1993 Champions vs. S.S. Marie Greyhounds 1996 Champions vs. Guelph Storm 2006 Champions vs. London Knights 2023 Champions vs. London Knights
Leyden Trophy First overall in the Eastern Division regular season standings. 1978–79, 1979–80, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1991–92, 1992–93, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2016–17
Coaches Three coaches of the Peterborough Petes are members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Scotty Bowman won nine Stanley Cups in his career, and lead the Petes to the Memorial Cup finals in 1959. Roger Neilson coached 1,000 regular season games in the NHL, and led the Petes to the 1972 Memorial Cup finals. Ted "Teeder" Kennedy played 14 years for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Gary Green was awarded the Matt Leyden Trophy as OHL Coach of the Year in 1978–79, leading the Petes to their only Memorial Cup championship.
Dick Todd recorded 500 career victories faster than any other coach in Major Junior A hockey history, accomplishing the milestone in just 813 games. Todd was awarded the Matt Leyden Trophy as OHL Coach of the Year in 1987–88.
List of coaches with multiple seasons in parentheses. 1956–57 — Calum MacKay 1957–58 — Ted Kennedy 1958–61 — Scotty Bowman (3) 1961–62 — Neil Burke 1962–65 — Frank Mario (3) 1965–66 — Roger Bedard (2) 1966–67 — R. Bedard & R. Neilson 1967–76 — Roger Neilson (10) 1976–77 — Garry Young 1977–79 — Gary Green (2) 1979–80 — Mike Keenan 1980–81 — Dave Dryden (2) 1981–82 — D. Dryden & D. Todd 1982–93 — Dick Todd (14) 1993–96 — Dave MacQueen (3) 1996–97 — Brian Drumm (2) 1997–98 — B. Drumm & Jeff Twohey 1998–04 — Rick Allain (6) 2004–05 — Dick Todd (14) 2005–08 — Vince Malette (2) 2008–10 — Ken McRae 2010–12 — Mike Pelino (2+) 2012–18 — Jody Hull (4+) 2018 — Andrew Verner (interim) 2018–present — Rob Wilson
Players The Peterborough Petes have 152 alumni who have played in the National Hockey League. Eight Hockey Hall of Fame inductees played junior hockey for the Petes: Bob Gainey, Wayne Gretzky, Larry Murphy, Chris Pronger, Steve Yzerman, and Colin Campbell; and coaches Scotty Bowman and Roger Neilson.
The Petes have not retired any numbers, but they have banners hanging from the ceiling honouring past Petes including Bob Gainey, Steve Yzerman, Mickey Redmond, Larry Murphy, Dick Todd, Roger Neilson, Scotty Bowman, Colin Campbell, and Jamie Langenbrunner.
Award winners
CHL Player of the Year 1989–90 – Mike Ricci
CHL Defenceman of the Year 1992–93 – Chris Pronger
CHL Top Draft Prospect Award 2005–06 – Jordan Staal
CHL Rookie of the Year 2009–10 – Matt Puempel
CHL Sportsman of the Year 2019-20 – Nick Robertson
George Parsons Trophy Most Sportsmanlike at the Memorial Cup 1978 – Mark Kirton 1979 – Chris Halyk 1993 – Jason Dawe 1994 – Jeff Smith 1996 – Mike Williams
Hap Emms Memorial Trophy Outstanding Goaltender at the Memorial Cup 1978 – Ken Ellacott 1980 – Rick LaFerriere
Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy Memorial Cup MVP 1996 – Cameron Mann
Red Tilson Trophy Most Outstanding Player 1959–60 – Wayne Connelly 1964–65 – Andre Lacroix 1965–66 – Andre Lacroix 1966–67 – Mickey Redmond 1989–90 – Mike Ricci
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy Scoring Champion 1965–66 – Andre Lacroix
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy Top scoring right winger 1995–96 – Cameron Mann
Max Kaminsky Trophy Most Outstanding Defenceman 1969–70 – Ron Plumb 1973–74 – Jim Turkiewicz 1978–79 – Greg Theberge 1979–80 – Larry Murphy 1985–86 – Terry Carkner 1992–93 – Chris Pronger
Wayne Gretzky 99 Award OHL Playoffs MVP 2005–06 – Daniel Ryder 2022-23 - Michael Simpson
Emms Family Award Rookie of the Year 1989–90 – Chris Longo 2009–10 – Matt Puempel
Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy Overage Player of the Year 1996–97 – Zac Bierk
OHL Goaltender of the Year 1996–97 – Zac Bierk
Dave Pinkney Trophy Lowest Team GAA 1958–59 – Jacques Caron 1962–63 – Chuck Goddard 1969–70 – John Garrett 1970–71 – John Garrett 1974–75 – Greg Millen 1979–80 – Rick LaFerriere & Terry Wright 1985–86 – Kay Whitmore & Ron Tugnutt 1987–88 – John Tanner & Todd Bojcun 1988–89 – John Tanner & Todd Bojcun 1992–93 – Chad Lang & Ryan Douglas
F. W. "Dinty" Moore Trophy Best Rookie GAA 1977–78 – Ken Ellacott 1981–82 – Shawn Kilroy 1984–85 – Ron Tugnutt 1987–88 – Todd Bojcun
Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy Humanitarian of the Year 1993–94 – Brent Tully 1996–97 – Mike Martone 2004–05 – Jeff MacDougald 2010–11 – Jack Walchessen 2011–12 – Andrew D'Agostini
William Hanley Trophy Most Sportsmanlike Player 1965–66 – Andre Lacroix 1966–67 – Mickey Redmond 1974–75 – Doug Jarvis 1984–85 – Scott Tottle 1989–90 – Mike Ricci 2009–10 – Ryan Spooner 2019-20 – Nicholas Robertson