The Western Ontario Hockey League (WOHL) was a junior ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada, sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association from 1969 until 2007. In 2007, the league became a division of the newly formed Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League along with the Mid-Western Junior Hockey League and Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League.
History The Western had been a part of the Big '10' until 1956, when the Eastern and Western conference were split into separate leagues—the Eastern becoming the Central, the Western becoming the Western League.
In 1968, the St. Thomas Barons, Sarnia Legionnaires, Guelph Imperials, Chatham Maroons and Brantford Foresters broke away from the Ontario Hockey Association to form a Junior "A" League known as the Western Ontario Junior A Hockey League. A year later, the OHA pulled together a bunch of local teams (the Waterloo Siskins, Stratford Warriors, Sarnia Bees, St.Marys Lincolns and the London Squires) as well as the return of the Strathroy Rockets (who had joined the Central Junior B league for a season) and formed a new Western Ontario Junior "B" Hockey League.
According to the WOJHL history, a re-organization of Ontario's Jr. B hockey teams occurred prior to the 1978/79 with the folding of the short lived Southwestern Junior B Hockey League and the Mid-Ontario Junior B Hockey League. The realignment meant that the OHA had consolidated the Southern Ontario region from 7 to 5 Junior "B" leagues. Although this marks the birth of the modern Western Ontario Jr. B league, the teams in the league did not change. In 1989, the Metro league went renegade and eventually became a Tier II Junior "A" league. In 1993, the Central league was promoted to Tier II Junior "A" as well. Since then, the OHA has operated with 3 Junior "B" leagues, but due to the talent level of these 3 league there has been a recent push to bring all three leagues to the Tier II Junior "A" level and allow for a new realignment.
From 1999 until 2001, the league changed its name to the Greater Ontario Hockey League in an attempt to drop the "Junior B" designation . The league has since referred to itself as the Western Ontario Hockey League.
In 2007, the WOHL merged with the Mid-Western Junior Hockey League and the Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League to become the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.
Final teams These are the teams that were in the league during its final independent season (2006-07). Chatham Maroons Leamington Flyers London Nationals Petrolia Jets St. Marys Lincolns St. Thomas Stars Sarnia Blast Strathroy Rockets Tecumseh Chiefs
Other former members Aylmer Aces Belle River Bulldogs Michigan Americans Port Huron Flags Stratford Warriors
Playoff Champions
Year Champion Finalist Result in Provincials1970 Stratford WarriorsSarnia Bees Lost SF vs. Dixie (Met)1971 Stratford WarriorsSt. Marys Lincolns Lost QF vs. Petrolia (GL)1972 St. Marys Lincolns Lost Final vs. Markham (Met)1973 Sarnia Bees Stratford Warriors Won SC vs. Toronto (Met)1974 Sarnia Bees St. Marys Lincolns Lost SF vs. Hamilton (ND)1975 London-Glencoe Squires St. Marys Lincolns 1976 St. Marys LincolnsPetrolia Jets Won SC vs. Collingwood (MO)1977 Sarnia Bees St. Marys Lincolns Lost QF vs. St. Catharines (GH)1978 Windsor Royals Petrolia Jets Lost SF vs. Streetsville (C)1979 Windsor Royals Starthroy Blades Lost SF vs. St. Catharines (GH)1980 Windsor Royals London Diamonds Lost Final vs. Belleville (Met)1981 London Diamonds Chatham Maroons 1982 Sarnia Bees London Diamonds Lost Final vs. St. Michael's (Met)1983 London Diamonds Sarnia Bees Lost SF vs. Stratford (MW)1984 London Diamonds Sarnia Bees 1985 St. Marys LincolnsLondon Diamonds Lost QF vs. St. Catharines (GH)1986 St. Thomas Stars Chatham Maroons Lost SF vs. Stratford (MW)1987 St. Thomas Stars London Diamonds Won SC vs. Niagara Falls (GH)1988 St. Thomas Stars Chatham Maroons 1989 Sarnia Bees Chatham Mic Macs Lost SF vs. St. Michael's (Met)1990 Chatham Mic Macs Sarnia Bees Lost SF vs. Stratford (MW)1991 Chatham Mic Macs Sarnia Bees Lost SF vs. Waterloo (MW)1992 London Diamonds Windsor Bulldogs Lost SF vs. Kitchener (MW)1993 Sarnia Bees St. Marys Lincolns Lost SF vs. Kitchener (MW)1994 St. Marys LincolnsPetrolia Jets Lost in Round Robin1995 St. Thomas Stars Petrolia Jets Lost Final vs. Stratford (MW)1996 St. Thomas Stars Leamington Flyers Lost Final vs. Niagara Falls (GH)1997 Strathroy Rockets Leamington Flyers Lost in Round Robin1998 Chatham Maroons St. Thomas Stars Lost in Round Robin1999 Chatham Maroons St. Thomas Stars Won SC vs. Stratford (MW)2000 Chatham Maroons Strathroy Rockeys Lost in Round Robin2001 Chatham Maroons London Nationals Lost in Round Robin2002 Sarnia Blast Chatham Maroons Won SC vs. Elmira (MW)2003 Petrolia Jets Sarnia Blast Lost in Round Robin2004 Chatham Maroons London Nationals Lost in Round Robin2005 Chatham Maroons St. Thomas Stars Lost Final vs. Thorold (GH)2006 Chatham Maroons St. Marys Lincolns Lost in Round Robin2007 Strathroy Rockets Sarnia Blast Lost Final vs. Cambridge (MW)
Records Records taken from Official Website. Best record: 1981-82 Sarnia Bees (36-4-2) Worst record: 1988-89 Tillsonburg Titans (1-39-2) Largest margin of victory: Leamington Flyers 30 - Windsor Bulldogs 3 on January 20, 1995 Most goals, one season: Bill Lochead (73) -- 1970-71 Sarnia Bees Most assists, one season: Brian Wiseman (77) -- 1989-90 Chatham Maroons / Greg Day (77) -- 1996-97 Tecumseh Chiefs Most points, one season: Brian Wiseman (147) -- 1989-90 Chatham Maroons Most goals, career: Brent Rumble (137) -- 1995-99 Chatham Maroons Most assists, career: Brian Wiseman (179) -- 1987-90 Chatham Maroons Most points, career: Jason Baclig (324) -- 1998-2003 Leamington Flyers Most penalty minutes, season: Shawn Harris (408) -- 1994-95 Sarnia Bees Most penalty minutes, career: Tim Lantz (859) -- 1997-2000 Leamington Flyers Most wins by goalie, season: Scott Talbot (29) -- 2002-03 Sarnia Blast Most shutouts, season: Kyle Funkenhauser (8) -- 2005-06 Chatham Maroons Most games played by goalie, career: Paul Gibson (132) -- 2000-07 St. Thomas Stars Most wins by goalie, career: Paul Gibson (66) -- 2000-07 St. Thomas Stars Most shutouts, career: Kyle Funkenhauser (12) -- 2004-06 Chatham Maroons
External links WOHL Website