The Cornwall Royals were a junior ice hockey team based in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. The team played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1969 to 1981, and the Ontario Hockey League from 1981 to 1992. This team shared its name with other Cornwall Royals teams that played in the QSHL, MMJHL, or OHA-B.
History
From 1961 until 1969, the Cornwall Royals were successful members of the Central Junior A Hockey League (CJHL). As perennial CJHL champions, they represented that league at the playdowns for the 1966, 1967 and 1968 Memorial Cup national junior hockey championships, falling in the quarterfinals each year against the representatives from Quebec. After an application to join the OHL was rejected, the franchise became one of the inaugural teams of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 1969. The Cornwall Royals were one of the league's premier teams during its tenure in the QMJHL, winning 3
Memorial Cup titles. For the 1981–82 season, the team transferred into the Ontario Hockey League.
The Royals suffered through many tough seasons and poor attendance after moving to the OHL. The switch in leagues alienated many die-hard fans from across the Quebec border. Seeking better fortunes, the franchise moved to Newmarket, Ontario to play as the Newmarket Royals in 1992. In 1994 the team was bought by the Ciccarelli brothers and moved to Sarnia, Ontario as the Sarnia Sting.
Championships
The Cornwall Royals are one of only 7 clubs to win consecutive
Memorial Cup championships. They did so in 1980 and 1981. In total, the Royals won 3 Memorial Cups, 3 President's Cups, and 5 division titles while in the QMJHL. The Royals did not win any OHL championships.
CJHL Bogart Cup Championships: 1966, 1967, 1968
President's Cup
Playoff Champions in the QMJHL.
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1972 QMJHL Champions vs. Quebec Remparts
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1980 QMJHL Champions vs. Sherbrooke Castors
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1981 QMJHL Champions vs. Trois-Rivieres Draveurs
Jean Rougeau Trophy
Regular season champions in the QMJHL.
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1971–1972 96 points
-
1980–1981 90 points
West Division Trophy
First overall in the West Division.
Lebel Division Trophy
First overall in the Lebel Division.
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1977–1978 100 points
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1979–1980 88 points
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1980–1981 90 points
- Memorial Cups
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1972 CHL Champions vs. Peterborough Petes
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1980 CHL Champions vs. Peterborough Petes
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1981 CHL Champions vs. Kitchener Rangers
Coaches
Orval Tessier guided the Cornwall Royals to the
Memorial Cup championship in 1972.
Doug Carpenter coached the 1980 Royals, and
Bob Kilger in 1981.
Marc Crawford was a former Cornwall Royals player. He won the Stanley Cup as coach of the Colorado Avalanche. He also coached the Vancouver Canucks, the Los Angeles Kings, and the Dallas Stars.
- List of Coaches
(Multiple years in parentheses)
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1981–82 Bob Kilger
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1982–83 Jocelyn Guevremont
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1983–84 Jocelyn Guevremont / Floyd Crawford
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1984–85 Floyd Crawford / Tony Zappia
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1985–86 Tony Zappia
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1986–89 Orval Tessier (3)
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1989–91 Marc Crawford (2)
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1991–92 John Lovell
* 1982–83 coaches Bob Kilger, Bill Murphy, Gord Woods, Jocelyn Guevremont
Players
CHL awards
CHL Player of the Year
CHL Defenceman of the Year
CHL Scholastic Player of the Year
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1991–1992 Nathan LaFayette
QMJHL awards
Michel Brière Commemorative Trophy(Most Valuable Player)
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1973–74 Gary MacGregor
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1974–75 Mario Viens
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1980–81 Dale Hawerchuk
Guy Lafleur Trophy
(Playoffs MVP)
Jean Béliveau Trophy
(Top Scorer)
Instructors Trophy
(Rookie of the Year)
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1970–71 Bob Murphy
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1971–72 Bob Murray
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1979–80 Dale Hawerchuk
Emile Bouchard Trophy
(Defenseman of the Year)
Jacques Plante Commemorative Trophy
(Best Goals Against Average)
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1971–72 Richard Brodeur
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1975–76 Tim Bernhardt
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1976–77 Tim Bernhardt
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1977–78 Tim Bernhardt
Mike Bossy Trophy
(Best Professional Prospect)
Frank J. Selke Commemorative Trophy
(Most Sportsmanlike Player)
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1971–72 Gerry Teeple
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1973–74 Gary MacGregor
OHL awards
Red Tilson TrophyOHL Most valuable player.
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1982–1983 Doug Gilmour
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1985–1986 Ray Sheppard
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy
OHL Top Point Scorer.
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1982–1983 Doug Gilmour
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1985–1986 Ray Sheppard
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy
OHL Top Scoring Right Winger.
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1982–1983 Ian MacInnis
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1985–1986 Ray Sheppard
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1989–1990 Owen Nolan
Max Kaminsky Trophy
Most Outstanding Defenceman.
OHL Goaltender of the Year
Voted best goaltender in the OHL.
Emms Family Award
Rookie of the year.
Bobby Smith Trophy
Scholastic player of the year.
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1990–1991 Nathan LaFayette
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1991–1992 Nathan LaFayette
NHL alumni
The Cornwall Royals graduated 55 players to the National Hockey League (NHL). From these alumni, 31 played for the Royals in the QMJHL, and 29 played for the Royals in the OHL, and 5 played for the Royals in both leagues.
Three alumni of the Cornwall Royals have been enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame, including Billy Smith, Dale Hawerchuk, and Doug Gilmour.
List of QMJHL (1969–1981) alumni in the NHL:
List of OHL (1981–1992) alumni in the NHL:
Season-by-season results
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Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season-by-season results (1969–1981):
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Ontario Hockey League season-by-season results (1981–1992):
Regular season
|
| 2nd West |
| 10th QMJHL |
| 1st QMJHL |
| 2nd QMJHL |
| 1st West |
| 3rd West |
| 2nd West |
| 2nd Lebel |
| 1st Lebel |
| 3rd Lebel |
| 1st Lebel |
| 1st Lebel |
| 6th Leyden |
| 5th Leyden |
| 6th Leyden |
| 4th Leyden |
| 5th Leyden |
| 6th Leyden |
| 3rd Leyden |
| 4th Leyden |
| 6th Leyden |
| 7th Leyden |
| 3rd Leyden |
Playoffs
- QMJHL (1969–1981)
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1969–1970 Lost to Verdun Maple Leafs 4 games to 2 in quarterfinals.
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1970–1971 Out of playoffs.
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1971–1972 Defeated Verdun Maple Leafs 8 points to 0 in quarterfinals.
Defeated Shawinigan Bruins 8 points to 2 in semifinals.
Defeated Quebec Remparts 9 points to 5 in finals. QMJHL champions
Defeated Peterborough Petes 2-1 in Memorial Cup final. Memorial Cup champions
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1972–1973 Defeated Montreal Bleu-Blanc-Rouge 4 games to 0 in quarterfinals.
Defeated Sorel Eperviers 4 games to 1 in semifinals.
Lost to Quebec Remparts 4 games to 3 in finals.
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1973–1974 Lost to Laval National 4 games to 1 in quarterfinals.
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1974–1975 Lost to Montreal Bleu-Blanc-Rouge 4 games to 0 in quarterfinals.
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1975–1976 Defeated Montreal Juniors 4 games to 2 in quarterfinals.
Lost to Quebec Remparts 4 games to 0 in semifinals.
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1976–1977 Defeated Trois-Rivières Draveurs 8 points to 4 in quarterfinals.
Lost to Sherbrooke Castors 9 points to 0 in semifinals.
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1977–1978 Defeated Hull Olympiques 8 points to 0 in quarterfinals.
Lost to Montreal Juniors 8 points to 2 in semifinals.
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1978–1979 Lost to Verdun Eperviers 8 points to 6 in quarterfinals.
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1979–1980 Defeated in Shawinigan Cataractes 4 games to 3 in quarterfinals.
Defeated Chicoutimi Saguenéens 4 games to 1 in semifinals.
Defeated Sherbrooke Castors 4 games to 2 in finals. QMJHL champions
Defeated Peterborough Petes 3-2 in Memorial Cup final. Memorial Cup champions
-
1980–1981 Defeated Quebec Remparts 4 games to 3 in quarterfinals.
Defeated Sherbrooke Castors 4 games to 3 in semifinals.
Defeated Trois-Rivières Draveurs 4 games to 1 in finals. QMJHL champions
Defeated Kitchener Rangers 5-2 in Memorial Cup final. Memorial Cup champions
- OHL (1981–1992)
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1981–1982 Lost to Toronto Marlboros 6 points to 4 in first round.
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1982–1983 Defeated Toronto Marlboros 7 points to 1 in first round.
Lost to Ottawa 67's 8 points to 0 in quarterfinals.
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1983–1984 Lost to Peterborough Petes 6 points to 0 in first round.
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1984–1985 Defeated Toronto Marlboros 8 points to 2 in first round.
Lost to Belleville Bulls 6 points to 2 in quarterfinals.
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1985–1986 Lost to Belleville Bulls 9 points to 3 in first round.
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1986–1987 Lost to Ottawa 67's 4 games to 1 in first round.
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1987–1988 Defeated Belleville Bulls 4 games to 2 in first round.
Lost to Ottawa 67's 4 games to 1 in quarterfinals.
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1988–1989 Defeated Toronto Marlboros 4 games to 2 in first round.
Defeated Ottawa 67's 4 games to 2 in quarterfinals.
Lost to Peterborough Petes 4 games to 2 in semifinals.
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1989–1990 Lost to Oshawa Generals 4 games to 2 in first round.
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1990–1991 Out of playoffs.
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1991–1992 Lost to Ottawa 67's 4 games to 2 in first round.
Arenas
The Cornwall Royals played out of the Water Street Arena from 1969 to 1976, while in the QMJHL. The Arena, renamed in honour of Si Miller, the city's Director of Parks and Recreation for more than 30 years, was torn down in 2012.
From 1976 to 1992, the Royals played out for the Cornwall Civic Complex, located across the road from their previous arena. The arena hosted the 1990 Chrysler Challenge Cup, the annual All-Star game between the OHL and the QMJHL, which the OHL won by a score of 3 to 0.
