Norwich Merchants

Norwich Merchants
City Norwich, Ontario
League Provincial Junior Hockey League
Conference Central
Division Pat Doherty
Founded 1968 (1968)
Home arena Nor-Del Arena
Colours Red, Black, and White
              
General manager Andy Riley
Head coach Dave Smith
Website www.norwichjrcmerchants.com

The Norwich Merchants are a junior hockey team based in Norwich, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Provincial Junior Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association.

History

Founded in 1968, the Merchants won the Southern Counties Junior D Hockey League championship the next season, then went on to win the OHA Cup as provincial champions by defeating the Haliburton Huskies of the Central League.

In 1980, the Merchants were promoted to Junior C and joined the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League. In 1986, the Merchants were Niagara League champions. They went on to defeat the Bradford Blues of the Mid-Ontario Junior Hockey League to win the Clarence Schmalz Cup as OHA Junior C champions. In 1987, they were again Niagara League champions. They again made it to the provincial final, but this time lost to the Lakefield Chiefs of the Central Ontario Junior C Hockey League.

In November 2011, the Merchants were sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association for the overpayment of a former player during his time with the team. Although the team claimed the money was for education purposes, the OHA fined the team $25,000, suspended three board members for the rest of the season and three additional seasons, their 2011-12 roster was frozen for the rest of the season, and they were barred from signing imports for three following seasons.[1] The Merchants appealed the decision to the Ontario Hockey Federation. The OHF overturned the roster freeze and import restrictions saying that it was not within the OHA's constitution to wield those powers. Both sides then appealed to Hockey Canada who sided with neither party, which left the fine and suspensions in place.[2]

After thirty-three years as members of the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey Association realigned and the Merchants ended up in the new Midwestern Junior C Hockey League. Three years later the eight Southern Ontario junior "C" hockey leagues amalgamated into one league, the Provincial Junior Hockey League. This means that they are now competing in the Pat Doherty Division of the Central Conference.

Season-by-Season record

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

SeasonGP W L T OTLGF GA PointsFinishPlayoffs
1968-693015141-170145314th SCJDHL
1969-703015141-157127314th SCJDHLWon League, Won OHA Cup
1970-713018102-160138382nd SCJDHL
1971-722812133-129120274th SCJDHL
1972-733018102-200147383rd SCJDHL
1973-742814140-163162284th SCJDHL
1974-753015150-172159303rd SCJDHL
1975-763521131-----434th SCJDHL
1976-772815121-----313rd SCJDHL
1977-78359224-155226227th SJDHL
1978-793212200-157189228th SJDHL
1979-803418151-204186374th SJDHL
1980-813215134-----344th NJC-W
1981-82322651-----531st NJC-W
1982-83362484-----522nd NJC-W
1983-84302172-----441st NJC-W
1984-85322840-230101561st SWJCHL
1985-86362466-----542nd NJC-WWon League, Won CSC
1986-873420104-----441st NJC-WWon League, Lost CSC Final
1987-88362754-----581st NJC-W
1988-893513211-----276th NJC-W
1989-90362574-----541st NJC-W
1990-913420122-----423rd NJC-W
1991-923516145-190165374th NJC-W
1992-933612195-195244295th NJC-W
1993-943613158-145145344th NJC-W
1994-953621114-198135463rd NJC-W
1995-964025123-222151532nd NJC-W
1996-9740231421202153493rd NJC-W
1997-9840261310232160532nd NJC-WWon Division, Lost Final
1998-99352410-1----492nd NJC-WLost Div. Final
1999-00362310-3----492nd NJC-WWon Division, Lost Final
2000-013624912----511st NJC-WWon Division, Lost Final
2001-0236191322----422nd NJC-WLost Div. Final
2002-0336231012150117493rd NJCHLWon Division, Lost Final
2003-04362561416096552nd NJCHLLost Div. Final
2004-0536181323136126414th NJCHLLost Div. Final
2005-063627621185118573rd NJCHLLost Div. Final
2006-073624921183120513rd NJCHLWon Division, Lost Final
2007-083622111215888473rd NJCHLWon Division, Lost Final
2008-0936247-5168105532nd NJCHLWon League, Lost CSC SF
2009-1036277-216293562nd NJCHLLost Final
2010-1136322-218783661st NJCHLLost Final
2011-1236249-3144101514th NJCHLLost Div. Final
2012-1338297-216480602nd NJC-WLost Div. Final
2013-14402711-2170115564th MWJCHLWon Quarters, 4-3 (Applejacks)
Lost Semi's, 0-4 (Mounties)
2014-154024151-145120493rd MWJCHLWon Quarters, 4-2 (Bulldogs)
Won Semi's, 4-3 (Firebirds)
lost League Finals, 0-4 (Centennials)
2015-164015232-129161327th of 9 MWJCHLLost Quarters, 0-4 (Firebirds)
2016-174022180-181153445th of 9, PJHL
Dougherty Div - 		Won Div Quarters, 4-1 (Firebirds)
Lost Div. Semifinals, 0-4 (Centennials)
2017-1840171832176150396th of 9, PJHL
Dougherty Div - 		Lost Div Quarters, 1-4 (Navy-Vets)

Clarence Schmalz Cup Final appearances

1986: Norwich Merchants defeated Bradford Blues 4-games-to-3
1987: Lakefield Chiefs defeated Norwich Merchants 4-games-to-2

References

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