Chatham Maroons

Maroons goalie at home 2013-14.

Maroons line up for a draw in 2013 playoffs.

The Maroons originated in the Border Cities Junior B Hockey League in 1959. The team later moved to the stronger Western Junior "B" league in 1964 and continued with the league, even when it became the renegade Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League in 1970. The Maroons left the league in 1976, became the Maple City Fords and rejoined the current Western Junior "B" league. The Maroons became the MicMacs in 1988, but switched back to their traditional "Maroons" moniker in 1995.

At the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Ryan Jones was drafted as a Maroon in the fourth round by the Minnesota Wild, 111th overall. He attended and played for Miami University. After his collegiate career, Minnesota traded Jones to the Nashville Predators.

The Maroons participated in the 2006 Sutherland Cup round robin, but lost out to the Niagara Falls Canucks and the Cambridge Winterhawks with a 1-3 record.

The Maroons began the 2013-14 season slowly and resorted to trading for four of their territorial rival's, the Lambton Shores Predators, top players (Kyle Brothers, Adam Arsenault, Tanner Ferguson, and Connor Annett) in a series of high-profile trades for players and cash.[1] The Maroons also released 2012-13 starting all-star goaltender Darien Ekblad and replaced him with the Cambridge Winter Hawks' goaltender Jacob Keogh while picking up NOJHL Jr. A forward Kyle Rowe.[2] Ekblad would get picked up by the Junior C Essex 73's and tend them to a Great Lakes League championship.[3] Right before the trade deadline, the Maroons picked up forward Charlie Izaguirre from the fizzling Port Colborne Pirates for cash and prospects.[4] On January 28, 2014, the Ontario Hockey Association ruled against the Maroons for exceeding their limit on import players. General Manager Bill Szekesy was suspended for an entire season and the franchise fined $4500. In addition, during the 2014-15 season, the Maroons will be limited to 30 cards instead of the usual 35.[5] On February 19, 2014, the OHA announced that despite a Maroons' appeal, the punishment will stand. In addition, two wins were stripped from their record (versus Leamington Flyers and St. Marys Lincolns).[6] Despite the trades and controversies, the Maroons would sweep the Western Conference quarter-final against the Strathroy Rockets and semi-final against the LaSalle Vipers, before being quashed 4-games-to-1 in the conference final by the Leamington Flyers.[7]

The Maroons have since remained a strong presence in the ultra competitive Western Conference of the GOJHL. In 2017-18 the Maroons were only able to secure the 6th seed in the playoffs but upset a major rival the Lasalle Vipers in a highly competitive 7 game series in which the Maroons trailed the series 2-0 and 3-2 before prevailing. The Maroons would then battle the 1 seed London Nationals in another highly competitive series. The Maroons took game one in a classic game on a Bryce Yetman double overtime goal the Maroons however would not be able to overcome the Nationals high powered offense and suffering defense and fell in 6 games.

In the offseason the Maroons made many moves to attempt to once again rain supreme over the West acquiring many veterans of various junior leagues highlighted by the acquisition of Nolan Gardiner a former Ottawa 67 from the Caledonia Corvairs.

The Maroons are always a competitive team within the GOJHL and teams never take the trip down to the Chatham Memorial Arena for a weekly Sunday night battle lightly knowing that they will have played a strong team within the Conference in the Maroons

Maroons goalie during the 2013-14 season in Leamington, Ontario.

• President and General Manager - Bill Szekesy
• Assistant Manager - Kevin Fisher
• Head Coach - Kyle Makaric
• Assistant Coach - Brett Hope
• Assistant Coach - Ryan Hope
• Head Athletic Trainer-
• Equipment Manager - Randy Dewael
• Team Physician - Dr. Anthony Dixon
• Team Chiropractor - Dr. Frank Little
• Team Chiropractor - Dr. Jeff Wieringa

• 1969 Lost Semi-final

St. Thomas Barons defeated Chatham Maroons 4-games-to-2

• 1970 Won League

Chatham Maroons defeated St. Thomas Barons 4-games-to-none

Chatham Maroons defeated Brantford Foresters 5-games-to-2 WOJAHL CHAMPIONS

• 1971 Lost Semi-final

Guelph CMC's defeated Chatham Maroons 4-games-to-1 with 1 tie

• 1972 Lost Semi-final

Chatham Maroons defeated Windsor Spitfires 4-games-to-1

Detroit Jr. Red Wings defeated Chatham Maroons 4-games-to-3

• 1973 Won League, Won OHA Buckland Cup, Lost Dudley Hewitt Cup semi-final

Chatham Maroons defeated Welland Sabres 4-games-to-2 with 1 tie

Chatham Maroons defeated Guelph CMC's 4-games-to-3 with 1 tie SOJHL CHAMPIONS

Chatham Maroons defeated Wexford Raiders (OPJHL) 4-games-to-3 BUCKLAND CUP CHAMPIONS

Pembroke Lumber Kings (CJHL) defeated Chatham Maroons 4-games-to-3

• 1974 Lost Final

Chatham Maroons defeated Guelph CMC's 4-games-to-none with 1 tie

Chatham Maroons defeated Welland Sabres 4-games-to-2

Windsor Spitfires defeated Chatham Maroons 4-games-to-1

• 1975 Lost Semi-final

Chatham Maroons defeated Niagara Falls Flyers 4-games-to-1 with 1 tie

Guelph CMC's defeated Chatham Maroons 3-games-to-2 with 2 ties

• 1976 Lost Final

Chatham Maroons defeated Hamilton Mountain A's 4-games-to-3

Guelph Platers defeated Chatham Maroons 4-games-to-none

1999: Chatham Maroons defeated Stratford Cullitons 4-games-to-3

2005: Thorold Blackhawks defeated Chatham Maroons 4-games-to-1

• Ken Houston
• Andy Delmore
• Rick Heinz
• Ryan Jones
• Randy MacGregor
• Dennis McCord
• Vern Stenlund
• Peter Sturgeon
• Derek Wilkinson
• Brian Wiseman
• Colton Fretter
• Kevin Westgarth

• Maroons Webpage