Kingston Voyageurs

The Kingston Voyageurs were a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Kingston, Ontario, Canada. They were a part of the Ontario Junior A Hockey League.

Kingston Voyageurs
CityKingston, Ontario, Canada
LeagueOntario Junior Hockey League
Founded1974
Home arenaINVISTA Centre
ColoursBlue, red, white               
Affiliates

History

The Voyageurs entered the Metro Junior B Hockey League in 1974. The Voyageurs filled the Junior "B" void left when the Kingston Frontenacs jumped from the Eastern Junior B Hockey League in 1972 to the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League and then the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League in 1973 as the Kingston Canadians.

The Voyageurs continued with the league when it became the Metro Junior A Hockey League in 1991 and stuck around until 1995. In 1995, the team jumped to the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League. The Vees were bought in the summer of 2006 by their major sponsor Gregg Rosen from KIMCO Steel Sales Ltd., who promptly spent more money to fix up the teams existing dressing room, build an office above the dressing room for the coaching staff and buy the players new equipment and sticks among other things. The Voyageurs currently play out of the new $24.5 million Invista Centre, located on Fortune Crescent, near Highway 401 and Gardiners Road.

On April 14, 2009, the Voyageurs won their first Buckland Trophy defeating the Oakville Blades in 5 games. On April 25, 2009, the Voyageurs defeated the Fort William North Stars 4-1 to capture the first Dudley Hewitt Cup in team history. By virtue of the win the Voyageurs qualified for the 2009 Royal Bank Cup. They played their first game of the tournament on May 3 against the host Victoria Grizzlies. They finished in fourth place in the tournament.

In 2011, due to Gregg Rosen being diagnosed with cancer, the team was sold to a group that included Colin Birkas, the head coach of the Greater Kingston Jr. Frontenacs. Evan Robinson was relieved of his head coaching duties and Birkas replaced him. As well, the general manager duties were assumed by Denis Duchesne. During the summer of 2014, Duchesne was relieved of his duties as general manager and the role was filled on an interim basis by Birkas and Rick Poirier. Poirier retired from the team shortly before Christmas 2014. Toward the end of the 2014-15 season, Birkas was suspended for an infraction during a game against the Wellington Dukes, causing assistants Ben Munroe and Dan Clarke to assume the coaching duties. Birkas' suspension was for the balance of the 2014-15 season, the playoffs, and the entire 2015-16 season. Despite this, the Voyageurs rallied and managed to have a magical 2015 playoff run. This was highlighted by a comeback from being down 0-3 against the Aurora Tigers to win in seven games, as well as taking the defending champion Toronto Lakeshore Patriots to Game 7 in the Buckland Cup finals.

Over the Summer of 2015, former assistant coach Peter Goulet was hired as the team's general manager, with Goulet leaving the CCHL's Nepean Raiders in the process. Goulet hired his old assistant coach Taurean White to be the head coach, while also bring in former Kingston Frontenac and NHLer Mark Major and ex-Vee Phil Mangan as assistant coaches. Video Coach Fraser MacAlpine was promoted to Assistant GM. The Vees went on to finish 3rd in the OJHL overall standings, sweeping Cobourg Cougars and Markham Royals in the playoffs before being swept themselves by the eventual Buckland Cup and Dudley Hewitt champions Trenton Golden Hawks.

In the 2016-17 season, the Vees iced a skilled and younger team than in years previous. Despite a winning record playing in the tough East Division, Taurean White was relived of his duties after the Christmas break. Mark Major took over the head coach job on an interim basis, with new assistant coaches Patrick Shearer and Rob Ridgley on the bench. The Vees would finish last in the East Division, despite finishing with the 8th best record in the league but would be swept by the Royal Bank Cup champions Cobourg Cougars, ending the Vees 15-year first-round winning streak and their 10-year conference finals appearance streak.

Over the summer of 2017, GM Goulet left the ECHL's Brampton Beast to become the new head coach. Under Goulet, the Vees finished 2nd in the East Division, 8 points back of the Wellington Dukes and 4th in the NorthEast Conference with a record of 31-19-2-2. Brandon Nadeau, Rob Clerc, Josh Leblanc, Cole Beckstead and Reid Russell all hit the 100 point plateau in their Vees careers. The Vees faced Cobourg Cougars for the 3rd straight season in the opening round of the playoffs, losing in 5 games.

In the 2018-19 season, the Vees saw their playoff streak of 32 years come to an end with a record of 22-25-2-5 to finish 5th in the East Division. At the end of the season, the Ontario Junior Hockey League board approved the sale of the Voyageurs to the owners of the Ontario Hockey League Barrie Colts, becoming the Collingwood Colts, ending the 43 year tradition of Voyageurs junior hockey in Kingston

Season-by-season results
SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGAPResultsPlayoffs
1974–753818146-216189427th Metro B
1975–763413174-140152309th Metro B
1976–773412175-1301622912th Metro B
1977–783514156-141155349th Metro B
1978–794425145-245194554th Metro B
1979–804210293-1832482312th Metro B
1980–814215234-181213349th Metro BDNQ
1981–823511177-160175298th Metro B
1982–8336111510-144152327th Metro B
1983–844210266-1812332612th Metro BDNQ
1984–85364275-1192191311th Metro BDNQ
1985–86377273-1643041711th Metro BDNQ
1986–873717164-183163386th Metro BLost Quarter-final
1987–88372278-224131522nd Metro BLost Semi-final
1988–89402785-262157592nd Metro BLost Final
1989–9044211112-249192546th Metro B
1990–914418188-223178447th Metro B
1991–924430122-225147623rd Metro A
1992–934817292-162204369th Metro A
1993–945026213-216207557th Metro ALost Quarter-final
1994–955021245-241219479th Metro A
1995–965037103-247135821st OPJHL-RLost Conf. SF
1996–97514272-313138871st OPJHL-RLost Conf. Final
1997–98512316102224192584th OPJHL-R
1998–9951291552211179654th OPJHL-E
1999–0049232042193181525th OPJHL-E
2000–0149251671202159584th OPJHL-E
2001–0249251563185141594th OPJHL-E
2002–0349311341206132673rd OPJHL-ELost Conf. SF
2003–0449201883171166514th OPJHL-ELost Conf. SF
2004–0549231943149163535th OPJHL-ELost Conf. SF
2005–0649232321153179495th OPJHL-ELost Conf. SF
2006–0749261733195166584th OPJHL-ELost Conf. Finals
2007–08493313-3188146692nd OPJHL-ELost Conf. Finals
2008–0949369-4256136761st OJHL-RWon League
2009–1056465-5274133971st OJAHLLost Final
2010–11503411-5242134732nd OJHL-ELost Conf. SF
2011–12492324-2172166486th OJHL-ELost Conf. Final
2012–13553415-6168134742nd OJHL-ELost Conf. Final
2013–14533911-3210138811st OJHL-ELost Conf. Final
2014-1554311724208136683rd OJHL-E Lost Final
2015-1654341424199158742nd of 5 East Div
2nd of 11 NE Conf
3rd of 22 OJHL		Won Conf. Quarters 4-0 (Cougars)
Won Conf. Semifinals 4-0 (Royals)
Lost Conf. Finals, 0-4 (Golden Hawks)
2016-1754281637217194665th of 5 East Div
5th of 11 NE Conf
8th of 22 OJHL		Lost Conf. Quarters 0-4 (Cougars)
2017-1854311922222179662nd of 5 East Div
4th of 11 NE Conf
9th of 22 OJHL		Lost Conf. Quarters 1-4 (Cougars)

Playoffs

MetJHL Years

  • 1990 Lost Semi-final
Kingston Voyageurs defeated Wellington Dukes 4-games-to-3
Wexford Raiders defeated Kingston Voyageurs 4-games-to-none
  • 1991 Lost Quarter-final
Kingston Voyageurs defeated Markham Thunderbirds 2-games-to-1
Wexford Raiders defeated Kingston Voyageurs 4-games-to-1
  • 1992 Lost Quarter-final
Wexford Raiders defeated Kingston Voyageurs 4-games-to-1
  • 1993 Lost Preliminary
Richmond Hill Riot defeated Kingston Voyageurs 3-games-to-none
  • 1994 Lost Quarter-final
Wexford Raiders defeated Kingston Voyageurs 4-games-to-1
  • 1995 Lost Quarter-final
Thornhill Islanders defeated Kingston Voyageurs 4-games-to-none

OJHL Years

Staff
  • Owner - Community Sports Entertainment Ltd.
  • Owner - Dr. Dijana Oliver
  • Owner - Rob Zarichny
  • General Manager/Head Coach - Peter Goulet
  • Assistant Coach - Mark Major
  • Assistant Coach - Brandon Nadeau
  • Video Coach - Josh Hardiman
  • Goalie Coach- Tom Hertz
  • Trainer - William Wilson
  • Equipment Manager - Terry Burrows
  • Play-by-Play Host/Social Media - Allan Etmanski

Retired numbers
  • #2 Anthony Geldart
  • #8 Daniel Cleary
  • #10 Scott Martin
  • #24 Ryan Vince

Notable alumni
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