The 1995–96 OHL season was the 16th season of the Ontario Hockey League. The league expanded as the Barrie Colts entered into the central division. The Detroit Junior Red Wings become the Detroit Whalers. Seventeen teams each played 66 games. The Peterborough Petes won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Guelph Storm.

Expansion

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Barrie Colts

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On May 6, 1994, The Barrie Colts were approved as an expansion team in the Ontario Hockey League beginning in the 1995-96 season. The Colts began their inaugural season playing in the Barrie Arena, however, on December 31, 1995, the Colts moved into their new home, the Barrie Molson Centre. The Colts joined the Central Division.

Rebranding

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Detroit Junior Red Wings to Detroit Whalers

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At the conclusion of the 1994-95, the Detroit Junior Red Wings severed all ties with the National Hockey League Detroit Red Wings, as Peter Karmanos renamed the franchise the Detroit Whalers.

The Whalers moved out of Joe Louis Arena and into the Palace of Auburn Hills, home of the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association and the Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League. The Whalers would play 21 of their 33 home games in the regular season at the Palace of Auburn Hills while playing their remaining 12 home games at Oak Park Ice Arena. The Whalers played all of their home playoff games at the Oak Park Ice Arena.

The club remained in the West Division.

Regular season

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Final standings

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Note: DIV = Division; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PTS = Points; x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = earned first round bye

East Division

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Rank Team GP W L T PTS GF GA
1 z-Ottawa 67's 66 39 22 5 83 258 200
2 x-Peterborough Petes 66 35 22 9 79 289 235
3 x-Belleville Bulls 66 35 26 5 75 300 250
4 x-Oshawa Generals 66 30 28 8 68 248 238
5 x-Kingston Frontenacs 66 29 31 6 64 266 267
6 North Bay Centennials 66 14 45 7 35 242 360

Central Division

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Rank Team GP W L T PTS GF GA
1 z-Guelph Storm 66 45 16 5 95 297 186
2 x-Kitchener Rangers 66 35 28 3 73 253 230
3 x-Niagara Falls Thunder 66 29 30 7 65 248 238
4 x-Owen Sound Platers 66 29 32 5 63 274 313
5 x-Barrie Colts 66 28 31 7 63 258 266
6 Sudbury Wolves 66 27 36 3 59 262 288

West Division

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Rank Team GP W L T PTS GF GA
1 y-Detroit Whalers 66 40 22 4 84 319 243
2 x-Sarnia Sting 66 39 23 4 82 330 276
3 x-Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 66 38 23 5 81 312 254
4 x-Windsor Spitfires 66 21 41 4 46 256 312
5 London Knights 66 3 60 3 9 179 435

Scoring leaders

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Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Aaron Brand Sarnia Sting 66 46 73 119 110
Daniel Cleary Belleville Bulls 64 53 62 115 74
Sean Haggerty Detroit Whalers 66 60 51 111 78
Trevor Gallant North Bay Centennials 63 47 58 105 36
Richard Uniacke Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 66 48 54 102 38
Cameron Mann Peterborough Petes 66 42 60 102 108
Jonathan Sim Sarnia Sting 63 56 45 101 130
Trevor Letowski Sarnia Sting 66 36 63 99 66
Lee Jinman North Bay Centennials//Detroit Whalers 64 29 68 97 49
Rob Shearer Windsor Spitfires 63 40 53 93 74

Playoffs

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[1]

Division quarterfinals Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
            
C1 Guelph bye
C1 Guelph 4
C3 Niagara Falls 0
C3 Niagara Falls 4
C4 Owen Sound 2
C1 Guelph 4
E3 Belleville 1
E1 Ottawa bye
E1 Ottawa 0
E3 Belleville 4
E3 Belleville 4
E4 Oshawa 1
C1 Guelph 3
E2 Peterborough 4
E2 Peterborough 4
E5 Kingston 1
E2 Peterborough 4
W2 Sarnia 2
W2 Sarnia 4
W3 S.S. Marie 0
E2 Peterborough 4
W1 Detroit 1
C2 Kitchener 4
C5 Barrie 3
C2 Kitchener 1
W1 Detroit 4
W4 Windsor 3
W1 Detroit 4

Division quarter-finals

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East Division

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(2) Peterborough Petes vs. (5) Kingston Frontenacs
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March 17 Peterborough Petes 4 – 5 OT Kingston Frontenacs Kingston Memorial Centre
March 19 Kingston Frontenacs 1 – 9 Peterborough Petes Peterborough Memorial Centre
March 21 Kingston Frontenacs 4 – 3 OT Peterborough Petes Peterborough Memorial Centre
March 22 Peterborough Petes 3 – 1 Kingston Frontenacs Kingston Memorial Centre
March 24 Kingston Frontenacs 3 – 6 Peterborough Petes Peterborough Memorial Centre
March 26 Peterborough Petes 4 – 3 Kingston Frontenacs Kingston Memorial Centre
Peterborough wins series 4 – 2


(3) Belleville Bulls vs. (4) Oshawa Generals
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March 16 Oshawa Generals 3 – 6 Belleville Bulls Yardmen Arena
March 17 Belleville Bulls 1 – 4 Oshawa Generals Oshawa Civic Auditorium
March 19 Oshawa Generals 3 – 4 OT Belleville Bulls Yardmen Arena
March 21 Belleville Bulls 6 – 5 Oshawa Generals Oshawa Civic Auditorium
March 23 Oshawa Generals 1 – 6 Belleville Bulls Yardmen Arena
Belleville wins series 4 – 1


Central Division

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(2) Kitchener Rangers vs. (5) Barrie Colts
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March 17 Barrie Colts 2 – 1 Kitchener Rangers Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
March 19 Kitchener Rangers 1 – 2 OT Barrie Colts Barrie Molson Centre
March 21 Barrie Colts 1 – 6 Kitchener Rangers Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
March 23 Kitchener Rangers 1 – 2 OT Barrie Colts Barrie Molson Centre
March 24 Barrie Colts 4 – 7 Kitchener Rangers Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
March 26 Kitchener Rangers 4 – 1 Barrie Colts Barrie Molson Centre
March 27 Barrie Colts 3 – 4 Kitchener Rangers Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
Kitchener wins series 4 – 3


(3) Niagara Falls Thunder vs. (4) Owen Sound Platers
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March 17 Owen Sound Platers 3 – 6 Niagara Falls Thunder Niagara Falls Memorial Arena
March 20 Niagara Falls Thunder 4 – 7 Owen Sound Platers Bayshore Community Centre
March 22 Owen Sound Platers 3 – 7 Niagara Falls Thunder Niagara Falls Memorial Arena
March 23 Niagara Falls Thunder 2 – 3 Owen Sound Platers Bayshore Community Centre
March 25 Owen Sound Platers 1 – 6 Niagara Falls Thunder Niagara Falls Memorial Arena
March 27 Niagara Falls Thunder 4 – 3 OT Owen Sound Platers Bayshore Community Centre
Niagara Falls wins series 4 – 2


West Division

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(1) Detroit Whalers vs. (4) Windsor Spitfires
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March 17 Windsor Spitfires 3 – 5 Detroit Whalers Oak Park Ice Arena
March 18 Detroit Whalers 5 – 2 Windsor Spitfires Windsor Arena
March 20 Windsor Spitfires 4 – 6 Detroit Whalers Oak Park Ice Arena
March 22 Detroit Whalers 1 – 4 Windsor Spitfires Windsor Arena
March 24 Windsor Spitfires 5 – 1 Detroit Whalers Oak Park Ice Arena
March 25 Detroit Whalers 3 – 6 Windsor Spitfires Windsor Arena
March 27 Windsor Spitfires 2 – 9 Detroit Whalers Oak Park Ice Arena
Detroit wins series 4 – 3


(2) Sarnia Sting vs. (3) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
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March 17 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 1 – 5 Sarnia Sting Sarnia Arena
March 18 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 2 – 6 Sarnia Sting Sarnia Arena
March 20 Sarnia Sting 4 – 1 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Sault Memorial Gardens
March 21 Sarnia Sting 3 – 1 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Sault Memorial Gardens
Sarnia wins series 4 – 0


OHL quarter-finals

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(C1) Guelph Storm vs. (C3) Niagara Falls Thunder

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March 29 Niagara Falls Thunder 4 – 5 OT Guelph Storm Guelph Memorial Gardens
March 31 Guelph Storm 4 – 3 Niagara Falls Thunder Niagara Falls Memorial Arena
April 2 Niagara Falls Thunder 2 – 4 Guelph Storm Guelph Memorial Gardens
April 5 Guelph Storm 5 – 2 Niagara Falls Thunder Niagara Falls Memorial Arena
Guelph wins series 4 – 0


(W1) Detroit Whalers vs. (C2) Kitchener Rangers

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March 30 Kitchener Rangers 2 – 6 Detroit Whalers Oak Park Ice Arena
March 31 Detroit Whalers 2 – 5 Kitchener Rangers Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
April 3 Kitchener Rangers 3 – 5 Detroit Whalers Oak Park Ice Arena
April 5 Detroit Whalers 5 – 0 Kitchener Rangers Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
April 6 Kitchener Rangers 1 – 9 Detroit Whalers Oak Park Ice Arena
Detroit wins series 4 – 1


(E1) Ottawa 67's vs. (E3) Belleville Bulls

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March 29 Belleville Bulls 7 – 4 Ottawa 67's Ottawa Civic Centre
March 30 Ottawa 67's 3 – 6 Belleville Bulls Yardmen Arena
April 2 Belleville Bulls 8 – 2 Ottawa 67's Ottawa Civic Centre
April 4 Ottawa 67's 2 – 5 Belleville Bulls Yardmen Arena
Belleville wins series 4 – 0


(W2) Sarnia Sting vs. (E2) Peterborough Petes

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March 31 Peterborough Petes 1 – 7 Sarnia Sting Sarnia Arena
April 1 Peterborough Petes 7 – 4 Sarnia Sting Sarnia Arena
April 4 Sarnia Sting 1 – 5 Peterborough Petes Peterborough Memorial Centre
April 5 Sarnia Sting 5 – 1 Peterborough Petes Peterborough Memorial Centre
April 7 Peterborough Petes 7 – 6 OT Sarnia Sting Sarnia Arena
April 9 Sarnia Sting 4 – 7 Peterborough Petes Peterborough Memorial Centre
Peterborough wins series 4 – 2


OHL semi-finals

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(C1) Guelph Storm vs. (E3) Belleville Bulls

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April 12 Belleville Bulls 0 – 7 Guelph Storm Guelph Memorial Gardens
April 15 Guelph Storm 5 – 3 Belleville Bulls Yardmen Arena
April 17 Belleville Bulls 1 – 3 Guelph Storm Guelph Memorial Gardens
April 19 Guelph Storm 5 – 7 Belleville Bulls Yardmen Arena
April 21 Belleville Bulls 2 – 6 Guelph Storm Guelph Memorial Gardens
Guelph wins series 4 – 1


(W1) Detroit Whalers vs. (E2) Peterborough Petes

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April 13 Peterborough Petes 7 – 4 Detroit Whalers Oak Park Ice Arena
April 14 Peterborough Petes 4 – 3 OT Detroit Whalers Oak Park Ice Arena
April 17 Detroit Whalers 3 – 4 OT Peterborough Petes Peterborough Memorial Centre
April 18 Detroit Whalers 8 – 4 Peterborough Petes Peterborough Memorial Centre
April 20 Peterborough Petes 3 – 2 Detroit Whalers Oak Park Ice Arena
Peterborough wins series 4 – 1


J. Ross Robertson Cup

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(C1) Guelph Storm vs. (E2) Peterborough Petes

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April 25 Guelph Storm 3 – 0 Peterborough Petes Peterborough Memorial Centre
April 26 Peterborough Petes 6 – 5 OT Guelph Storm Guelph Memorial Gardens
April 28 Peterborough Petes 3 – 2 Guelph Storm Guelph Memorial Gardens
April 30 Guelph Storm 5 – 3 Peterborough Petes Peterborough Memorial Centre
May 2 Peterborough Petes 5 – 3 Guelph Storm Guelph Memorial Gardens
May 4 Guelph Storm 4 – 3 Peterborough Petes Peterborough Memorial Centre
May 6 Peterborough Petes 8 – 7 OT Guelph Storm Guelph Memorial Gardens
Peterborough wins series 4 – 3


All-Star teams

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First team

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Second team

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Third team

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Awards

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J. Ross Robertson Cup: Peterborough Petes
Hamilton Spectator Trophy: Guelph Storm
Leyden Trophy: Ottawa 67's
Emms Trophy: Guelph Storm
Bumbacco Trophy: Detroit Whalers
Red Tilson Trophy: Alyn McCauley, Ottawa 67's
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy: Aaron Brand, Sarnia Sting
Matt Leyden Trophy: Brian Kilrea, Ottawa 67's
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy: Cameron Mann, Peterborough Petes
Max Kaminsky Trophy: Bryan Berard, Detroit Whalers
OHL Goaltender of the Year: Craig Hillier, Ottawa 67's
Jack Ferguson Award: Rico Fata, London Knights
Dave Pinkney Trophy: Dan Cloutier and Brett Thompson, Guelph Storm
OHL Executive of the Year: Bert Templeton, Barrie Colts
Emms Family Award: Joe Thornton, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
F.W. 'Dinty' Moore Trophy: Brett Thompson, Guelph Storm
OHL Humanitarian of the Year: Craig Mills, Belleville Bulls
William Hanley Trophy: Jeff Williams, Guelph Storm
Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy: Aaron Brand, Sarnia Sting
Bobby Smith Trophy: Boyd Devereaux, Kitchener Rangers

1996 OHL Priority Selection

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On June 1, 1996, the OHL conducted the 1996 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium in Kitchener, Ontario. The London Knights held the first overall pick in the draft and selected Rico Fata from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Fata was awarded the Jack Ferguson Award, awarded to the top pick in the draft.

Below are the players who were selected in the first round of the 1996 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.[2]

# Player Nationality OHL Team Hometown Minor Team
1 Rico Fata (C)   Canada London Knights Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
2 Tyler Rennette (C)   Canada North Bay Centennials Powassan, Ontario Waterloo Siskins
3 Norm Milley (RW)   Canada Sudbury Wolves North York, Ontario Toronto Red Wings
4 Kip Brennan (D)   Canada Windsor Spitfires Toronto, Ontario St. Michael's Buzzers
5 Mike Henrich (RW)   Canada Barrie Colts Thornhill, Ontario Wexford Midgets
6 Wes Goldie (RW)   Canada Owen Sound Platers London, Ontario St. Thomas Stars
7 Kevin Grimes (D)   Canada Kingston Frontenacs Metcalfe, Ontario Cumberland Grads
8 Brett Gibson (C)   Canada Erie Otters Gananoque, Ontario Kingston Voyageurs
9 Bryan Allen (D)   Canada Oshawa Generals Glenburnie, Ontario Ernestown Jets
10 Wes Jarvis (D)   Canada Kitchener Rangers Ottawa, Ontario Gloucester Rangers
11 Justin Papineau (C)   Canada Belleville Bulls Ottawa, Ontario Ottawa Jr. Senators
12 Pat Kavanagh (RW)   Canada Peterborough Petes Richmond, Ontario Kanata Valley Lasers
13 Nick Robinson (D)   Canada Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Cavan, Ontario Lindsay Muskies
14 Abe Herbst (D)   Canada Sarnia Sting Harriston, Ontario Listowel Cyclones
15 Mark Bell (C)   Canada Ottawa 67's St. Paul's, Ontario Stratford Cullitons
16 Harold Druken (LW)   Canada Detroit Whalers St. John's, Newfoundland Noble & Greenough Bulldogs
17 Manny Malhotra (C)   Canada Guelph Storm Mississauga, Ontario Mississauga Reps

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "1995-96 OHL Playoff Results at hockeydb.com". www.hockeydb.com. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
  2. ^ "1996 Ontario Hockey League Draft".
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