The 1998–99 OHL season was the 19th season of the

Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overa ...

. The

Brampton Battalion The Brampton Battalion were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team was based in Brampton, Ontario, Canada and started playing in 1998. As a result of consistently having among the lowest attendance in the OHL (last plac ...

and the

Mississauga IceDogs The Mississauga IceDogs were a junior ice hockey team in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. They played in the Ontario Hockey League from 1998 to 2007. A sale relocated the team to St. Catharines, Ontario for the 2007–08 season and they are now c ...

were added as expansion teams. The league realigned from three divisions into two conferences and four divisions. Brampton were placed in the Midwest division of the Western conference, and Mississauga were placed in the Central division of the Eastern conference. The OHL inaugurated four new trophies this season. The Holody Trophy was created for the regular season champion of the Midwest division. Two conference playoffs champions were created; the

Bobby Orr Trophy The Bobby Orr Trophy is awarded annually to the champion of the Eastern conference playoffs in the Ontario Hockey League. It was first awarded in 1999. The winning team competes for the J. Ross Robertson Cup in the OHL finals versus the Wayne Gret ...

for the Eastern conference, and the

Wayne Gretzky Trophy The Wayne Gretzky Trophy is awarded annually to the champion of the Western conference playoffs in the Ontario Hockey League. It was first awarded in 1999. The winning team competes for the J. Ross Robertson Cup in the OHL finals versus the Bobb ...

for the Western conference. The fourth new trophy was the

Wayne Gretzky 99 Award The Wayne Gretzky 99 Award is awarded annually to the most valuable player in the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. It was first awarded in 1999, and is named for Wayne Gretzky. The recipient is selected by the news/sports media. The award was int ...

, to be awarded to the MVP of the playoffs. Twenty teams each played sixty-eight games. The

Belleville Bulls The Belleville Bulls were a junior ice hockey team, founded in 1981 and based in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. The team played in the Eastern Division of the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League. The team moved to Hamilton, Ontario ...

won the

J. Ross Robertson Cup The J. Ross Robertson Cup is a Canadian ice hockey trophy. It is awarded annually in junior ice hockey to the champion of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. It was donated by John Ross Robertson to the Ontario Hockey Association in 1910, and ...

, defeating the London Knights.

Expansion

Brampton Battalion

On December 3, 1996, the

was granted an expansion franchise owned by Scott Abbott. The team began play in the 1998–99 season, playing in the Midwest Division of the Western Conference. The Battalion's arena was the newly constructed Brampton Centre. Brampton played in their first game on September 24, 1998, losing 5–1 to the

Peterborough Petes The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played at the Peterborough Memorial Centre in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league. ...

on the road. Their first home game was on October 9, as the Battalion dropped a 5-1 decision to the

Kitchener Rangers The Kitchener Rangers are a major junior ice hockey team based in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Midwest Division of the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League. The Rangers have won the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL ...

in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,800 at the Brampton Centre. After beginning the season with six losses, Brampton won their first game, defeating the Sudbury Wolves 5–4 on October 18.

Mississauga IceDogs

On January 21, 1997, the

was granted an expansion franchise which included former

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...

head coach

Don Cherry Donald Stewart Cherry (born February 5, 1934) is a Canadian former ice hockey player, coach, and television commentator. Cherry played one game in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins, and later coached the team for five se ...

in their ownership group. The IceDogs began play in the 1998–99 season, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The IceDogs arena was the newly constructed Hershey Centre. The IceDogs played in their first game on September 25, 1998, losing a road game to the Kingston Frontenacs by a score of 10–0. Mississauga began the season with an 11-game road trip, as the club lost each game. In their home opener on October 30, Mississauga recorded their first win in franchise history, defeating the Toronto St. Michael's Majors 4–3 in front of a sold out of 6,000 fans at the Hershey Centre.

Realignment

With the

and

joining the

for the 1998–99 season, the league underwent a massive realignment in which two new conferences, the Eastern Conference and Western Conference, were created. Within each conference was two five-team divisions. The playoff format changed that the top eight teams in each conference made the post-season.

Eastern Conference

East Division

The East Division consisted of five teams that played in the division during the 1997-98 season. The teams were the

, Kingston Frontenacs, Oshawa Generals, Ottawa 67's, and

. The Toronto St. Michael's Majors left the division, joining the Central Division.

Central Division

The Central Division underwent some major changes following the 1997-98 division. The Barrie Colts,

North Bay Centennials The North Bay Centennials were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, who played from 1982–2002. The team was based in North Bay, Ontario. History The North Bay Centennials or "Cents" as they were popularly known, were named afte ...

and Sudbury Wolves remained in the division, however, the

Guelph Storm The Guelph Storm are a major junior ice hockey team based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. They have played in the OHL since the 1991–92 season. The team plays home games at the Sleeman Centre. History The franchise started as the Toronto Marl ...

, and Owen Sound Platers all left the division, joining the newly formed Midwest Division in the Western Conference. Joining the Central were the Toronto St. Michael's Majors from the East Division, and the expansion

Western Conference

Midwest Division

The Midwest Division was a newly created division in the Western Conference. Joining the division were the

and Owen Sound Platers from the Central Division, while the

Erie Otters The Erie Otters are a Major junior ice hockey team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Midwest division of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), one of only three American teams in the circuit. The team name refers to the North Am ...

joined from the West Division. The expansion

also joined the division.

West Division

The West Division consisted of five teams that played in the division during the 1997-98 season. The teams were the London Knights,

Plymouth Whalers The Plymouth Whalers were a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They played out of Compuware Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, USA, a suburb of Detroit until 2015 when they were relocated to Flint, Michigan. History The Whalers ...

Sarnia Sting Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes where Lake Huron fl ...

, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and Windsor Spitfires. The

left the division, joining the newly formed Midwest Division.

New Arena

Sarnia Sports & Entertainment Centre

The

moved from the Sarnia Arena to their new home, the Sarnia Sports & Entertainment Centre. The Sting defeated the

5–2 in their first game at their new home on September 25, 1998, in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,635 fans.

Regular season

Final standings

''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 = clinched conference title''

Eastern conference

Western conference

Scoring leaders

''Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes''

Leading goaltenders

''Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses: OTL = Overtime losses;
SL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average''

Playoffs

Conference quarterfinals

Eastern conference quarterfinals

=(1) Barrie Colts vs. (8) Kingston Frontenacs

=(2) Ottawa 67's vs. (7) North Bay Centennials

=(3) Belleville Bulls vs. (6) Sudbury Wolves

=(4) Oshawa Generals vs. (5) Peterborough Petes

Western conference quarterfinals

=(1) Plymouth Whalers vs. (8) Windsor Spitfires

=(2) Guelph Storm vs. (7) Erie Otters

=(3) Owen Sound Platers vs. (6) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

=(4) Sarnia Sting vs. (5) London Knights

Conference semifinals

Eastern conference semifinals

=(1) Barrie Colts vs. (4) Oshawa Generals

=(2) Ottawa 67's vs. (3) Belleville Bulls

Western conference semifinals

=(1) Plymouth Whalers vs. (5) London Knights

=(2) Guelph Storm vs. (3) Owen Sound Platers

Conference finals

Eastern conference finals

=(3) Belleville Bulls vs. (4) Oshawa Generals

Western conference finals

=(3) Owen Sound Platers vs. (5) London Knights

OHL finals

J. Ross Robertson cup finals

=(E3) Belleville Bulls vs. (W5) London Knights

J. Ross Robertson Cup Champions Roster

Playoff scoring leaders

''Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes''

Playoff leading goaltenders

''Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses: OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average''

All-Star teams

First team

Daniel Tkaczuk Daniel Tkaczuk (born June 10, 1979) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former centre who played 19 games in the National Hockey League for the Calgary Flames. He is currently an assistant coach for the Springfield Thunderbirds of the American Hock ...

, Centre, Barrie Colts *

Ryan Ready Ryan Ready (born November 7, 1978) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the National Hockey League with the Philadelphia Flyers. Playing career Ready was drafted 100th overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by t ...

, Left Wing,

* Ivan Novoseltsev, Right Wing,

* Brian Campbell, Defence, Ottawa 67's * Bryan Allen, Defence, Oshawa Generals *

Brian Finley Brian Finley (born July 13, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Playing career Finley was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. As a youth, he played in the 1995 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a mino ...

, Goaltender, Barrie Colts *

Peter DeBoer George Peter DeBoer (born June 13, 1968) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the head coach for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is also a co-owner of the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Ho ...

, Coach,

Second team

Harold Druken Harold Druken (born January 26, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He was drafted 36th overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. He played for the Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs du ...

, Centre,

* Denis Shvidki, Left Wing, Barrie Colts * Norm Milley, Right Wing, Sudbury Wolves * Kevin Mitchell, Defence,

* Martin Skoula, Defence, Barrie Colts *

Tyrone Garner Tyrone "Ty" Garner (born July 27, 1978) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was drafted by the New York Islanders in the fourth round, 83rd overall in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. Playing career Garner was born in Stoney Creek, Ontar ...

, Goaltender, Oshawa Generals * Lou Crawford, Coach,

Third team

* Peter Sarno, Centre,

* Jay Legault, Left Wing, London Knights *

Sheldon Keefe Sheldon Keefe (born September 17, 1980) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. His younger brother Adam Keefe is the head coach of Elite Ice H ...

, Right Wing, Barrie Colts * Nick Boynton, Defence, Ottawa 67's * Nikos Tselios, Defence,

* Seamus Kotyk, Goaltender, Ottawa 67's * Dave Siciliano, Coach, Owen Sound Platers

Awards

1999 OHL Priority Selection

On June 5, 1999, the OHL conducted the 1999 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection at the Brampton Centre for Sports & Entertainment in

Brampton, Ontario Brampton ( or ) is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Brampton is a city in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and is a lower-tier municipality within Peel Region. The city has a population of 656,480 as of the 2021 Census, making it th ...

. The

held the first overall pick in the draft, and selected

Jason Spezza Jason Rocco Anthony Spezza (born June 13, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. Spezza played 19 career seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 2002 to 2022, and is currently a part of the Toronto Maple Leafs' fr ...

from the

. Spezza was awarded the

Jack Ferguson Award The Jack Ferguson Award is awarded each year to the top draft pick in the Ontario Hockey League priority selection draft. The trophy is named in honour of Jack Ferguson, a former director of OHL Central Scouting. Winners List of OHL first overall ...

, awarded to the top pick in the draft. Below are the players who were selected in the first round of the 1999 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.

References

HockeyDB
{{DEFAULTSORT:1998-99 Ohl Season Ontario Hockey League seasons OHL

Expansion

Brampton Battalion

Mississauga IceDogs

Realignment

Eastern Conference

East Division

Central Division

Western Conference

Midwest Division

West Division

New Arena

Sarnia Sports & Entertainment Centre

Regular season

Final standings

Eastern conference

Western conference

Scoring leaders

Leading goaltenders

Playoffs

Conference quarterfinals

Eastern conference quarterfinals

=(1) Barrie Colts vs. (8) Kingston Frontenacs

=(2) Ottawa 67's vs. (7) North Bay Centennials

=(3) Belleville Bulls vs. (6) Sudbury Wolves

=(4) Oshawa Generals vs. (5) Peterborough Petes

Western conference quarterfinals

=(1) Plymouth Whalers vs. (8) Windsor Spitfires

=(2) Guelph Storm vs. (7) Erie Otters

=(3) Owen Sound Platers vs. (6) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

=(4) Sarnia Sting vs. (5) London Knights

Conference semifinals

Eastern conference semifinals

=(1) Barrie Colts vs. (4) Oshawa Generals

=(2) Ottawa 67's vs. (3) Belleville Bulls

Western conference semifinals

=(1) Plymouth Whalers vs. (5) London Knights

=(2) Guelph Storm vs. (3) Owen Sound Platers

Conference finals

Eastern conference finals

=(3) Belleville Bulls vs. (4) Oshawa Generals

Western conference finals

=(3) Owen Sound Platers vs. (5) London Knights

OHL finals

J. Ross Robertson cup finals

=(E3) Belleville Bulls vs. (W5) London Knights

J. Ross Robertson Cup Champions Roster

Playoff scoring leaders

Playoff leading goaltenders

All-Star teams

First team

Second team

Third team

Awards

1999 OHL Priority Selection

See also

References