The Brantford Alexanders were a

junior ice hockey Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...

team in the

Ontario Major Junior Hockey League In 1970, the Junior A level was divided into two more levels, Tier I (Major Junior A) and Tier II (Minor Junior A). In 1974, the "Major Junior A" division of the OHA became the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL) and began to operate indepe ...

and

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 ...

from 1978 to 1984. The team was based in

Brantford Brantford ( 2021 population: 104,688) is a city in Ontario, Canada, founded on the Grand River in Southwestern Ontario. It is surrounded by Brant County, but is politically separate with a municipal government of its own that is fully independ ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, Canada.

History

The

Hamilton Fincups The Hamilton Fincups were a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League for 4 years, from 1974 to 1978. The team played in Hamilton, Ontario for three years, and in St. Catharines, Ontario for one. The Hamilton Fin ...

were relocated in 1978 becoming the Brantford Alexanders. The OMJHL junior team took the name of the OHA senior team which had played for two years prior, which in themselves were named for Brantford's most famous former resident, telephone pioneer

Alexander Graham Bell Alexander Graham Bell (, born Alexander Bell; March 3, 1847 – August 2, 1922) was a Scottish-born inventor, scientist and engineer who is credited with patenting the first practical telephone. He also co-founded the American Telephone and T ...

. After two years in the OMJHL, the league changed names to the OHL and the Alexanders played four more seasons in Brantford, before moving back to

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilto ...

as the Steelhawks. The Alexanders made the playoffs for five straight years after missing out its first year in Brantford. The team narrowly missed out on winning its division in 1980–81 by a single point. Brantford developed close rivalries with the London Knights and the

Niagara Falls Flyers The Niagara Falls Flyers were two junior ice hockey franchises that played in the top tier in the Ontario Hockey Association. The first, a Junior "A" team existed from 1960 until 1972, and the second in Tier I Junior "A" from 1976 until 1982. ...

. Their playoff nemeses were the

Windsor Spitfires The Windsor Spitfires are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1971, the franchise was promoted to the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League for the 1975� ...

and the

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (often shortened to Soo Greyhounds) are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the GFL Memorial Gardens. The present team was founded in 1962 as a team in th ...

. Two years in a row they were eliminated by the Spitfires, followed by three years in a row at the hands of the Greyhounds. The Brantford Alexanders also had an official theme song recorded by County Line, called "Cowboys of the Ice". There have been 29 alumni of the Alexanders to play in the NHL. In 1982–83, Dave Gagner was awarded the

Bobby Smith Trophy The Bobby Smith Trophy is awarded annually to the Ontario Hockey League Scholastic Player of the Year, who best combines high standards of play and academic excellence. The trophy is named for Bobby Smith, a former Ottawa 67's player. It is symb ...

for the OHA's Scholastic Player of the Year.

Coaches

NHL alumni

Season-by-season results

Regular season

Playoffs

*1978–1979 Out of

playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eit ...

. *1979–1980 Defeated Toronto Marlboros 4 games to 0 in quarter-finals.
Lost to Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 3 in semi-finals. *1980–1981 Lost to Windsor Spitfires 8 points to 4 in division semi-finals *1981–1982 Defeated London Knights 6 points to 2 in first round.
Lost to S.S. Marie Greyhounds 8 points to 6 in quarter-finals. *1982–1983 Defeated London Knights 6 points to 0 in first round.
Lost to S.S. Marie Greyhounds 8 points to 2 in quarter-finals. *1983–1984 Earned first round bye.
Lost to S.S. Marie Greyhounds 8 points to 4 in quarter-finals.

Arena

The Brantford Alexanders played home games at the

Brantford Civic Centre The Brantford Civic Centre is a 2,952-seat arena in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. It was built as a Canadian Centennial project in 1967. The Civic Centre is located in the downtown core, adjacent to Elements Casino Brantford. The Pittsburgh Peng ...

from 1978 to 1984. The OHL All-Star game was hosted here in 1982. *'
Brantford Civic Centre
'' - The OHL Arena & Travel Guide {{Defunct OHL Sport in Brantford Defunct Ontario Hockey League teams 1978 establishments in Ontario 1984 disestablishments in Ontario Ice hockey clubs established in 1978 Sports clubs disestablished in 1984