The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (often shortened to Soo Greyhounds) are a

major junior 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 ...

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...

team in 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 Greyhounds play home games at the GFL Memorial Gardens. The present team was founded in 1962 as a team in the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. The Greyhounds name has been used by several ice hockey teams based in

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Sault Ste. Marie ( ) is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is at the St. Mary's River on the Canada–US border. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay. The Ojibwe, the indigenous Anishinaabe inhabitants ...

, Canada, since 1919.

Early years

The first Greyhounds team formed in 1919, playing in the now defunct Upper-Peninsula League. The team's coach was George McNamara. He suggested the team be called the Greyhounds since, ''"a greyhound is much faster than a wolf."'' That reference was to the already established rival club, the Sudbury Wolves. A couple of seasons later, the Greyhounds switched to the Northern Ontario Hockey Association Senior "A" division. The team won the Senior A championship in 1921, 1923, 1924 and 1925. The 1924 Greyhounds also won the

Allan Cup The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men's ice hockey champions of Canada. It was donated by Sir Montagu Allan of Ravenscrag, Montreal, and has been competed for since 1909. The current champions are the ...

, becoming the only team from Sault Ste. Marie to do so. In October 1925, the club received an offer from New York to play as the Knickerbockers in the Eastern Amateur Hockey League. The Greyhounds joined the Central Amateur Hockey Association, a division of the United States Amateur Hockey Association for the 1925–26 season. After the season, several players joined the professional ranks and the team folded. In 1929, a junior Greyhounds team was organized, competing in the

Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) is a Canadian Junior ice hockey league and member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Northern Ontario Hockey Association. The winner of the NOJHL playoffs competes for the Dudley Hewitt Cup ...

. The juniors won the league championship four consecutive years from 1928 to 1931, and added a fifth title in 1942. Junior hockey in Sault Ste. Marie came to an abrupt end in 1945, when the Gouin Street Arena was destroyed by fire. The senior Greyhounds team was revived in 1948. The new team played out of a temporary home at Pullar Stadium, in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, U.S.A., until the Memorial Gardens opened in 1949. The senior Greyhounds won the NOHA championship four times, in 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1955. This team folded, along with the league, after the 1958–59 season.

Modern era

The current Greyhounds Junior A franchise was founded in 1962 as a member of the

. The team's founders were Angelo Bumbacco, Lloyd Prokop, Phil Suraci, Pat Esposito and Bill Kelly. The Greyhounds played for ten seasons in the NOJHL. They were extremely successful, never having a losing season, and winning the league championship three times. In 1972, the Greyhounds entered the Ontario Hockey Association as a Major Junior A expansion team. The original directors were joined by Frank Caputo and Frank Sarlo. Angelo Bumbacco died on October 27, 2020 aged 88.

Wayne Gretzky 1977–78

1977 Events January * January 8 – Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (now the Democrat ...

, the Sault Ste.Marie Greyhounds picked a 16-year-old

Wayne Gretzky Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...

, standing at and weighing , with the third pick in the Ontario Midget Draft. He was still small in stature, but would have a big impact on the game. Gretzky requested to wear # 9 for his idol

Gordie Howe Gordon Howe (March 31, 1928 – June 10, 2016) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. From 1946 to 1980, he played 26 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) and six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA); his first 25 seaso ...

, but that number was already taken by teammate Brian Gualazzi. Gretzky then chose # 14 instead. After a few games, coach Muzz MacPherson suggested wearing two nines would be better than one. From that season on, Gretzky always wore the legendary # 99. In 63 games that year, he set the Greyhounds all-time record, scoring 70 goals and had 112 assists for a total of 182 points. Gretzky would have won the scoring title, except for a 192-point season by Bobby Smith. Gretzky was awarded the

Emms Family Award The Emms Family Award is presented annually to the Rookie of the Year (top first-year player) in the Ontario Hockey League. The winner is also nominated for the CHL Rookie of the Year. The award was donated by Hap Emms. Leighton "Hap" Emms was a c ...

as the rookie of the year, and the

William Hanley Trophy The William Hanley Trophy is awarded annually by Ontario Hockey League to the most sportsmanlike player. It is named for Bill Hanley, a former secretary-manager of the Ontario Hockey Association who served in that capacity for twenty-five years. T ...

as most gentlemanly player.

Memorial Cup, 1985

After winning the OHL championship, the Greyhounds travelled to Shawinigan,

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

to compete in the

Memorial Cup The Memorial Cup () is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League, a consortium of three major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tournament played between t ...

tournament, for the national junior hockey title. The Greyhounds played against the host team

Shawinigan Cataractes The Shawinigan Cataractes (french: Cataractes de Shawinigan) are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The team is based in Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada. The Cataractes have been previously known as the Shawinigan Bruin ...

, the QMJHL champion

Verdun Junior Canadiens The Verdun Junior Canadiens were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) from 1984 to 1989. They played home games at the Verdun Auditorium, and won the President's Cup during the 1984–85 QMJHL season. Hist ...

, and the WHL champion

Prince Albert Raiders The Prince Albert Raiders are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. The Raiders play in the East Division of the Eastern Conference. They are based in the city of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. The team plays its hom ...

. The Greyhounds were led by future NHLers,

Jeff Beukeboom Jeffrey Scott Beukeboom (born March 28, 1965) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played as a defenceman for the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers between 1986 and 1999 Playin ...

, Chris Felix,

Derek King Derek King (born February 11, 1967) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who currently serves as an assistant coach for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League. King played 14 seasons in the National Hockey Leag ...

Wayne Presley Wayne Richard Presley (born March 23, 1965) is an American former professional ice hockey right winger who played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League from 1984–85 until 1995–96. Biography Presley was born in Dearborn, Michigan and ra ...

Bob Probert Robert Alan Probert (June 5, 1965 – July 5, 2010) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward. Probert played for the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks. While a successful player by some measures, including be ...

and

Rob Zettler Rob Zettler (born March 8, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 14 seasons with the Minnesota North Stars, San Jose Sharks, Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Nash ...

. Leading scorers in the regular season were Wayne Groulx, Graeme Bonar and Sault Ste. Marie native Mike Oliverio. The Greyhounds won the first game on May 11 in Shawinigan versus the home team, by a score 4-3, in front of 3,276 fans. Televising games from the Aréna Jacques Plante in Shawinigan proved difficult due to roof support pillars around the ice surface. After two games in Shawinigan, the remainder of the tournament was played in the

Centre Marcel Dionne The Centre Marcel Dionne is a 4,000 capacity (3,038 seated) multi-purpose arena in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada. It is home to the Drummondville Voltigeurs Ice hockey team. It is named in honour of Marcel Dionne Marcel Elphège "Little Beav ...

in Drummondville,

. The Greyhounds won their first game in Drummondville 6-3 over Verdun, with two goals from Derek King. Their first loss of the tournament came in game three, losing 8-6 to the Prince Albert Raiders. With the loss, the Cataractes, Raiders and Greyhounds would all finish the round-robin with two wins and a loss. Shawinigan earned a spot in the finals on best goals for and against difference, with Sault Ste. Marie and Prince Albert to have a rematch in the semi-final game. On May 16, the Greyhounds lost again to the Raiders.

Memorial Cup, 1991

The Greyhounds season of 1990–91 marked an incredible turnaround from seventh place the season before, to finishing first place and winning the

Emms division 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 overage ...

. General manager

Sherwood Bassin Sherwood Bassin (born August 14, 1939) is a Canadian ice hockey executive known primarily for 36 years of involvement in the Ontario Hockey League as a general manager, team owner and coach. Bassin successfully turned franchises around, and his ...

put together pieces for coach Ted Nolan to win. Bassin was awarded Bill Long Award for distinguished service to the OHL, was named both the

OHL Executive of the Year The OHL Executive of the Year Award was given annually to the top executive in the Ontario Hockey League, whose team demonstrates success both on the ice, and at the administration level. It was first awarded in 1989–90 OHL season. The most rec ...

, and the

CHL Executive of the Year The CHL Executive of the Year award is given out annually to the top executive in the Canadian Hockey League. The award has not been conferred since 2002. Recipients are chosen from the winners of the respective constituent league awards: the OHL ...

in 1991. The Greyhounds swept both playoff series and earned a second round bye to reach the OHL finals against the defending champions, the Oshawa Generals. 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 ...

finals had many subplots due to the big trade between the clubs in the previous season. Added to the mix was Joe Busillo, an overager picked up from Oshawa, who won the Memorial Cup with the Generals the previous year. Fans from the Soo were still very bitter towards Oshawa captain

Eric Lindros Eric Bryan Lindros (; born February 28, 1973) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Lindros was born in London, Ontario, but grew up in Toronto. He played junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for the Oshawa Generals p ...

, who had originally been drafted by the Greyhounds in 1989 but chose not to play for them (eventually being traded to the Generals). The Soo crowd loudly jeered Lindros every time he was on the ice during the championship series. The Greyhounds upset the heavily favoured defending champions in a six-game series, winning the last game on home ice. The Greyhounds were led in scoring by Colin Miller, Tony Iob, Trevor Koopmans, and future NHLers Adam Foote and tough guys Bob Boughner, and Denny Lambert. Other members to move onto the NHL included Drew Bannister, Ralph Intranuovo, Brad Tiley and goaltenders

Kevin Hodson Kevin Hodson (born March 27, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Hodson played professionally in the NHL and AHL before ending his playing career in the Finnish SM-liiga in 2003–04. Hodson suffered from Wolff ...

and Mike Lenarduzzi. The 1991 Memorial Cup was hosted by the QMJHL in

Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the metropolitan area had a population of 839,311. It is t ...

at the

Colisée de Québec Colisée de Québec (later known as Colisée Pepsi) is a defunct multi-purpose arena located in Quebec City, Quebec. It was the home of the Quebec Nordiques from 1972 to 1995, during their time in the World Hockey Association and National Hockey ...

. Their opponents would be the WHL champion Spokane Chiefs, and the QMJHL finalists

Drummondville Voltigeurs The Drummondville Voltigeurs are a junior ice hockey team of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The franchise was originally granted for the 1982–83 season, and is based in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada, playing its home games at ...

and the champion Chicoutimi Saguenéens. The Greyhounds did not win a game in the tournament, but gained valuable experience for next season.

Memorial Cup, 1992

The 1991–92 Greyhounds repeated as winners of the Emms division. Sault Ste. Marie earned a first round bye in the playoffs, then defeated 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 ...

and

Niagara Falls Thunder The Niagara Falls Thunder was a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League from 1988 to 1996. The team was based in Niagara Falls, Ontario. History Niagara Falls became home to its third OHL franchise in 1988 upon the relocation of the H ...

to return to the league finals. The Greyhounds won their third J. Ross Robertson Cup by defeating their northern counterparts, the

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 ...

in a seven-game series. The Greyhounds were led by captain Rick Kowalsky, and in scoring by Jarrett Reid's 53 goals and also had two players with 100 point seasons, Colin Miller and Ralph Intranuovo. The Soo also gained a midseason boost and more toughness, acquiring future NHLer

Chris Simon Christopher J. Simon (born January 30, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger, who played 20 seasons of ice hockey: 15 seasons in the NHL and 5 seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League. He last played for Metallurg No ...

in a trade with the

Ottawa 67's The Ottawa 67's are a major junior ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, that plays in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Established during Canada's centennial year of 1967 and named in honour of this, the 67's currently play their h ...

. The 1992 Memorial Cup was hosted by the WHL in

Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region ...

at the Seattle Center Coliseum. Their opponents would be the WHL champion

Kamloops Blazers The Kamloops Blazers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team plays in the B.C. Division of the Western Conference, is based out of Kamloops, British Columbia, and play home games at Sandman Centre. The Blazers o ...

, the QMJHL champion Verdun Collège Français, and the host

Seattle Thunderbirds The Seattle Thunderbirds are a major junior ice hockey team based in the city of Kent, Washington, south of Seattle. They are part of the U.S. Division of the Western Conference in the Western Hockey League. They play their games at home in acc ...

. The Greyhounds reversed their fortunes of the previous Memorial Cup, winning all three games of the round-robin, advancing directly to the tournament finals. Their opponent in the finals would be the Kamloops Blazers. The Greyhounds came back from an early 3-0 deficit 15 minutes into the game to tie the score at 3-3. Kamloops scored early in the third period for a 4-3 lead. Chris Simon then tied the game for Sault Ste. Marie with four minutes remaining to play. The game looked to be headed for overtime, until Kamloops' Zac Boyer scored on a breakaway with 14.6 seconds remaining to seal the victory for the Blazers.

Memorial Cup, 1993

In the 1992–93, the Greyhounds won their third consecutive Emms division title. They narrowly beat out the

Detroit Junior Red Wings The Detroit Junior Red Wings were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League for three seasons from 1992 to 1995. The Jr. Red Wings were based in Detroit, Michigan. History The Compuware Ambassadors were renamed the Detroit Junior Red ...

by having more wins in the regular season despite both teams earning 81 points. The OHL revived the idea of a Super Series from six years previous to determine which team would host the Memorial Cup of 1993. The Greyhounds assured themselves of a third consecutive trip to the Memorial Cup, by sweeping the series versus the Leyden division champion

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. ...

. Jarret Reid led Sault Ste. Marie in scoring through the playoffs, with 19 goals and 16 assists in 18 games. After the Super Series ended, the regular playoffs started. Sault Ste. Marie earned the first round bye, then defeated the Owen Sound Platers and the Junior Red Wings to reach the finals against the Petes. This time, the Petes prevailed 4 games to 1, spoiling the Greyhounds chances of a third consecutive J. Ross Robertson Cup. Joining the Greyhounds and Petes in the Memorial Cup would be the WHL champion Swift Current Broncos and the QMJHL champion Laval Titan. The Greyhounds and the Petes both finished the Memorial Cup round-robin with two wins and a loss. Sault Ste. Marie earned a berth in the finals by having beaten the Petes in the round robin. The two teams would meet again in the tournament finals, playing in front a hometown crowd of 4,757 spectators at the Memorial Gardens on May 23. Sault Ste. Marie led 3-0 after the first period, and held on to win their first Memorial Championship, beating the Petes 4-2. The victory party continued on Queen St. late into the evening.

Recent years

The Greyhounds followed up their Memorial Cup winning season with a strong 1993–94 campaign finishing second place in the division. The Soo reached the semi-finals, but lost to the Junior Red Wings in six games. After the season, coach Ted Nolan departed for the

Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to ...

. The following 1994–95 season, the Greyhounds finished last place in the league during a rebuilding season. In attempt to generate more sales, the Greyhounds redesigned their logo. It proved to be unpopular with the fans, and the team discontinued its use after the 1998–99 season, and went back to the classic logo. Centre Joe Thornton was the 1995–96 OHL rookie of the year and was the first player in the history of the franchise to be drafted first overall in the

NHL Entry Draft The NHL Entry Draft (french: Repêchage d'entrée dans la LNH) is an annual meeting in which every franchise of the National Hockey League (NHL) systematically select the rights to available ice hockey players who meet draft eligibility requirem ...

. He was selected by the

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 ...

. In the 2001–02 season, former Greyhound defenceman

Craig Hartsburg Craig William Hartsburg (born June 29, 1959) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and head coach, who currently serves as an amateur scout and defense development coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League ( ...

took over as head coach after coaching stints in the NHL. Hartsburg was named the OHL coach of the year that season, then left the team to join the coaching staff of the

Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Well ...

. Replacing Hartsburg was former Greyhound netminder, and part-owner of the team, John Vanbiesbrouck. Vanbiesbrouck was forced to resign as coach during the season as a result of racist comments he had made about team captain,

Trevor Daley Trevor Daley (born October 9, 1983) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Florida Everblades of the ECHL and also serves as a hockey operations advisor for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played ...

. Hartsburg returned as coach midway through the 2004–05 season. After playing at the Sault Memorial Gardens from 1962 to 2006, the Greyhounds moved into their new home, the Steelback Centre, for the 2006–07 season. In June 2008, the arena was renamed The

Essar Centre The GFL Memorial Gardens, formerly the "Essar Centre", is a 4,928 seat sports and entertainment centre in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. It opened on September 29, 2006, replacing the now demolished Sault Memorial Gardens. The new b ...

, following the purchase of naming rights by

Essar Steel Algoma Algoma Steel Inc. (formerly Algoma Steel; Essar Steel Algoma) is an integrated primary steel producer located on the St. Marys River in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. Its products are sold in Canada and the United States as well as overseas ...

. In the

2007–08 OHL season The 2007–08 OHL season was the 28th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Twenty teams played 68 games each during the schedule, that started on September 19, 2007, and concluded on March 16, 2008. The Mississauga IceDogs relocated to the Gator ...

, the Greyhounds had their best regular season since

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...

, going 44–18–2–4, with a long undefeated streak to begin the year. The Greyhounds also had their longest post season run since

1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which sank in the Baltic Sea; Nelson ...

, making it to the conference finals before losing to the Kitchener Rangers in five games. In the 2008–09 season, assistant coach Denny Lambert assumed head coaching duties after Craig Hartsburg left to become head coach of the NHL's

Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...

. Assistant coach Toots Kovacs also left the team and was replaced by Mike Stapleton and Nick Warriner. The Greyhounds missed the playoffs for the first time since 2004. After several trades in the organization have shown a shift to rebuilding the team, Dave Torrie (General Manager), took over head coaching duties with the firing of Denny Lambert in January 2011. Later that same year Dave Torrie was also relieved of his duties and replaced with Kyle Dubas as general manager. The fans also welcomed back Mike Stapleton as new Head Coach for next season, but was fired and replaced on December 3, 2012 by Sheldon Keefe. After the 2014–15 OHL season, the Greyhounds had taken the

Hamilton Spectator Trophy The Hamilton Spectator Trophy is awarded annually by the Ontario Hockey League to the team that finishes the regular season with the best record. The trophy was donated by ''The Hamilton Spectator,'' and first presented in the 1957–58 season. It ...

while setting a franchise record in regular season points. During the 2015 playoffs, the Greyhounds had their run ended by

Connor McDavid Connor Andrew McDavid (born January 13, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Oilers selected him first overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. McDavid spen ...

and 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 ...

in the Western Conference Finals. After one of the teams best seasons, head coach Sheldon Keefe had signed with the

Toronto Marlies The Toronto Marlies are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a member of the North Division of the Eastern Conference. The Marlies is owned by Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, a c ...

of the AHL. On July 10, 2015, Drew Bannister was named head coach of the Greyhounds. He would leave after the 2017–18 season to become the head coach of the

San Antonio Rampage The San Antonio Rampage were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League based in San Antonio, Texas. The Rampage was primarily owned by Spurs Sports & Entertainment throughout the team's existence. In 2020, the franchise was sold ...

in the AHL. Bannister had led the Hounds to an overall 136–50–13–5 record, two West Division titles, and was named OHL and CHL coach of the year in 2018.

Championships

While in the

, the Greyhounds won the McNamara Trophy as playoff champions in 1967, 1970, and 1972. The Greyhounds were also regular season champions six times and playoff finalists 4 times. The Greyhounds also joined the Oshawa Generals and Peterborough Petes as the only OHL teams to make three consecutive appearances in the

. Since joining the OHL, Sault Ste. Marie has won a total of 8 division titles, five

titles, three

titles, and one

title. ;Division Trophies * 1980–81 - Leyden Division * 1982–83 -

Emms Division 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 overage ...

* 1984–85 -

* 1990–91 -

* 1991–92 -

* 1992–93 -

* 1996–97 - West Division * 2004–05 - West Division * 2007–08 - West Division * 2013–14 - West Division * 2014-15 - West Division * 2016-17 - West Division * 2017-18 - West Division ;

* 1980–81 - 47 Wins, 2 Ties, 96 points * 1982–83 - 48 Wins, 1 Tie, 97 points * 1984–85 - 54 Wins, 1 Tie, 109 points * 2014-15 - 54 W, 12 L, 0 OTL, 2 SL, 110 points * 2017-18 - 55 W, 7 L, 3 OTL, 3 SL, 116 points ;

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 ...

* 2000 Lost to the

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 ...

* 2008 Lost to the

* 2015 Lost to the

* 2018 Champions vs. the

;

* 1981 Lost to the

* 1983 Lost to the Oshawa Generals * 1985 Champions vs. the

* 1991 Champions vs. the Oshawa Generals * 1992 Champions vs. the

* 1993 Lost to the

* 2018 Lost to the

Hamilton Bulldogs The Hamilton Bulldogs are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League that began to play in the 2015–16 season. Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, the Bulldogs play their home games at FirstOntario Centre. They were purcha ...

;

* 1985 3rd place in Drummondville, Québec * 1991 4th place in Québec City, Québec * 1992 Finalists vs. the

* 1993 Champions vs. the

Coaches

Terry Crisp Terrance Arthur Crisp (born May 28, 1943) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey coach and player. Crisp played ten seasons in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues, New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers be ...

was twice voted the OHL Coach of the Year, winning the Matt Leyden Trophy in 1982-83 and 1984-85.

won the award in 2001-02. Most recently Drew Bannister won the award in 2017-18. ''List of coaches with multiple seasons in parentheses.''

Players

Since Sault Ste. Marie joined the OHA in 1972, the Greyhounds have sent 77 alumni onto play in the NHL. Three of those (

Paul Coffey Paul Douglas Coffey (born June 1, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played for nine teams over 21 seasons in the National Hockey League. Known for his speed and scoring prowess, Coffey ranks second all-time among ...

, Ron Francis and

) have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

First round NHL entry draft picks

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...

- Darnell Nurse, 1st round, (7th overall)

Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

- Jared McCann, 1st round, (24th overall)

Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...

* 2015 - Zachary Senyshyn, 1st round (15th overall)

2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a s ...

- Morgan Frost, 1st round (27th overall)

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the Unit ...

- Barrett Hayton, 1st round (5th overall)

Arizona Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mul ...

; Rasmus Sandin, 1st Round (29th overall)

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...

Retired numbers

* # 1 - John Vanbiesbrouck * # 4 -

* # 5 - Adam Foote * # 10 - Ron Francis * # 99 -

Award winners

CHL Rookie of the Year The CHL Rookie of the Year Award is given out annually to the top rookie in the Canadian Hockey League. It is chosen from the winners of; the Emms Family Award (OHL Rookie of the Year), the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy (WHL Rookie of the Year), a ...

* ''1995–96'' - Joe Thornton CHL Top Draft Prospect Award * ''1996–97'' - Joe Thornton CHL Goaltender of the Year * ''2001–02'' -

Ray Emery Raymond Robert Emery (''né'' Nichols; September 28, 1982 – July 15, 2018) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for eleven seasons, between 2003 and 2015. Emery was chosen 99th over ...

Red Tilson Trophy The Red Tilson Trophy is awarded annually by the Ontario Hockey League to the most outstanding player (MVP) as voted by OHL writers and broadcasters. It was donated by ''The Globe and Mail,'' and first awarded in the 1944–45 OHA season by the O ...

Most Outstanding Player * ''1973–74'' - Jack Valiquette * ''1984–85'' - Wayne Groulx

Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy The Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy is awarded annually by the Ontario Hockey League to the player scoring the most points in the regular season. The trophy was donated by the Toronto Marlboro Athletic Club in memory of athlete and coach Eddie Power ...

Scoring Champion * ''1973–74'' - Jack Valiquette (tied) * ''1975–76'' - Mike Kaszycki * ''1980–81'' - John Goodwin

Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy The Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy is awarded annually by the Ontario Hockey League since 1972, to the right winger who scores the most points in the regular season. The Peterborough Petes donated the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy in his memory to the top s ...

Top Scoring Right Winger * ''1996–97'' - Joe Seroski

Max Kaminsky Trophy The Max Kaminsky Trophy is awarded annually by the Ontario Hockey League to the most outstanding defenceman. The award is named in honour of Max Kaminsky, who coached the St. Catharines Teepees to the Memorial Cup in 1960 and died shortly thereaft ...

Most Outstanding Defenceman * ''1976–77'' -

* ''2009-10'' - Jake Muzzin * ''2012-13'' - Ryan Sproul * ''2014-15'' - Anthony DeAngelo OHL Goaltender of the Year * ''2001–02'' -

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 ...

First Overall Draft Pick * ''1986'' -

Troy Mallette Troy Matthew Mallette (born February 25, 1970) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Mallette played in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins and the ...

* ''1989'' -

* ''2009'' -

Daniel Catenacci Daniel Catenacci (born March 9, 1993) is a Canadians, Canadian-Italy, Italian professional ice hockey centre (ice hockey), centre who is currently playing with HC Pustertal Wölfe in the ICE Hockey League (ICEHL). He has formerly played in the Na ...

Dave Pinkney Trophy The Dave Pinkney Trophy is awarded to the goaltenders of the Ontario Hockey League team that has the lowest goals against average. It has been awarded annually since 1949. Winners List of winners of the Dave Pinkney Trophy. See also * List of C ...

Lowest Team GAA * ''1981–82'' - Marc D'Amour & John Vanbiesbrouck * ''1984–85'' - Scott Mosey & Marty Abrams * ''1990–91'' - Mike Lenarduzzi &

* ''1991–92'' -

Rookie of the Year * ''1973–74'' - Jack Valiquette * ''1975–76'' - John Tavella * ''1977–78'' -

* ''1978–79'' - John Goodwin * ''1984–85'' -

* ''1995–96'' - Joe Thornton F.W. "Dinty" Moore Trophy
Best Rookie GAA * ''1980–81'' - John Vanbiesbrouck * ''1983–84'' -

Gerry Iuliano Gerry is both a surname and a masculine or feminine given name. As a given name, it is often a short form (hypocorism) of Gerard, Gerald or Geraldine. Notable people with the name include: Surname *Elbridge Gerry (1744–1814), fifth US vice pres ...

* ''1990–91'' -

Most Sportsmanlike Player * ''1977–78'' -

* ''1980–81'' - John Goodwin

Hockey Hall of Fame members

There are six members of the Hockey Hall of Fame that have played for a team known as the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

Bill Cook William Osser Xavier Cook (October 8, 1895 – May 5, 1986) was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played for the Saskatoon Crescents of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) and the New York Rangers of the National Hockey ...

and

Bun Cook Frederick Joseph "Bun" Cook (September 18, 1903 – March 19, 1988) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward and coach. He was an Allan Cup champion with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in 1924 before embarking on a 13-year professional ...

played for the Greyhounds of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association (NOHA) between 1921–1925. Bill Cook was inducted in 1952, while Bun wasn't inducted until 1995 in the defunct Veteran category.

Tony Esposito Anthony James "Tony O" Esposito (April 23, 1943 – August 10, 2021) was a Canadian-American professional ice hockey goaltender, who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), 15 of those for the Chicago Black Hawks. He was one of t ...

played for the Greyhounds of the

(NOJHL) during the 1962–63 season, and was inducted into the Hall in 1988. The current junior Greyhounds have three alumni inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame. They are

and Ron Francis, who were respectively inducted in 1999, 2004 and 2007 respectively.

NHL alumni

: 1919 to 1945, 1949 to 1958 (NOHA ) : 1962 to 1972 (NOJHL ) : 1972 to present (OHA / OMJHL / OHL)

Yearly results

Regular season

* 1962 to 1972 in the NOJHL * 1972 to 1974 in the OHA * 1974 to 1980 in the OMJHL * 1980 to present in the OHL Legend: OTL = Overtime loss, SL = Shootout loss

Playoffs

*1962–63 Lost in semi-finals. *1963–64 Lost in finals. *1964–65 Lost in semi-finals. *1965–66 Lost in finals. *1966–67 McNamara Trophy Champions. *1967–68 Lost in semi-finals. *1968–69 Lost in finals. *1969–70 McNamara Trophy Champions. *1970–71 Lost in finals. *1971–72 McNamara Trophy Champions. *1972–73 Out of playoffs. *1973–74 Out of playoffs. *1974–75 Out of playoffs. *1975–76 Defeated Oshawa Generals 6 points to 4 in first round.
Lost to Sudbury Wolves 9 points to 5 in quarter-finals. *1976–77 Defeated Peterborough Petes 3 games to 1 in first round.
Lost to Ottawa 67's 4 games to 0, 1 tie in quarter-finals. *1977–78 Defeated Kingston Canadiens 6 points to 4 in first round.
Lost to Ottawa 67's 9 points to 7 in quarter-finals. *1978–79 Out of playoffs. *1979–80 Out of playoffs. *1980–81 Defeated Oshawa Generals 8 points to 4 in division semi-finals.
Defeated Kingston Canadians 9points to 5 in division finals.
Lost to Kitchener Rangers 9 points to 3 in finals. *1981–82 Earned bye through first round. 2nd place in Emms.
Defeated Brantford Alexanders 8 points to 6 in quarter-finals.
Lost to Kitchener Rangers 9 points to 3 in semi-finals. *1982–83 Earned bye through first round. 1st place in Emms.
Defeated Brantford Alexanders 8 points to 2 in quarter-finals.
Defeated Kitchener Rangers 8 points to 2 in semi-finals.
Lost to Oshawa Generals 9 points to 5 in finals. *1983–84 Defeated Windsor Spitfires 6 points to 0 in first round.
Defeated Brantford Alexanders 8 points to 4 in quarter-finals.
Lost to Kitchener Rangers 8 points to 6 in semi-finals. *1984–85 Defeated Kitchener Rangers 8 points to 0 in first round.
Earned bye through quarter-finals. 1st place in Emms.
Defeated Hamilton Steelhawks 9 points to 1 in semi-finals.
Defeated Peterborough Petes 9 points to 5 in finals. OHL CHAMPIONS
Finished Memorial Cup round robin tied for second place.
Lost to Prince Albert Raiders 8-3 in semi-final game. *1985–86 Out of playoffs. *1986–87 Lost to Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 0 in first round. *1987–88 Lost to London Knights 4 games to 2 in first round. *1988–89 Out of playoffs. *1989–90 Out of playoffs. *1990–91 Defeated Dukes of Hamilton 4 games to 0 in first round.
Earned bye through quarter-finals. 1st place in Emms.
Defeated Niagara Falls Thunder 4 games to 0 in semi-finals.
Defeated Oshawa Generals 4 games to 2 in finals. OHL CHAMPIONS
Finished Memorial Cup round robin in 4th place. *1991–92 Earned bye through first round. 1st place in Emms.
Defeated Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 3 in quarter-finals.
Defeated Niagara Falls Thunder 4 games to 1 in semi-finals.
Defeated North Bay Centennials 4 games to 3 in finals. OHL CHAMPIONS
Finished Memorial Cup round robin in 1st place, earning berth in finals.
Lost to Kamloops Blazers 5-4 in championship game. *1992–93 Defeated Peterborough Petes 4 games to 0 in super-series for right to host Memorial Cup. Earned bye through first round. 1st place in Emms.
Defeated Owen Sound Platers 4 games to 0 in quarter-finals.
Defeated Detroit Jr. Red Wings 4 games to 1 in semi-finals.
Lost to Peterborough Petes 4 games to 1 in finals.
Finished Memorial Cup round robin in 1st place, earning berth in finals.
Defeated Peterborough Petes 4-2 in championship game. ''MEMORIAL CUP CHAMPIONS'' *1993–94 Defeated Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 0 in division quarter-finals.
Defeated Guelph Storm 4 games to 0 in division semi-finals.
Lost to Detroit Jr. Red Wings 4 games to 2 in semi-finals. *1994–95 Out of playoffs. *1995–96 Lost to Sarnia Sting 4 games to 0 in division quarter-finals. *1996–97 Defeated Detroit Whalers 4 games to 1 in division quarter-finals.
Lost to Guelph Storm 4 games to 2 in quarter-finals. *1997–98 Out of playoffs. *1998–99 Lost to Owen Sound Platers 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals. *1999–2000 Defeated Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
Defeated Erie Otters 4 games to 3 in conference semi-finals.
Lost to Plymouth Whalers 4 games to 1 in conference finals. *2000–01 Out of playoffs. *2001–02 Lost to Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals. *2002–03 Lost to Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals. *2003–04 Out of playoffs. *2004–05 Lost to Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 3 in conference quarter-finals. *2005–06 Lost to London Knights 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals. *2006–07 Defeated Saginaw Spirit 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
Lost to London Knights 4 games to 3 in conference semi-finals. *2007–08 Defeated Saginaw Spirit 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
Defeated Guelph Storm 4 games to 1 in conference semi-finals.
Lost to Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 1 in conference finals. *2008–09 Out of playoffs. *2009–10 Lost to Plymouth Whalers 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals. *2010–11 Out of playoffs. *2011–12 Out of playoffs. *2012–13 Lost to Owen Sound Attack 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals. *2013–14 Defeated Owen Sound Attack 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
Lost to Erie Otters 4 games to 0 in conference semi-finals. *2014–15 Defeated Saginaw Spirit 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
Defeated Guelph Storm 4 games to 0 in conference semi-finals.
Lost to Erie Otters 4 games to 2 in conference finals. *2015-16 Defeated Sarnia Sting 4 games to 3 in conference quarter-finals.
Lost to Erie Otters 4 games to 1 in conference semi-finals. *2016-17 Defeated Flint Firebirds 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
Lost to Owen Sound Attack 4 games to 2 in conference semi-finals. *2017-18 Defeated Saginaw Spirit 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
Defeated Owen Sound Attack 4 games to 3 in conference semi-finals.
Defeated Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 3 in conference finals.
Lost to Hamilton Bulldogs 4 games to 2 in finals. *2018-19 Defeated Owen Sound Attack 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
Lost to Saginaw Spirit 4 games to 2 in conference semi-finals. *2019–20 Out of playoffs. *2020–21 Cancelled. *2021-22 Defeated Guelph Storm 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
Lost to Flint Firebirds 4 games to 1 in conference semi-finals.

Uniforms and logos

The Greyhounds colours are predominantly red and white, with uniforms in a style very similar to the Detroit Red Wings. Black and silver trim were added in the late 1980s, as well as four stars above the logo. Sault Ste. Marie has used their classic red circle logo with the running greyhound for all but three seasons of their existence. From 1996 to 1999 the Greyhounds redesigned their logo (inset right), to what became known by fans as the "Ugly Dog" or "Snoopy" logo. Due to public backlash and a fan petition for its removal, the team discontinued its use and went back to the classic logo. For the 2009-10 switchover to the

Reebok Edge Players in the National Hockey League wear equipment which allows their team affiliation to be easily identified, unifying the image of the team. Currently, a NHL uniform consists of a hockey jersey, hockey pants, socks, gloves, and a helmet. Bac ...

jersey system, the Greyhounds returned to their classic jerseys from the 1970s and early 80s, including removing black & silver from their logo. In 2013, the team switched to jerseys identical to those of the NHL's Detroit Red Wings. The Greyhounds have used third jerseys since 2006, when the team introduced a black third jersey with a "Soo Greyhounds" script logo, as well as red, white, and grey trim, and stars around the waist. The jersey was slightly updated for its 2010 return after the Reebok Edge switchover, but was completely replaced in 2013 in favour of a simpler red third jersey with the running greyhound as the main logo, and a white nameplate with red lettering.

Arenas

The first home of the Greyhounds from 1919 to 1945 was Gouin Street Arena. The arena had wooden benches for 1,000 spectators. It was destroyed by fire in 1945. An outdoor rink at Pullar Stadium in

Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan Sault Ste. Marie ( ') is the only city in, and county seat of, Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. With a population of 13,337 at the 2020 census, it is the second-most populated city in the Upper Peninsula after Marquette. It i ...

was used until a new indoor facility was built. The Greyhounds returned to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan again in 1979, playing for about a month at Taffy Abel Arena on the campus of

Lake Superior State University Lake Superior State University (colloquially Lake State, Lake Superior State, Soo Tech, and LSSU) is a public college in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. It is enrolls approximately 2,000 students. Due to its proximity to the Canadian border, and th ...

due to emergency roof repairs at the Gardens. The Greyhounds played home games at the Sault Memorial Gardens from 1949 to 2006. The building was named for the

war veteran A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that has ...

s of World War II. The Gardens hosted

games in 1978 and 1993, and the OHL All-Star Game in 1979. The last game at the Gardens was played on Tuesday, March 28, 2006. Demolition of the Gardens began on April 27, 2006. All that remains of the Gardens is the Memorial Tower, which is part of "Memorial Square". The red beacon of the Memorial Tower was preserved and continues to be lit on game days. The Greyhounds moved to the new GFL Memorial Gardens (formerly named the Steelback Centre and the

) for the

2006–07 OHL season The 2006–07 OHL season was the 27th season of the Ontario Hockey League. The OHL announced, a new rule titled "Checking to the Head," effective for this season. Also announced, the recently adopted National Hockey League rule on stick curvature ...

. The new arena was built in the east parking lot of the Memorial Gardens, and is the largest such centre in

Northern Ontario Northern Ontario is a primary geographic and quasi-administrative region of the Canadian province of Ontario, the other primary region being Southern Ontario. Most of the core geographic region is located on part of the Superior Geological Pro ...

. Its

naming rights Naming rights are a financial transaction and form of advertising or memorialization whereby a corporation, person, or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, object, location, program, or event, typically for a defined period of t ...

are currently held by GFL Environmental. The inaugural game was played on October 11, 2006, resulting in a 2-1 loss to the Sudbury Wolves. The 2008 OHL All-Star Classic was held at the Essar Centre during the 2007–08 season.Essar Centre - The OHL Arena & Travel Guide
/ref>

Media

Since the 2009–10 season, Greyhounds' games have been broadcast on the radio by Rock 101 in neighbouring

, after previously airing on Q104 and CKCY. Most regular season and playoff games for the Greyhounds are broadcast on Shaw Spotlight in Sault Ste. Marie.

References

External links

* {{Ontario Sports Ontario Hockey League teams Sport in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Ice hockey clubs established in 1962 1962 establishments in Ontario