The Espanola Rivermen were a

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

junior Junior or Juniors may refer to: Aircraft * Ekolot JK-05L Junior, a Polish ultralight aircraft * PZL-112 Junior, a Polish training aircraft * SZD-51 Junior, a Polish-made training and club glider Arts and entertainment Characters * Bowser Jr., ...

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...

franchise based in Espanola,

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. They were founded as a part of the

Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) is a Junior ice hockey league with eleven teams in Northeastern Ontario and Upper Michigan. The league is a constituent member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) and is governed by the ...

, but joined the

Canadian International Hockey League The Canadian International Hockey League (CIHL) was a Canadian independent Junior ice hockey league based in Northern Ontario, Central Ontario, and the Greater Toronto Area. History The CIHL was officially announced on April 8, 2014 with the unve ...

after one season.

History

The Espanola Rivermen were granted expansion in the summer of 2013 to the

. They are the first junior club in Espanola since the demise of the Espanola Kings of the

Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League The Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL) is a Canadian developmental junior ice hockey league. The league has primarily had teams in the Greater Toronto Area, Central Ontario, Northeastern Ontario, and Quebec. As of December 2019, the le ...

and first NOJHL franchise since the

Espanola Screaming Eagles The Espanola Eagles (aka Espanola Screaming Eagles) were a Canadian Junior ice hockey team. The team was coached for eighteen years by Red McCarthy who then managed it for another four. The Eagles were located in Espanola, Ontario and played in th ...

. As a condition of expansion, Tim Clayden, former owner of the North Bay Trappers and the

Trenton Golden Hawks The Trenton Golden Hawks are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team from Trenton, Ontario. They are members of the Ontario Junior Hockey League, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and a member of the Ontario Hockey Association and Hockey Can ...

, would have to sell his Trappers' franchise to get the team in Espanola. When a buyer was found for the Trappers, his expansion was granted. The Rivermen's first game was played in

Kirkland Lake, Ontario Kirkland Lake is a town and municipality in Timiskaming District, Ontario, Timiskaming District of Northeastern Ontario. The 2021 population, according to Statistics Canada, was 7,750. The community name was based on a nearby lake which in turn ...

against the

Kirkland Lake Gold Miners The Kirkland Lake Gold Miners are a Junior ice hockey#Junior A, Junior "A" ice hockey team from Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. History Manitoulin Founded in 2003 as the Manitoulin W ...

on September 6, 2013. Despite an early 2–0 lead, the Rivermen would lose the game 8–3. Brandon Janke scored the first goal in team history, while Griffin Strain played the game in net. The next night, the Rivermen traveled to

Iroquois Falls, Ontario Iroquois Falls is a town in Northern Ontario, Canada, with a population of 4,418 at the Canada 2021 Census, 2021 census. The town centre lies 11 km east of Ontario Highway 11, Hwy 11 on the banks of the Abitibi River, west of Lake Abitibi. ...

to play the

Abitibi Eskimos The Timmins Rock are a Junior ice hockey#Junior A, Junior "A" ice hockey team from Timmins, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL). History The Timmins Golden Bears became members of the NOJHL in 1991 ...

where the Rivermen won 3–1 to pick up their first franchise victory. Strain would get the win in net. The Rivermen's first home game was on September 27, 2013, as they host the

Sudbury Nickel Barons The Greater Sudbury Cubs are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Sudbury, Ontario. They are a part of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL). History The Sudbury Northern Wolves came into the league in 2000 and were present up until th ...

. The Rivermen would win the game 5–4. The first home ice goal was scored by Cray Roberge, 14:35 into the first period, on a penalty shot. Brennan Dubchak would score the eventual winning goal 9:04 into the third period while Griffin Strain made 44 saves to pick up the historic win. In the summer of 2014, Clayden opted to pull the Rivermen out of the NOJHL to form his own league. The newly formed

boasted 8 teams, but within months lost most of its teams. The CIHL season ended with only two teams and the Town of Espanola cancelling their contract with the Rivermen organization. The CIHL folded in the spring of 2015 and Espanola had an NOJHL team within weeks, with the

Espanola Express The Espanola Paper Kings are a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey team based out of Espanola, Ontario. They are members of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) and play their home games at the Espanola Regional Recreational Complex. Hi ...

for the 2015–16 season.

Season-by-season results

References

External links

Espanola Jr. A Hockey Club Webpage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Espanola Rivermen Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League teams Sport in Northern Ontario Espanola, Ontario Ice hockey clubs established in 2013 2013 establishments in Ontario Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 2015 2015 disestablishments in Ontario Defunct ice hockey teams in Ontario