Pictou County Crushers

Pictou County Crushers
CityNew Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada
LeagueMaritime Junior Hockey League
DivisionEastlink South Division
Founded1967 (Halifax Colonels)
Home arenaPictou County Wellness Centre
ColoursRed, Black and White      
Owner(s)Bruce Ryan & Scott Burden
General managerWillie MacDonald
Head coachGarrett Lambke
MediaCrushers Official Site
Franchise history
1967 - 1973Halifax Colonels
1973 - 1975Halifax Blazers
1975-1977Halifax Centennials
1977-1989Halifax Lions
1989-1990Halifax DQ Blizzards
1990-1991Halifax Jr. Canadians
1991-1993Halifax Mooseheads
1993-1994Halifax Oland Exports
1995-1998Dartmouth Oland Exports
1998-2003Halifax Oland Exports
2003-2004Halifax Team Pepsi
2004-PresentWeeks Jr 'A' Crushers

The Pictou County Crushers are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. They are in the Maritime Junior Hockey League's Eastlink South Division along with five other clubs. The Crushers play their home games at the Pictou County Wellness Centre.

History

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The Crushers originated in Halifax. The franchise, under various names in Nova Scotia's capital city, holds the MHL (formerly the MJAHL) record for most championships with 10. As the Halifax Oland Exports, they captured the 2002 Royal Bank Cup on home ice. Due to financial reasons, the team's name was changed to Halifax Team Pepsi for the 2003-2004 campaign.

In the spring of 2004, the Weeks Hockey Organization bought the club, moved it to New Glasgow and renamed it the Pictou County Weeks Crushers. The team's name and logo are tied to its founding sponsor, Weeks Construction.

After struggling to attract fans in Halifax's crowded hockey market, the Crushers soared up the attendance ladder in New Glasgow and are now one of the league's top draws at the gate.

The Crushers hosted the 2005 MJAHL All-Star Game and the 2006 MJAHL Entry Draft.

In April 2008, the Crushers were the Fred Page Cup host team. They shocked everyone as the underdogs defeated the defending FPC champion Pembroke Lumber Kings 4-1 in the championship game. With the victory, the Crushers advanced to their first ever Royal Bank Cup, in Cornwall, Ontario. They went 1-4 at the RBC, losing the semifinal game 3-0 to the Camrose Kodiaks.

In November 2012, the Crushers moved out of their former home John Brother MacDonald Stadium that they used from 2004 to 2012 and into the new Pictou County Wellness Center.

The Crushers won their first Kent cup in 2016 defeating the Dieppe Commandos in the final, they have also come close back to back years (2010,2011) by making it to the finals but they lost both times. In 2010 they lost to the Woodstock Slammers 4-1 and, in 2011 they lost to the Summerside Western Capitals 4-0.

Season-by-season record

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Season GP W L T OTL GF GA P Results Playoffs
Halifax Colonels/Blazers
1972-73 40 24 14 2 - 201 163 50 3rd MVJHL
1973-74 34 23 8 3 - 211 123 49 3rd MVJHL
1974-75 Statistics Not Available
Halifax Centennials
1975-76 32 14 16 2 - 175 192 30 5th MVJHL
1976-77 32 14 12 6 - 199 157 34 5th MVJHL
Halifax Lions
1977-78 36 19 16 1 - 177 164 39 3rd MVJHL
1978-79 34 23 8 3 - 200 107 49 1st MVJHL Won League
1979-80 Statistics Not Available
1980-81 39 30 4 5 - 294 127 65 1st MVJHL
1981-82 40 23 13 4 - 211 184 50 2nd MVJHL Won League
1982-83 39 22 13 4 - -- -- 48 2nd MVJHL Won League
1983-84 40 30 6 4 - 358 183 64 1st MVJHL Won League
1984-85 40 27 9 4 - 269 169 58 2nd MVJHL
1985-86 40 20 18 2 - 230 220 42 3rd MVJHL
1986-87 40 32 7 1 - 285 142 65 1st MVJHL
1987-88 40 21 12 7 - 237 186 49 1st MVJHL Won League
1988-89 40 20 12 8 - 271 201 48 2nd MVJHL
Halifax DQ Blizzards
1989-90 40 25 12 3 - 313 181 53 2nd MVJHL
Halifax Jr. Canadians
1990-91 39 25 8 6 - 219 157 56 2nd MVJHL Won League
Halifax Mooseheads
1991-92 46 34 7 5 - 304 154 73 1st MJAHL Won League
1992-93 48 26 14 8 0 290 228 60 1st MJAHL
Halifax Oland Exports
1993-94 48 36 9 1 2 321 202 75 1st MJAHL
1994-95 48 23 20 3 2 216 188 51 4th MJAHL
Dartmouth Oland Exports
1995-96 54 30 21 3 0 324 274 63 3rd MJAHL Won League
1996-97 56 36 15 3 2 321 242 77 1st MJAHL
1997-98 52 34 15 2 1 286 205 71 1st MJAHL
Halifax Oland Exports
1998-99 48 31 15 2 - 231 161 65 2nd MJAHL
1999-00 52 38 8 4 2 296 178 82 1st MJAHL Won League
2000-01 52 33 19 0 0 232 188 66 4th MJAHL
2001-02 52 38 8 4 2 260 135 82 1st MJAHL Won League, Won FPC, Won RBC
2002-03 52 15 35 2 0 164 248 34 9th MJAHL DNQ
Halifax Team Pepsi
2003-04 52 18 27 4 3 184 223 43 10th MJAHL DNQ
Pictou County Crushers
2004-05 56 26 24 6 0 162 168 58 6th MJAHL Lost Division Semi-Final
2005-06 56 31 19 0 6 173 170 69 4th MJAHL Lost Division Final
2006-07 58 24 28 0 6 191 208 54 9th MJAHL Lost Division Semi-Final
2007-08 58 35 21 - 2 246 180 72 5th MJAHL Lost Division Final, Won FPC
2008-09 54 25 23 - 6 154 177 56 8th MJAHL Lost Division Semi-Final
2009-10 49 27 21 - 1 159 157 55 5th MJAHL Lost Final
2010-11 52 31 16 - 5 199 152 67 3rd MHL Lost Final
2011-12 52 27 18 - 7 187 191 61 5th MHL Lost Mini Series
2012-13 52 28 19 - 5 199 185 61 6th MHL Lost Division Semi-Final
2013-14 52 35 12 - 5 204 137 75 3rd MHL Lost Division Final
2014-15 48 29 14 - 5 182 167 63 3rd MHL Lost Division Semi-Final
2015-16 48 25 18 - 5 172 143 55 7th MHL Won Div. Semi-Final 4-2 (Wildcats)
Won Div. Finals, 4-1 (Lumberjacks)
Won League Finals, 4-2 (Commandos)
2016-17 50 38 9 - 3 265 145 79 1st MHL Lost Div. Semi-Final 3-4 (Ramblers)
2017-18 50 21 24 - 5 157 173 47 9th MHL DNQ
2018-19 50 22 21 - 7 170 178 51 8th MHL DNQ
2019-20 52 29 21 - 2 174 159 60 8th MHL Div. Semi-Final 0-0 (Ramblers).
Playoffs Cancelled due to Covid-19 Pandemic.
2020-21 Season cancelled due to Covid-19 Pandemic
2021-22 39 15 19 - 5 129 154 35 9th MHL DNQ
2022-23 52 23 29 - 0 210 216 46 8th MHL Lost Div. Semi-Final 4-0 (Mariners)
2023-24 52 21 27 4 0 223 217 58 3rd of 6 South
6th of 12 MHL
Lost Div. Semi-Final 2-4 (Ramblers)

Fred Page Cup

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Eastern Canada Championships
MHL - QAAAJHL - CCHL - Host
Round robin play with 2nd vs 3rd in semi-final to advance against 1st in the finals.

Year Round Robin Record Standing SemiFinal Gold Medal Game
2016 L, Longueuil Collège Français 1-4
L, Carleton Place Canadians 1-3
L, Woodstock Slammers 1-9
0-2-0 4th of 4 Failed to qualify for playoffs

Notable alumni

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See also

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References

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Preceded by Royal Bank Cup Champions
2002
Succeeded by