Lakefield Chiefs

Lakefield Chiefs
CityLakefield, Ontario
LeagueProvincial Junior Hockey League
ConferenceEast
DivisionTod
FoundedCirca 1980
Home arenaLakefield-Smith Community Centre
ColoursRed, Yellow, and White
General managerNick O'Brien
Head coachJamie Arcand
Championships
League championsEJDHL: 1978 and 1979
CJCHL: 1987, 1989, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018
Clarence Schmalz Cups1987, 2000, 2014, 2018
OHA Cups1978, 1979

The Lakefield Chiefs are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team based in Lakefield, Ontario, Canada. They played in the Central Ontario Junior C Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association until the 2016–17 season when this league became the Orr Division of the Provincial Junior Hockey League

History

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Lakefield's goalie during 2014 Schmalz Cup final.
Lakefield player during 2014 Schmalz Cup final.

The Lakefield Chiefs emerged in the late 1970s as members of the Eastern Junior D Hockey League.

In the 1977–78 season, the Chiefs were Eastern league champions and faced off against the Western Ontario Junior D Hockey League Champions the Exeter Hawks. In a long and tight series, the Chiefs won game 7 and the series 4-games-to-3 to win their first OHA Cup as provincial champions.

A year later, the Chiefs were again the Eastern league champions. The Chiefs defeated the Western Ontario league's St. George Dukes 4-games-to-2 to clinch their second straight OHA Cup as Ontario Junior "D" Champions.

In 1980, the Lakefield Chiefs were promoted to join the Central Lakeshore Junior C Hockey League. Around 1986, the league merged with the Quinte-St. Lawrence Junior C Hockey League and became the Central Ontario Junior C Hockey League. That same year, the Chiefs won the Central Lakeshore championship.

In 1987, the Chiefs won the Central Ontario league championship. They moved on to the provincial championships and found themselves in the Clarence Schmalz Cup final against the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League's Norwich Merchants. The Chiefs came out victorious, winning the series 4-games-to-2 to win their first Clarence Schmalz Cup.

Over the next eleven seasons, the Chiefs won three league titles. They won in 1989, 1997, and 1999. In 2000, the Lakefield Chiefs won their third league championship in four years. This year was different. They pushed deep into provincial playdowns and found themselves again in the Clarence Schmalz Cup finals. Their opponent ended up being the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League's Belle River Canadiens. The Chiefs defeated them to win their second All-Ontario title at the Junior "C" level 4-games-to-2.

The Chiefs won their league again in 2004.

In 2005–06, the Chiefs finished the season in fourth place. In the league quarter-final, the Chiefs defeated the Georgina Ice 3-games-to-none. In the league semi-final, the Chiefs ran into the top seeded Port Perry Mojacks. The Mojacks defeated the Chiefs 4-games-to-1 to move on to the league final.

The 2006–07 season, the Chiefs won the regular season crown to earn the top seed in the playoffs. In the league semi-final, the Chiefs played against the Uxbridge Bruins and swept them 4-games-to-none. In the league final, the Chiefs also swept the Port Perry Mojacks 4-games-to-none to win the league championship. They moved on to the provincial quarter-finals where they were pitted against the Empire B Junior C Hockey League's Amherstview Jets. The Chiefs beat the Jets 4-games-to-2 to advance further. In the provincial semi-final, the Chiefs ran into the Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League's Penetang Kings. The Chiefs were swept 4-games-to-none by the Kings.

On February 8, 2024, the PJHL announced a conference realignment that would take place starting the 2024-25 season. Lakefield, along with North Kawartha would move from the Orr division into the Tod division.[citation needed]

Season-by-season results

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Season GP W L T OTL GF GA P Results Playoffs
1978-79 Statistics unavailable Won League
Won OHA Cup, 4-3 (Hawks)
1979-80 24 15 9 0 - -- -- 30 1st of 4 CJDHL Won League
Won OHA Cup, 4-2 (Dukes)
1980-81 36 12 21 3 - 165 217 27 7th of 10 COJCHL
1981-83 Statistics unavailable
1983-84 34 20 8 6 - -- -- 46 3rd of 9 COJCHL
1984-85 Statistics unavailable Lost final (Eagles)
1986-87 Statistics unavailable Won League (Cougars)
Lost CSC SF, 0-4 (Bulls)
1986-87 Statistics unavailable Won League (Dukes)
Won CSC SF, 4-3 (Bulls)
Won CSC Final, 4-2 (Merchants)
1987-88 32 27 3 2 - 271 114 56 1st of 11 COJCHL
1988-89 40 27 7 6 - 293 182 60 1st of 11 COJCHL Won League, 4-2 (Dukes)
Lost CSC SF, 2-4 (Bulls)
1989-90 36 12 22 2 - 177 243 26 6th of 7 COJCHL
1990-91 36 19 17 0 - 142 161 38 4th of 7 COJCHL
1991-92 34 5 26 0 3 130 193 13 6th of 6 COJCHL
1992-93 40 22 15 2 1 236 180 47 4th of 6 COJCHL
1993-94 29 13 13 1 2 137 135 29 4th of 6 COJCHL
1994-95 36 16 16 1 3 158 174 36 5th of 7 COJCHL
1995-96 42 12 27 3 0 162 252 27 5th of 6 COJCHL
1996-97 40 22 12 3 3 182 136 50 2nd of 6 COJCHL Won League
Won CSC QF (Rebels)
Lost CSC SF, 0-4 (Rangers)
1997-98 40 25 12 3 1 241 167 52 2nd of 6 COJCHL
1998-99 40 27 9 2 2 218 136 58 1st of 6 COJCHL Won semi-final, 4-0 (Merchants)
Won League, 4-2 (Bruins)
Won CSC QF, 4-1 (Pirates)
Lost CSC SF, 1-4 (Rangers)
1999-00 40 38 1 1 0 303 102 77 1st of 6 COJCHL Won semi-final, 4-0 (Bruins)
Won League, 4-0 (Ice)
Won CSC QF, 4-0 (Rebels)
Won CSC SF, 4-2 (Riverhawks)
Won CSC Final, 4-2 (Canadiens)
2000-01 40 29 7 2 2 183 118 62 1st of 6 COJCHL Won semi-final, 4-0 (Mojacks)
Lost final, 2-4 (Bruins)
2001-02 42 23 14 5 0 182 119 51 3rd of 6 COJCHL Won semi-final, 4-0 (Mojacks)
Lost final, 2-4 (Bruins)
2002-03 38 17 16 4 1 147 119 39 3rd of 5 COJCHL Won semi-final, 4-2 (Bruins)
Lost final, 3-4 (Ice)
2003-04 38 21 9 7 1 157 130 50 2nd of 5 COJCHL Won semi-final, 4-3 (Bruins)
Won League, 4-3 (Ice)
Won CSC QF, 4-2 (Rebels)
Lost CSC SF, 1-4 (Peach Kings)
2004-05 40 26 12 2 0 163 103 54 2nd of 5 COJCHL Lost semi-final, 2-4 (Mojacks)
2005-06 42 20 22 0 0 148 171 40 4th of 5 COJCHL Won quarter-final, 3-0 (Ice)
Lost semi-final, 1-4 (Mojacks)
2006-07 40 21 13 4 2 169 150 48 1st of 5 COJCHL Won semi-final, 4-0 (Bruins)
Won League, 4-0 (Mojacks)
Won CSC QF, 4-2 (Jets)
Lost CSC SF, 0-4 (Kings)
2007-08 40 27 13 0 0 160 111 54 1st of 5 COJCHL Won semi-final, 4-0 (Bruins)
Lost final, 0-4 (Ice)
2008-09 40 19 16 3 2 171 173 43 |Won semi-final, 4-0 (Mojacks)
Lost final, 0-4 (Bruins)
2009-10 40 10 29 - 1 154 203 21 5th of 5 COJCHL Won quarter-final, 3-0 (Ice)
Lost semi-final, 2-4 (Bruins)
2010-11 40 16 21 - 3 178 211 35 5th of 5 COJCHL Lost quarter-final, 2-3 (Merchants)
2011-12 40 27 10 - 3 208 141 57 1st of 6 COJCHL Won semi-final, 4-1 (Ice)
Lost final, 2-4 (Eagles)
2012-13 40 28 8 - 4 184 102 60 2nd of 6 COJCHL Won semi-final, 4-0 (Eagles)
Won League, 4-1 (Bruins)
Lost CSC QF, 3-4 (Pirates)
2013-14 40 35 4 - 1 217 99 71 1st of 6 COJCHL Won semi-final, 4-0 (Mojacks)
Won League, 4-1 (Bruins)
Won CSC QF, 4-3 (Pirates)
Won CSC SF, 4-0 (Peach Kings)
Won CSC Final, 4-0 (73's)
2014-15 42 29 12 - 1 193 123 59 2nd of 7 COJCHL Lost semi-final, 0-4 (Eagles)
2015-16 42 21 18 3 0 151 133 45 5th of 7 COJCHL Won quarter-final, 4-0 (Merchants)
Lost semi-final, 2-4 (Eagles)
2016-17 41 32 7 2 - 188 108 66 1st of 7
Orr Div. PJHL
Won Div. SF, 4-2 (Pirates)
Won Div. Final, 4-0 (Eagles)
Lost Conf. Final, 2-4 (Panthers)
2017-18 41 33 4 1 3 225 98 70 1st of 7
Orr Div. PJHL
Won Div SF, 4-0 (Knights)
Won Div. Final, 4-1 (Mojacks)
Won Conf. Finals, 4-3 (Panthers)
Won League Semifinal 4-3 (Siskins)
Won League Final, 4-1 (Rangers)
Clarence Schmalz Cup Champions
2018-19 42 30 8 1 3 184 95 64 2nd of 7
Orr Div. PJHL
Lost Div Semis, 3-4 (Knights)
2019-20 42 25 13 2 2 176 84 54 3rd of 7
Orr Div. PJHL
Lost Div Semis, 3-4 (Knights)
2020-21 Season Lost due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22 32 12 15 4 1 95 119 29 6th of 7
Orr Div. PJHL
Won Div Quarters, 4-2 (Bruins)
L Div Semis 2-4 (Merchants)
2022-23 42 10 30 2 0 96 179 22 7th of 7
Orr Div. PJHL
Lost Div Quarters, 1-4 (Ice)
2023-24 42 20 18 3 1 160 176 44 4th of 7
Orr Div. PJHL
Won Div Quarters, 4-0 (Lumberjacks)
Lost Div Semifinals, 1-4 (Eagles)

Schmalz Cup Finals appearances

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1987: Lakefield Chiefs defeated Norwich Merchants 4-games-to-2
2000: Lakefield Chiefs defeated Belle River Canadiens 4-games-to-2
2014: Lakefield Chiefs defeated Essex 73's 4-games-to-none
2018: Lakefield Chiefs defeated Glanbrook Rangers 4-games-to-1

OHA Cup Finals appearances

[edit]
1978: Lakefield Chiefs defeated Exeter Hawks 4-games-to-3
1979: Lakefield Chiefs defeated St. George Dukes 4-games-to-2

2017–18 Team Staff

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  • President - Don Dunford
  • General Manager - Tyler Revoy
  • Head Coach - Jamie Arcand
  • Assistant Coach - Shawn Dunbar
  • Assistant Coach - Jason Hinze
  • Assistant Coach - Nick O'Brien
  • Trainer - Blair Nelson / Jared Ellis

Notable alumni

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