1975 off-season

1975 AQHL Draft

New Glasgow Highlanders 1st pick was forward Shawn Oakley of Charlottetown, P.E.I. Another P.E.I. Local from Summerside forward Jim Goff was picked 2nd by the Trois-Rivieres Titans. In the 3rd pick, the Portland Clippers took defence Roy Will from Lewiston, Maine.

1975 OMJHA Draft

Barrie Admirals select from Newmarket forward Leo Jackson, who has been under the league’s radar for two years, and he almost got drafted by a rival league, the SWOHL’s Windsor Aeros. Still, Leo wants to be close to home, which is a plus for the league. Oshawa Diamonds pick goalie Kevin Round of Mississauga, who helps his Mississauga AAA team win the All-Ontario championship and holds the most shutouts with 12 in one season. Owen Sound Arrowbirds draft forward Joshua Westbrook of Uxbridge.

1975 WCLH Draft

The Brandon Buffalos got themselves a fresh start by drafting forward James Ronaldson of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Moose Jaw takes defence Eric McQueen of Swift Current, Saskatchewan. Kenora Pioneers select forward John Paul of Thunder Bay, Ontario.

News

The day before the 1975 Valor Cup finals, CIHA President Joseph McGeorge announced that Vancouver, B.C. will host the 1976 tournament. Located at the Vancouver Arena, where the Vancouver pro hockey club used to play but is no longer in use ever since the pro team started their 1974-75 season in a brand-new arena. The Vancouver arena is currently being refurbished, and It will be done just in time for the 1976 Valor Cup tournament.

With many teams adding nameplates on the back of the jerseys becomes a thing, all three leagues decide to give the remaining teams that don’t have nameplates on the back of their jerseys have until after 1975-76 season to do so as it will become minatory.

There were no talks about any expansions; however, there were talks of relocations and new owners if the attendants at home games do not improve. An interview with AQHL President Paul Name said there are three teams (not named) who are under the average attendants but not low enough for relocation nor new owners talks.

One team from the WCLH that is in the news is the Nanaimo Greyhounds new owner Jake Peterson announced that the team would be renamed to the Nanaimo Sharks the reason for it is because under Greg’s will that Jake is the team’s new owner but will not keep the name the Greyhounds. The team will officially show off the logo and the jerseys in August, one month before the 1975-76 season. 

The good news, both Sherbrooke Loups and the city, agreed on building a new arena to replace the old Patinoire de Sherbrooke (Sherbrooke Rink). The new arena will be complete and open in the 1980-81 season.

1975 Valor Cup tournament

 

1975 Valor Cup tournament: Montreal, Quebec

Teams: Lethbridge Cougars, Oakville Oaks, Drummondville Les Rouges

Standings

Lethbridge Cougars: 3 W, 1 L.

Drummondville Les Rouges: 2 W, 2 L.

Oakville Oaks: 1 W, 3 L.

Story:

Hockey fans were in a treat as the 1975 Valor Cup would be a future star showcase with talents on the ice every game, the Cougars, Les Rouges game was the best game fans enjoyed, and pro hockey scouts eyeing on that right player for the draft. The Cougars won that game 6-5.

Cougars Cliff Burns is making a name for himself, scoring 12 goals in 4 games, the most in Valor Cup tournament history. The best game that Burns made was the last game of the round-robin against the Les Rouges, scoring five goals in an 8-2 win, creating one of the biggest blowouts in the tournament.

What was worse than getting blown out by the Cougars? How about losing the semi-finals to the Oaks that Les Rouges beat in the round-robin twice in a shutout result, the reason for this semi-final loss was the Les Rouges didn’t take the Oaks seriously even with their upset win over the Cougars. The Oaks beat the Les Rouges 5-4 overtime after the Oaks came back from behind 4-0 after the 2nd period and forced overtime.

The Valor Cup finals was a rubber match as both the Cougars and the Oaks had a win in a piece from each other in the round-robin, but in the end, the Cougars came out on top with Cliff Burns scoring three goals, three assists with a total of 6 points as the Cougars wins it 7-3 over the Oaks. Cliff was named MVP in the tournament.

1974-75 AQHL Season

 

Standings

1. Drummondville Les Rouges

2. Cape Breton Warriors

3. Laval Tigers

4. Moncton Bears

5. Fredericton Vikings

6. Verdun Knights

7. Sherbrooke Loups

8. Portland Clippers

9. Trois-Rivieres Titans

10. New Glasgow Highlanders

Story:

1974-75 season was an eye-opener for the league as two of the three bottom teams rose in the standings both Moncton and Fredericton plated very well enough to finish in 4th and 5th, for Trois-Rivieres even though they got some good trades to good picks. Still, the team is the youngest in the league finished 9th out of the playoffs.

The Verdun Knights surprised the league with some good young players, and some starving veterans want to show what they can do as they finished 6th place and going to the playoffs.

The expansion draft to even pro draft took its toll on the Loups as they had a rough 30 games, winning six games but won all their last ten games to finished 7th.

Drummondville Les Rouges took 1st place from the Cape Breton Warriors in the standings, and to add more salt to the wound, the Les Rouges swept the Warriors in 3 games to take home the Bronz Cup and punched their ticket for a quick jog to Montreal for the Valor Cup.

1974-75 OMJHA Season

 

Standings

1. Burlington Metros

2. Waterloo Maroons

3. Oakville Oaks

4. Kitchener Legionnaires

5. Guelph Crusaders

6. Kitchener Generals

7. Milton Micmacs

8. Owen Sound Arrowbirds

9. Oshawa Diamonds

10. Barrie Admirals

Story:

1974-75 began with two new teams, the Barrie Admirals and the Oshawa Diamonds. Both teams played very well in the first half of the season. Still, all went downhill in the 2nd half; the Admirals went 0-18-2 in the final 20 games, while the Diamonds won only 5 in the last 20 games. Luckily, it was enough for them to finished 9th.

Both the 1974 Smyth Cup champion Burlington Metros and the Waterloo Maroons battled for the top spot in the league, it was back and forth, but in the last game of the season, the Metros won the game against the Maroons 4-2 to take the sole spot of 1st place.

The Legionnaires rookie John Herbco tops the league in goals with 40, the most made by a rookie in OMJHA history, which also helped the team stay in the top 4.

With the OMJHA now a ten-team league, they expanded from a six-team playoff format to 8 team playoff formats. However, the number of games in each round is still the same as the owners and Franklin Name are discussing a possible extending more playoff games for next year.

The Metros may take 1st place in the league but didn’t become the league champions for the third year in a row. That title belongs to the Oakville Oaks as it took all five games, including games 1 to 4, ending in overtime. The Oaks win game 5 in regulation to win the Smyth Cup and a trip to Montreal for the 1975 Valor Cup tournament.