1978-79 OMJHA Season

 

Standings

Hero Division

1. Kitchener Generals

2. Barrie Admirals

3. Oshawa Diamonds

4. Burlington Metros

5. Milton Micmacs

6. Oakville Oaks

Steel Division

1. Kitchener Legionnaires

2. Orangeville O’s

3. Waterloo Maroons

4. Owen Sound Arrowbirds

5. Buffalo Bees

6. Peterborough Braves

Story

During the pre-season, the OMJHA announced that there are now two divisions in the league, six teams each. The names are the Hero division and the Steel division, named after two original teams that were once part of the league from the beginning, the Toronto Heros and the Hamilton Steel.

October 20, 1978, the Buffalo Bees played their season opener at Owen Sound as they won 3-1 over the Arrowbirds. On November 1, 1978, the Buffalo Bee's first home opener at the sold-out Regal Forum in Buffalo, New York, the Bees lost in overtime 4-3 to the Burlington Metros. The Bees finished 5th in the Steel Division.

The Oakville Oaks had a lousy season; they had 15 games losing streak, the longest losing streak in team history as the team finished 12th overall with just 9 wins. From winning the 1974-75 Smyth cup and getting his contract extended to 1978-79 dead last finish and his contract terminated, as Gary Russo was no longer part of the team, the Oaks will announce a new head coach later on in the off-season.

The Orangeville O’s surprised everyone with a significant improvement thanks to their draft picks to even mid-season trades. They had the highest 14-game winning streak, finished 2nd in the Steel division and hopefully go deep into the playoffs.

The Defending Champions Kitchener Generals had a slow start by losing the first six games; they finished the first half of the season 10-10-5. In the last 25 games, the Gens went through very well with a 19-2-4, including crucial wins they need to stay on top of both Barrie Admirals and Oshawa Diamonds in the Hero Division.

After losing the Smyth Cup last year, the Legionnaires were not the favourite to head back to the finals to the lowest point of not making it to this season's playoffs. To add more log to the fire after the Pro Hockey draft in the off-season, John Herbco didn’t get drafted at all even though he performed gracefully at the pro hockey tryout camp, nothing which did not sit well for John. Still, he knows the only way for him to get noticed by the pros is that the Legionnaires must win both the Smyth Cup and the Valor Cup. John racked up goals and points like crazy as he made the season record of 126 points (48 goals, 78 assists). Within those 48 goals, he made a hat-trick streak record of 9 games. With his performance and other players stepping up their game, the Legionnaires finished 1st place in the Steel Division and league overall.

Both Milton Micmacs and the Burlington Metros went back and forth for the 4th spot in the Hero Division. Both had the same record after 48 games until the final 2 games the Metros got the better over the Macs as the Metros beat the Diamonds and the Admirals where they had no chance of winning those games while the Macs, who thought they got easy 2 wins but lost those two games to the Braves and the Oaks. After that, the Macs are out, and the Metros are in the playoffs.