The 1995–96 OHL season was the 16th season of the Ontario Hockey League. The league expanded as the Barrie Colts entered into the central division. The Detroit Junior Red Wings become the Detroit Whalers. Seventeen teams each played 66 games. The Peterborough Petes won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Guelph Storm.
Table of Contents
Expansion[edit]
Barrie Colts[edit]
On May 6, 1994, The Barrie Colts were approved as an expansion team in the Ontario Hockey League beginning in the 1995-96 season. The Colts began their inaugural season playing in the Barrie Arena, however, on December 31, 1995, the Colts moved into their new home, the Barrie Molson Centre. The Colts joined the Central Division.
Rebranding[edit]
Detroit Junior Red Wings to Detroit Whalers[edit]
At the conclusion of the 1994-95, the Detroit Junior Red Wings severed all ties with the National Hockey League Detroit Red Wings, as Peter Karmanos renamed the franchise the Detroit Whalers.
The Whalers moved out of Joe Louis Arena and into the Palace of Auburn Hills, home of the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association and the Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League. The Whalers would play 21 of their 33 home games in the regular season at the Palace of Auburn Hills while playing their remaining 12 home games at Oak Park Ice Arena. The Whalers played all of their home playoff games at the Oak Park Ice Arena.
The club remained in the West Division.
Regular season[edit]
Final standings[edit]
Note: DIV = Division; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PTS = Points; x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = earned first round bye
East Division[edit]
Central Division[edit]
West Division[edit]
Scoring leaders[edit]
Playoffs[edit]
[1]
Division quarter-finals[edit]
East Division[edit]
(2) Peterborough Petes vs. (5) Kingston Frontenacs[edit]
Peterborough wins series 4 – 2
(3) Belleville Bulls vs. (4) Oshawa Generals[edit]
March 19
Oshawa Generals
3 – 4
OT
Belleville Bulls
Yardmen Arena
Belleville wins series 4 – 1
Central Division[edit]
(2) Kitchener Rangers vs. (5) Barrie Colts[edit]
Kitchener wins series 4 – 3
(3) Niagara Falls Thunder vs. (4) Owen Sound Platers[edit]
Niagara Falls wins series 4 – 2
West Division[edit]
(1) Detroit Whalers vs. (4) Windsor Spitfires[edit]
Detroit wins series 4 – 3
(2) Sarnia Sting vs. (3) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds[edit]
March 17
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
1 – 5
Sarnia Sting
Sarnia Arena
March 18
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
2 – 6
Sarnia Sting
Sarnia Arena
Sarnia wins series 4 – 0
OHL quarter-finals[edit]
(C1) Guelph Storm vs. (C3) Niagara Falls Thunder[edit]
Guelph wins series 4 – 0
(W1) Detroit Whalers vs. (C2) Kitchener Rangers[edit]
Detroit wins series 4 – 1
(E1) Ottawa 67’s vs. (E3) Belleville Bulls[edit]
Belleville wins series 4 – 0
(W2) Sarnia Sting vs. (E2) Peterborough Petes[edit]
March 31
Peterborough Petes
1 – 7
Sarnia Sting
Sarnia Arena
April 1
Peterborough Petes
7 – 4
Sarnia Sting
Sarnia Arena
April 7
Peterborough Petes
7 – 6
OT
Sarnia Sting
Sarnia Arena
Peterborough wins series 4 – 2
OHL semi-finals[edit]
(C1) Guelph Storm vs. (E3) Belleville Bulls[edit]
Guelph wins series 4 – 1
(W1) Detroit Whalers vs. (E2) Peterborough Petes[edit]
Peterborough wins series 4 – 1
J. Ross Robertson Cup[edit]
(C1) Guelph Storm vs. (E2) Peterborough Petes[edit]
Peterborough wins series 4 – 3
All-Star teams[edit]
First team[edit]
Alyn McCauley, Centre, Ottawa 67’s
Daniel Cleary, Left Wing, Belleville Bulls
Cameron Mann, Right Wing, Peterborough Petes
Bryan Berard, Defence, Detroit Whalers
Kevin Bolibruck, Defence, Peterborough Petes
Craig Hillier, Goaltender, Ottawa 67’s
Brian Kilrea, Coach, Ottawa 67’s
Second team[edit]
Aaron Brand, Centre, Sarnia Sting
Sean Haggerty, Left Wing, Detroit Whalers
Jeff Johnstone, Right Wing, Niagara Falls Thunder
Sean Brown, Defence, Sarnia Sting
Jay McKee, Defence, Niagara Falls Thunder
Dan Cloutier, Goaltender, Guelph Storm
Bert Templeton, Coach, Barrie Colts
Third team[edit]
Sean Venedam, Centre, Sudbury Wolves
Jamie Wright, Left Wing, Guelph Storm
David Nemirovski, Right Wing, Sarnia Sting
Marc Moro, Defence, Kingston Frontenacs
Ryan Risidore, Defence, Guelph Storm
David Belitski, Goaltender, Kitchener Rangers
Travis Scott, Goaltender, Oshawa Generals
Mark Hunter, Coach, Sarnia Sting
J. Ross Robertson Cup:
Peterborough Petes
Hamilton Spectator Trophy:
Guelph Storm
Leyden Trophy:
Ottawa 67’s
Emms Trophy:
Guelph Storm
Bumbacco Trophy:
Detroit Whalers
Red Tilson Trophy:
Alyn McCauley, Ottawa 67’s
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy:
Aaron Brand, Sarnia Sting
Matt Leyden Trophy:
Brian Kilrea, Ottawa 67’s
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy:
Cameron Mann, Peterborough Petes
Max Kaminsky Trophy:
Bryan Berard, Detroit Whalers
OHL Goaltender of the Year:
Craig Hillier, Ottawa 67’s
Jack Ferguson Award:
Rico Fata, London Knights
Dave Pinkney Trophy:
Dan Cloutier and Brett Thompson, Guelph Storm
OHL Executive of the Year:
Bert Templeton, Barrie Colts
Emms Family Award:
Joe Thornton, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
F.W. ‘Dinty’ Moore Trophy:
Brett Thompson, Guelph Storm
OHL Humanitarian of the Year:
Craig Mills, Belleville Bulls
William Hanley Trophy:
Jeff Williams, Guelph Storm
Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy:
Aaron Brand, Sarnia Sting
Bobby Smith Trophy:
Boyd Devereaux, Kitchener Rangers
1996 OHL Priority Selection[edit]
On June 1, 1996, the OHL conducted the 1996 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium in Kitchener, Ontario. The London Knights held the first overall pick in the draft and selected Rico Fata from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Fata was awarded the Jack Ferguson Award, awarded to the top pick in the draft.
Below are the players who were selected in the first round of the 1996 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.[2]
Canada
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