Waxers. Jr. 67’s. Greyhounds. Majors. Kings. Wolves. Who wins their way to Membertou?
Fifty-two teams call the Central Region home, but only six remain in the
hunt for the region’s berth at the
2024 TELUS Cup in Membertou, Nova Scotia – the Markham Waxers, Ottawa Jr. 67’s, Timmins
Majors, Vaughan Kings, Waterloo Wolves and host Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
All six are relatively fresh faces, with the Greyhounds the most recent
regional competitors, in 2022. They own nine TELUS Cup appearances between them – six
of those belong to Sault Ste. Marie – but none have played on the national
stage since Ottawa won silver in 2013.
The field has a bit of a ‘Cinderella’ feel to it – only the Jr. 67’s were
the best regular-season team in their league – although all six teams have
earned their spots; the five league champions finished a combined 40-13-8
in the playoffs, and even the host Greyhounds pushed Timmins to overtime in
the GNU18L semifinals.
RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH)
2023 – Toronto Jr. Canadiens (4th place)
2022 – Mississauga Reps (4th place)
2019 – Toronto Young Nationals (gold medal)
2018 – Toronto Young Nationals (4th place)
2017 – Mississauga Rebels (bronze medal)
MARKHAM WAXERS
OMHA CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 24-8-2-1 (5th in
OMHA)
Goals for: 157
Goals against: 87
Leading scorer: Matthew Johnson (25G 21A 46P)
Playoff record: 11-2-2
Goals for: 68
Goals against: 37
Leading scorer: Tate Collins (9G 9A 18P)
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
OMHA Playoffs
Round robin: 2nd in East Group A – lost to Ajax-Pickering Raiders 4-0, tied
North Central Predators 2-2, defeated Kingston Jr. Gaels 1-0, defeated
Oshawa Generals 7-3, defeated North Central Predators 5-2, defeated
Clarington Toros 8-3, defeated Clarington Toros 6-0, defeated Kingston Jr.
Gaels 5-1, tied Ajax-Pickering Raiders 5-5, defeated Oshawa Generals 3-2
OMHA Championship
Preliminary round: 2nd in Group 2 – defeated Central Ontario Wolves 9-2,
defeated Oakville Rangers 5-1, lost to Burlington Eagles 7-3
Semifinal: defeated Guelph Gryphons 5-3
Final: defeated Burlington Eagles 4-2
Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none
OTTAWA JR. 67’S
HEO CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 24-4-2 (1st in
HEO)
Goals for: 141
Goals against: 70
Leading scorer: Dylan Turcotte (28G 21A 49P)
Playoff record: 7-2-1
Goals for: 37
Goals against: 21
Leading scorer: Dylan Turcotte (7G 8A 15P)
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Semifinal: defeated OHA Mavericks 3-1-1 (-3, 3-2, 3-2, 0-2, 1-1)
Final: defeated Upper Canada Cyclones 4-1 (5-3, 2-4, 4-2, 8-1, 5-1)
Last national championship appearance: 2013 (silver medal)
Total national championship appearances: 1 (2013)
SAULT STE. MARIE GREYHOUNDS
HOST
Regular season record: 20-13-3 (3rd in
GNU18L)
Goals for: 136
Goals against: 106
Leading scorer: Sebastian Dos Reis (19G 26A 45P)
Playoff record: 2-2-1
Goals for: 14
Goals against: 15
Leading scorer: Camden Cowan (3G 4A 7P)
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Preliminary round: 2nd place – lost to Sudbury U18 Wolves 4-1, defeated
Timmins Majors 3-2, tied New Liskeard Cubs 3-3, defeated Sudbury U16 Wolves
3-1
Semifinal: lost to Timmins Majors 5-4 OT
Last national championship appearance: 2013 (5th place)
Total national championship appearances: 6 (1980, 1993, 1999, 2003, 2007,
2013)
TIMMINS MAJORS
GNU18L CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 23-9-3 (2nd in
GNU18L)
Goals for: 144
Goals against: 121
Leading scorer: Ian Lachance (26G 48A 74P)
Playoff record: 4-1-1
Goals for: 15
Goals against: 11
Leading scorer: Edan Etheridge (4G 6A 10P)
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Preliminary round: 3rd place – defeated New Liskeard Cubs 3-1, lost to
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 3-2, defeated Sudbury U18 Wolves 2-1, tied
Sudbury U16 Wolves 1-1
Semifinal: defeated Sault Ste. Marie Jr. Greyhounds 5-4 OT
Final: defeated Sudbury U18 Wolves 2-1
Last national championship appearance: 2002 (5th place)
Total national championship appearances: 1 (2002)
VAUGHAN KINGS
GTHL CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 22-7-7 (2nd in
GTHL)
Goals for: 104
Goals against: 57
Leading scorer: unavailable
Playoff record: 9-5
Goals for: 42
Goals against: 32
Leading scorer: unavailable
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated North York Rangers 3-1 (2-3, 3-1, 5-2, 4-1)
Semifinal: defeated Toronto Young Nationals 3-2 (2-5, 3-2, 3-2, 3-4, 4-1)
Final: defeated Mississauga Senators 3-2 (2-4, 2-3, 2-0, 3-2, 4-2)
Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none
WATERLOO
WOLVES
ALLIANCE CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 24-10-1 (3rd in
Alliance)
Goals for: 153
Goals against: 80
Leading scorer: unavailable
Playoff record: 7-1-3
Goals for: 35
Goals against: 19
Leading scorer: unavailable
ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Huron-Perth Lakers 2-1-1 (5-3, 3-3, 0-1, 3-1)
Semifinal: defeated Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs 3-0 (3-0, 4-2, 4-1)
Final: defeated Lambton Jr. Sting 2-0-2 (2-2, 4-3, 5-1, 2-2)
Last national championship appearance: 2003 (5th place)
Total national championship appearances: 1 (2003)
