| Norwich Merchants | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Norwich, Ontario |
| League | Provincial Junior Hockey League |
| Conference | South |
| Division | Pat Doherty |
| Founded | 1968 (1968) |
| Home arena | Nor-Del Arena |
| Colours | Red, Black, and White |
| General manager | Darren House |
| Head coach | Derek Partlo (2024) |
| Website | norwichjrcmerchants |
The Norwich Merchants are a junior hockey team based in Norwich, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Provincial Junior Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association.
History
Founded in 1968, the Merchants won the Southern Counties Junior D Hockey League championship the next season, then went on to win the OHA Cup as provincial champions by defeating the Haliburton Huskies of the Central League.
In 1980, the Merchants were promoted to Junior C and joined the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League. In 1986, the Merchants were Niagara League champions. They went on to defeat the Bradford Blues of the Mid-Ontario Junior Hockey League to win the Clarence Schmalz Cup as OHA Junior C champions. In 1987, they were again Niagara League champions. They again made it to the provincial final, but this time lost to the Lakefield Chiefs of the Central Ontario Junior C Hockey League.
In November 2011, the Merchants were sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association for the overpayment of a former player during his time with the team. Although the team claimed the money was for education purposes, the OHA fined the team $25,000, suspended three board members for the rest of the season and three additional seasons, their 2011-12 roster was frozen for the rest of the season, and they were barred from signing imports for three following seasons. The Merchants appealed the decision to the Ontario Hockey Federation. The OHF overturned the roster freeze and import restrictions saying that it was not within the OHA's constitution to wield those powers. Both sides then appealed to Hockey Canada who sided with neither party, which left the fine and suspensions in place.
After thirty-three years as members of the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey Association realigned and the Merchants ended up in the new Midwestern Junior C Hockey League. Three years later the eight Southern Ontario junior "C" hockey leagues amalgamated into one league, the Provincial Junior Hockey League. This means that they are now competing in the Pat Doherty Division of the Central Conference.
The playoffs for the 2019-20 season were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the team not being able to play a single game.
Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Points | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1968-69 | 30 | 15 | 14 | 1 | - | 170 | 145 | 31 | 4th SCJDHL | |
| 1969-70 | 30 | 15 | 14 | 1 | - | 157 | 127 | 31 | 4th SCJDHL | Won League, Won OHA Cup |
| 1970-71 | 30 | 18 | 10 | 2 | - | 160 | 138 | 38 | 2nd SCJDHL | |
| 1971-72 | 28 | 12 | 13 | 3 | - | 129 | 120 | 27 | 4th SCJDHL | |
| 1972-73 | 30 | 18 | 10 | 2 | - | 200 | 147 | 38 | 3rd SCJDHL | |
| 1973-74 | 28 | 14 | 14 | 0 | - | 163 | 162 | 28 | 4th SCJDHL | |
| 1974-75 | 30 | 15 | 15 | 0 | - | 172 | 159 | 30 | 3rd SCJDHL | |
| 1975-76 | 35 | 21 | 13 | 1 | - | -- | -- | 43 | 4th SCJDHL | |
| 1976-77 | 28 | 15 | 12 | 1 | - | -- | -- | 31 | 3rd SCJDHL | |
| 1977-78 | 35 | 9 | 22 | 4 | - | 155 | 226 | 22 | 7th SJDHL | |
| 1978-79 | 32 | 12 | 20 | 0 | - | 157 | 189 | 22 | 8th SJDHL | |
| 1979-80 | 34 | 18 | 15 | 1 | - | 204 | 186 | 37 | 4th SJDHL | |
| 1980-81 | 32 | 15 | 13 | 4 | - | -- | -- | 34 | 4th NJC-W | |
| 1981-82 | 32 | 26 | 5 | 1 | - | -- | -- | 53 | 1st NJC-W | |
| 1982-83 | 36 | 24 | 8 | 4 | - | -- | -- | 52 | 2nd NJC-W | |
| 1983-84 | 30 | 21 | 7 | 2 | - | -- | -- | 44 | 1st NJC-W | |
| 1984-85 | 32 | 28 | 4 | 0 | - | 230 | 101 | 56 | 1st SWJCHL | |
| 1985-86 | 36 | 24 | 6 | 6 | - | -- | -- | 54 | 2nd NJC-W | Won League, Won CSC |
| 1986-87 | 34 | 20 | 10 | 4 | - | -- | -- | 44 | 1st NJC-W | Won League, Lost CSC Final |
| 1987-88 | 36 | 27 | 5 | 4 | - | -- | -- | 58 | 1st NJC-W | |
| 1988-89 | 35 | 13 | 21 | 1 | - | -- | -- | 27 | 6th NJC-W | |
| 1989-90 | 36 | 25 | 7 | 4 | - | -- | -- | 54 | 1st NJC-W | |
| 1990-91 | 34 | 20 | 12 | 2 | - | -- | -- | 42 | 3rd NJC-W | |
| 1991-92 | 35 | 16 | 14 | 5 | - | 190 | 165 | 37 | 4th NJC-W | |
| 1992-93 | 36 | 12 | 19 | 5 | - | 195 | 244 | 29 | 5th NJC-W | |
| 1993-94 | 36 | 13 | 15 | 8 | - | 145 | 145 | 34 | 4th NJC-W | |
| 1994-95 | 36 | 21 | 11 | 4 | - | 198 | 135 | 46 | 3rd NJC-W | |
| 1995-96 | 40 | 25 | 12 | 3 | - | 222 | 151 | 53 | 2nd NJC-W | |
| 1996-97 | 40 | 23 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 202 | 153 | 49 | 3rd NJC-W | |
| 1997-98 | 40 | 26 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 232 | 160 | 53 | 2nd NJC-W | Won Division, Lost Final |
| 1998-99 | 35 | 24 | 10 | - | 1 | -- | -- | 49 | 2nd NJC-W | Lost Div. Final |
| 1999-00 | 36 | 23 | 10 | - | 3 | -- | -- | 49 | 2nd NJC-W | Won Division, Lost Final |
| 2000-01 | 36 | 24 | 9 | 1 | 2 | -- | -- | 51 | 1st NJC-W | Won Division, Lost Final |
| 2001-02 | 36 | 19 | 13 | 2 | 2 | -- | -- | 42 | 2nd NJC-W | Lost Div. Final |
| 2002-03 | 36 | 23 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 150 | 117 | 49 | 3rd NJCHL | Won Division, Lost Final |
| 2003-04 | 36 | 25 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 160 | 96 | 55 | 2nd NJCHL | Lost Div. Final |
| 2004-05 | 36 | 18 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 136 | 126 | 41 | 4th NJCHL | Lost Div. Final |
| 2005-06 | 36 | 27 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 185 | 118 | 57 | 3rd NJCHL | Lost Div. Final |
| 2006-07 | 36 | 24 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 183 | 120 | 51 | 3rd NJCHL | Won Division, Lost Final |
| 2007-08 | 36 | 22 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 158 | 88 | 47 | 3rd NJCHL | Won Division, Lost Final |
| 2008-09 | 36 | 24 | 7 | - | 5 | 168 | 105 | 53 | 2nd NJCHL | Won League, Lost CSC SF |
| 2009-10 | 36 | 27 | 7 | - | 2 | 162 | 93 | 56 | 2nd NJCHL | Lost Final |
| 2010-11 | 36 | 32 | 2 | - | 2 | 187 | 83 | 66 | 1st NJCHL | Lost Final |
| 2011-12 | 36 | 24 | 9 | - | 3 | 144 | 101 | 51 | 4th NJCHL | Lost Div. Final |
| 2012-13 | 38 | 29 | 7 | - | 2 | 164 | 80 | 60 | 2nd NJC-W | Lost Div. Final |
| 2013-14 | 40 | 27 | 11 | - | 2 | 170 | 115 | 56 | 4th MWJCHL | Won Quarters, 4-3 (Applejacks) Lost Semi's, 0-4 (Mounties) |
| 2014-15 | 40 | 24 | 15 | 1 | - | 145 | 120 | 49 | 3rd MWJCHL | Won Quarters, 4-2 (Bulldogs) Won Semi's, 4-3 (Firebirds) lost League Finals, 0-4 (Centennials) |
| 2015-16 | 40 | 15 | 23 | 2 | - | 129 | 161 | 32 | 7th of 9 MWJCHL | Lost Quarters, 0-4 (Firebirds) |
| 2016-17 | 40 | 22 | 18 | 0 | - | 181 | 153 | 44 | 5th of 9, PJHL Dougherty Div |
Won Div Quarters, 4-1 (Firebirds) Lost Div. Semifinals, 0-4 (Centennials) |
| 2017-18 | 40 | 17 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 176 | 150 | 39 | 6th of 9, PJHL Dougherty Div |
Lost Div Quarters, 1-4 (Navy-Vets) |
| 2018-19 | 40 | 21 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 176 | 138 | 45 | 5th of 9, PJHL Dougherty Div |
Lost Div Quarters, 2-4 (Mounties) |
| 2019-20 | 40 | 21 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 208 | 141 | 44 | 5th of 9, PJHL Dougherty Div |
Lost Div Quarters, 1-4 (Centennials) |
| 2020-21 | Season Lost due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||||||||
| 2021-22 | 36 | 10 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 114 | 116 | 27 | 5th of 7, PJHL Dougherty Div |
Lost Div Quarters, 1-4 (Firebirds) |
| 2022-23 | 42 | 29 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 190 | 122 | 59 | 3rd of 7, PJHL Dougherty Div |
Won Div Quarters, 4-1 (Mounties) Lost Div Semis 1-4 (Applejacks) |
| 2023-24 | 42 | 19 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 141 | 144 | 44 | 4th of 7, PJHL Dougherty Div |
Won Div Quarters, 4-3 (Applejacks) tbd Div. Semifinals, 1-4 (Navy-Vets) |
Clarence Schmalz Cup Final appearances
- 1986: Norwich Merchants defeated Bradford Blues 4-games-to-3
- 1987: Lakefield Chiefs defeated Norwich Merchants 4-games-to-2
References
- "Hockey team fined". 24 November 2011.
- "Hockey Canada rejects both sides' appeals in Norwich Merchants Jr. C hockey scandal | Your online newspaper for New Hamburg, Ontario". Archived from the original on 2014-02-19. Retrieved 2014-01-29.
External links
| Provincial Junior Hockey League | |
|---|---|
| Carruthers | |
| Pollock | |
| Bloomfield | |
| Doherty | |
| Orr | |
| Tod | |
| Stobbs | |
| Yeck | |
| Seasons | |
| Former teams | |