The Wellington Dukes are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Wellington, Ontario, Canada. They are in the Eastern Division of the Ontario Junior Hockey League and used to be a part of the Metro Junior A Hockey League. Originally a Junior C team in the 1970s and 1980s, the Dukes merged with the neighbouring Jr. B Belleville Bobcats and took their place in the Metro League. The Dukes have won the Dudley Hewitt Cup as Central Canadian Junior A Champions three times (2003, 2011, 2018). The Dukes also won the Buckland Cup (OJHL Champions) for the third time on April 22, 2018.
| Wellington Dukes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Wellington, Ontario, Canada |
| League | Ontario Junior Hockey League |
| Founded | Prior to 1977 |
| Home arena | Lehigh Arena |
| Colours | Red, Yellow, and Blue |
| Owner(s) | Ken Clement |
| General manager | Todd Diminie |
| Head coach | Kent Lewis |
| Affiliate | Picton Pirates (PJHL) |
| Championships | |
| Playoff championships | 3: 2003, 2011, 2018 |
History
editIn the 1970s and early 1980s, the Wellington Dukes were members of the Quinte-St. Lawrence Junior C Hockey League. The league folded in 1986. The Dukes joined the Central Junior C Hockey League in 1986. They moved up to Metro "B" in 1989 when they took over the Belleville Bobcats franchise, and moved up to Junior "A" in 1991. The Dukes have been in the OPJHL since 1998. In 2003, the Dukes defeated the Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-2 to win the Frank L. Buckland Trophy. At the Dudley Hewitt Cup tournament, the Dukes first beat the Fort Frances Borderland Thunder of the Superior International Junior Hockey League by a score of 7–1. They were defeated 2-1 by the North Bay Skyhawks of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. They then defeated the Thunder Bay Bulldogs of the SIJHL 7–4 to finish second in the round robin. In the semi-final, the Dukes defeated Fort Frances 4–2. In the final, they defeated the North Bay Skyhawks by a convincing score of 4–0 to win the Central Canadian Championship.
At the Royal Bank Cup 2003, their National tournament started with a 4–1 loss to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League's Humboldt Broncos. In the second game, the Dukes were embarrassed by the Alberta Junior Hockey League's Camrose Kodiaks 7–1. In the third game, the Dukes battled for their lives. In a hard battle with the Charlottetown Abbies of the Maritime Junior A Hockey League the Dukes prevailed 1–0 in overtime. Their final round robin game, the Dukes defeated the Lennoxville Cougars of the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League 5–2 to finish third in the round robin. In the semi-finals, the Dukes squared off against Humboldt again and were defeated 3–2. Humboldt moved on to win the Royal Bank Cup as National Champions.
In 2008, the Dukes joined the semi-autonomous Central Division, that formed the Central Canadian Hockey League in 2009 when the OJHL was dissolved.
The Wellington Dukes defeated the hosts Huntsville Otters 5–3 to win the 2011 Dudley-Hewitt Cup. The Dukes travelled west to participate in the Royal Bank Cup in Camrose, Alberta. Wellington returned to the Quinte after a 4–1 loss to the Vernon Vipers.
Wellington was chosen to host the 2014 Dudley-Hewitt Cup at their new arena. The Dukes finished no higher than 5th in the North-East conference losing to the Cobourg Cougars in the first round 4 games to 1. The Dukes endured nearly 2 months of a playoff layoff. The Dukes entered the tournament. The Dukes finished the round robin with a 3–0 record, but lost the final to the Toronto Lakeshore Patriots 2–1.
The franchise scoring record was set by Howie Dowdle in 1988-89 scoring 51 goals, and 73 assists in 39 games played. This feat won Howie the Elleanor Gilliam Memorial Trophy as the Central Ontario Jr. "C" Scoring Champion.
Season-by-season record
editNote: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
| Year | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | PTS | Finish | Playoffs | |
| 1977-78 | 32 | 21 | 10 | 1 | - | 194 | 146 | 43 | 1st QSLJHL | ||
| 1978-79 | Standings Not Available | ||||||||||
| 1979-80 | 32 | 13 | 16 | 3 | - | 169 | 179 | 29 | 4th QSLJHL | ||
| 1980-81 | 34 | 15 | 13 | 6 | - | -- | -- | 36 | 3rd QSLJHL | ||
| 1981-82 | 34 | 11 | 17 | 6 | - | -- | -- | 28 | 5th QSLJHL | ||
| 1982-83 | 34 | 23 | 6 | 5 | - | 246 | 116 | 51 | 1st QSLJHL | Won League | |
| 1983-84 | Standings Not Available | ||||||||||
| 1984-85 | 30 | 11 | 14 | 5 | - | 165 | 174 | 27 | 4th QSLJHL | ||
| 1985-86 | Standings Not Available | ||||||||||
| 1986-87 | Central Jr. C Standings Not Available | ||||||||||
| 1987-88 | 32 | 22 | 7 | 3 | - | 222 | 142 | 47 | 3rd COJCHL | ||
| 1988-89 | 40 | 23 | 12 | 5 | - | 275 | 172 | 51 | 2nd COJCHL | Lost final (Lakefield) | |
| 1989-90 | 44 | 25 | 15 | 4 | - | 235 | 178 | 54 | 5th Metro B | Lost quarter-final (Kingston) | |
| 1990-91 | 44 | 24 | 14 | 6 | - | 209 | 180 | 54 | 4th Metro B | Lost quarter-final (Oshawa) | |
| 1991-92 | 44 | 19 | 22 | 3 | - | 180 | 195 | 41 | 7th Metro A | Lost Preliminary (Pickering) | |
| 1992-93 | 48 | 28 | 17 | 3 | - | 248 | 188 | 59 | 2nd Metro A | Lost semi-final (Wexford) | |
| 1993-94 | 50 | 28 | 20 | 2 | - | 263 | 225 | 58 | 5th Metro A | Lost quarter-final (Thornhill) | |
| 1994-95 | 50 | 27 | 18 | 5 | - | 231 | 191 | 59 | 3rd Metro A | Lost quarter-final (Wexford) | |
| 1995-96 | 52 | 26 | 23 | 3 | - | 219 | 222 | 55 | 7th Metro A | Lost quarter-final (Wexford) | |
| 1996-97 | 50 | 21 | 26 | 3 | - | 212 | 224 | 45 | 8th Metro A | Lost Division Semi-final (Quinte) | |
| 1997-98 | 50 | 23 | 22 | 5 | - | 223 | 213 | 51 | 7th Metro A | Lost quarter-final (Oshawa) | |
| 1998-99 | 51 | 23 | 23 | 3 | 2 | 205 | 223 | 51 | 7th OPJHL-E | Lost Division Quarter-final (Trenton) | |
| 1999-00 | 49 | 33 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 257 | 144 | 73 | 2nd OPJHL-E | Lost Division Final (Lindsay) | |
| 2000-01 | 49 | 30 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 226 | 142 | 70 | 2nd OPJHL-E | Lost Division Semi-final (Trenton) | |
| 2001-02 | 49 | 37 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 238 | 116 | 81 | 1st OPJHL-E | Lost final (Brampton) | |
| 2002-03 | 49 | 47 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 298 | 87 | 95 | 1st OPJHL-E | Won League(x1) (Aurora) Won DHC (North Bay) Lost RBC Semi-final (Humboldt) | |
| 2003-04 | 49 | 37 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 253 | 134 | 81 | 1st OPJHL-E | Lost Division Final (Bowmanville) | |
| 2004-05 | 49 | 35 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 222 | 148 | 73 | 2nd OPJHL-E | Lost Division Final (Port Hope) | |
| 2005-06 | 49 | 33 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 261 | 120 | 74 | 3rd OPJHL-E | Lost Division Semi-final (Port Hope) | |
| 2006-07 | 49 | 38 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 219 | 92 | 82 | 2nd OPJHL-E | Lost final (Aurora) | |
| 2007-08 | 49 | 34 | 11 | - | 4 | 202 | 113 | 72 | 1st OPJHL-E | Lost Conference Final (Markham) | |
| 2008-09 | 53 | 35 | 13 | - | 5 | 252 | 181 | 75 | 1st OJHL-C | Lost semi-final (Oakville) | |
| 2009-10 | 50 | 31 | 12 | - | 7 | 172 | 128 | 69 | 2nd CCHL-E | Lost Division Final (Bowmanville) | |
| 2010-11 | 50 | 38 | 7 | - | 5 | 197 | 128 | 81 | 1st OJHL-E | Won League (x2) (Oakville) Won DHC (Huntsville) Lost RBC Semi-final (Vernon) | |
| 2011-12 | 49 | 33 | 12 | - | 4 | 208 | 124 | 70 | 3rd OJHL-E | Lost div quarter-final (Kingston) | |
| 2012-13 | 55 | 29 | 22 | - | 4 | 162 | 148 | 62 | 4th OJHL-E | Lost Conf Quarter-final (Kingston) | |
| 2013-14 | 53 | 33 | 14 | - | 6 | 199 | 143 | 72 | 4th OJHL-E | Lost Conf Quarter-final (Cobourg) | |
| 2014-15 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 2015-16 | 54 | 32 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 202 | 154 | 67 | 3rd of 5 East Div 4th of 11 NE Conf 10th of 22 OJHL |
Won Conf. Quarters 4-2 (Aurora) Lost Conf. Semifinals 1-4 (Golden Hawks) | |
| 2016-17 | 54 | 31 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 190 | 140 | 66 | 4th of 5 East Div 4th of 11 NE Conf 7th of 22 OJHL |
Won Conf. Quarters 4-3 (Fury) Lost Conf. Semifinals, 1-4 (Cougars) | |
| 2017-18 | 54 | 33 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 207 | 153 | 74 | 1st of 5 East 2nd of 11 NE Conf 5th of 22 OJHL |
Won Conf. Quarters 4-3 (Panthers) Won Conf. Semifinals 4-3 (Hurricanes) Won Conf. Finals 4-1 (Aurora) Won OJHL Finals 4-2 (Raiders) OJHL Champions (x3) | |
| 2018-19 | 54 | 29 | 19 | 1 | 5 | 193 | 167 | 64 | 4th of 6 East 5th of 11 SE Conf 7th of 22 OJHL |
Won Conf. Quarters 4-1 (Cougars) Won Conf. Semifinals 4-3 (Fury) Won Conf. Finals 4-3 (rangers) Lost OJHL Finals 0-4(Blades) | |
| 2019-20 | 54 | 42 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 242 | 132 | 86 | 1st of 5 East 1st of 11 NE Conf 1st of 22 OJHL |
Won Conf. Quarters 4-0 (Cougars) Remaining playoffs cancelled due to COVID_19 pandemic(x3) | |
| 2020-21 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 | ||||||||||
| 2021-22 | 55 | 34 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 204 | 145 | 76 | 1st of 5 East 3rd of 11 SE Conf 8th of 21 OJHL |
Lost Conf. Quarters 0-2 (Cougars) | |
| 2022-23 | 54 | 37 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 252 | 134 | 80 | 2nd of 11 SE Conf 4th of 21 OJHL |
Won Conf. Quarters 4-1 (Buzzers) Won Conf. Semifinals 4-0 (Huskies) Lost Conf. Finals 1-4 (GoldenHawks) | |
| 2023-24 | 56 | 35 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 213 | 159 | 73 | 3rd of 12 East Conf 6th of 24 OJHL |
Lost Conf. Quarters 1-4 (Jr. Canadiens) | |
Playoffs
editMetJHL Years
- 1990 Lost quarter-final
- Kingston Voyageurs defeated Wellington Dukes 4-games-to-3
- 1991 Lost quarter-final
- Oshawa Legionaires defeated Wellington Dukes 4-games-to-2
- 1992 Lost Preliminary
- Pickering Panthers defeated Wellington Dukes 3-games-to-none
- 1993 Lost semi-final
- Wellington Dukes defeated North York Rangers 4-games-to-none
- Wexford Raiders defeated Wellington Dukes 4-games-to-none
- 1994 Lost quarter-final
- Thornhill Islanders defeated Wellington Dukes 4-games-to-1
- 1995 Lost quarter-final
- Wexford Raiders defeated Wellington Dukes 4-games-to-2
- 1996 Lost quarter-final
- Wexford Raiders defeated Wellington Dukes 4-games-to-1
- 1997 Lost Preliminary
- Quinte Hawks defeated Wellington Dukes 4-games-to-1
- 1998 Lost quarter-final
- Oshawa Legionaires defeated Wellington Dukes 3-games-to-2
OJHL Years
Dudley Hewitt Cup
editCentral Canada Jr. A Championships
NOJHL – OJHL – SIJHL – Host
Round-robin play with 2nd vs. 3rd in semifinal to advance against 1st in the finals.
| Year | Round-robin | Record | Standing | Semifinal | Gold medal game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Fort Frances, ON |
W, Thunder Bay Bulldogs 7–4 W, Fort Frances Borderland Thunder 7–1 L, North Bay Skyhawks 1–2 |
2–1–0 | 2nd of 4 | W, Fort Frances Borderland Thunder 3–2 | W, North Bay Skyhawks 4–0 Dudley Hewitt Cup Champions |
| 2011 Huntsville, ON |
W, Wisconsin Wilderness 7–2 W, Soo Eagles 4–0 2OTL, Huntsville Otters 2–3 |
2–0–1 | 2nd of 4 | W, Soo Eagles 3–2 (4OT) | W, Huntsville Otters 5–3 Dudley Hewitt Cup Champions |
| 2018 Dryden, ON |
L, Dryden Ice Dogs 1–4 W, Thunder Bay North Stars 4–1 W, Cochrane Crunch 2–0 |
2–1–0 | 2nd of 4 | W, Thunder Bay North Stars 6–3 | W, Dryden Ice Dogs 7–4 Dudley Hewitt Cup Champions |
Royal Bank Cup
editCanadian Jr. A National Championships
Dudley Hewitt Champions – Central, Fred Page Champions – Eastern, Doyle Cup Champion – Pacific, ANAVET Cup Champion – Western, and Host
Round-robin play with top four in semifinal games and winners to finals.
| Year | Round-robin | Record W–OTW–OTL–L |
Standing | Semifinal | Gold medal game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Charlottetown, PEI |
L, Humboldt Broncos (Western) 1–4 L, Camrose Kodiaks (Pacific) 1–7 OTW, Charlottetown Abbies (Host) 1–0 W, Lennoxville Cougars (Eastern) 5–2 |
1–1–0–2 | 3rd of 5 | L, Humboldt Broncos 2–3 | — |
| 2011 Camrose, AB |
L, Camrose Kodiaks (Host) 2–3 L, Pembroke Lumber Kings (Eastern) 2–5 L, Vernon Vipers (Pacific) 2–5 W, Portage Terriers (Western) 6–3 |
1–0–0–3 | 4th of 5 | L, Vernon Vipers 1–4 | — |
| 2018 Chilliwack, BC |
OTL, Ottawa Jr. Senators (Eastern) 1–2 OTW, Steinbach Pistons (Western) 3–2 L, Chilliwack Chiefs (Host) 0–2 L, Wenatchee Wild (Pacific) 1–7 |
0–1–1–2 | 4th of 5 | W, Wenatchee Wild 2–1 | L, Chilliwack Chiefs 2–4 |