Newmarket Royals
| Newmarket Royals | |
|---|---|
| City | Newmarket, Ontario |
| League | Ontario Hockey League |
| Division | Leyden |
| Operated | 1992–1994 |
| Home arena | Newmarket Recreational Complex |
| Colours | Blue, white and red |
| Franchise history | |
| 1969–1992 | Cornwall Royals |
| 1992–1994 | Newmarket Royals |
| 1994–present | Sarnia Sting |
The Newmarket Royals were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League from 1992 to 1994. They were based in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, at the Newmarket Recreational Complex.
History
The Royals franchise started in 1969 as the Cornwall Royals in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, where they won the Memorial Cup in 1972, 1980, and in 1981. Playing in the Ontario Hockey League since 1981, the Cornwall Royals moved to Newmarket, Ontario to play as the Newmarket Royals for the 1992–93 season.[1]
The Royals played home games at the Newmarket Recreational Complex. It was built in 1985, with a capacity of 3,700 seats.[2] The Royals redesigned their logo when the franchise shifted to Newmarket, while keeping the royal blue, white and red colour scheme. The new logo was a horizontal hockey stick above the team's name.[3]
In their first season, the Royals finished fifth place in the Leyden Division with a winning record. In the playoffs, the Royals faced the Sudbury Wolves in a seven game series, won by the Wolves.[4] For every goal the Royals scored at home in the series, a plush wolf with a noose around its neck was dropped from the rafters. This was a move mocking the Sudbury's stuffed wolf that howls at opposing bench whenever the home team Wolves score.[5]
The second Royals season was less successful. The Royals were the only team in OHL and CHL history to go winless in away games for an entire season.[6] The Royals finished last overall in the OHL, 18 points behind the next closest team.[7]
At the start of the 1993–94 season, the team was bought by Dino Ciccarelli and his brothers.[8] After two seasons in Newmarket, the team had lost approximately CDN$700,000, rarely having more then 1,000 spectators per home game. In March 1994, the Ciccarelli brothers moved the team to Sarnia, to become the Sarnia Sting for the 1994–95 season.[9]
Coaches
Both of the coaches of the Newmarket Royals, were former goaltenders. Shawn Mackenzie played in the OHL and briefly for the New Jersey Devils in 1983. He was an assistant coach for the Belleville Bulls prior to coaching the Royals for the 1992–93 season.[10] Don Boyd previously coached the London Knights and the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, before coaching the Royals in the 1993–94 season.[11]
Players
In the 1992–93 season, Jeff Reid led the team in scoring 106 points, and Nathan LaFayette led the team with 49 goals scored.[12] After the season, Mark DeSantis was voted a first team OHL all-star, and led all OHL defencemen in goals, assists, and points scored.[13]
Nine alumni of the Royals played in the National Hockey League (NHL):[14]
Other notable players include Derek Grant and Mikhail Nemirovsky.[14]
Season-by-season results
Regular season and playoffs results:[15]
| Season | Games | Wins | Losses | Ties | Win % | Goals for |
Goals against |
Points | Standing | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–93 | 66 | 29 | 28 | 9 | 67 | 0.508 | 310 | 301 | 5th in Leyden | Lost division quarterfinals (Sudbury Wolves) 4–3[16] |
| 1993–94 | 66 | 9 | 47 | 10 | 28 | 0.212 | 231 | 377 | 8th in Leyden | did not qualify |
References
- ^ Kennedy, Patrick (April 18, 1992). "Cornwall council's refusal to dicker sealed Royal's fate". The Whig-Standard. Kingston, Ontario. p. 15.
- ^ Jordan, Kevin (December 21, 2025). "Newmarket Recreational Complex, Newmarket Royals". The OHL Arena Guide. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ Creamer, Chris. "Newmarket Royals Logos History". Sports Logos. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ "1992–93 OHL Playoff Results". HockeyDB. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ Commito, Mike (April 12, 2024). "The Strange but True Story of Sudbury's "Wolf on a Wire"". Northern Ontario Travel. Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario: Destination Northern Ontario. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ Graham, Doug (March 15, 1994). "Ottawa still key to the Frontenacs". The Whig-Standard. Kingston, Ontario. p. 18.
- ^ "1993–94 Ontario Hockey League Standings". HockeyDB. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ Bolender, Keith (June 24, 1993). "Royals land Ciccarelli as co-owner". Toronto Star. p. 18.
- ^ "Royals make it official–they'll move". Standard-Freeholder. Cornwall, Ontario. The Canadian Press. March 15, 1994. p. 12.
- ^ "Shawn Mackenzie Hockey Stats and Profile". HockeyDB. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ "Don Boyd Hockey Stats and Profile". HockeyDB. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ "Newmarket Royals 1992-93 roster and statistics". HockeyDB. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ "Mark DeSantis–Stats, Contract, Salary & More". Elite Prospects. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ a b "Newmarket Royals all-time player list". HockeyDB. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ "Newmarket Royals Statistics and History". HockeyDB. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ "1992–93 OHL Playoff Results". HockeyDB. Retrieved March 22, 2026.