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The Walpole Island Wild are a Canadian Junior ice hockey club based in Walpole Island, Ontario. They play in the Provincial Junior Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association.
| Walpole Island Wild | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Wallaceburg, Ontario |
| League | Provincial Junior Hockey League |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Home arena | Walpole Island Sports Complex. |
| Colours | Turquoise, Black, and White |
| General manager | Wayne Glensky |
| Head coach | Louie Vuitton |
| Franchise history | |
| 1972–2019 | Wallaceburg Lakers |
| 2019–2023 | Wallaceburg ThunderHawks |
| 2023–present | Walpole Island Wild |
| Championships | |
| League champions | 1632 |
History
edit
The Wallaceburg Thunderhawks have made the All-Ontario Final once since 1972, in 1999 they lost the Clarence Schmalz Cup to the Glanbrook Rangers. From the 1997-98 season to the 2000-2001 season the Lakers made it to the Great Lakes Junior C Finals. Winning the League Championship in 1998-99 season. The Lakers Revamped themselves in the 2006-2007 season, with Head Coach Mark Davis returning to the club, as they knocked off the 4th seeded Dresden Jr. Kings in a 6 game series for their first series win in 5 years, They would lose in the League Semi-finals to the League Champion Essex 73's in a hard fought 5 game series. In 2007-2008 The Lakers won the north division title and breezed past the Blenheim Blades in the first round 4-0. Round 2 brought on the Mooretown Flags which also brought a 4 game sweep. The Lakers would then face their rivals from Essex the 3 time defending League champions. The Lakers battled their hearts out right to the end but were no match for the 73's as Essex swept the finals in 4 games and claimed their 4th straight League Title.
On December 28, 2008, tragedy struck the Wallaceburg Lakers organization as they lost a valuable member of their team. 19-year-old Tristan Carswell (Forward, #16) died suddenly in his sleep. In the first game the Wallaceburg Lakers played following the death of Carswell, the Lakers coach asked in a pre-game speech for Tristan to send down a message to let them know he's still with them. The Lakers proceeded to score a goal 16 seconds into the game, and then again with 16 seconds remaining in the game. His jersey was retired at a ceremony February 4, 2009 in a game against Dresden.
During a tumultuous off-season in 2019, the ownership group of the Lakers dubiously applied to the Ontario Hockey Association for relocation to Tilbury, Ontario.[1] The move was rejected by the OHA.
Season-by-season record
edit| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Results | Playoffs |
| 1972-73 | 42 | 20 | 19 | 3 | - | 197 | 179 | 43 | 4th GLJHL | |
| 1973-74 | 43 | 16 | 22 | 5 | - | 233 | 258 | 37 | 7th GLJHL | |
| 1974-75 | 42 | 26 | 13 | 3 | - | 249 | 167 | 55 | 3rd GLJHL | |
| 1975-76 | 42 | 19 | 19 | 4 | - | 215 | 211 | 42 | 4th GLJHL | |
| 1976-77 | 42 | 13 | 25 | 4 | - | 203 | 249 | 30 | 6th GLJHL | |
| 1977-78 | 42 | 20 | 19 | 3 | - | 259 | 266 | 43 | 4th GLJHL | |
| 1978-79 | 40 | 24 | 14 | 2 | - | 275 | 232 | 50 | 3rd GLJHL | |
| 1979-80 | 42 | 17 | 20 | 5 | - | 257 | 219 | 39 | 4th GLJHL | |
| 1980-81 | 40 | 17 | 19 | 4 | - | 183 | 244 | 38 | 5th GLJHL | |
| 1981-82 | 38 | 12 | 26 | 0 | - | 195 | 240 | 24 | 7th GLJHL | |
| 1982-83 | 39 | 27 | 7 | 5 | - | 234 | 157 | 59 | 2nd GLJHL | |
| 1983-84 | 40 | 6 | 31 | 3 | - | 144 | 288 | 15 | 7th GLJHL | |
| 1984-85 | 40 | 13 | 22 | 5 | - | 187 | 197 | 31 | 8th GLJHL | |
| 1985-86 | 40 | 11 | 23 | 6 | - | 183 | 224 | 28 | 8th GLJHL | |
| 1986-87 | 39 | 8 | 28 | 2 | 1 | 153 | 235 | 19 | 8th GLJHL | |
| 1987-88 | 38 | 23 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 215 | 180 | 48 | 4th GLJHL | |
| 1988-89 | 40 | 10 | 26 | 3 | 1 | 148 | 246 | 24 | 9th GLJHL | |
| 1989-90 | 40 | 15 | 19 | 3 | 3 | 182 | 165 | 36 | 9th GLJHL | |
| 1990-91 | Did Not Participate | |||||||||
| 1991-92 | 41 | 1 | 37 | 2 | 1 | 97 | 367 | 5 | 11th GLJHL | |
| 1992-93 | 40 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 104 | 341 | 0 | 11th GLJHL | |
| 1993-94 | 38 | 8 | 26 | 2 | 2 | 128 | 238 | 20 | 10th GLJHL | |
| 1994-95 | 42 | 3 | 34 | 3 | 2 | 111 | 286 | 11 | 11th GLJHL | |
| 1995-96 | 39 | 12 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 121 | 197 | 26 | 10th GLJHL | |
| 1996-97 | 39 | 19 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 167 | 161 | 46 | 4th GLJHL | |
| 1997-98 | 46 | 21 | 17 | 7 | 1 | 173 | 140 | 50 | 5th GLJHL | Lost final |
| 1998-99 | 40 | 32 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 209 | 109 | 65 | 2nd GLJHL | Won League, lost CSC Final |
| 1999-00 | 39 | 29 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 191 | 110 | 61 | 2nd GLJHL | Lost final |
| 2000-01 | 40 | 24 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 152 | 138 | 50 | 3rd GLJHL | Lost final |
| 2001-02 | 40 | 15 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 131 | 143 | 37 | 7th GLJHL | |
| 2002-03 | 40 | 5 | 27 | 4 | 4 | 125 | 208 | 18 | 9th GLJHL | DNQ |
| 2003-04 | 40 | 8 | 29 | 1 | 2 | 107 | 192 | 19 | 9th GLJHL | DNQ |
| 2004-05 | 40 | 4 | 34 | 1 | 1 | 69 | 215 | 10 | 9th GLJHL | DNQ |
| 2005-06 | 40 | 3 | 35 | 1 | 1 | 83 | 287 | 8 | 9th GLJHL | DNQ |
| 2006-07 | 40 | 19 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 168 | 142 | 42 | 5th GLJHL | Lost semi-final |
| 2007-08 | 39 | 24 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 187 | 127 | 52 | 3rd GLJHL | Lost final |
| 2008-09 | 40 | 18 | 19 | - | 3 | 166 | 179 | 39 | 6th GLJHL | Lost semi-final |
| 2009-10 | 40 | 27 | 10 | - | 3 | 191 | 128 | 57 | 3rd GLJHL | Lost-final |
| 2010-11 | 40 | 30 | 8 | - | 2 | 168 | 113 | 62 | 1st GLJHL | Lost semi-final |
| 2011-12 | 40 | 9 | 29 | - | 2 | 129 | 216 | 20 | 9th GLJHL | DNQ |
| 2012-13 | 40 | 11 | 27 | - | 2 | 125 | 210 | 24 | 9th GLJHL | DNQ |
| 2013-14 | 40 | 5 | 34 | - | 1 | 94 | 234 | 11 | 9th GLJHL | DNQ |
| 2014-15 | 40 | 6 | 31 | - | 3 | 87 | 190 | 15 | 9th GLJHL | DNQ |
| 2015-16 | 40 | 3 | 37 | - | 0 | 88 | 251 | 6 | 9th GLJHL | DNQ |
| 2016-17 | 40 | 3 | 36 | 1 | - | 78 | 253 | 7 | 9th Stobbs | DNQ |
| 2017-18 | 40 | 3 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 67 | 261 | 6 | 9th Stobbs | DNQ |
| 2018-19 | 40 | 1 | 37 | 0 | 2 | 56 | 226 | 4 | 9th Stobbs | DNQ |
| Wallaceburg ThunderHawks | ||||||||||
| 2019-20 | 40 | 4 | 35 | 0 | 1 | 69 | 204 | 9 | 9th of 9 Stobbs | DNQ |
| 2020-21 | Season Lost due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||||||||
| 2021-22 | 32 | 5 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 64 | 184 | 13 | 8th of 9 Stobbs | Lost Div. Quarter finals 0-4 (Canadiens) |
| 2022-23 | 42 | 4 | 35 | 3 | 0 | 91 | 262 | 11 | 8th of 8 Stobbs | Lost Div. Quarter finals 0-4 (73's) |
| Walpole Island Wild | ||||||||||
| 2023-24 | 42 | 6 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 249 | 12 | 8th of 8 Stobbs | Lost Div. Quarter finals 0-4 (Canadiens) |
Clarence Schmalz Cup appearances
edit- 1999: Glanbrook Rangers defeated Wallaceburg Lakers 4-games-to-none