The Welland Jr. Canadians are a part of the eight-team Golden Horseshoe Conference (GHC) in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL), which is governed by the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA).
Since their inception in 1979, the Jr. Canadians, formerly known as the Cougars, Aerostars and Flames, have prided themselves on their commitment to producing a winning product, developing and pushing players to a higher level of hockey while maintaining a fantastic family-like culture.
This is accomplished through a 50-game regular season schedule, two practices per week and a coaching and training staff that demonstrates an indescribable amount of dedication and commitment to the organization. This in addition to the management and countless volunteers that will go above and beyond to enhance the experience for both the players and the loyal fan base that has constantly supported us throughout the years.
The organization has three league championships, along with multiple appearances in the league’s conference championship series,
Throughout the years, the organization has produced 19 National Hockey League Players. That is unprecedented for any junior hockey team. This tremendous list includes 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Dan Paille, Dan Girardi, Paul Bissonnette, Matt Ellis and Cal Clutterbuck. Between those 19 players, they’ve combined for three Stanley Cups, four Calder Cups, two Memorial Cups, four Ontario Hockey League (OHL) championships, nine all-star appearances and over five gold medals. Eleven of those players are from Welland, which again, is unprecedented for a city with a population of 50,000.
Check out the alumni page for the full list of NHL Players
In addition, the organization has a long list of players who have moved on to play in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), multiple tier-two junior hockey leagues across the country (OJHL, AJHL, BCHL, etc.), the NCAA, U sports men’s hockey and many others. Many of our alumni have won multiple championships with their respective teams while competing in these leagues. After the 2017/18 season, 10 players from our roster moved up to these respective leagues.
Welland is a great city in the Niagara Region. It’s within driving distance to Toronto, Buffalo, Hamilton and Niagara Falls. With a strong French presence within the city, it’s helped the organization recruit players from Northern Ontario. The city is within close proximity to fantastic post-secondary options in Brock University and Niagara College, and is home to numerous high schools, such as Notre Dame, Centennial and Jean Vanier.
