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Notre Dame Hounds
Notre Dame Hounds logo
City Wilcox, Saskatchewan
League SJHL
Division Sherwood
Founded 1987 (Rejoined SJHL)
Home arena Duncan McNeill Arena
Colors Red and white
Head coach Phil Roy (2018-19)

The Notre Dame Hounds are a junior "A" ice hockey team based in Wilcox, Saskatchewan. They are members of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). The Hounds also had a junior "B" team that played in the South Saskatchewan Junior B Hockey League, but the team folded after the 2005–06 Season. The team plays their homes games in Duncan McNeill Arena, which has a seating capacity of 1,200. The team colours are red and white. The Notre Dame Hounds is the name of the hockey team of the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame. The school is a residential high school in the village of Wilcox in south-central Saskatchewan, Canada.

This school is very well known for the large number of NHL players that have attended it. It won the 1987-88 Centennial Cup which is the Canadian junior A championship. Throughout the years Notre Dame has entered teams at various levels. The school itself was founded by Father Athol Murray in 1927.

History[]

The Hounds first came to the SJHL in 1970. The team only kept afloat until 1976, when, after a dismal season, they left the SJHL. Not much is known about the franchise between 1976 and 1987. It is known that they operated as a Midget "AAA" Minor Hockey team until 1987 and lost the final of the Canadian Midget Championship, the Air Canada Cup, to the Quebec seed in the tournament. In 1987, the Hounds came straight into Tier II Junior "A" from Midget hockey and took the league by storm. The team came out of the regular season with a series of tight victories, but enough of them to earn them a birth in the playoffs. The Hounds, operating well as a unit which had stayed mostly intact for 3 seasons, found little trouble winning the SJHL Championship. Their only real competition was the Yorkton Terriers who took them to Game 6. The Hounds moved on to the Anavet Cup to face the Winnipeg South Blues of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The Hounds easily swept the series in 4 games. They then moved on to face the Calgary Canucks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League for the Abbott Cup. At first, the Hounds were out matched. They went down early, being led in the series 3-games-to-1. They stormed back in Game 5 to win 7-2 and then won Game 6. In Game 7 with a 3-2 lead, future National Hockey League (NHL) player Curtis Joseph took control and closed the door. The Game 7 victory earned the team a birth into the Centennial Cup.[1] In the first game, the Hounds played the Halifax Lions of the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League, defeating them 6-5. In the second game, they played the Thunder Bay Flyers of the United States Hockey League, the result was a 9-7 win. The next game was a nail-biter. The Hounds took on the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the Central Junior A Hockey League and lost in triple overtime by a score of 4-3. The Semi-final placed them again against the Lumber Kings, but this time they were ready to win and took in 7-3. This set up a Final between the Hounds and the Lions. After 2 periods, the Hounds found themselves down 2-1. They tied it up early, and then late in the game, on a feeder from future NHL player Rod Brind'Amour, future gold medal winning hero of the 1990 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships Dwayne Norris scored the game winner. Brind'Amour won awards for being the Top Scorer, Most Valuable Player, and Top Centre, while another future NHL player, Joby Messier, won Top Defenseman.[2][3]

Perhaps the team's best known contribution to the NHL is the Toronto Maple Leafs Hound Line of the 1985–86 season, when Gary Leeman, Wendel Clark and Russ Courtnall played on the same forward line.

From the 1987–88 Championship team, 19 player graduated to the National Collegiate Athletic Association Hockey Program, and some, like Rod Brind'Amour, Curtis Joseph, Joby Messier, Dwayne Norris, Jason Herter, and Scott Pellerin, made it all the way to the National Hockey League.[4]

Since 1995, the Hounds have only failed to make the SJHL playoffs three times, but have yet to win their second league title.

Season-by-season standings[]

Season GP W L T OL GF GA Pts Results Playoffs
1970-71 35 3 32 0 - 102 251 6 7th SJHL
1971-72 38 16 22 0 - 162 223 28 8th SJHL
1972-73 48 18 30 0 - 255 327 16 5th SJHL South
1973-74 50 19 29 2 - 207 244 40 5th SJHL South
1974-75 57 20 36 1 - 256 332 41 5th SJHL South
1975-76 58 7 50 1 - 131 390 15 6th SJHL South
1987-88 60 53 5 2 - 321 160 108 1st SJHL Won League, Won AC, Won CC
1988-89 64 44 16 4 - 338 223 92 1st SJHL
1989-90 68 24 43 1 - 253 331 49 6th SJHL South DNQ
1990-91 68 31 34 3 - 265 266 65 4th SJHL North Lost Quarter-final
1991-92 64 32 24 8 - 259 251 72 5th SJHL South DNQ
1992-93 64 25 31 8 - 266 259 58 5th SJHL South DNQ
1993-94 68 25 36 7 - 277 280 57 5th SJHL South Lost Quarter-final
1994-95 64 24 36 4 - 270 275 52 7th SJHL South DNQ
1995-96 64 18 37 9 - 215 264 45 5th SJHL South Lost Quarter-final
1996-97 64 29 35 0 - 223 264 58 3rd SJHL South Lost Quarter-final
1997-98 64 27 31 6 - 205 203 60 4th SJHL South Lost Quarter-final
1998-99 66 40 20 6 - 228 179 86 3rd SJHL South Lost Semi-final
1999-00 60 23 28 9 - 150 181 55 4th SJHL South Lost Quarter-final
2000-01 62 23 34 4 1 173 228 51 4th SJHL Sherwood Lost Quarter-final
2001-02 64 38 16 7 3 245 166 86 1st SJHL Lost Semi-final
2002-03 60 31 19 6 4 203 186 72 1st SJHL Sherwood Lost Quarter-final
2003-04 60 25 26 6 3 202 193 59 2nd SJHL Sherwood Lost Quarter-final
2004-05 55 31 17 7 0 185 138 69 3rd SJHL Sherwood Lost Quarter-final
2005-06 55 31 17 5 2 192 162 69 2nd SJHL Sherwood Lost Semi-final
Season GP W L OL SL GF GA Pts Results Playoffs
2006-07 58 24 23 0 11 202 234 59 4th SJHL Sherwood
2007-08 58 20 35 - 3 176 258 43 11th SJHL
2008-09 56 23 33 - 0 192 239 46 10th SJHL
2009-10 58 32 20 - 6 178 180 70 4th SJHL Lost Quarter-final
2010-11 58 21 30 - 7 158 196 49 11th SJHL DNQ
2011-12 58 22 33 - 3 172 233 47 5th Sherwood Div
10th SJHL
Lost Preliminary round
2012-13 54 21 27 - 6 164 173 48 3rd Sherwood Div
6th SJHL
Lost Quarter Finals
2013-14 56 22 27 - 7 136 175 51 4th Kramer Div
9th SJHL
Lost Quarter Finals
2014-15 56 37 14 1 4 165 133 79 2nd of 4 Kramer Div
3rd of 12 SJHL
Won Quarter Finals, 4-3 (Bombers)
Won Semi Finals, 4-2 (Klippers)
Lost League Finals, 0-4 (Mustangs)
2015-16 58 22 29 4 3 163 218 51 3rd of 4 Finning Div
9th of 12 SJHL
Lost Wildcard, 1-3 (Klippers)
2016-17 58 26 23 7 2 174 167 61 3rd of 4 Finning
T-7th of 12 SJHL
Won Wildcard 3-1 (Mustangs),
Lost Quarterfinals 1-4 (Bombers)
2017-18 58 29 24 1 4 192 174 63 4th of 4 AG Risk
9th of 12 SJHL
Lost Wildcard 1-2 (Bombers)
2018-19 58 25 23 5 5 182 186 60 4th of 4 AG Risk
9th of 12 SJHL
Lost Wildcard 1-2 (Terriers)
2019-20 58 18 32 5 3 135 192 44 4th of 4 AG Risk
10th of 12 SJHL
Did not qualify
2020-21 5 1 3 0 1 13 22 3 N/A Season cancelled
2021-22 58 26 27 5 - 193 229 57 3rd Ag Risk Lost QF 4-1 (Estevan Bruins)
2022-23 56 22 28 4 2 176 219 50 3rd Ag Risk Did not qualify

Playoffs[]

  • 1971 DNQ
  • 1972 Lost Quarter-final
Saskatoon Olympics defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-none
  • 1973 DNQ
  • 1974 DNQ
  • 1975 DNQ
  • 1976 DNQ


Notre Dame Hounds defeated Weyburn Red Wings 4-games-to-none
Notre Dame Hounds defeated Nipawin Hawks 4-games-to-none
Notre Dame Hounds defeated Yorkton Terriers 4-games-to-2 SJHL CHAMPIONS
Notre Dame Hounds defeated Winnipeg South Blues (MJHL) 4-games-to-none ANAVET CUP CHAMPIONS
Notre Dame Hounds defeated Calgary Canucks (AJHL) 4-games-to-3 ABBOTT CUP CHAMPIONS
Second in 1988 Centennial Cup round robin (2-1)
Notre Dame Hounds defeated Pembroke Lumber Kings (CJHL) 7-3 in semi-final
Notre Dame Hounds defeated Halifax Lions (MVJHL) 3-2 in final CENTENNIAL CUP CHAMPIONS
  • 1989 Lost Semi-final
Notre Dame Hounds defeated Minot Americans 4-games-to-2
Nipawin Hawks defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-2
  • 1990 DNQ
  • 1991 Lost Quarter-final
Yorkton Terriers defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-none
  • 1992 DNQ
  • 1993 DNQ
  • 1994 Lost Quarter-final
Notre Dame Hounds defeated Estevan Bruins 3-games-to-1
Weyburn Red Wings defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-1
  • 1995 DNQ
  • 1996 Lost Quarter-final
Notre Dame Hounds defeated Weyburn Red Wings 2-games-to-1
Yorkton Terriers defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-none
  • 1997 Lost Quarter-final
Lebret Eagles defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-2
  • 1998 Lost Quarter-final
Notre Dame Hounds defeated Melville Millionaires 2-games-to-1
Lebret Eagles defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-2
  • 1999 Lost Semi-final
Notre Dame Hounds defeated Yorkton Terriers 4-games-to-3
Estevan Bruins defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-1
  • 2000 Lost Quarter-final
First in round robin (3-1) vs. Melville Millionaires and La Ronge Ice Wolves
Weyburn Red Wings defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-2
  • 2001 Lost Quarter-final
Weyburn Red Wings defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-none
  • 2002 Lost Semi-final
Notre Dame Hounds defeated Weyburn Red Wings 4-games-to-2
Humboldt Broncos defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-1
  • 2003 Lost Quarter-final
Melville Millionaires defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-2
  • 2004 Lost Quarter-final
Weyburn Red Wings defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-1
  • 2005 Lost Quarter-final
Second in round robin (1-3) vs. Yorkton Terriers and Estevan Bruins
Yorkton Terriers defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-none
  • 2006 Lost Semi-final
First in round robin (2-1-1) vs. Yorkton Terriers and Melville Millionaires
Notre Dame Hounds defeated Melville Millionaires 4-games-to-none
Yorkton Terriers defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-none
  • 2007 Lost Preliminary
Weyburn Red Wings defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-1
  • 2008 DNQ
  • 2009 DNQ
  • 2010 Lost Quarter-final
Kindersley Klippers defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-none
  • 2011 DNQ
  • 2012
Preliminary Round Estevan Bruins defeated Notre Dame Hounds 3-games-to-none
  • 2013
Quarter Finals Melville Millionaires defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-3
  • 2014
Preliminary Round Notre Dame Hounds defeated Nipawin Hawks 3-games-to-1
Quarter Finals Yorkton Terriers (Junior)|Yorkton Terriers]] defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-1
  • 2015
Quarterfinals Notre Dame Hounds defeated Nipawin Hawks 4-games-to-1
Semifinals Notre Dame Hounds defeated Kindersley Klippers 4-games-to-2
Final Melfort Mustangs defeated defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-none
  • 2016
Wild Card Kindersley Klippers defeated Notre Dame Hounds 3-games-to-1
  • 2017
Quarterfinals Flin Flon Bombers defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4-games-to-1
  • 2018
Wild Card Flin Flon Bombers defeated Notre Dame Hounds 2-games-to-1
  • 2019
Wild Card Yorkton Terriers (Junior)|Yorkton Terriers]] defeated Notre Dame Hounds 2-games-to-1

Notable alumni[]

See also[]

References[]

External links[]

Preceded by
Richmond Sockeyes
Centennial Cup Champions
1988
Succeeded by
Thunder Bay Flyers
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