The Beginning
With the imminent construction of the Ottawa Civic Centre as one of Ottawa's centennial projects, the Ontario Hockey Association Major Junior A Series made it known to people in the Ottawa area that the league would like to expand into this city.

On February 16, 1967, the city of Ottawa was awarded a franchise. To recognize the year of entry into the league, that was one of the first hockey leagues organized in Canada in the early 1890s, the owners named their club the Ottawa 67's on June 30, 1967.

Three parties had submitted applications for entry to the league. A group comprised of local businessmen–-Bill Cowley, Howard Darwin, and Bill Touhey, as well as Alderman Howard Henry--was successful in bringing Major Junior A hockey to Ottawa for the 1967-68 season. Before the first season began, however, Bill Touhey stepped aside and local sportswriter, Jack Kinsella, became one of the owners.

Darwin served as President of the club for the first five seasons. At the end of the 1974-75 season, Darwin purchased the shares of the other club owners. He was joined by Earl Montagano as a partner in 1975. The duo operated the 67's until the sale of the club in 1998 to current owner Jeff Hunt.

First Coach
On April 17, 1967, Bill Long, a long-time coach and general manager of the Barrie Flyers, was named the first coach of the 67's.

League Composition
The 67's would play in the 10-team league the first season, along with Hamilton Red Wings, Kitchener Rangers, London Nationals, Montreal Junior Canadiens, Niagara Falls Flyers, Oshawa Generals, Peterborough Petes, St. Catharines Black Hawks, and Toronto Marlboroughs.

Firsts
Their first regular-season game was played on October 6, 1967 at Niagara Falls where they lost to the Flyers, 9-0. The first home game was played on October 8, 1967, a 10-5 loss to the Toronto Marlboroughs.

The 67's played their first 11 home games at the Hull Arena awaiting the completion of the Civic Centre. Their first game in their new home was played on December 29, 1967, a 4-2 loss to the Montreal Junior Canadiens.

Their first victory came at London where they edged the Nationals, 2-1.

Their first victory at the Civic Centre came on January 1, 1968, a 3-2 win over the Hamilton Red Wings.

Ottawa's record after their first season was 6-45-3. They scored 105 goals and had 328 goals scored against them.

The 67's first playoff experience was at the end of their second regular season, 1968-69. They lost an eight-point quarter-final series, 9-5, to the Niagara Falls Flyers.

The first time the 67's won a playoff series was during the 1970-71 playdowns, defeating the Hamilton Red Wings, 9-5, in an eight-point quarter-final series.

Memorial Cups
The 67's went to the Memorial Cup for the first time in 1977 at New Westminster, British Columbia. The three-team round-robin also featured the Sherbrooke Beavers from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, as well as the host team, the New Westminster Bruins of the Western Hockey League. The 67's and Bruins met in the final game with the 67's coming up short, 6-5.

In 1984, the 67's entered the Memorial Cup again, this time in Kitchener, Ontario. Beside the host team, the Kitchener Rangers, Kamloops Jr. Oilers represented the Western Hockey League and Laval Voisins, with Mario Lemieux, came from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The 67's won their first franchise Memorial Cup defeating the Rangers, 7-2, with Adam Creighton named the Most Valuable Player in the series.

Ottawa won its second Memorial Cup at the Civic Centre in 1999 with Matt Zultek scoring the winning goal in overtime to defeat the Calgary Hitmen, 7-6.

The 67's won the Ontario Hockey League championship in 2001 and played in the Memorial Cup at Regina, Saskatchewan, but were an exhausted hockey club after beating favoured teams to get to the junior championships.

Brian Kilrea
General Manager and Head Coach, Brian Kilrea, has been behind the bench for close to 2,000 regular-season games, winning 1,000 (as of March 9, 2003), the most by any junior coach in North America, and likely, the world. His first victory came in his initial game on September 27, 1974 against the Toronto Marlboroughs, 9-5.

67's and the NHL
Over 150 players have been drafted by National Hockey League teams from the 67's, while over 75, have either played or are currently playing in the NHL. (For a full list, click here.)

Several former 67's players are currently members of NHL teams, including:

Mark Bell (1996-2000), Chicago Blackhawks
Nick Boynton (1995-1999), Boston Bruins
Brian Campbell (1995-1999), Buffalo Sabres
Andrew Cassels (1986-1989), Columbus Blue Jackets
Shean Donovan (1991-1995), Calgary Flames
Grant Marshall (1990-1993), New Jersey Devils
Alyn McCauley (1993-1997), San Jose Sharks
Mike Peca (1991-1994), New York Islanders
Gary Roberts (1982-1986), Toronto Maple Leafs
Chris Simon (1988-1992), Calgary Flames
Kevin Weekes (1994-1995), Carolina Hurricanes
Over 70 Ottawa 67's players have gone on to play in the NHL. Hundreds more have progressed to professional hockey in the AHL, IHL, and Europe.

More Alumni info

Hockey Hall of Fame
Former 67's defenceman, Denis Potvin, is the first 67's player to the inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991. He was a member of the 67's from 1967-68 to 1972-73.

Career Record Holders
The following are 67's career record holders in various categories:

Individual Records

Team Records

Information courtesy of Jim McCauley