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Some have been teams since decades before the OHL was a thing and some are nearly new. Here’s how all 20 OHL teams got their names.
Brantford Bulldogs
For 34 years, they were the Belleville Bulls. Then, in 2015, they relocated to Hamilton and became the Bulldogs. However, thanks to renovations at FirstOntario Centre, the Bulldogs are playing out of Brantford for a few seasons, so they’re the Brantford Bulldogs.
Kingston Frontenacs
The Kingston Frontenacs are named for Louis de Buade de Frontenac, the governor of New France and namesake of Fort Frontenac, which is now Kingston.
Oshawa Generals
The original Oshawa Generals were created in 1937 and named for their sponsor, General Motors. The team went on hiatus in the fifties before being resurrected in 1962, remaining the Generals.
Ottawa 67’s
The Ottawa 67’s were established in 1967, the centennial of Confederation, and were named in honour of this.
Peterborough Petes
The Peterborough Petes were inaugurated in 1956, when they were sponsored by Toronto-Peterborough Transport, a freight line. Though called the Petes from the get-go, they wore the TPT logo on their sweaters until 1974.
Barrie Colts
The Barrie Colts joined the OHL in 1995. They were still the Barrie Colts prior to this, they just played at a lower level of the sport.
Mississauga Steelheads
The Toronto St. Michael’s Majors moved to Mississauga in 2007. They were named the St. Michael’s Majors because they were operated by St. Michael’s College School. The name made less sense in Mississauga, so the fans chose Steelheads.
Niagara IceDogs
The Niagara IceDogs were founded in 1996 as the Mississauga IceDogs. Back then, they were the worst team in the OHL, winning only four games out of 68. It’s unclear why they’re called the IceDogs or why their name has camel case. Don Cherry used to own them, though.
North Bay Battalion
Initially based in Brampton, Battalion was chosen as a team name via community suggestion.
Sudbury Wolves
The Sudbury Wolves were founded in 1962, but they’re named for multiple teams named the Wolves. Basically, Sudbury has had a junior or senior hockey team in town since 1919, and they’ve all been named the Wolves or the Cub Wolves.
Erie Otters
The Erie Otters are named for North American river otters, making Erie home to the most adorable team name in the OHL.
Guelph Storm
Once the Toronto Marlboros, the team relocated to Guelph in 1991 and got renamed following a “name the team” contest.
Kitchener Rangers
The Rangers used to be the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters, though even back then they were a farm team of the New York Rangers. The team ended up moving to Kitchener to help stabilize the struggling organization and after a brief stint as the Royals ended up named for their NHL big brothers. When the original six farm team era ended, the New York Rangers sold the team to a local businessman, but he ended up turning them into a community-owned team. They kept the name Rangers but are now one of six community-owned teams in the CHL.
London Knights
The Knights used to be the Nationals. But when a new owner bought the team in 1968, he decided that the Knights sounded better.
Owen Sound Attack
Owen Sound Attack used to be the Owen Sound Platers, and they used to be the Guelph Platers. The owners in Guelph also owned an electroplating company, hence Platers. But when local Owen Sound business owners bought the team to keep them in town, they decided to change the name to something more modern, which ended up being Attack.
Flint Firebirds
Buckle up. The Flint Firebirds have, at times, been the Detroit Compuware Ambassadors, the Detroit Junior Red Wings, the Detroit Whalers, and the Plymouth Whalers. When the team was moved to Flint, there was an idea to resurrect the old Flint Generals name, but that wasn’t possible because of the Oshawa Generals. There was also an idea to name them the Flint Tropics after the basketball team in the movie Semi-Pro, but some fans didn’t want their name to be from a comedy film. For some reason. So, ownership put together a list of inoffensive names and picked one of those.
Saginaw Spirit
When the North Bay Centennials moved to Saginaw, a “name the team” contest was held and a local elementary student won with Spirit.
Sarnia Sting
The Sarnia Sting used to be the Cornwall Royals. Later, they were the Newmarket Royals. However, in 1994 the team moved to Sarnia, and the new ownership decided to change the team name.
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
The Greyhounds have been around since 1919, when they were part of the Upper Peninsula Hockey League. The first coach, George McNamara, wanted the team to be called the Greyhounds, because “a greyhound is much faster than a wolf.” Incidentally, their main rivals were the Sudbury Wolves.
Windsor Spitfires
Though the current Spitfires team was founded in 1971, they’re named for a team that was active in the late forties. That team was named for the 417 Combat Support Squadron, a WWII force consisting of spitfire aircraft. Though based in England, they were called the City of Windsor. Hence, the Spitfires.
