Belleville Bulls


The Belleville Bulls were a junior ice hockey team, founded in 1981 and based in Belleville, Ontario. The team played in the Eastern Division of the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League. The team relocated to Hamilton, Ontario, at the end of the OHL season">Ontario Hockey League">OHL season.

History

The Belleville Bulls started in 1979 as a Junior Tier II team in the OHA. In their second season in 1980–81, the Bulls won the Tier II title, defeating the Guelph Platers in the league finals. The Bulls then competed in the national championship for the Manitoba Centennial Trophy hosted in Halifax, Nova Scotia losing in the finals to the Prince Albert Raiders.
On February 2, 1981, the OHL granted an expansion franchise to the city of Belleville and the ownership group of Dr. Robert L. Vaughan & Bob Dolan. Dr. Robert L. Vaughan remained an owner/co-owner of the team for over 20 years until he sold the team in 2004 to Gord Simmonds. Dr. Vaughan was awarded the Bill Long award in 1993 for distinguished service to the OHL.
In 1983, Belleville hosted the OHL All-Star Game, known then as the OHL Chrysler Cup.
The Bulls reached the OHL finals in 1986 versus a familiar foe from their Tier II days, the Guelph Platers. The Platers won the series in 6 games. In 1995 and 1996, the Bulls lost in the semi-finals to the Guelph Storm.
The 1999 season would be one for the memories when the Belleville Bulls would win it all. The Bulls defeated the London Knights 9–2 in game seven of the OHL championship series at the Yardmen Arena to win their first J. Ross Robertson Cup.
The Bulls competed in the 1999 Memorial Cup, hosted in Ottawa versus the Calgary Hitmen, Acadie–Bathurst Titan and Ottawa 67's. Belleville finished third, losing to Ottawa 4–2 in the semifinal.
In the 2005–06 season, the Belleville Bulls celebrated their 25th anniversary in the OHL. The team also hosted the annual OHL All-Star game for the second time, on February 1, 2006. The Bulls set a season-best record of 102 points earned during the 2007–08 regular season.
In 2007–08, the Bulls made a trip to the Memorial Cup by virtue of Kitchener winning the Western Conference, and being the host, Belleville would get in as the OHL representative. The Bulls would lose the semi-final game 9–0 against the hosting team, the Kitchener Rangers, who would eventually lose to the Spokane Chiefs in the championship game.
On March 12, 2015, Michael Andlauer announced that he had acquired the Belleville Bulls and that they would move to Hamilton's FirstOntario Centre for the 2015–16 season to become the Hamilton Bulldogs. The Hamilton Bulldogs, an American Hockey League franchise, was concurrently sold to the Montreal Canadiens and moved to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, for the 2015–16 season as the St. John's IceCaps.

Championships

Leyden Trophy East Division regular season champions
  • 2000–2001
  • 2001–2002
  • 2006–2007
  • 2007–2008
  • 2008–2009
  • 2012–2013
Bobby Orr Trophy Eastern Conference champions
  • 1998–1999
  • 2007–2008
J. Ross Robertson Cup championships
  • 1985–1986 — Lost to Guelph Platers in OHL Final
  • 1998–1999 — OHL Champions vs. London Knights
  • 2007–2008 — Lost to Kitchener Rangers in OHL Final
Memorial Cup appearances1999 OHL champions in Ottawa, Ontario2008 OHL representative in Kitchener, Ontario

Coaches

coached the Belleville Bulls for 14 seasons. He is third only to Brian Kilrea and Dale Hunter for amount of time coached with an OHL team.
Lou Crawford was groomed by Mavety to replace him behind the Bulls' bench. Lou Crawford is the brother of former NHL head coach Marc Crawford, who was also the head coach of the St. John's Maple Leafs in the American Hockey League, which played in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Their father, Floyd Crawford, was team captain of the 1959 World Champion Belleville McFarlands.
Former head coaches Lou Crawford and Shawn MacKenzie both had brief NHL careers. George Burnett briefly coached with the Edmonton Oilers. James Boyd is the only former Bulls player to later coach the Belleville team.
;List of head coaches
''''

Players

Retired numbers

NHL alumni

*

Season results

Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League

Legend: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, SL = Shoot-out losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Centennial Cup championsOntario Provincial [Junior Hockey League|OPJHL] championsOPJHL runners-up

SeasonGPWLTPtsWin %GFGAStandingPlayoffs
1979–804424182500.5682351915th OPJHLLost quarterfinal 4–3
1980–81443572720.8182731381st OPJHLWon quarterfinal 4–1
Won semifinal 4–0
Won OPJHL championship 4–1
Won OHA championship 3–0
Won Central Canada semifinal 4–1
Won Central Canada final 4–3
2nd place in Centennial Cup round-robin
Lost Centennial Cup final 6–2

Ontario Hockey League

Legend: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, SL = Shoot-out losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Memorial Cup championsOHL championsOHL runners-up

SeasonGPWLTOTLSLPtsWin %GFGAStandingPlayoffs
1981–826824422——500.3682803267th LeydenDid not qualify
1982–837034360——680.4863423326th LeydenLost divisional quarterfinal 7–1
1983–847033370——660.4713193045th LeydenLost divisional quarterfinal 6–0
1984–856642240——840.6363902782nd LeydenWon divisional quarterfinal 8–2
Won divisional semifinal 9–1
1985–866637272——760.5763052682nd LeydenWon divisional quarterfinal 9–3
Tied for 1st place divisional semifinal round-robin
Won divisional final 9–7
Lost OHL championship 8–4
1986–876626391——530.4022923475th LeydenLost divisional quarterfinal 4–2
1987–886632304——680.5152972754th LeydenLost divisional quarterfinal 4–2
1988–896627354——580.4392923226th LeydenLost divisional quarterfinal 4–1
1989–906636264——760.5763012475th LeydenWon divisional quarterfinal 4–3
Lost divisional semifinal 4–0
1990–916638217——830.6293242803rd LeydenLost divisional quarterfinal 4–2
1991–9266272712——660.5003142936th LeydenLost divisional quarterfinal 4–1
1992–9366213411——530.4022803156th LeydenLost divisional quarterfinal 4–3
1993–946632286——700.5303032644th LeydenWon divisional quarterfinal 4–2
Lost divisional semifinals 4–2
1994–956632313——670.5082952874th EastWon first round 4–2
Won quarterfinal 4–2
Lost semifinal 4–0
1995–966635265——750.5683002503rd EastWon first round 4–1
Won quarterfinal 4–0
Lost semifinal 4–1
1996–976622377——510.3862352785th EastLost firstround 4–2
1997–986641223——850.6443152392nd EastWon first round 4–2
Lost quarterfinal 4–2
1998–996839227——850.6443342462nd EastWon conference quarterfinal 4–0
Won conference semifinal 4–1
Won conference final 4–1
Won OHL championship 4–3
3rd place in Memorial Cup round-robin
Lost in Memorial Cup semifinals 4–2
1999–200068442240—880.6623192272nd EastWon conference quarterfinal 4–1
Won conference semifinal 4–2
Lost conference final 4–1
2000–0168372353—820.6032752241st EastWon conference quarterfinal 4–0
Lost conference semifinal 4–2
2001–0268392342—840.6182792181st EastWon conference quarterfinal 4–1
Lost conference semifinal 4–2
2002–0368332762—740.5441952003rd EastLost conference quarterfinal 4–3
2003–0468154481—390.2871722795th EastDid not qualify
2004–0568292964—680.5001762083rd EastLost conference quarterfinal 4–1
2005–06683228—53720.5292022253rd EastLost conference quarterfinal 4–2
2006–07683924—05830.6102602271st EastWon conference quarterfinal 4–1
Won conference semifinal 4–0
Lost conference final 4–2
2007–08684814—421020.7502801751st EastWon conference quarterfinal 4–1
Won conference semifinal 4–0
Won conference final 4–1
Lost OHL championship 4–3
2nd place in Memorial Cup round-robin
Lost Memorial Cup semifinal 9–0
2008–09684717—22980.7212581761st EastWon conference quarterfinal 4–2
Won conference semifinal 4–1
Lost conference final 4–2
2009–10682040—26480.3531892635th EastDid not qualify
2010–11682143—04460.3381752714th EastLost conference quarterfinal 4–0
2011–12683532—10710.5222002212nd EastLost conference quarterfinal 4–2
2012–13684416—53960.7062281671st EastWon conference quarterfinal 4–2
Won conference semifinal 4–0
Lost conference final 4–3
2013–14682338—43530.3902062854th EastDid not qualify
2014–15682733—35620.4562032464th EastLost conference quarterfinal 4–0

Uniforms and logos

  • Uniform Colours: Black, Red, Gold, White
  • Logo Design: An angry bull with a hockey stick
  • Uniform Colours: Black, Red, Gold, White
  • Logo Design: A standing red and orange bull

Arena

The team played their homes games at the Belleville Yardmen Arena for the existence of the franchise. The Yardmen Arena is part of the Quinte Sports Centre which is composed of the Yardmen Arena and the Wally Dever arena which is home to the Belleville McFarlands, an OHA Senior team, and is also used by minor hockey teams.