St. Thomas Stars
The St. Thomas Stars are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. The team plays in the Western division of the Greater Ontario Hockey League.
History
in St. Thomas began in 1961 with the St. Thomas Barons in the Western Ontario Junior "B" Hockey League.The Barons won the league championship during the 1968–69 season, then played against the Flin Flon Bombers from the Western Canada Hockey League for the Canadian [Hockey Association (1968–1970)|Canadian Hockey Association] east-west final, and for the Father Athol Murray Trophy. The series was a best-of-seven format which began in St. Thomas. It was the first Canadian national junior ice hockey championship played which was not under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association.
The Barons withdrew from the championship series during the fourth game, played at the Whitney Forum in Flin Flon on May 5. The team left after an on-ice brawl during the second period. The referee defaulted the game to the Bombers, who were leading by a 4–0 score at the time. The Bombers led the series three games to one after the default win. Game five was scheduled in Flin Flon on May 7, and games six and seven would have been in St. Thomas if necessary. The Barons were escorted from the arena to their hotel by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police due to fear of violence. The Canadian Press described the Barons as being over-matched in the series and were not up to the calibre of the WCHL. The Barons abandoned the series in the interest of player safety, and departed for home on May 6, despite a scheduled game on May 7 in Flin Flon. The team paid its own expenses to get home, with assistance from some of its fans who made the road trip to Manitoba.
Canadian Hockey Association president Ron Butlin awarded the series to Flin Flon, and suspended the St. Thomas Barons from the association. Barons' coach Keith Kewly said the decision was his to abandon the series.
The Barons joined the Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League in 1970, and switched their name to the Elgins. The Elgins folded in 1973, and were merged into the St. Thomas Colonels in the Central Junior C Hockey League. The team moved into the Southwestern Ontario Junior "B" Hockey League in 1976, and then into the Western Ontario Junior Hockey League in 1978. The Colonels changed their name to the Pests in 1980, and then to the Stars in 1984.
For the 2025–26 GOJHL season, former National Hockey League player Jason Williams became the head coach, replacing David Matsos.
Season-by-season results
Barons/Elgins season-by-season results
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Results | Playoffs |
| 1961-62 | 36 | 26 | 9 | 1 | - | 238 | 180 | 53 | 1st WOJBHL | Won League |
| 1962-63 | 35 | 24 | 11 | 0 | - | 246 | 153 | 48 | 2nd WOJBHL | |
| 1963-64 | 40 | 29 | 11 | 0 | - | 273 | 185 | 58 | 1st WOJBHL | |
| 1964-65 | 39 | 20 | 18 | 2 | - | 213 | 206 | 42 | 4th WOJBHL | |
| 1965-66 | 40 | 21 | 17 | 2 | - | 227 | 209 | 44 | 4th WOJBHL | |
| 1966-67 | 40 | 26 | 13 | 1 | - | 225 | 165 | 53 | 1st WOJBHL | Won League |
| 1967-68 | 50 | 25 | 22 | 3 | - | 297 | 241 | 53 | 3rd WOJBHL | |
| 1968-69 | 56 | 37 | 18 | 1 | - | 255 | 178 | 75 | 1st WOJAHL | Won League, lost National Final |
| 1969-70 | 54 | 31 | 21 | 2 | - | 245 | 236 | 64 | 3rd WOJAHL | |
| 1970-71 | 44 | 13 | 26 | 5 | - | 205 | 270 | 31 | 5th SOJAHL | |
| 1971-72 | 56 | 20 | 26 | 10 | - | 244 | 288 | 50 | 4th SOJAHL | |
| 1972-73 | 60 | 10 | 45 | 5 | - | 209 | 373 | 25 | 7th SOJAHL |
Playoffs
- 1969 Won League, lost CHA Championship
- 1970 Lost semi-final
- 1971 DNQ
- 1972 Lost semi-final
- 1973 ''DNQ''
Sutherland Cup appearances