Toronto Blue Ice Jets
The Toronto Blue Ice Jets were a Junior ice hockey team based out of Thornhill, Ontario, Canada. The team played in the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL).
| Toronto Blue Ice Jets | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Thornhill, Ontario, Canada |
| League | Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Home arena | Thornhill Community Centre |
| Colours | Black, Silver, White |
| General manager | Chris Beckford – Tseu (2014–15) |
| Head coach | Chris Beckford – Tseu (2014–15) |
| Franchise history | |
| 2006–2013 | Toronto Canada Moose |
| 2013–2016 | Toronto Blue Ice Jets |
History
The Jets were Thornhill's only Junior hockey team after the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League's Toronto Thunderbirds relocated to King City to become the Villanova Knights.
They were founded as the Toronto Canada Moose in the inaugural year of the GMHL in the 2006–07 season as one of seven original league members. The first game took place on September 9, 2006, against the King Wild in Thornhill, Ontario resulting in a 5-1 loss. On September 11, 2006, the team earned their first win defeating the Deseronto Thunder by a score of 5-2. The Moose finished their inaugural season with a 19-20-0-3 record. They placed fifth in the league after a season long race for fourth with the Deseronto Thunder and Nipissing Alouettes. Their first playoff appearance put them up against the King Wild in the league quarterfinals. Unfortunately, the Moose were eliminated in five games in a best-of-seven series (3-8, 8-3, 3-5, 1-9, 2-6).
The Moose started their second season off very slowly. After breaking a long losing streak, the Moose managed to earn fourteen more wins but still only finished in eleventh place in the now thirteen team league. In the first round, the Moose were picked to oppose the top seeded Bradford Rattlers. The Moose managed to keep it close over the first three games but the Rattlers still swept the series in four games.
On January 3, 2008, the Moose played against Kazakhstan's Torpedo UST-Kamenogorsk Under-18 squad in an exhibition game. Despite rallying to tie the game 4-4 at the end of the second, the Moose fell to the Torpedo 8-5.
In spring 2013, the Moose were renamed the Blue Ice Jets. On September 6, 2013, the Blue Ice Jets played their first game since changing ownership against South Muskoka Shield and lost 5-4. The first win under the Blue Ice Jets name took place on September 7, 2013 against the Bobcaygeon Bucks in Thornhill, Ontario. The Blue Ice Jets beat the Bucks 17-2.
For the 2016–17 season, the Blue Ice Jets were scheduled to play their first home game on September 6, 2016. However, the team never took the ice and within a week the Blue Ice Jets had been removed from the GMHL.[1] On September 13, the GMHL president stated that the Blue Ice Jets had taken the season off and possibly plans to relocate for the next season.
Season-by-season records
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Pts | Regular Season Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Canada Moose | ||||||||||
| 2006–07 | 42 | 19 | 20 | — | 3 | 189 | 204 | 41 | 5th GMJHL | Lost quarter-finals |
| 2007–08 | 42 | 14 | 27 | — | 1 | 154 | 254 | 29 | 11th GMJHL | Lost bye Round |
| 2008–09 | 43 | 18 | 21 | — | 4 | 205 | 204 | 40 | 9th GMJHL | Lost division quarter-finals |
| 2009–10 | 42 | 15 | 23 | — | 4 | 172 | 212 | 34 | 9th GMJHL | Lost qualifier series |
| 2010–11 | 42 | 17 | 23 | — | 2 | 195 | 206 | 36 | 8th GMJHL | Lost semi-finals |
| 2011–12 | 42 | 17 | 23 | — | 2 | 153 | 211 | 36 | 10th GMJHL | Lost bye round |
| 2012–13 | 42 | 12 | 28 | 0 | 2 | 153 | 261 | 26 | 13th GMHL | Lost division quarter-finals |
| Toronto Blue Ice Jets | ||||||||||
| 2013–14 | 42 | 32 | 9 | — | 1 | 304 | 150 | 65 | 5th GMHL | Lost division semi-finals |
| 2014–15 | 42 | 33 | 9 | — | 0 | 257 | 107 | 66 | 2nd South-Central Div 6th GMHL | Lost conference semi-finals |
| 2015–16 | 42 | 18 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 151 | 196 | 38 | 8th South Div 21st GMHL | Lost qualifier game |
Playoffs
- 2007 Lost quarter-final
- King Wild defeated Toronto Canada Moose 4-games-to-1 in quarter-final
- 2008 Lost bye round
- Bradford Rattlers defeated Toronto Canada Moose 4-games-to-none in bye round
- 2009 Lost division quarter-final
- Bradford Rattlers defeated Toronto Canada Moose 3-games-to-2 in division quarter-final
- 2010 Lost qualifier series
- Toronto Canada Moose defeated Oro-Medonte 77's 6-4 in last minute qualifier
- Algoma Avalanche defeated Toronto Canada Moose 2-games-to-1 in qualifier series
- 2011 Lost semi-final
- Toronto Canada Moose defeated Vaughan Wild 9-1 in last minute qualifier
- Toronto Canada Moose defeated Shelburne Red Wings 2-games-to-none in qualifier
- Toronto Canada Moose defeated Jamestown Jets 3-games-to-1 in quarter-final
- Elliot Lake Bobcats defeated Toronto Canada Moose 4-games-to-none in semi-final
- 2012 Lost bye round
- Deseronto Storm defeated Toronto Canada Moose 2-games-to-none in bye round
- 2013 Lost division quarter-final
- Bradford Bulls defeated Toronto Canada Moose 3-games-to-1 in division quarter-final
- 2014 Lost division semi-final
- Toronto Blue Ice Jets defeated Halton Ravens 3-games-to-none in division quarter-final
- Bradford Rattlers defeated Toronto Blue Ice Jets 3-games-to-1 in division semi-final
- 2015 Lost conference quarter-final
- Toronto Blue Ice Jets defeated Rattlers 3-games-to-2 in division semi-final
- Toronto Attack defeated Toronto Blue Ice Jets 3-games-to-0 in conference semi-final
- 2016 Lost qualifier game
- North York Renegades defeated Toronto Blue Ice Jets 5–1 in qualifier game
References
- "THE DEATH POOL – SPECIAL REPORT – GMHL'S TORONTO BLUE ICE JETS CRASH AND BURN". The Junior Hockey News. September 13, 2016.