Kirkland Lake Gold Miners

Ice hockey team in Ontario, Canada

Kirkland Lake Gold Miners

City| Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada
League| Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League
Division| East
Founded| 2003; 21 years ago (2003)
Home arena| Joe Mavrinac Community Complex
Colours| Black, yellow, and white

General manager| Jamy Bernier
Head coach| Kyle Adams
Website| KL Gold Miners
Franchise history
2003–2005| Manitoulin Wild
2005–2011| Manitoulin Islanders
2011–2012| Kirkland Lake Blue Devils
2012–present| Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
Championships
Playoff championships| 1: 2014

The Kirkland Lake Gold Miners are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.

## History[edit]

### Manitoulin[edit]

Manitoulin Islanders' Logo

Founded in 2003 as the Manitoulin Wild, the franchise changed its name to the Manitoulin Islanders in 2005. They were eventually taken over by former NHLer Reggie Leach and the team started to split its time between Little Current, Ontario, and the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Reserve's Arena. With limited community support and win totals dwindling, volunteers were facing burnout and in 2011, direction was given to team president, Kevin Eshkawkogan to find a buyer for the team from off the Island.[citation needed]

### Kirkland Lake[edit]

After eight years on Manitoulin Island, the team had to either move or fold.[1] In mid-May 2011, the NOJHL conditionally approved the move of the Manitoulin Islanders to Kirkland Lake, Ontario to become the Kirkland Lake Blue Devils.[2] In their final four seasons in Little Current, the Islanders managed 17 wins in 200 games played.

The Blue Devils moniker was a long used traditional team name in Kirkland Lake, the most notable team to use the name was the Kirkland Lake Blue Devils who defeated the Calgary Stampeders 3-games-to-none to win the 1940 Allan Cup.

On September 9, 2011, the Blue Devils played their inaugural home game and regulation game in their history. The Blue Devils dropped a 9-2 decision to the North Bay Trappers. On October 12, 2011, the Blue Devils won their first game since relocation 3–2 in a shootout against the Sudbury Cubs. Two nights later, the Blue Devils scored their first ever home win, 5-4 in a shootout, against the Blind River Beavers.

On January 12, 2012, team owner, Robert Kasner, announced that he was folding the club mid-season.[3] The folding of the team happened right after Kasner was suspended by the league for six months for multiple roster violations.[4] Soon after the folding, the league announced that a new ownership group was to be brought in to run the team, keeping the team in Kirkland Lake. The team completed the 2011–12 season under the new name, the Gold Miners.[5]

The Gold Miners won their first NOJHL championship in 2014 when they defeated the Soo Thunderbirds. The Gold Miners then traveled to Wellington, Ontario, to participate in the 2014 Dudley Hewitt Cup where they failed to record a win. In 2014–15, the Gold Miners and the Soo Thunderbirds were fighting for first place all season, but Kirkland Lake finished second and the Powassan Voodoos won the playoff series against Kirkland Lake.

The Kirkland Lake Gold Miners were awarded hosting duties for the 2016 Dudley Hewitt Cup, and lost to the Thunderbirds in the semifinal game. The 2022-23 season marked the first year that the Goldminers did not qualify for post season play.

## Season-by-season results[edit]

Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Pts | Results | Playoffs

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Manitoulin Wild
2003–04 | 48 | 15 | 32 | 0 | 1 | 179 | 245 | 31 | 6th NOJHL | Lost Quarterfinal
2004–05 | 48 | 14 | 30 | 1 | 3 | 164 | 266 | 32 | 6th NOJHL | Lost Quarterfinal
Manitoulin Islanders
2005–06 | 48 | 8 | 36 | 3 | 1 | 114 | 229 | 20 | 7th NOJHL | Lost Quarterfinal
2006–07 | 48 | 11 | 30 | 0 | 7 | 138 | 232 | 29 | 7th NOJHL | Lost Quarterfinal
2007–08 | 50 | 2 | 47 | — | 1 | 109 | 311 | 6 | 6th NOJHL | Lost Quarterfinal
2008–09 | 50 | 7 | 40 | — | 3 | 141 | 322 | 17 | 8th NOJHL | Lost Quarterfinal
2009–10 | 50 | 4 | 45 | — | 1 | 131 | 359 | 9 | 8th NOJHL | Lost Quarterfinal
2010–11 | 50 | 4 | 46 | — | 0 | 133 | 347 | 8 | 8th NOJHL | Lost Quarterfinal
Kirkland Lake Blue Devils/Gold Miners
2011–12 | 50 | 9 | 39 | — | 2 | 138 | 288 | 20 | 6th NOJHL | Lost Quarterfinals, 0–4 vs. Sudbury Cubs
Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
2012–13 | 48 | 25 | 18 | 2 | 3 | 173 | 145 | 55 | 4th NOJHL | Won Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Blind River Beavers
Lost Semifinals, 1–4 vs. North Bay Trappers
2013–14 | 56 | 43 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 234 | 118 | 92 | 2nd NOJHL | Won Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. North Bay Trappers
Won Semifinals, 4–1 vs. Elliot Lake Bobcats
Won League Finals, 4–2 vs. Soo Thunderbirds
NOJHL CHAMPIONS
2014–15 | 52 | 38 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 264 | 131 | 80 | 1st of 5, East
2nd of 9, NOJHL | Lost Div. Semifinals, 2–4 vs. Powassan Voodoos
2015–16 | 54 | 39 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 247 | 135 | 81 | 3rd of 6, East
4th of 12, NOJHL | Won Div. Semifinals, 4–2 vs. Powassan Voodoos
Won Div. Finals, 4–1 vs. Cochrane Crunch
Lost League Finals, 0–4 vs. Soo Thunderbirds
Dudley Hewitt Cup as Hosts
2016–17 | 56 | 28 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 232 | 190 | 63 | 4th of 6, East
6th of 12, NOJHL | Won Div. Play-in series, 2–1 vs. Iroquois Falls Eskis
Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–4 vs. Powassan Voodoos
2017–18 | 56 | 24 | 21 | 4 | 7 | 163 | 180 | 59 | 3rd of 6, East
7th of 12, NOJHL | Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–4 vs. Cochrane Crunch
2018–19 | 56 | 33 | 17 | — | 6 | 194 | 156 | 72 | 2nd of 6, East
3rd of 12, NOJHL | Lost Div. Semifinals, 2–4 vs. Powassan Voodoos
2019–20 | 56 | 18 | 32 | — | 6 | 154 | 228 | 42 | 5th of 6, East
9th of 12, NOJHL | Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 1–2 vs. Cochrane Crunch]
2020–21 | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | 0 | 20 | 15 | 6 | Withdrew from season due to the COVID-19 pandemic[6]
2021–22 | 48 | 12 | 33 | — | 3 | 151 | 231 | 27 | 5th of 6, East
11th of 12, NOJHL | Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. French River Rapids
2022–23 | 58 | 7 | 48 | 1 | 1 | 104 | 219 | 16 | 5th of 6, East
11th of 12, NOJHL | Did Not Qualify for Playoffs
2023–24 | 58 | 10 | 41 | 5 | 2 | 145 | 294 | 27 | 5th of 6, East
10th of 12, NOJHL | Did Not Qualify for Playoffs

## Dudley Hewitt Cup[edit]

Central Canada Championships
Winners of the NOJHL, OJHL, SIJHL, and Host
Round robin play with 2nd vs 3rd in semifinal to advance against 1st in the finals.

Year | Round Robin | Record | Standing | Semifinal | Gold Medal Game

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2014 | L, Wellington Dukes (OJHL/Host) 1–4
L, Toronto Lakeshore Patriots (OJHL) 1–4
L, Fort Frances Lakers (SIJHL) 3–6 | 0–3–0 | 4th of 4 | Did not qualify
2016
Host | W, Fort Frances Lakers (SIJHL) 8–5
L, Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL) 1–5
L, Soo Thunderbirds (NOJHL) 2–3 | 1–2–0 | 3rd of 4 | L, Soo Thunderbirds 1–4 | —

## References[edit]

1. ^ "NOJHL notations - Sault This Week - Ontario, CA". 2011-07-24. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
2. ^ "NOJHL Notes: Bertoncello recommended as new commish - Sault This Week - Ontario, CA". 2011-07-24. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
3. ^ "Kirkland Lake Blue Devils Burn Out". Archived from the original on July 9, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
4. ^ "MID DECEMBER IN THE NOJHL". Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2012.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
5. ^ "NOJHL welcomes new member in the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners". nojhl.com. January 20, 2012. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012.
6. ^ "GoldMiners Request LOA for Balance of Season". Gold Miners. February 22, 2021.

## External links[edit]

* KL Gold Miners Webpage

* v
* t
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Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League

Current Teams|

* Blind River Beavers
* Elliot Lake Vikings (2014–)
* Espanola Paper Kings
* French River Rapids
* Greater Sudbury Cubs
* Hearst Lumberjacks
* Iroquois Falls Storm
* Kirkland Lake Gold Miners
* Powassan Voodoos
* Soo Eagles
* Soo Thunderbirds
* Timmins Rock

Former Teams|

* Capreol Hawks
* Elliot Lake Vikings
* Espanola Eagles
* Espanola Rivermen
* Nickel Centre Native Sons
* Onaping Falls Huskies
* Parry Sound Shamrocks
* Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats
* Rouyn-Noranda Capitales
* Sudbury Cubs
* Temiscaming Royals
* Thessalon Flyers

History|

* IJBHL
* NOJHA

NOHA Junior A
Seasons|

| NOJHA|

* 1962–63
* 1963–64
* 1964–65
* 1965–66
* 1966–67
* 1967–68
* 1968–69
* 1969–70
* 1970–71
* 1971–72

|

NOJHL|

* 1978–79
* 1979–80
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* 1981–82
* 1982–83
* 1983–84
* 1984–85
* 1985–86
* 1986–87
* 1987–88
* 1988–89
* 1989–90
* 1990–91
* 1991–92
* 1992–93
* 1993–94
* 1994–95
* 1995–96
* 1996–97
* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–00
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07
* 2007–08
* 2008–09
* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24

CJHL
Central Canada Cup Challenge
Dudley Hewitt Cup
Royal Bank Cup
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