The Port Dover Sailors are a junior hockey team based in Port Dover, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association until the 2016-17 season when the league joined the Provincial Junior Hockey League and placed under the Bloomfield Division of the new league.

Port Dover Sailors
CityPort Dover, Ontario
LeagueProvincial Junior Hockey League
ConferenceSouth
DivisionBloomfield
Founded1988
Home arenaPort Dover Arena
ColoursBlue, red, and white
     
Owner(s)John Lennox
General managerMike Walker(2020-present)
Head coachMike Walker
Franchise history
1988–1999: Port Dover Clippers
1999–2011: Port Dover Sailors
2011–2013: Norfolk Rebels
2013–present: Port Dover Sailors
Championships
League championsNone

History

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The Port Dover Clippers were founded in 1988 as members of the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League. The Clippers were 1990 and 1991 Niagara East champions and Niagara co-champions. In 1990, the Clippers would fall to the Orangeville Crushers of the Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League 4-games-to-1 in the Clarence Schmalz Cup OHA provincial quarter-final. Their western co-champions, the New Hamburg Spirit 83's would fare no better, dropping one of the other quarter-finals in four-straight games to the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League champion Belle River Canadiens. The next year was more of the same, as Port Dover and New Hamburg were the co-champions, New Hamburg lost the provincial quarter-final to Belle River again (this time in six games), and Port Dover fell to Orangeville again in five.

In 1999, the Clippers took leave of the Niagara District league. Clippers changed their name to the Port Dover Sailors and applied for membership in the Ontario Hockey Association Junior Development League.

In 2006, the OHAJDL changed its name to the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League; the Sailors competed in this league until 2012.

From 2011 until 2013 the team was known as the Norfolk Rebels and split time between Port Dover and Waterford, Ontario.

In 2013, the team was renamed the Port Dover Sailors.

The playoffs for the 2019-20 season were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the team not being able to play a single game.

In 2022-23 The Sailors created a record breaking season led by Captain Benjamin Mason. Assistant Captain Nick D’Agostino set a new record for Points in a Season and won Most Sportsmanlike Player. Goaltender Finn Wilson won Rookie of the Year. Also Head Coach Mike Walker won Coach of the Year.

The team went into playoffs as the 3rd ranked team. Completing their first franchise sweep over the Dunnville Mudcats 4-0, and also won there first 2nd round series game (Jr.C) dating back to the 1990-91 season.

Season-by-season record

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Season GP W L T OTL GF GA P Results Playoffs
1988-89 40 19 13 8 - -- -- 46 3rd NJC-E
1989-90 40 24 10 2 - -- -- 50 1st NJC-E Won East, lost CSC QF
1990-91 36 22 10 4 - 237 152 48 1st NJC-E Won East, lost CSC QF
1991-92 36 23 8 5 - 195 145 51 2nd NJC-E
1992-93 36 12 16 8 - 157 181 32 3rd NJC-W
1993-94 36 21 11 4 - 176 144 46 2nd NJC-W
1994-95 36 19 14 3 - 195 171 41 4th NJC-W
1995-96 40 13 23 4 - 163 237 30 4th NJC-W
1996-97 40 1 37 0 2 78 287 4 6th NJC-W
1997-98 38 2 35 0 1 106 239 5 6th NJC-W
1998-99 35 4 30 - 1 -- -- 9 6th NJC-W
1999-00 38 10 25 1 2 140 242 23 15th OHAJDL
2000-01 40 10 26 0 4 -- -- 24 16th OHAJDL
2001-02 40 8 27 4 1 100 212 21 18th OHAJDL
2002-03 40 11 27 1 1 126 187 24 18th OHAJDL
2003-04 40 16 22 1 1 127 148 34 14th OHAJDL
2004-05 40 21 13 3 3 135 129 48 8th OHAJDL
2005-06 37 10 21 4 2 127 167 26 14th OHAJDL
2006-07 42 8 30 0 4 96 232 20 4th SOJHL-BM Lost Conference Quarter-final
2007-08 42 12 27 - 3 115 218 27 4th SOJHL-BM Lost Conference Quarter-final
2008-09 40 11 20 - 9 107 172 31 5th SOJHL-Mc DNQ
2009-10 36 3 32 - 1 91 223 7 5th SOJHL-Mc DNQ
2010-11 35 1 31 - 3 83 229 5 8th SOJHL-Mc Lost Division Quarter-final
2011-12 35 2 30 - 3 103 284 7 8th SOJHL-Mc Lost Division Quarter-final
2012-13 38 0 36 - 2 78 319 2 7th SOJHL-Mc Lost Division Quarter-final
2013-14 35 5 28 - 2 89 184 12 8th NJCHL Lost quarter-final
2014-15 42 13 29 - 0 140 223 26 7th NJCHL Lost quarters, 1-4 (Blues)
2015-16 42 13 26 1 2 149 194 29 7th of 8 NJCHL Lost quarters, 2–4 (Peach Kings)
2016-17 42 22 20 0 - 161 165 40 4th of 8- PJHL
Bloomfield
Lost Div Quarters, 2-4 (Blues)
2017-18 42 23 17 1 1 152 167 48 3rd of 8- PJHL
Bloomfield
Won Div Quarters, 4-3 (Riverhawks)
Lost div semi-finals, 0-4 (Peach Kings)
2018-19 42 13 24 2 3 110 166 31 7th of 8- PJHL
Bloomfield
Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Hawks)
2019-20 43 13 27 2 1 137 170 29 7th of 8- PJHL
Bloomfield
Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Hawks)
2020-21 Season Lost due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22 30 15 11 4 0 121 125 34 5th of 7- PJHL
Bloomfield
Lost Div Quarters, 2-4 (Riverhawks)
2022-23 42 21 15 5 1 148 153 48 3rd of 7- PJHL
Bloomfield
Won Div Quarters, 4-0 (Mudcats)
Lost Div Semis, 1-4 (Peach Kings)
2023-24 42 8 33 0 1 88 215 17 7th of 7- PJHL
Bloomfield
Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Blues)

References

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