The Toronto Jr. Aeros are a Junior women's ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Aeros are members of the Ontario Women's Hockey League. The Aeros are six-time OWHL regular season champions, seven-time OWHL playoff champions,[1] and five-time Ontario Intermediate AA champions. On three occasions (2005, 2006, 2018) the Aeros won all three titles in one season.
| Toronto Jr. Aeros | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| League | Ontario Women's Hockey League |
| Founded | 1991 2004 (OWHL franchise) |
| Home arena | Vaughan Sportsplex |
| Colours | Black, Red, and White |
| General manager | Tim Sarna |
| Head coach | Navinder Biln |
Tradition edit
The Senior Toronto Aeros were founded in 1974 and existed until the folding of the National Women's Hockey League in 2007 (which it joined in 1999).[2][3] The Aeros program raised up both of the two only Canadian female players in the Hockey Hall of Fame: Angela James and Geraldine Heaney.[4]
The Toronto Jr. Aeros were founded in 1991 and entered the Provincial Women's Hockey League at its inception in 2004. The Midget Aeros, affiliated with the Junior Aeros, were founded in 2001. Currently, the Aeros only operate a Midget and Junior team.[5]
History edit
The Junior Aeros entered the Provincial Women's Hockey League during its first season, 2004–05, and won its regular-season championship as well as the Alumni Cup as the league's playoff champion. The Jr. Aeros also won the OWHA Intermediate AA Championship tournament to complete the triple crown.
The 2005–06 season saw the Aeros double the feat, if not better it, by finishing the regular season with an undefeated (27–0–3) record. The Aeros also did not lose a game during the league playoffs. Future Canadian Olympian Haley Irwin[6] was a star on the team those first two seasons. Irwin was named team most valuable player each of those seasons[7] before being picked up by the NCAA Division I Minnesota–Duluth Bulldogs.[8] Courtney Birchard was a member of the Jr. Aeros lineup during the first two seasons before jumping to the New Hampshire Wildcats of ECAC Hockey. Also, Christina Kessler starred in net for the Aeros during the 2005–06 season before jumping to the Harvard Crimson hockey team. During Kessler's season with the team, she and Jamie Miller combined for the lowest goals-against average in the PWHL.
Goalie Jamie Miller either led or co-led the PWHL in each of the league's first three seasons. Miller spent a season with the Division I Quinnipiac Bobcats and is now a member of the Canadian Women's Hockey League's Brampton Hockey Team.[9] During the 2006–07 season, the Jr. Aeros won their third straight regular season championship and their third straight league playoff championship, but were upset in the preliminary round of the OWHA Provincials by the Aurora Jr. Panthers to deny them their third straight triple crown.
Season-by-season results edit
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Pts | Finish | Playoffs | OWHA's |
| 2004-05 | 30 | 23 | 5 | 2 | - | 105 | 45 | 48 | 1st PWHL | Won League (Stoney Creek) | Won Gold (Windsor) |
| 2005-06 | 30 | 27 | 0 | 3 | - | 137 | 28 | 57 | 1st PWHL | Won League (Stoney Creek) | Won Gold (Durham West) |
| 2006-07 | 32 | 22 | 6 | 4 | - | 111 | 41 | 48 | 1st PWHL | Won League (Durham West) | Lost Preliminary (Aurora) |
| 2007-08 | 32 | 22 | 9 | 1 | - | 131 | 66 | 45 | 3rd PWHL | 5th Place (Aurora) | Lost Preliminary (Stoney Creek) |
| 2008-09 | 34 | 27 | 5 | 2 | - | 138 | 62 | 56 | 1st PWHL | Lost Final (Ottawa) | Won Bronze (Durham West) |
| 2009-10 | 34 | 29 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 163 | 38 | 61 | 2nd PWHL | Won League (Mississauga) | Won Gold (Bluewater) |
| 2010-11 | 36 | 26 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 150 | 58 | 56 | 3rd PWHL | Won League (Mississauga) | Won Silver (Mississauga) |
| 2011-12 | 34 | 31 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 136 | 31 | 64 | 1st PWHL | Lost Final (Bluewater) | Won Silver (Bluewater) |
| 2012-13 | 38 | 27 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 118 | 68 | 56 | 5th PWHL | Won Bronze (Mississauga) | Lost Preliminary (Mississauga) |
| 2013-14 | 38 | 29 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 142 | 68 | 62 | 3rd PWHL | Lost Bronze (Nepean) | Won Silver (Mississauga) |
| 2014-15 | 38 | 28 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 156 | 59 | 60 | T2nd PWHL | Lost Bronze (Oakville) | Lost Bronze (Whitby) |
| 2015-16 | 38 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 112 | 55 | 55 | T4th PWHL | Won League (Mississauga) | Won Gold (Oakville) |
| 2016-17 | 38 | 26 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 87 | 40 | 56 | 3rd PWHL | Lost Final (Oakville) |
Professional and National Team alumni edit
References edit
- ^ "Past Champions | Provincial Women's Hockey League".
- ^ "The Aeros Organization :: Aeros Tradition". Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-11-27.
- ^ "Toronto Aeros win NWHL title | CBC Sports".
- ^ "Aeros Alumnae :: Information & News". Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-11-27.
- ^ "Aeros Organization News". Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-11-25.
- ^ "Irwin nets two in Olympic debut".
- ^ "Hockey Helps the Homeless - Haley Irwin". Archived from the original on 2013-12-02. Retrieved 2013-11-25.
- ^ http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/sports/umd-bulldogs/latest-news/Four-UMD-Links-to-Centralized-Canada-Roster-204767821.html
- ^ "CWHL - Canada Women's Hockey: Leagues, Statistics, Awards, Schedules".
- ^ "UNHWildcats.com -- University of New Hampshire Official Athletics Website:Courtney Birchard". Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-11-25.
- ^ http://www.torontoaeros.com/JuniorAeros0506Album/slides/21%20Haley%20Irwin.html [permanent dead link]
- ^ "IRWIN Haley - Biography | NBC Olympics". Archived from the original on 2013-12-02. Retrieved 2013-11-25.
- ^ "Kessler Joins Team Canada for 12 Nations Tournament - Beyond the Crease". Archived from the original on 2013-12-02. Retrieved 2013-11-25.
- ^ "CWHL - Canada Women's Hockey: Leagues, Statistics, Awards, Schedules".
- ^ "Jillian Saulnier - 2014-15 - Women's Ice Hockey".
- ^ "CWHL - Canada Women's Hockey: Leagues, Statistics, Awards, Schedules".
- ^ http://www.ecachockey.com/women/members/rensselaer/20112402_RPINotesCornellQtrs?dec=printer-decorator&${qs}