The Westfort Hurricanes were a Canadian Junior ice hockey club from Fort William, Ontario. The Herks were members of the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League and were Abbott Cup finalists once.

Westfort Hurricanes
CityFort William, Ontario
LeagueThunder Bay Junior A Hockey League
Midwest Junior Hockey League
Can-Am Junior Hockey League
Operated1940–1980
Home arenaFort William Gardens
Franchise history
1940-1961Fort William Hurricane-Rangers
1961-1966Fort William Hurricanes
1966-1972Westfort Hurricanes
1972-1975Thunder Bay Westfort Hurricanes
1975-1978Degagne Hurricanes
1978-1980Degagne Buccaneers
Previous franchise history
1978merged with Thunder Bay Beavers and Fort William Canadians

History

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In 1972, the Hurricanes broke away from the Thunder Bay Junior A Hockey League to join the St. Paul, Minnesota-based Can-Am Junior Hockey League. A year later, that league became the Midwest Junior Hockey League. The Herks stayed on board for one Midwest Junior season before returning to the TBJHL.[citation needed]

Dave Siciliano coached the Hurricanes during the 1973–74 season.[1] His team completed the regular season in first place with 45 wins in 60 games.[2] In the 1974 Centennial Cup playoffs, the Hurricanes defeated the Wexford Raiders four games to three in the first round,[3] then were defeated four games to three by the Smiths Falls Bears in the second round.[4]

The MWJHL later merged and solidified the United States Hockey League. The Buccaneers folded on July 6, 1980, when the TBAHA left them with no league to play in.[citation needed]

Season-by-season standings

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Season GP W L T OTL GF GA P Results
1940-41 18 5 11 2 - 89 106 12 3rd TBJHL
1941-42 16 15 1 0 - 110 13 30 1st TBJHL
1942-43 10 9 1 0 - 71 31 18 1st TBJHL
1943-45 did not participate
1945-46 8 1 7 0 - 15 52 2 5th TBJHL
1946-47 6 4 1 1 - 31 25 9 2nd TBJHL
1947-48 9 3 5 1 - 39 59 7 3rd TBJHL
1948-49 12 3 8 1 - 52 67 7 3rd TBJHL
1949-50 18 11 7 0 - 109 86 22 2nd TBJHL
1950-51 21 11 10 0 - 100 85 22 3rd TBJHL
1951-52 30 15 14 1 - 140 127 31 3rd TBJHL
1952-53 29 11 18 0 - 129 161 22 3rd TBJHL
1953-54 34 10 23 1 - 114 180 21 4th TBJHL
1954-55 29 8 20 1 - 97 143 17 4th TBJHL
1955-56 33 3 27 3 - 88 167 9 3rd TBJHL
1956-57 30 2 28 0 - 95 241 4 3rd TBJHL
1957-58 22 4 17 1 - 66 126 9 3rd TBJHL
1958-59 24 6 14 4 - 82 128 16 3rd TBJHL
1959-60 20 13 7 0 - 94 76 26 1st TBJHL
1960-61 24 5 15 4 - 77 108 14 3rd TBJHL
1961-62 28 2 24 2 - 77 186 6 3rd TBJHL
1962-63 28 9 17 2 - 92 127 20 3rd TBJHL
1963-64 26 8 12 6 - 87 103 22 3rd TBJHL
1964-65 22 1 19 2 - 93 189 4 4th TBJHL
1965-66 30 3 26 1 - 112 226 7 4th TBJHL
1966-67 29 7 19 3 - 118 172 17 4th TBJHL
1967-68 32 11 19 2 - 134 187 27.5 4th TBJHL
1968-69 36 23 8 5 - 196 129 51 1st TBJHL
1969-70 30 13 14 3 - 156 160 29 2nd TBJHL
1970-71 30 13 14 3 - 133 156 29 2nd TBJHL
1971-72 27 14 11 2 - -- -- 30 2nd TBMJHL
1972-73 31 5 21 5 - 94 178 15 4th CAJHL
1973-74 60 45 14 1 - 430 258 91 2nd MWJHL
1974-75 27 19 4 4 - 164 106 42 1st TBJHL
1975-76 30 19 6 5 - 163 117 43 2nd TBJHL
1976-77 25 14 9 2 - 168 122 30 2nd TBJHL
1977-78 28 20 6 2 - -- -- 42 1st TBJHL
1978-79 25 16 6 3 - -- -- 35 1st TBJHL
1979-80 34 24 10 0 - 216 163 48 1st TBJHL

Playoffs

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  • 1971 Lost final
Westfort Hurricanes defeated Fort William Canadians 3-games-to-2
Thunder Bay Marrs defeated Westfort Hurricanes 4-games-to-1
  • 1972 Lost semi-final
Minnesota Jr. Stars defeated Westfort Hurricanes 2-games-to-none
  • 1973 Lost quarter-final/Canadian TBAHA Semi-final
Thunder Bay Centennials defeated Westfort Hurricanes 4-games-to-2
Thunder Bay Hurricanes defeated Thunder Bay Eagles (TBJHL) 3-games-to-none
Thunder Bay Hurricanes defeated Fort William Canadians (TBJHL) 4-games-to-none JACK ADAMS TROPHY CHAMPIONS
Thunder Bay Hurricanes defeated Wexford Raiders (OPJHL) 4-games-to-3
Smiths Falls Bears (CJHL) defeated Thunder Bay Hurricanes 4-games-to-3
  • 1975 Lost final
Thunder Bay Hurricanes defeated Thunder Bay Beavers 4-games-to-2
Thunder Bay Eagles defeated Thunder Bay Hurricanes 4-games-to-1
  • 1976 Lost semi-final
Thunder Bay Beavers defeated Thunder Bay Hurricanes 4-games-to-2
  • 1977 Lost final
Degagne Hurricanes defeated Thunder Bay Beavers 3-games-to-none and 1 tie
Thunder Bay Eagles defeated Degagne Hurricanes 4-games-to-1
Degagne Hurricanes defeated Thunder Bay Beavers 3-games-to-none
Degagne Hurricanes defeated Atikokan Voyageurs 4-games-to-none TBJHL CHAMPIONS
Guelph Platers (OPJHL) defeated Degagne Hurricanes 4-games-to-none
  • 1979 Lost final
Thunder Bay North Stars defeated Degagne Buccaneers 4-games-to-1
  • 1980 Lost final
Thunder Bay North Stars defeated Degagne Buccaneers 4-games-to-none with 1 tie

Championships

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TBJHL Champions:

1942, 1943, 1952, 1960, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1974*, 1978

Abbott Cup Finalists:

1970

Dudley Hewitt Cup/Eastern Centennial Cup Semi-final Champion

1974

(*) denotes: Herks played in MWJHL, rejoined TBJHL for playoffs.

Notable alumni

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Fort William Hurricane-Rangers[5]

Fort William Hurricanes[6]

Westfort Hurricanes[7]

Thunder Bay Westfort Hurricanes[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Dave Siciliano Hockey Stats and Profile". Hockey Database. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  2. ^ "1973–74 Midwest Junior Hockey League Standings". Hockey Database. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  3. ^ "Bears, Hurricanes in east final". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa, Ontario. April 19, 1974. p. 24. 
  4. ^ "Bears shoot way to Cup finals". Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa, Ontario. May 2, 1974. p. 29. 
  5. ^ "Search Players By Team". www.legendsofhockey.net.
  6. ^ "Fort William Hurricanes". www.legendsofhockey.net.
  7. ^ "Westfort Hurricanes". www.legendsofhockey.net.
  8. ^ "Thunder Bay Hurricanes". www.legendsofhockey.net.