The York Lions men's ice hockey team (formerly the York Yeomen) is an active ice hockey program representing the York Lions athletic department of York University. The team has been continually active since the early 1960s and is currently a member of the Ontario University Athletics conference under the authority of U Sports. The Lions play at the Canlan Ice Sports in Toronto, Ontario.

History York University, established in 1959, iced its first varsity hockey team in 1962, joining the Ontario Intermediate Athletic Association (OIAA), as an Intermediate (2nd tier) program. The Yeomen joined just as the league was preparing to elevate itself to the senior level of Canadian college hockey, however, its plans hit a snag. The OIAA petitioned CIAU for a bid into the University Cup in 1964 but were denied. In response, the entire league cancelled their schedules midway through the year. That summer, the CIAU reversed their decision and conferred an automatic bid for the conference champion. York resumed play the next year at the top level and slowly built itself into a contender. In 1970, the program won its first league title, earning a trip to the national tournament for the first time. The team followed up their bronze medal-finish with a runner-up spot in the conference final before the college landscape was upended.

In 1971, the four conferences that shared programs across Ontario and Quebec were realigned into two provincial leagues. York didn't appear to be bothered in the slightest by this development, posting winning records in seven consecutive seasons in their new league, the Ontario University Athletic Association (OUAA). Unfortunately, the Yeomen were unable to win a league championship and were prevented from returning to the University Cup.

After a lull in the early 80s, York returned in force in the middle of the decade, winning its first conference championship in 15 years. They won three close games in the University Cup series and captured the program's first national championship. York won the next three OUAA titles as well but it wasn't until 1988 that they were able too win their second University Cup. The program slumped a bit in 1989 but still earned an automatic bit to the tournament thanks to a runner-up finish in the OUAA playoffs. The defending champions then went on a tear and upset two heavily favored squads to win back-to-back championships.

York declined and spent most of the 90s as a middling team, though they did make two trips to the national tournament in 1997 and '99. In the early 21st century, the program recovered and ended a 16-year drought with a league championship in 2004. However, once again, the renamed-Lions slipped into the middle of the pack for much of the succeeding two decades. Other than 2017 and '18, the Lions have seen no success in the postseason.

Season-by-season results Senior and intermediate play Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points Extra-League ChampionU Sports SemifinalistConference regular season championsConference Division ChampionsConference Playoff Champions SeasonConferenceRegular SeasonConference Tournament ResultsNational Tournament Results Conference OverallGPWLTPts*FinishGPWLT%1962–63OIAA??????????? 1963–64OIAA?????N/A †????? Totals GP W L T %ChampionshipsRegular Season ? ? ? ? ? Conference Post-season ? ? ? ? ? Regular Season and Postseason Record ? ? ? ? ? † season ended early when the league cancelled its remaining schedule in protest.

Senior collegiate Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, Pts = Points U Sports Champion U Sports SemifinalistConference regular season championsConference Division ChampionsConference Playoff Champions SeasonConferenceRegular SeasonConference Tournament ResultsNational Tournament Results Conference OverallGPWLTOTLSOLPts*FinishGPWLT/SOL%1964–65OIAA6330––T–4th6330 1965–66OIAA10541––113rd10541 1966–67OIAA12660––124th12660 1967–68OIAA12840––162nd12840 1968–69OIAA10550––104th10550 1969–70OIAA101000––201st141310 Won Championship, 8–2 (Laurentian) Lost Quarterfinal, 1–4 (Saint Mary's)Won Consolation Semifinal, 12–3 (Alberta)Won Consolation Final, 7–3 (Loyola)1970–71OIAA10820––162nd12930 Won Semifinal, 8–1 (Waterloo Lutheran)Lost Championship, 3–5 (Laurentian)1971–72OUAA191612––341st221822 Won Quarterfinal, 6–1 (Laurentian)Won Semifinal, 6–2 (Guelph)Lost Championship, 2–5 (Toronto) 1972–73OUAA171061––6T–6th181071 Lost Quarterfinal, 2–8 (Toronto) 1973–74OUAA191621––332nd211731 Won Quarterfinal, 8–2 (Laurentian)Lost Semifinal, 4–8 (Guelph) 1974–75OUAA14923––212nd171133 Won Quarterfinal, 9–2 (Ottawa)Won Semifinal, 9–3 (Western Ontario)Lost Championship, 3–4 (Toronto) 1975–76OUAA141040––203rd171250 Won Quarterfinal, 14–0 (Ryerson)Won Semifinal, 5–2 (Western Ontario)Lost Championship, 4–5 (Guelph) 1976–77OUAA191621––331st221831 Won Quarterfinal, 11–1 (Ryerson)Won Semifinal, 5–4 (Guelph)Lost Championship, 4–5 (Toronto) 1977–78OUAA201082––226th221192 Won Quarterfinal, 8–1 (Laurentian)Lost Semifinal, 6–8 (Toronto) 1978–79OUAA16574––148th????? Lost results unavailable 1979–80OUAA228113––198th228113 1980–81OUAA221273––28T–5th241383 Won Quarterfinal, 5–4 (Guelph)Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Queen's) 1981–82OUAA221381––27T–5th231391 Lost Quarterfinal, 5–6 (McMaster) 1982–83OUAA2413110––266th2513120 Lost Quarterfinal, 4–5 (Wilfrid Laurier) 1983–84OUAA2410131––16 †T–11th2410131 1984–85OUAA241590––305th271944 Won Quarterfinal, 4–1 (Laurentian)Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (Toronto)Won Championship series, 2–1 (Western Ontario) Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (Ottawa)Won Championship, 3–2 (Alberta)1985–86OUAA241851––363rd342581 Won Quarterfinal, 4–3 (Waterloo)Won Semifinal series, 2–1 (Toronto)Won Championship series, 2–0 (Wilfrid Laurier) Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Dalhousie)Lost Semifinal, 2–5 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)1986–87OUAA241923––2nd342563 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (McMaster)Won Semifinal series, 2–1 (Windsor)Won Championship series, 2–1 (Western Ontario) Lost Pool 2 Round-Robin, 1–2 (Alberta), 2–4 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)1987–88OUAA262015––451st342815 Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Wilfrid Laurier)Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Western Ontario)Won Semifinal, 5–2 (Windsor)Won Championship, 5–1 (Western Ontario) Won Semifinal, 4–3 (Calgary)Won Championship, 5–3 (Western Ontario)1988–89OUAA261493––296th3519133 Won Division Semifinal series, 2–1 (Waterloo)Lost Division Final series, 0–2 (Wilfrid Laurier)Won Semifinal, 5–4 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)Lost Championship, 0–3 (Wilfrid Laurier) Won Semifinal, 4–3 (Alberta)Won Championship, 5–2 (Wilfrid Laurier)1989–90OUAA221381––27T–4th2816111 Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Ottawa)Lost Semifinal series, 1–2 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières) 1990–91OUAA221480––285th231490 Lost First Round, 4–5 (McGill) 1991–92OUAA221183––258th2411103 Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières) 1992–93OUAA227132––16T–13th227132 1993–94OUAA2610151––2110th3113171 Won Division Semifinal, 4–3 (Laurentian)Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Brock)Lost Semifinal, 1–2 (Western Ontario) 1994–95OUAA2612122––2610th3115142 Won Division Semifinal, 5–3 (Laurentian)Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Brock)Lost Semifinal, 2–7 (Western Ontario) 1995–96OUAA261394––308th2713104 Lost Division Semifinal, 3–4 (OT) (Brock) 1996–97OUAA261493––315th3117113 Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Laurentian)Won Semifinal, 5–4 (Western Ontario)Lost Championship, 0–3 (Guelph) Lost Semifinal, 2–4 (Guelph)1997–98OUA2613112––28T–7th3016122 Won Division Final series, 3–0 (Brock)Lost Semifinal, 2–6 (Windsor) 1998–99OUA258107––3310th3212137 Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Brock)Won Semifinal, 3–1 (Windsor)Lost Championship, 0–7 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières) Lost Pool A Round-Robin, 5–2 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières), 0–4 (Alberta)1999–00OUA269143––21T–10th3213163 Won Division Semifinal, 2–0 (Laurentian)Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Brock)Lost Semifinal, 1–5 (Western Ontario) 2000–01OUA241563––333rd271773 Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Guelph)Lost Semifinal, 3–7 (Western Ontario) 2001–02OUA241743––372nd271953 Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Brock)Lost Semifinal, 3–5 (Western Ontario) 2002–03OUA241761––354th3120101 Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Wilfrid Laurier)Won Semifinal, 3–1 (Lakehead)Lost Championship, 4–7 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières) Lost Pool A Round-Robin, 0–4 (Alberta), 4–5 (St. Francis Xavier)2003–04OUA2415540–343rd301974 Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Wilfrid Laurier)Won Semifinal, 3–2 (Lakehead)Won Championship, 3–2 (Ottawa) Lost Pool B Round-Robin, 2–4 (Dalhousie), 0–4 (St. Francis Xavier)2004–05OUA2412651–306th261295 Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Lakehead) 2005–06OUA24101112–238th2610151 Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Lakehead) 2006–07OUA28131032–31T–7th3013143 Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Lakehead) 2007–08OUA281411–21318th3014151 Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Western Ontario) 2008–09OUA281411–0331T–7th3014133 Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Western Ontario) 2009–10OUA281213–3027T–11th3113180 Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Lakehead) 2010–11OUA281016–112217th2810171 2011–12OUA281410–13319th3014133 Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Windsor) 2012–13OUA281414–002813th3014160 Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Windsor) 2013–14OUA281313–1128T–12th3013161 Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Lakehead) 2014–15OUA27915–2121T–16th279171 2015–16OUA28167–41376th3016131 Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Toronto) 2016–17OUA28186–31404th3725111 Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Lakehead)Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Guelph)Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Windsor)Won Championship, 4–3 (Queen's) Lost Quarterfinal, 0–1 (OT) (Saskatchewan)2017–18OUA281710–01357th3521131 Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Lakehead)Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Ryerson)Lost Division Final series, 1–2 (Brock)Lost Bronze Medal Game, 2–3 (Concordia) 2018–19OUA281214–2026T–14th3012180 Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Brock) 2019–20OUA28917–202017th289190 2020–21 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2021–22OUA1668–2015th176110 Lost Division Quarterfinal, 2–4 (Windsor) 2022–23OUA271213–202616th2712150 2023–24OUA28322–21919th283241 2024–25OUA28716–231917th287183 Totals GP W L T/SOL %ChampionshipsRegular Season 1329 695 534 100 1 OIAA Championship, 3 OUAA Championships, 3 East Division Title, 1 Central Division Title, 9 Mid-West Division Titles, 1 West Division TitleConference Post-season 151 83 68 0 1 OIAA Championships, 4 OUAA Championships, 2 OUAA ChampionshipsU Sports Postseason 21 10 11 0 11 National Tournament appearancesRegular Season and Postseason Record 1501 787 613 100 3 National Championships † York was penalized 5 points in the standings for using an ineligible player. Note: Totals include senior collegiate play only, except for 1978–79.

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