The Couchiching Terriers were a Junior A ice hockey team from Rama, Ontario, Canada from Lake Couchiching. The team originated in neighbouring Orillia, Ontario, and played in the Ontario Junior A Hockey League. The Terriers were 1985 Centennial Cup National Champions and three time Dudley Hewitt Cup Central Canadian Champions (1984, 1985, 1986). The team folded in 2010 when offered a buyout from the league.

History The Junior A team that now boasts the name "Terriers" was previously known as the Orillia Travelways and was a member of the Mid-Ontario Junior B Hockey League from at least 1971 to 1978. The Mid-Ontario league was discontinued in 1978 and the Travelways were added to the Central Junior B Hockey League at that time. They moved up to the Tier II Junior A ranks for the first time in 1981, joining the Ontario Junior Hockey League, and won the 1985 Centennial Cup as the best Junior A team in Canada.

They are not connected with the Orillia Terriers, a different club which competed in the OHA Senior A and Intermediate A ranks from 1968 to 1982.

Orillia was the league's top team, winning three straight playoff championships, but dropped out in 1986 when faulty trusses forced the closing of the Orillia Community Centre. During their absence the Junior A league collapsed, so the team returned to the Central Junior B league in 1987 under the name "Laidlaws" (their sponsor, the Travelways bus line was acquired by Laidlaw transportation). When Laidlaw dropped the sponsorship, they returned to their "Terriers" name in 1989 and returned to Tier II in 1993 when the Central loop became the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League. The Terriers won the new league's first playoff championship in 1994.

At the time of their folding, the Terriers were the official farm team of the Barrie Colts and the parent club of the Alliston Hornets. The Terriers folded due to financial troubles combined with a lack of arena time. The rink in Rama wanted too much money for ice time, so the Terriers wished to move back to Orillia—their original home. Not enough ice time was available at the Orillia rink due to minor hockey needs. The Terriers also wanted to move to Orillia due to the town's deeper interest in junior hockey. Ticket sales in recent years in Rama were weak, but in Orillia, where the Terriers played a handful of games, the arena was near, if not full.

Season-by-season results Season GP W L T OTL GF GA P Results PlayoffsOrillia Travelways1970-71 34 28 3 3 - 258 124 59 1st MOJBHL1971-72 40 28 9 3 - 280 177 59 1st MOJBHL1972-73 40 9 29 2 - 137 224 20 6th MOJBHL1973-74 39 9 29 1 - 142 271 19 5th MOJBHL DNQ1974-75 39 12 23 4 - 150 203 28 4th MOJBHL Lost semi-final1975-76 36 17 15 4 - 179 177 38 3rd MOJBHL 1976-77 40 18 20 2 - 166 182 38 3rd MOJBHL Lost semi-final1977-78 32 11 19 2 - 170 178 24 4th MOJBHL 1978-79 44 20 19 5 - -- -- 45 5th CJBHL 1979-80 44 26 15 3 - 245 201 55 3rd CJBHL1980-81 44 16 21 7 - 201 242 39 6th CJBHL1981-82 50 11 37 2 - 214 335 24 10th OJHL1982-83 48 25 18 5 - 226 196 55 3rd OJHL1983-84 42 25 13 4 - 280 196 54 2nd OJHL Won League, won DHC1984-85 48 39 7 2 - 346 168 80 1st OJHL Won League, won DHC, won MCC1985-86 50 35 15 0 - 305 205 70 1st OJHL Won League, won DHC1986-87 Did Not ParticipateOrillia Laidlaws1987-88 43 16 22 5 - 221 235 37 10th CJBHL1988-89 42 30 8 4 - 306 166 64 2nd CJBHLOrillia Terriers1989-90 42 15 16 11 - 191 183 41 7th CJBHL1990-91 42 27 10 5 - 238 165 59 1st CJBHL1991-92 42 14 19 9 - 221 220 37 12th CJBHL1992-93 48 23 21 4 - 273 262 51 10th CJAHL1993-94 40 35 2 3 - 252 112 74 1st OPJHL-E Won League1994-95 48 18 25 5 - 193 243 42 6th OPJHL-E1995-96 50 23 27 0 - 222 233 48 3rd OPJHL-P1996-97 50 25 21 4 - 201 194 56 3rd OPJHL-PCouchiching Terriers1997-98 51 23 20 7 1 220 213 54 5th OPJHL-P1998-99 51 37 10 4 0 299 193 78 2nd OPJHL-C1999-00 49 35 12 2 0 258 152 72 2nd OPJHL-N2000-01 49 37 7 3 2 358 176 79 1st OPJHL-N2001-02 49 30 15 3 1 236 163 64 2nd OPJHL-N2002-03 49 21 23 4 1 178 184 47 5th OPJHL-N2003-04 49 18 24 5 2 181 191 43 5th OPJHL-N2004-05 49 12 32 3 2 146 224 29 6th OPJHL-N2005-06 48 17 22 8 1 146 177 43 5th OPJHL-N Lost Conf. QF2006-07 Did Not Participate2007-08 49 29 15 - 5 214 159 63 5th OPJHL-N 2008-09 49 39 3 - 7 267 110 85 1st OJHL-P2009-10 56 35 19 - 2 243 190 72 5th OJAHL Lost quarter-final

Playoffs 1982 DNQ 1983 Lost final Orillia Travelways defeated Markham Waxers 4-games-to-3 Orillia Travelways defeated Newmarket Flyers 4-games-to-3 North York Rangers defeated Orillia Travelways 4-games-to-none 1984 Won League, won OHA Buckland Cup, won Dudley Hewitt Cup, lost 1984 Centennial Cup Orillia Travelways defeated Markham Waxers 4-games-to-none Orillia Travelways defeated North York Rangers 4-games-to-none Orillia Travelways defeated Dixie Beehives 4-games-to-1 OJHL CHAMPIONS Orillia Travelways defeated Rayside-Balfour Canadians (NOJHL) 3-games-to-1 BUCKLAND CUP CHAMPIONS Orillia Travelways defeated Pembroke Lumber Kings (CJHL) 4-games-to-none DUDLEY HEWITT CUP CHAMPIONS Weyburn Red Wings (SJHL) defeated Orillia Travelways 4-games-to-3 1985 Won League, won OHA Buckland Cup, won Dudley Hewitt Cup, won 1985 Centennial Cup Orillia Travelways defeated Whitby Lawmen 4-games-to-1 Orillia Travelways defeated Markham Waxers 4-games-to-none Orillia Travelways defeated Aurora Tigers 4-games-to-none OJHL and BUCKLAND CUP CHAMPIONS First in 1985 Centennial Cup round robin (3-0) DUDLEY HEWITT CUP CHAMPIONS Orillia Travelways defeated Penticton Knights (BCJHL) 4-2 in final CENTENNIAL CUP CHAMPIONS 1986 Won League, won OHA Buckland Cup, won Dudley Hewitt Cup, lost 1986 Centennial Cup semi-final Orillia Travelways defeated Newmarket Flyers 4-games-to-1 Orillia Travelways defeated Markham Waxers 4-games-to-1 OJHL CHAMPIONS Orillia Travelways defeated Onaping Falls Huskies (NOJHL) 4-games-to-2 BUCKLAND CUP CHAMPIONS Orillia Travelways defeated Brockville Braves (CJHL) 4-games-to-3 DUDLEY HEWITT CUP CHAMPIONS Third in 1986 Centennial Cup round robin (1-2) Penticton Knights (BCJHL) defeated Orillia Travelways 7-3 in semi-final

Notable alumni Fred Brathwaite Tony Hrkac Ethan Moreau Tim Mason (National Lawn Bowling champion) Brent Burns Daniel Girardi

External links Terriers Webpage