The Pembroke Lumber Kings (colloquially referred to as the Kings) were a Junior A ice hockey team based in Pembroke, Ontario. The Lumber Kings competed in the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) as a member of the West Division. The franchise was one of the "Original Five" teams of the league. Founded in 1964, the team folded in 1979, but came back in 1980. Since 1964, they played their home games at Pembroke Memorial Centre.

The Lumber Kings have won the most Bogart Cup championships of any CCHL franchise since its existence (14), including two in a row in 1983–84 and 1984–85, and five in a row between 2006–07 and 2010–11. The Kings played their home games at Pembroke Memorial Centre from 1964 until 1979, for 15 seasons. They got sold to a new ownership group, and came back for the 1980–81 season, and moved into Pembroke Memorial Centre again.

History The Pembroke Lumber Kings were the oldest member of the CCHL, having begun operations in 1961. However, in 1979–80 the Lumber Kings were suspended for one season and replaced with the Pembroke Royals. The Pembroke Lumber Kings were approved to rejoin the league for 1980–81.

The Pembroke Lumber Kings won a total of 14 Art Bogart Cup league championships between 1973 and 2011. Six of those championships came in the 1980s when the Kings were coached by Jim Farelli. Farelli coached 420 games for the Kings, the most of any coach in Lumber Kings history. His teams advanced to the Art Bogart Cup championship series eight consecutive years, winning six titles. This included three consecutive championships from 1987 to 1989, tying the record for longest streak set by the Cornwall Royals (1966–1968).

The Kings had previously won three Art Bogart Cups in the 1970s. The 1972–73 team was coached by Mac MacLean and made it to the Centennial Cup Canadian Junior A Final, losing 4 games to 1 to the Portage la Prairie Terriers. Under coach Bryan Murray the Kings won consecutive titles in 1977 and 1978. The 1977 team made it to the Centennial Cup Final, losing to the Prince Albert Raiders. Murray was fired by the Lumber Kings after the 1978 season. Three years later he was starting a long NHL coaching/general manager career as coach of the Washington Capitals.

The Lumber Kings broke their own (shared) league record by winning five consecutive Art Bogart Cup championships from 2007 to 2011, appearing in five Fred Page Cup tournaments for the Eastern Canada Junior A championships (2006 as hosts), winning in 2007 and 2011, and finishing as finalists in 2006, 2008, and 2010. In 2011, the Pembroke Lumber Kings became only the second team since the 1976 Rockland Nationals to win the National Junior A championship. The team was led by owner, coach and general manager Sheldon Keefe, who had purchased the Kings in June 2006.

Keefe announced on May 29, 2013, that he had sold the Pembroke Lumber Kings to former Calgary Flames player (9 games) and Eganville native Dale McTavish. With Keefe no longer in charge of ownership, general management and coaching duties, the Lumber Kings' success began to fade away, despite making the league finals in 2015, losing to Carleton Place; and failing to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in 13 years in 2017.

The team was sold to Alex Armstrong in June 2019.

Armstrong was suspended in 2025, from all hockey activities following a maltreatment lawsuit. Following an appeal, the CCHL terminated Armstrong's ownership in April 2026, and offered the franchise for sale.

On July 31, 2026, the CCHL terminated of the Pembroke Lumber Kings following legal issues with Armstrong. A new Pembroke Junior A Hockey Club franchise would participate in the 2026-27 CCHL season.

Notable alumni

Mike Eastwood Derek Holmes Dale McTavish Mason McTavish Matthew Peca Joe Reekie Eric Selleck P.J. Stock Peter White Dmytro Yakushyn Tim Young Dainius Zubrus

Retired numbers 8 – Ben Reinhardt (2006–11), winner of five CCHL championships, two Fred Page Cup championships, and one Royal Bank Cup championship. 11 – Gale Linton (1971–72), killed in a car accident while reporting to training camp on October 1, 1972. 16 – Larry Mick (1963–66), drafted by the Minnesota North Stars 13th overall in the 1967 NHL Amateur Draft.

Season by season record

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points Season GP W L T OTL GF GA Pts Finish Playoff Results 1958–59 16 10 6 0 — — — 20 3rd IPJHL Won League 1959–60 20 13 7 0 — 122 93 26 3rd IPJHL Lost final 1960–61 19 13 4 2 — 104 66 28 1st IPJHL Won League 1961–62 30 16 8 4 — — — 36 3rd OHDJHL Lost final 1962–63 32 20 10 2 — 180 128 42 3rd OHDJHL Lost semifinal 1963–64 32 22 8 2 — — — 46 2nd OHDJHL Lost final 1964–65 35 17 12 6 — 171 146 40 4th CJHL Lost quarterfinal 1965–66 36 27 9 0 — 203 175 54 3rd CJHL Lost semifinal 1966–67 50 18 24 8 — 179 234 44 4th CJHL Lost semifinal 1967–68 39 15 18 6 — 158 174 36 4th CJHL Lost semifinal 1968–69 40 13 23 4 — 146 149 30 3rd CJHL Lost final 1969–70 40 13 21 6 — 136 176 32 3rd CJHL 1970–71 48 13 34 1 — 164 254 27 5th CJHL 1971–72 48 20 26 2 — 206 220 42 4th CJHL 1972–73 55 47 4 4 — 368 183 98 1st CJHL Won League, won HDMT 1973–74 50 26 20 4 — 235 215 56 3rd CJHL 1974–75 50 28 13 9 — 280 215 65 1st CJHL Lost semifinal 1975–76 50 16 28 6 — 209 310 38 6th CJHL 1976–77 50 28 17 5 — 282 223 61 2nd CJHL Won League, won HDMT 1977–78 48 31 13 4 — 284 220 66 1st CJHL Won League 1978–79 48 21 23 4 — 254 262 46 4th CJHL 1979–80 Franchise suspended 1980–81 50 13 32 5 — 185 219 31 5th CJHL 1981–82 50 25 20 5 — 259 190 55 3rd CJHL Won League 1982–83 48 29 16 3 — 237 164 61 2nd CJHL 1983–84 54 25 20 9 — 348 295 59 4th CJHL Won League 1984–85 54 38 13 1 2 355 213 79 1st CJHL Won League 1985–86 60 42 15 1 2 376 238 78* 2nd CJHL 1986–87 54 39 10 1 4 323 179 83 1st CJHL 1987–88 56 42 10 2 2 395 217 88 2nd CJHL 1988–89 56 39 12 1 4 319 195 83 1st CJHL 1989–90 56 21 28 4 3 218 280 49 5th CJHL 1990–91 54 26 24 1 3 220 221 56 6th CJHL 1991–92 57 30 24 1 2 291 274 63 5th CJHL 1992–93 57 29 21 3 4 285 264 65 7th CJHL 1993–94 57 30 21 3 3 293 292 66 6th CJHL 1994–95 53 26 19 5 3 290 272 60 4th CJHL 1995–96 54 18 29 7 0 237 290 43 4th in West 1996–97 53 22 24 7 0 166 197 51 5th in West 1997–98 56 14 34 8 3 215 255 39 5th in West 1998–99 54 20 31 3 0 202 242 43 5th in West 1999–00 56 23 28 5 0 244 255 51 5th in West 2000–01 55 33 17 5 0 261 184 73 1st in West 2001–02 55 27 19 10 0 236 207 64 2nd in West 2002–03 55 16 33 6 2 228 265 40 4th in West Did not qualify 2003–04 55 23 28 3 1 217 242 50 4th in West Did not qualify 2004–05 57 37 14 5 1 236 169 80 2nd in West Lost semifinals 2005–06 59 50 7 1 1 320 116 102 1st in West Lost semifinals, Hosted FPC 2006–07 55 41 10 2 2 261 133 86 1st in West Won League, won FPC 2007–08 60 46 11 2 1 281 138 95 1st CJHL Won League Season GP W L OTL SOL GF GA Pts Finish Playoff Results 2008–09 60 43 13 4 3 248 145 90 2nd CJHL Won League 2009–10 62 52 9 1 0 288 144 105 2nd CJHL Won League 2010–11 62 51 9 2 2 300 142 104 1st CCHL Won League, won FPC, won RBC 2011–12 62 32 24 6 2 184 177 70 6th CCHL Lost semifinals 2012–13 62 38 20 4 3 235 185 80 5th CCHL Lost quarterfinals 2013–14 62 37 19 6 4 229 184 80 4th CCHL Lost semifinals 2014–15 62 42 13 4 3 266 174 91 2nd of 6 in West3 of 12 CCHL Won quarterfinals 4–1 (Braves)Won semifinals 4–3 (Junior Senators)Lost finals 1–4 (Canadians) 2015–16 62 34 23 4 1 197 163 73 3rd of 6 in West8th of 12 CCHL Lost quarterfinals 1–4 (Canadians) 2016–17 62 22 38 2 0 165 220 46 6th of 6 in West12th of 12 CCHL Did not qualify 2017–18 62 32 25 4 1 213 223 69 4th of 6 in West7th of 12 CCHL Lost quarterfinals 2–4 (Junior Senators) 2018–19 62 27 34 1 0 188 232 55 5th of 6 in West10th of 12 CCHL Did not qualify 2019–20 62 32 27 2 1 187 215 67 4th of 6 in West7th of 12 CCHL Playoffs suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic 2020–21 2021–22 55 30 21 2 2 167 159 64 4th of 6 in West6th of 12 CCHL Lost quarterfinals 2022–23 55 10 40 2 3 132 248 25 6th of 6 in West12th of 12 CCHL Did not qualify 2023–24 55 24 24 5 2 146 179 55 4th of 6 in West8th of 12 CCHL Lost Quarterfinals 2–4 (Grads) 2024–25 55 28 24 2 1 194 177 59 3rd of 6 in West5th of 12 CCHL Lost Quarterfinals 2–4 (Bears)2025-2655104221143292236th of 6 in West12th of 12 CCHLDid not qualify (*) denotes the removal of 9 points from Pembroke's totals by the CJHL for disciplinary reasons. The Lumber Kings lost their franchise prior to the start of the 1979–80 season for failing to remain in good standing with the league.

Fred Page Cup Eastern Canada championships MHL - QAAAJHL - CCHL - Host Round robin play with 2nd vs 3rd in semi-final to advance against 1st in the finals. Year Round Robin Record Standing Semifinal Gold Medal Game 1999 ?, Restigouche River Rats ?-??, Coaticook Frontaliers ?-??, Kanata Valley Lasers ?-? ?-?-? ?? of 4 n/a W, Restigouche River Rats 4–1Fred Page Cup Championsadvance to Royal Bank Cup 2000 * W, Coaticook Frontaliers 6–1L, Halifax Oland Exports 6–8L, Cornwall Colts 2–5 1–2–0 3rd of 4 L, Halifax Oland Exports 4–8 n/a 2006 * W, Joliette Action 8–1OTW, Woodstock Slammers 4–3W, Hawkesbury Hawks 5–1 3–0–0 1st of 4 n/a L, Joliette Action 2–4 2007 OTW, St. Jerome Panthers 2–1W, Joliette Action 4–1L, Truro Bearcats 5–1 2–1–0 1st of 4 n/a W, St. Jerome Panthers 5–2Fred Page Cup Championsadvance to Royal Bank Cup 2008 W, Weeks Crushers 2–1OTW, Yarmouth Mariners 3–2L, College Champain Cougars 1–2 2–1–0 1st of 4 n/a L, Weeks Crushers 1–4 2009 L, Summerside Western Capitals 3–4L, Dieppe Commandos 1–3W, Sherbrooke Cougars 5–2 1–2–0 3rd of 4 L, Summerside Western Capitals 1–4 n/a 2010 OTW, Terrebonne Cobras 6–5L, Brockville Braves 1–2W, Woodstock Slammers 7–4 2–1–0 2nd of 4 W, Terrebonne Cobras 6–4 L, Brockville Braves 1–5 2011 W, Longueuil Collège Français 11–3W, Summerside Western Capitals 9–5L, Terrebonne Cobras 5–6 2–1–0 1st of 4 n/a W, Longueuil Collège Français 6–3Fred Page Cup Championsadvance to Royal Bank Cup Tournament host

Royal Bank Cup Canadian national championships Dudley Hewitt Champions - Central, Fred Page Champions - Eastern, Western Canada Cup Champions - Western, Western Canada Cup - Runners Up and Host Round robin play with top 4 in semi-final and winners to finals. Year Round Robin Record Standing Semifinal Gold Medal Game 2007 L, Prince George Spruce Kings 2–5W, Aurora Tigers 5–3L, Camrose Kodiaks 0–3W, Selkirk Steelers 4–2 2–2 4th of 5 OTL, Aurora Tigers 2–3 na 2011 L, Portage Terriers 2–5W, Wellington Dukes 5–2L, Camrose Kodiaks 1–2L, Vernon Vipers 3–5 1–3 3rd of 5 W, Camrose Kodiaks 4–2 W, Vernon Vipers 2–0Royal Bank Cup Champions Tournament host

Championships CJHL Art Bogart Cup championships: 1973, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Central Canadian Dudley Hewitt Cup championships: 1973, 1977, 1987, 1988 Eastern Canadian Fred Page Cup championships: 2007, 2011 CJAHL Royal Bank Cup championships: 2011

References