The North Bay Trappers were a junior ice hockey team from North Bay, Ontario, Canada. The team played in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey Association from 1962 to 1972, and in the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League from 1972 to 1982. Playing for 20 seasons, the Trappers won their league's playoffs championships in 1964, 1966, 1968, and 1976.
History Northern Ontario Junior Hockey Association The Northern Ontario Hockey Association (NOHA) resurrected junior ice hockey in Northern Ontario with a six-team Northern Ontario Junior Hockey Association (NOJHA) for the 1962–63 season. The new league followed the financial failure of the Eastern Professional Hockey League (EPHL), returning junior hockey to the region since the previous league folded prior to World War II.; Former National Hockey League (NHL) player Pete Palangio purchased the equipment and jerseys of the defunct North Bay Trappers of the EPHL, and named Howie Parker the team's coach. Palangio and Parker had worked together as the sponsor and coach of the North Bay Junior Trappers and North Bay Rangers teams that won NOHA Junior B championships in the 1960–61 and 1961–62 seasons. The Trappers placed third during the 1962–63 season, won the first round of playoffs 3-games-to-2 versus the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, then lost the NOJHA final in four consecutive games to the Espanola Eagles.
In the 1963–64 season, the Trappers defeated the Espanola Eagles 4-games-to-3 in the first round of the playoffs, after losing game five in overtime then winning the last two games of the series. With a 6–0 victory in game seven, the Trappers won the NOJHA finals 4-games-to-3 versus the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. The Trappers began the Eastern Canada semifinals of the 1964 Memorial Cup the next night, travelling to play the Toronto Marlboros in a best-of-seven series. The series was a difficult challenge since teams in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) regularly imported the best players from Northern Ontario, leaving the NOJHA with less talent. Despite scoring the first goal, the Trappers lost the first game by a 3–13 score. Game two of the series was played the next night, and the Trappers lost by a 4–11 score, despite leading 2–1 after the first period. Parker was proud of his players despite the huge difference in operating budget between the teams. Returning to North Bay for the next two games, the Trappers were defeated by a 5–7 score in game three, lost game four by a 4–10 score, being outscored 16 goals to 43 in the series. The NOHA sought changes to future Memorial Cup playoffs to avoid playing the OHA champion in the first round, rather to play the Ottawa District Hockey Association champion. Parker was named coach of the year for the 1963–64 NOJHA season.
Trappers' forward Marty Reynolds received the Pete Palangio Trophy the most valuable player during the 1964–65 NOJHA season, and Parker was again named coach of the year. The Trappers won 4-games-to-3 versus the Espanola Eagles in that season's first round of playoffs, leading the final game at one point by five goals and winning by a 6–5 score. In the NOJHA finals, The Trappers lost game seven at home by a 4–9 score, and lost 4-games-to-3 versus the Garson-Falconbridge Native Sons.
During the 1965–66 season, Marty Reynolds again won the Pete Palangio Trophy the league's most valuable player, then scored 17 goals in that season's playoffs. Placing first in the 1965–66 NOJHA season, the Trappers then defeated the Sudbury Wolves 4-games-to-2 in the playoff's first round. The Trappers won their second NOJHA championship in three seasons when they defeated the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the finals, with an overtime victory as the visiting team in game six. In the Eastern Canada semifinal of the 1966 Memorial Cup playoffs, the Trappers travelled to play the Oshawa Generals led by the high-scoring Bobby Orr. The Trappers lost game one by a 4–11 score despite leading 2–1 after the first period, then lost game two by a 2–11 score with both of their goaltenders injured. Returning to North Bay, the Trappers lost game three by a 2–12 score, and were defeated 0–10 in the fourth game, and lost the series in four consecutive games. Parker noted that his players felt the series was a "hopless situation", since the OHA continued to take the best players from Northern Ontario. Pete Palangio opposed future Memorial Cup playoffs versus the OHA champion due to financial disadvantages of Northern Ontario teams. Parker suggested that developing players in the north would be possible if the NOHA received financial support from the 1967 NHL expansion teams.
Parker retired as coach after four seasons, and was succeeded by former NHL player Ab DeMarco. In the 1966–67 NOJHA season playoffs, the Trappers defeated the Garson-Falconbridge Combines in seven games in the first round, winning the final game at home by a 9–4 score. Facing the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the championship series, the Trappers lost in six games. In May 1967, Pete Palangio sold the Trappers to a syndicate including former NHL referee Lou Farelli and player Leo Labine.
Don Grierson led the Trappers in scoring during the 1967–68 season with 40 goals in 40 games. The Trappers won the first round of the playoffs in seven games versus the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, with a 4–2 victory in the final game despite losses in games five and six. With an 8–7 victory, the Trappers won a third NOJHA championship within five seasons by defeating the Sudbury Wolves in six games in the finals. In the Eastern Canada quarterfinal of the 1968 Memorial Cup playoffs, the Trappers played the Central Junior A Hockey League champion Cornwall Royals, instead of the OHA champion. Both teams finished third place in their leagues, with pundits expecting an evenly matched best-of-seven series. Beginning the series in Cornwall, the Trappers lost game one by a 3–10 score. Losing game two by a 4–6 score, DeMarco expected his team to play tougher during the three games of the series in North Bay and use their size advantage. The Trappers responded with a 4–3 victory in game three, including more physical play and a few breaks. Trappers won again in game four with a 5–2 score, coming from behind trailing 0–2 in the first period. Game five played in North Bay saw a season record attendance of 4,205, as the Trappers lost by a 2–5 score. Facing elimination in game six, the Trappers scored three goals in the third period, for a come-from-behind 4–3 victory. In the seventh game, the Trappers conceded four goals in the first period, losing by a 3–8 score, and the series 3-games-to-4.
During his third season as coach, DeMarco retired for health reasons in January 1969, with the Trappers in fourth place of five teams. General manager Lou Farelli assumed coach during on an interim basis, while DeMarco remained as an advisor. In February 1969, assistant general manager became the permanent head coach and won his first two games. He had played senior hockey for the Trappers in the 1956–57 season, and later professionally for the Cleveland Barons In the 1968–69 season playoffs, the Trappers lost to the Sudbury Wolves in six games in the first round. In the 1969–70 season, the Trappers were defeated by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4-games-to-1 in the first round of the playoffs.
Beginning the 1970–71 season with only five returning players from the previous season, Hogan resigned as coach due to commitments to his full-time job in December 1970. He was replaced by Neil Forth who had played professionally for the Sudbury Wolves in the EPHL and for the Johnstown Jets. During the 1970–71 season, goaltender Bob Dupuis received the Pete Palangio Trophy as the most valuable player. The Trappers finished in fourth place and lost to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in four consecutive games in the playoffs.
Forth declined to return for the 1971–72 season due to work commitments. He was succeeded by North Bay native Moe Mantha Sr., who had played in four professional leagues, winning championships in the EPHL, International Hockey League, and Western Hockey League. In the first round of the playoffs, the Trappers were defeated by the Sudbury Wolves in six games.
Search for a new league The 1971–72 NOJHA season included only four teams. When the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and Sudbury Wolves moved up to the higher-level OHA Major Junior A Series, and the Chelmsford Canadiens wanted to play in a lower-level Junior B league, the Trappers were the only Northern Ontario team remaining at the Junior A level. The NOHA approved the Trappers to also apply for the OHA Major Junior A Series, or seek membership in the Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League (SOJHL) which had similar travel distances as the NOJHA. Trappers' management felt its gate receipts did not justify play in a higher-level league amid recent financial losses, and considered applying to the Central Canada Hockey League in Eastern Ontario. When the SOJHL declined the Trappers' application, it appeared that North Bay had no league to play in.
The Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) approved a new Junior A league formed by a core group of teams moving up from the Metro Junior B Hockey League in 1972, and invited entries from North Bay and Kingston, Ontario.; The majority of games would be in the Greater Toronto Area, with the league's playoffs champion playing the SOJHL champion in the first round of the Centennial Cup playoffs.
Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League The Trappers became a charter member of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (OPJHL) for the 1972–73 season. With the team struggling to win, Mantha resigned in November 1972, and Lou Farelli coached on interim basis. Later that month when Farelli was suspended for throwing hockey sticks on the ice during a game, the team named one of its board of directors as coach, Murray Mitchell, who formerly played for Queen's Gaels men's ice hockey in university. Mitchell remained as coach for the remainder of the season ended, which saw the Trappers finish in 11th place and not qualify for the playoffs.
Andre Rochefort purchased the Trappers in May 1973, with the intent to bring Tier 1 junior hockey to North Bay.; Terry Talentino was named general manager of the Trappers, then hired his son Jim to be the coach, who had played for the Trappers in the 1965–66 season and earned a physical education degree at Ithaca College. During the 1973–74 season playoffs, the Trappers defeated the second-place Toronto Nationals 4-games-to-3 in the quarterfinals. Playing the first-place Wexford Raiders in the semifinals, the Trappers lost the series 4-games-to-3 including a 0–7 score in the final game.
Jim Talentino was dismissed by Rochefort prior to the last game of the 1974–75 season, and Danny Wilkes coached the 1975 playoffs. The Trappers lost 4-games-to-2 to the Seneca Flyers in the first round of the playoffs.