Greater Sudbury Cubs
CityGreater Sudbury, Ontario
LeagueNorthern Ontario Junior Hockey League
DivisionWest
Founded2000
Home arenaCountryside Sports Complex
ColoursBlue and white
   
General managerDave Clancy
Head coachDarryl Moxam
MediaThe Sudbury Star, Sudbury Sports, CTV Northern Ontario
AffiliatesSudbury Wolves (OHL)
Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves (GNML)
Franchise history
2000–2005Sudbury Northern Wolves
2005–2011Sudbury Jr. Wolves
2011–2012Sudbury Cubs
2012–2015Sudbury Nickel Barons
2015–2021Rayside-Balfour Canadians
2021–presentGreater Sudbury Cubs

The Greater Sudbury Cubs are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Rayside-Balfour, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL).

History

The Sudbury Northern Wolves came into the league in 2000 and were present up until they announced an affiliation agreement with the Ontario Hockey League's Sudbury Wolves midway through the 2005–06 season. The Sudbury Northern Wolves were then re-branded as the Sudbury Jr. Wolves. The team went on to break league records that season. In their first season, the Jr. Wolves won the NOJHL championship over their rivals North Bay Skyhawks. The Jr. Wolves came one goal short of qualifying for the Royal Bank Cup losing to the Fort William North Stars 7–6 in overtime scored by former Sudbury Northern Wolves player, Josh Slobodian.

The Sudbury Jr. Wolves would lose the NOJHL finals to the Soo Indians at the conclusion of the 2006–07 season. The following season, the Jr. Wolves defeated the Abitibi Eskimos and moved on to the Dudley Hewitt Cup in Newmarket, but came back winless. The Sudbury Jr. Wolves last taste of success came in 2010–11 when they went to the NOJHL finals, but lost to the Soo Eagles.

In the summer of 2011, the Jr. Wolves broke their ties with the Sudbury Wolves and elected to change their name to the Cubs. In 2012, the Cubs were sold and changed their name to the Sudbury Nickel Barons and were later awarded hosting duties for the Dudley Hewitt Cup, but they pulled out and the tournament was awarded to North Bay instead.

In spring 2015, the Nickel Barons relocated to Rayside-Balfour and became the Rayside-Balfour Canadians and at the same time pulled out of hosting the 2016 Dudley Hewitt Cup, in which it was allocated to Kirkland Lake. The team was sold to local player agent Adrian Gedye over the spring of 2016.

On August 2, 2016, defenceman Sam Oden died in a car accident in Edina, Minnesota.[1] After the team received the news of Oden's passing, they promptly and permanently retired his jersey number 4.[2]

In the 2017–18 regular season, the team won its first division title with 79 points.

On September 9, 2021, the team officially changed its name to the Greater Sudbury Cubs.

Season-by-season results

SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGAPtsResultPlayoffs
Sudbury Northern Wolves
2000–0140201505204172453rd NOJHL
2001–0242261303253176553rd NOJHL
2002–034828164260200604th NOJHL
2003–0448311421232168653rd NOJHL
2004–0548123312159245278th NOJHLLost quarter-final
Sudbury Jr. Wolves
2005–0648361101200139731st NOJHLWon League
2006–0748291306207166642nd NOJHLLost final
2007–085028175216176614th NOJHLWon League
2008–095020255207238456th NOJHL
2009–105019274186216426th NOJHLLost semi-final
2010–11503014623189663rd NOJHLLost final
Sudbury Cubs
2011–125029156283229643rd NOJHL
Sudbury Nickel Barons
2012–1348291801186177593rd NOJHL
2013–1456193007170219456th NOJHLLost quarter-final
2014–1552311614203179673rd of 4, West
4th of 9, NOJHL
Lost div. semi-finals, 2–4 vs. Elliot Lake Wildcats
Rayside-Balfour Canadians
2015–1654282501229208573rd of 6, West
7th of 12, NOJHL
Lost div. semi-finals, 1–4 vs. Elliot Lake Wildcats
2016–1756282431191209603rd of 6, West
7th of 12, NOJHL
Lost div. semi-finals, 3–4 vs. Blind River Beavers
2017–1856371414222139791st of 6, West
2nd of 12, NOJHL
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–2 vs. Blind River Beavers
Won Div. Finals, 4–2 vs. Soo Thunderbirds
Lost League Finals, 2–4 vs. Cochrane Crunch
2018–195631205194169672nd of 6, West
7th of 12, NOJHL
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–2 vs. Soo Eagles
Lost Div. Finals, 2–4 vs. Soo Thunderbirds
2019–205640115260163851st of 6, West
3rd of 12, NOJHL
Postseason cancelled
2020–211036132427Withdrew from season due to the COVID-19 pandemic[3]

Retired numbers

4 — Sam Oden[2]

References

  1. "Canadians mourn former teammate". Sudbury Star. August 3, 2016.
  2. 1 2 "REST IN PEACE SAM ODEN". Rayside-Balfour Canadians. August 2, 2016.
  3. "COVID-19 restrictions cause season cancellations by Espanola, French River, Rayside-Balfour". NOJHL. March 10, 2021.
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