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EspañolPLYMOUTH WHALERS
The Plymouth Whalers and Saginaw Spirit line up for a faceoff at the Compuware Sports Arena.
Whalers 10th Anniversary Logo
The 'Plymouth Whalers' are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They play out of the Compuware Sports Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, USA.
History
The Whalers can trace their roots back to the 1990-91 Detroit Compuware Ambassadors as an expansion team in the OHL. Since then the franchise has been the Detroit Junior Red Wings and the Detroit Whalers. In 1998 they were officially called the "Plymouth Whalers" after the local municipality gave generous tax breaks to the team and venue. The franchise has been owned by Peter Karmanos since its inception.
The Whalers have been part of the Compuware Hockey program since 1995, which also includes the Compuware Amabassadors minor hockey program and the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, who were formerly the Hartford Whalers, the namesake of the Detroit Whalers. The Carolina Hurricanes tend to give preference to players from the Plymouth Whalers in the NHL Entry Draft, and coaches and executives are promoted from within the Compuware Hockey affiliation. Chad LaRose is the only player to have played at every level of Compuware hockey; Compuware AAA Ambassadors, Plymouth Whalers, Florida Everblades, Lowell Lock Monsters, and the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Detroit Junior Red Wings and Detroit Whalers were both successful incarnations of the franchise in their own rights, but the Plymouth Whalers have made a name for themselves as perennial winners, finishing first or second in their division for every season of their existence.
The team also produces the highest ranked goaltenders on an annual basis, with multiple winners of the Dave Pinkney Trophy and the F. W. "Dinty" Moore Trophy. Whalers goalies had the lowest goals against average in the OHL throughout the five consecutive division titles.
Plymouth is one of only two teams to win 5 consecutive division titles (West division from 1999-2003, the other team being the Ottawa 67's (East division from 1996-2000). Plymouth has made the playoffs 16 consecutive seasons, since the 1991-92 season. The Whalers reached the OHL finals two consecutive seasons in 1999-2000, and 2000-2001, losing to the Barrie Colts and Ottawa 67's. These seasons included futuer NHLers David Legwand, Justin Williams, Robert Esche, and Stephen Weiss.
The Whalers returned to the top of the division in 2003, led by team record 61-goal scorer Chad LaRose, Karl Stewart, David Liffiton, Ryan Ramsay, and acquired former North Bay Centennials captain Chris Thorburn. The Whalers lost in the conference finals to the eventual Memorial Cup winner Kitchener Rangers. The following season, team captain James Wisniewski, won a gold medal playing for the USA World Junior team, and voted CHL & OHL defenceman of the year.
Celebrating their 10th Anniversary playing at the Compuware Sports Arena during the 2005-06 season, all current Whalers players had been brought into the system by head coach and general manager Mike Vellucci. Headed by overage captain John Vigilante, the team saw the breakout of James Neal, Dan Collins, and Tommy Sestito. Vellucci acquired the Belleville Bulls' leading scorer Evan Brophey and the Toronto St. Michael's Majors goaltender Justin Peters, who had the previous year led his #8 seeded team over the #1 seeded Mississauga Ice Dogs in 5 games. On the last game of the season, the Whalers played the Saginaw Spirit, with the division title on the line. Up 2-0 going into the third period, the Spirit fought back, and managed the tying goal just before time expired. However, Brophey scored in overtime to clinch the Whalers' 9th division title.
During the 2006-07 season, rookie goaltenders Jeremy Smith and Michal Neuvirth, combined for the lowest goals against average in the OHL, with only 173 goals against in total. The Whalers had a number of high prospects; Neal was signed early in the season by the Dallas Stars, Sestito managed a contract later on with the Columbus Blue Jackets, as well as fan favorite Jared Boll. Former Wayne Gretzky 99 Award winner Daniel Ryder was acquired, with him already having been signed with the Calgary Flames. After starting 8-9-0-0, the team turned it around and rallied to run to nearly the top of the league, falling short of the London Knights by one point for the Hamilton Spectator Trophy. During the second half of the season and through the playoffs, the Whalers featured a 23 game winning streak at home, lasting three and a half months, falling at Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals to London. The Whalers, although seeded #2, easily won the Wayne Gretzky Trophy as Western Conference playoff champion, sweeping #7 Guelph, and winning in 5 against both #3 Kitchener and #1 London. In the final, the Whalers defeated the Sudbury Wolves in six games to win the J. Ross Robertson Cup, thus earning the right to represent the OHL in the 2007 Memorial Cup.
In the Memorial Cup, the team suffered a rough start, losing to the Vancouver Giants 4-3 in overtime on May 18, and again to the Medicine Hat Tigers 4-1 on May 21. Their fortunes would change, however, on May 22, when they would defeat the Lewiston MAINEiacs 2-1 in overtime, thus putting them in the tiebreaker game on May 24, in which they would defeat Lewiston again, 5-1, eliminating the MAINEiacs from the Memorial Cup and advancing to the semifinal. However, on May 25th, the Whalers would lose again to the Vancouver Giants in the semifinal round, this time in dramatic fashion by a score of 1-8. This way, the Whalers finished the 2007 Memorial Cup in third place.
Championships
The Plymouth Whalers have won seven divisional titles, five of them consecutively. Plymouth has also won three Hamilton Spectator trophies and reached the OHL Championship Finals three times, winning during the 2006-07 season.
'J. Ross Robertson Cup OHL Champion' ★ ''1990-00'' Finalists vs. Barrie Colts ★ ''2000-01'' Finalists vs. Ottawa 67's ★ ''2006-07'' Champions vs. Sudbury Wolves 'Wayne Gretzky Trophy Western Conference Playoff Champion' ★ ''1999-00, 2000-01 & 2006-07'' | 'Hamilton Spectator Trophy Season Champion' ★ ''1998-99'' 51 wins, 4 ties, 106 pts ★ ''1999-00'' 45 wins, 4 ties, 1 OTL, 95 pts ★ ''2001-02'' 39 wins, 12 ties, 2 OTL, 92 pts 'Bumbacco Trophy West Division Champion' ★ ''1998-99'', ''1999-00'', ''2000-01'', ''2001-02'', ''2002-03'', ''2005-06'', ''2006-07'' |
Coaches
★ '1995-01' Peter DeBoer (6 seasons) - DeBoer was promoted from assistant coach to beceme coach & general manager of the Whalers organization in 1995 when Paul Maurice went to the NHL. DeBoer previously played for the Compuware Spitfires (also owned by Karmanos) when they went to the Memorial Cup in 1988. He was twice voted the OHL Coach of the Year, winning the Matt Leyden Trophy in the 1998-99 & 1999-00 seasons.
★ '2001-present' Mike Vellucci (6 seasons) - Vellucci became coach & general manager in addition to being team president, after Peter DeBoer departed to the Kitchener Rangers. In 2007, Vellucci won the Matt Leyden Trophy for the coach of the year in the OHL. Vellucci is a former OHL defenceman with the Belleville Bulls, played two games with the NHL Hartford Whalers in 1988. Velluci's assistant coach and general manager is Todd Watson.
Players
'Pat Peake # 14' is the only number retired by the Whalers organization. Peake (who played in the Junior Red Wings era) was a two-season captain, the first MVP for the franchise in 1992-93, as well as Canadian Hockey League player of the year, and OHL Most Sportsmanlike player of the year.
Former captain John Vigilante.
Team Captains
★ '1990-91' Paul Mitton ★ '1991' Mark Lawrence (traded) ★ '1991-93' Pat Peake ★ '1993-95' Jamie Allison ★ '1995-96' Bryan Berard ★ '1996-97' Mike Morrone ★ '1997-98' Andrew Taylor ★ '1998-00' Randy Fitzgerald | ★ '2000-02' Jared Newman ★ '2002-03' Nate Kiser ★ '2003-04' James Wisniewski ★ '2004-05' Tim Sestito (home) John Mitchell (away & playoffs) ★ '2005-06' John Vigilante ★ '2006-07' Steve Ward |
Award Winners
★ ''1997-98'' - 'David Legwand' Canadian Hockey League Rookie of the Year, Emms Family Award OHL Rookie of the Year, Red Tilson Trophy Most Outstanding Player of the Year
★ ''1998-99'' - 'Rob Holsinger & Robb Zepp' Dave Pinkney Trophy Lowest Team GAA
★ ''1998-99'' - 'Robb Zepp' Canadian Hockey League Scholastic Player of the Year, Bobby Smith Trophy OHL Scholastic Player of the Year
★ ''1999-00'' - 'Robb Zepp & Bill Ruggiero' Dave Pinkney Trophy Lowest Team GAA
★ ''2000-01'' - 'Robb Zepp & Paul Drew' Dave Pinkney Trophy Lowest Team GAA
★ ''2001-02'' - 'Jason Bacashihua & Paul Drew' Dave Pinkney Trophy Lowest Team GAA
★ ''2001-02'' - 'Jason Bacashihua' F.W. 'Dinty' Moore Trophy Best Rookie GAA
★ ''2002-03'' - 'Chad LaRose' Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy Overage Player of the Year
★ ''2002-03'' - 'Paul Drew & Jeff Weber' Dave Pinkney Trophy Lowest Team GAA
★ ''2003-04'' - 'James Wisniewski' Canadian Hockey League Defenceman of the Year, Max Kaminsky Trophy OHL Defenceman of the Year
★ ''2006-07'' - 'Michal Neuvirth & Jeremy Smith' Dave Pinkney Trophy Lowest Team GAA
★ ''2006-07'' - 'Michal Neuvirth' F.W. 'Dinty' Moore Trophy Best Rookie GAA
First Round Draft Picks
''Players who were drafted in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft while playing for the Whalers franchise.''
★ 1991: Pat Peake, 14th Overall, Washington Capitals
★ 1993: Todd Harvey, 9th Overall, Dallas Stars
★ 1995: Bryan Berard, 1st Overall, Ottawa Senators
★ 1998: David Legwand, 2nd Overall, Nashville Predators
★ 2000: Justin Williams, 28th Overall, Philadelphia Flyers
★ 2001: Stephen Weiss, 4th Overall, Florida Panthers
NHL Alumni
''List of Plymouth Whalers alumni who have played in the National Hockey League.''
Current roster
| # | 'Player' | Catches | NHL Rights | Place of Birth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| '30' | Jeremy Smith ★ | L | NSH 2007 | Brownstown, Michigan | |
| '40' | Michal Neuvirth | L | WSH 2006 | Usti Nad Labem, Czech Republic | |
| # | 'Player' | Shoots | NHL Rights | Place of Birth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| '2' | Brett Bellemore | R | CAR 2007 | Windsor, Ontario | |
| '3' | Wes Cunningham | L | -- | Dresden, Ontario | |
| '4' | Leo Jenner | L | 2008 | Mossley, Ontario | |
| '5' | Jozef Sladok | L | 2008 | Zvolen, Slovakia | |
| '6' | Steven Whitely | R | -- | Petrolia, Ontario | |
| '28' | Zack Shepley | L | -- | Oakville, Ontario | |
| '34' | Jordon O'Neill | L | 2008 | London, Ontario | |
| # | 'Player' | Position | Shoots | NHL Rights | Place of Birth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| '9' | Vern Cooper | C | L | 2009 | Sudbury, Ontario | |
| '12' | Kaine Geldart | RW | R | 2008 | Kingston, Ontario | |
| '13' | Sean O'Connor | RW | R | -- | Trenton, Michigan | |
| '15' | Andrew Fournier - 'A' | C | L | -- | Amherstview, Ontario | |
| '16' | Brett Valliquette | LW | L | 2008 | Newmarket, Ontario | |
| '17' | Dan Collins | RW | R | FLA 2005 | Carthage, New York | |
| '20' | Chris Terry | C | L | CAR 2007 | Brampton, Ontario | |
| '21' | Tom Sestito | LW | L | CBJ 2006 | Rome, New York | |
| '22' | AJ Jenks | LW | L | 2008 | Wolverine Lake, Michigan | |
| '23' | Joe McCann | RW | R | -- | Essex, Ontario | |
| '25' | Joe Gaynor | LW | L | 2008 | Goderich, Ontario | |
Franchise Records
''A complete list of team records can be found here.''
| 'Team Records for a single season' | ||
| Statistic | Total | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Most Points | 106 | 1998-99 |
| Most Wins | 51 | 1998-99 |
| Most Goals For | 330 | 1992-93 |
| Least Goals For | 198 | 2004-05 |
| Least Goals Against | 162 | 1998-99 2000-01 |
| Most Goals Against | 378 | 1990-91 |
| 'Individual player records for a single season' | |||
| Statistic | Player | Total | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most Goals | Chad LaRose | 61 | 2002-03 |
| Most Assists | Kevin Brown | 91 | 1992-93 |
| Most Points | Bob Wren | 145 | 1992-93 |
| Most Points, rookie | David Legwand | 105 | 1997-98 |
| Most Points, defenseman | Bill McCauley | 102 | 1994-95 |
| Most PIM | David Benn | 305 | 1991-92 |
| Best GAA (Goalie) | Robert Holsinger | 2.08 | 1998-99 |
| Most Wins (Goalie) | Rob Zepp | 36 | 1999-00 |
| ''Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played'' | |||
Top Scorers
''Top scorers in the history of the franchise.''
| Player | Years | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pat Peake | 1990-92 | 162 | 138 | 181 | 319 | 162 |
| Bob Wren | 1991-94 | 182 | 115 | 188 | 303 | 220 |
| Todd Harvey | 1991-95 | 173 | 113 | 157 | 270 | 310 |
| Kevin Brown | 1992-94 | 113 | 102 | 167 | 269 | 161 |
| Sean Haggerty | 1993-96 | 187 | 131 | 132 | 263 | 136 |
| John Vigilante | 2002-06 | 254 | 93 | 153 | 246 | 107 |
| Harold Druken | 1996-99 | 187 | 123 | 120 | 243 | 60 |
| John Mitchell | 2001-05 | 258 | 80 | 150 | 230 | 158 |
| Damian Surma | 1998-02 | 241 | 105 | 120 | 225 | 286 |
| Stephen Weiss | 1999-02 | 172 | 89 | 134 | 223 | 149 |
''Top active scorers, at end of 2006-07 season''
| Player | Years | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Collins | 2003- | 237 | 86 | 99 | 185 | 233 |
| James Neal | 2003- | 188 | 68 | 105 | 173 | 235 |
| Evan Brophey | 2005- | 108 | 46 | 96 | 142 | 133 |
| Steve Ward | 2004- | 200 | 34 | 76 | 110 | 230 |
| Jared Boll | 2005- | 132 | 47 | 49 | 96 | 403 |
| Chris Terry | 2005- | 132 | 31 | 63 | 94 | 174 |
| Andrew Fournier | 2003- | 162 | 50 | 43 | 93 | 132 |
| Tom Sestito | 2004- | 152 | 53 | 35 | 88 | 402 |
| Ryan McGinnis | 2003- | 223 | 11 | 56 | 67 | 337 |
| Wes Cunningham | 2005- | 98 | 5 | 39 | 44 | 169 |
Yearly Results
Regular Season
'Legend:'
'T' = Tie (1997-2005), 'SL' = Shoot Out Loss (2005-06 onward), 'OTL' = Overtime Loss
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | T/SL | OTL | Points | Pct % | Goals For | Goals Against | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 66 | 37 | 22 | 7 | - | 81 | 0.614 | 279 | 223 | 2nd Western |
| 1998-99 | 68 | 51 | 13 | 4 | - | 106 | 0.779 | 313 | 162 | '1st West' |
| 1999-00 | 68 | 45 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 95 | 0.691 | 256 | 172 | '1st West' |
| 2000-01 | 68 | 43 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 96 | 0.669 | 253 | 162 | '1st West' |
| 2001-02 | 68 | 39 | 15 | 12 | 2 | 92 | 0.662 | 249 | 166 | '1st West' |
| 2002-03 | 68 | 43 | 14 | 9 | 2 | 97 | 0.699 | 259 | 174 | '1st West' |
| 2003-04 | 68 | 32 | 24 | 9 | 3 | 76 | 0.537 | 220 | 204 | 2nd West |
| 2004-05 | 68 | 30 | 29 | 6 | 3 | 69 | 0.485 | 198 | 204 | 2nd West |
| 2005-06 | 68 | 35 | 28 | 1 | 4 | 75 | 0.551 | 227 | 224 | '1st West' |
| 2006-07 | 68 | 49 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 103 | 0.757 | 299 | 173 | '1st West' |
Playoffs
★ '1997-98' - Defeated Sarnia Sting 4 games to 1 in division quarter-finals.
Defeated Belleville Bulls 4 games to 2 in quarter-finals.
Lost to Guelph Storm 4 games to 0 in semi-finals.
★ '1998-99' - Defeated Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
Lost to London Knights 4 games to 3 in conference semi-finals.
★ '1999-00' - Defeated Guelph Storm 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
Defeated Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 1 in conference semi-finals.
Defeated Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4 game to 1 in conference finals.
Lost to Barrie Colts 4 games to 3 in finals.
★ '2000-01' - Defeated Sarnia Sting 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
Defeated Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 0 in conference semi-finals.
Defeated Erie Otters 4 game to 1 in conference finals.
Lost to Ottawa 67's 4 games to 2 in finals.
★ '2001-02' - Lost to London Knights 4 games to 2 in conference quarter-finals.
★ '2002-03' - Defeated Owen Sound Attack 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
Defeated London Knights 4 games to 3 in conference semi-finals.
Lost to Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 3 in conference finals.
★ '2003-04' - Defeated Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 1 in conference quarter-finals.
Lost to Guelph Storm 4 games to 0 in conference semi-finals.
★ '2004-05' - Lost to Owen Sound Attack 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
★ '2005-06' - Defeated Windsor Spitfires 4 games to 3 in conference quarter-finals.
Lost to Guelph Storm 4 games to 2 in conference semi-finals
★ '2006-07' - Defeated Guelph Storm 4 games to 0 in conference quarter-finals.
Defeated Kitchener Rangers 4 games to 1 in conference semi-finals.
Defeated London Knights 4 games to 1 in conference finals.
Defeated Sudbury Wolves 4 games to 2 in finals. 'OHL CHAMPIONS'
Finished tied for third place in 'Memorial Cup' round-robin.
Defeated Lewiston MAINEiacs in tiebreaker round.
Lost to Vancouver Giants in semi-finals.
Uniforms & Logos
Whalers' green 3rd jersey
Whalers' away jersey
The Whalers colours are navy blue, white, green and silver. The Whalers logo was created in 1995 after the Jr. Red Wings were renamed. The colours and logo were derived from the NHL's Hartford Whalers who were also owned by Peter Karmanos. The logo features an angry hockey stick-wielding whale, blowing a puck and spout of water out its blow hole. The name Whalers is superimposed on the image surround by a circle of green and blue with waves in the background.
The Whalers home and away jerseys are either white or navy blue background, with green & silver trim. The Whalers third jersey (inset, bottom right), derived from the original 1979-92 green away jersey of the NHL Whalers, is a green background with the word "Whalers" spelled out in silver letters diagonally across the chest, and has the Whalers primary logo as a shoulder patch.
Arena
Interior of Compuware Sports Arena
Peter Karmanos arranged to build the Whalers a new home in Plymouth Township, Michigan as soon as the 1995-96 season ended. The Compuware Sports Arena was constructed in 6 months time, ready for the 1996-97 season. The arena is located at 14900 Beck Rd. in Plymouth with a seating capacity of 3,807.
In addition to the NHL-sized rink, there is an Olympic sized rink also in the building. CSA, as it is known for short, is home to not only the Whalers, but also the Compuware Ambassadors, a series of major midget teams and lower, according to age.
★ Compuware Sports Arena Official web site
★ Compuware Ambassadors Official web site
★ Compuware Sports ArenaThe OHL Arena & Travel Guide
External links
★ Plymouth Whalers Official web site
★ Plymouth Whalers Booster Club Official web site
★ Ontario Hockey League Official web site
★ Canadian Hockey League Official web site
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