Fifty-two teams call the Central Region home, but only six remain in the hunt for the region’s berth at the 2024 TELUS Cup in Membertou, Nova Scotia – the Markham Waxers, Ottawa Jr. 67’s, Timmins Majors, Vaughan Kings, Waterloo Wolves and host Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

All six are relatively fresh faces, with the Greyhounds the most recent regional competitors, in 2022. They own nine TELUS Cup appearances between them – six of those belong to Sault Ste. Marie – but none have played on the national stage since Ottawa won silver in 2013.

The field has a bit of a ‘Cinderella’ feel to it – only the Jr. 67’s were the best regular-season team in their league – although all six teams have earned their spots; the five league champions finished a combined 40-13-8 in the playoffs, and even the host Greyhounds pushed Timmins to overtime in the GNU18L semifinals.

RECENT CHAMPIONS (TELUS CUP FINISH)

2023 – Toronto Jr. Canadiens (4th place)
2022 – Mississauga Reps (4th place)
2019 – Toronto Young Nationals (gold medal)
2018 – Toronto Young Nationals (4th place)
2017 – Mississauga Rebels (bronze medal)

MARKHAM WAXERS
OMHA CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 24-8-2-1 (5th in OMHA)
Goals for: 157
Goals against: 87
Leading scorer: Matthew Johnson (25G 21A 46P)

Playoff record: 11-2-2
Goals for: 68
Goals against: 37
Leading scorer: Tate Collins (9G 9A 18P)

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
OMHA Playoffs
Round robin: 2nd in East Group A – lost to Ajax-Pickering Raiders 4-0, tied North Central Predators 2-2, defeated Kingston Jr. Gaels 1-0, defeated Oshawa Generals 7-3, defeated North Central Predators 5-2, defeated Clarington Toros 8-3, defeated Clarington Toros 6-0, defeated Kingston Jr. Gaels 5-1, tied Ajax-Pickering Raiders 5-5, defeated Oshawa Generals 3-2

OMHA Championship
Preliminary round: 2nd in Group 2 – defeated Central Ontario Wolves 9-2, defeated Oakville Rangers 5-1, lost to Burlington Eagles 7-3
Semifinal: defeated Guelph Gryphons 5-3
Final: defeated Burlington Eagles 4-2

Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none

OTTAWA JR. 67’S
HEO CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 24-4-2 (1st in HEO)
Goals for: 141
Goals against: 70
Leading scorer: Dylan Turcotte (28G 21A 49P)

Playoff record: 7-2-1
Goals for: 37
Goals against: 21
Leading scorer: Dylan Turcotte (7G 8A 15P)

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Semifinal: defeated OHA Mavericks 3-1-1 (-3, 3-2, 3-2, 0-2, 1-1)
Final: defeated Upper Canada Cyclones 4-1 (5-3, 2-4, 4-2, 8-1, 5-1)

Last national championship appearance: 2013 (silver medal)
Total national championship appearances: 1 (2013)

SAULT STE. MARIE GREYHOUNDS
HOST

Regular season record: 20-13-3 (3rd in GNU18L)
Goals for: 136
Goals against: 106
Leading scorer: Sebastian Dos Reis (19G 26A 45P)

Playoff record: 2-2-1
Goals for: 14
Goals against: 15
Leading scorer: Camden Cowan (3G 4A 7P)

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Preliminary round: 2nd place – lost to Sudbury U18 Wolves 4-1, defeated Timmins Majors 3-2, tied New Liskeard Cubs 3-3, defeated Sudbury U16 Wolves 3-1
Semifinal: lost to Timmins Majors 5-4 OT

Last national championship appearance: 2013 (5th place)
Total national championship appearances: 6 (1980, 1993, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2013)

TIMMINS MAJORS
GNU18L CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 23-9-3 (2nd in GNU18L)
Goals for: 144
Goals against: 121
Leading scorer: Ian Lachance (26G 48A 74P)

Playoff record: 4-1-1
Goals for: 15
Goals against: 11
Leading scorer: Edan Etheridge (4G 6A 10P)

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Preliminary round: 3rd place – defeated New Liskeard Cubs 3-1, lost to Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 3-2, defeated Sudbury U18 Wolves 2-1, tied Sudbury U16 Wolves 1-1
Semifinal: defeated Sault Ste. Marie Jr. Greyhounds 5-4 OT
Final: defeated Sudbury U18 Wolves 2-1

Last national championship appearance: 2002 (5th place)
Total national championship appearances: 1 (2002)

VAUGHAN KINGS
GTHL CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 22-7-7 (2nd in GTHL)
Goals for: 104
Goals against: 57
Leading scorer: unavailable

Playoff record: 9-5
Goals for: 42
Goals against: 32
Leading scorer: unavailable

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated North York Rangers 3-1 (2-3, 3-1, 5-2, 4-1)
Semifinal: defeated Toronto Young Nationals 3-2 (2-5, 3-2, 3-2, 3-4, 4-1)
Final: defeated Mississauga Senators 3-2 (2-4, 2-3, 2-0, 3-2, 4-2)

Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none

WATERLOO WOLVES
ALLIANCE CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 24-10-1 (3rd in Alliance)
Goals for: 153
Goals against: 80
Leading scorer: unavailable

Playoff record: 7-1-3
Goals for: 35
Goals against: 19
Leading scorer: unavailable

ROAD TO THE CENTRAL REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Huron-Perth Lakers 2-1-1 (5-3, 3-3, 0-1, 3-1)
Semifinal: defeated Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs 3-0 (3-0, 4-2, 4-1)
Final: defeated Lambton Jr. Sting 2-0-2 (2-2, 4-3, 5-1, 2-2)

Last national championship appearance: 2003 (5th place)
Total national championship appearances: 1 (2003)