St. John's Capitals

St. John's Capitals
CitySt. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
LeagueNewfoundland Senior Hockey League
Founded1955 (1955)
Home arenaMemorial Stadium (St. John's)
ColoursRed, white    
Franchise history
1955–1956St. John's All-Stars
1956–1990St. John's Capitals

St. John's Capitals were a senior ice hockey team based in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in the Newfoundland Senior Hockey League.

History[edit]

Seasons and records[edit]

Season by season results[edit]

Led league in points Herder Trophy champions

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, DNQ = Did not qualify

NAHA, Sr.B = Newfoundland Amateur Hockey Association senior Section B, NAHA, Sr. = Newfoundland senior "league", NSHL = Newfoundland Senior Hockey League

St. John's Capitals regular season and postseason statistics and results, 1955–1990
Season League Regular season Postseason
GP W L T OTL GF GA PTS Finish GP W L GF GA Result
1954–55 NAHA, Sr.B 2 0 2 13 17 Lost Section B eastern finals to Bell Island All-Stars, 0-2
1955–56 NAHA, Sr.B 3 1 2 14 31 Lost Section B eastern finals to Bell Island All-Stars, 1-2
1956–57 NAHA, Sr.B 2 0 2 6 11 Lost Section B eastern finals to Bell Island All-Stars, 0-2
1957–58 NAHA, Sr.B 9 4 5 29 40 Lost Section B finals to Grand Falls Bees, 1-4
1958–59 NAHA, Sr.B 10 6 4 54 37 Lost Section B finals by default to Grand Falls Bees, 3-4
1959–60 NAHA, Sr. 8 0 8 0 0 3rd, East DNQ for Herder playoffs
1960–61 NAHA, Sr. 8 2 6 4 2nd, East DNQ for Herder playoffs
1961–62 NSHL Did not enter Herder round robin playoffs
1962–63 NSHL 16 3 11 2 - 63 105 8 5th DNQ for Herder playoffs
1963–64 NSHL 20 13 7 0 - 108 90 26 3rd semi-final forfeited to Corner Brook Royals
1964–65 Did not enter the NSHL
1965–66 NSHL 32 9 22 1 120 209 19 5th DNQ for Herder playoffs
1966–67 NSHL 40 15 22 3 146 162 33 5th DNQ for Herder playoffs
1967–68 NSHL 40 18 17 5 173 180 41 5th DNQ for Herder playoffs
1968–69 NSHL 40 18 18 4 176 172 40 4th Lost in Herder semi-finals to Buchans Miners, 1-4
1969–70 NSHL 40 23 14 3 198 198 158 49† 1st Won Herder Memorial Trophy vs. Gander Flyers, 4-3‡
1970–71 NSHL 36 19 13 4 180 143 42† 1st 19 9 10 Lost Herder finals to Grand Falls Cataracts, 3-4
1971–72 NSHL 36 15 9 2 183 178 32 3rd 12 3 9 Lost Herder finals to Grand Falls Cataracts, 0-4
1972–73 NSHL 36 18 17 1 170 157 37 2nd 12 9 3 Won Herder Memorial Trophy vs. Grand Falls Cataracts, 4-0‡
1973–74 NSHL 32 27 4 1 204 113 42† 1st Won Herder Memorial Trophy vs. Grand Falls Cataracts, 4-1‡
1974–75 NSHL 16 12 2 2 115 62 26† 1st Won Herder Memorial Trophy vs. , ‡
1975–76 NSHL 12 8 2 2 84 40 30† 1st Won Herder Memorial Trophy vs. Grand Falls Cataracts, 4-1‡
1989–90 NFLD, Sr. Won Herder Memorial Trophy vs. Corner Brook Royals, 4-0‡
Labatt BlueCaps regular season and postseason statistics and results, 1976-1982
Season League Regular season Postseason
GP W L T OTL GF GA PTS Finish GP W L GF GA Result
1976–77 NSHL 31 1st, East
1977–78 NSHL 51 1st, East Won Herder Memorial Trophy vs. Gander Flyers, 4-3‡
1978–79 NSHL 43 2nd
1979–80 NSHL 41 2nd
1980–81 NSHL 43 1st
1981–82 NSHL 11 5th
Mike's Shamrocks regular season and postseason statistics and results, 1976-1982
Season League Regular season Postseason
GP W L T OTL GF GA PTS Finish GP W L GF GA Result
1976–77 NSHL 29 2nd East
1977–78 NSHL 26 3rd, East
1978–79 NSHL 32 3rd Won Herder Memorial Trophy vs. Gander Flyers, 4-3‡
1979–80 NSHL 34 4th
1980–81 NSHL 28 4th
1981–82 NSHL 29 4th

Allan Cup results[edit]

Season Location GP W L T OTL GF GA Results Playoffs
1970 - - Lost in Eastern semi-finals to Victoriaville Tigres, 1-3
1973 - - Lost in Eastern semi-finals to Thunder Bay Twins, 1-3
1974 - - Lost in Eastern semi-finals to Thunder Bay Twins, 0-3
1975 Memorial Stadium (St. John's) - - Lost in Eastern finals to Barrie Flyers, 1-3

Leaders[edit]

Captains[edit]

  • Lloyd Cooke, 1956–57
  • Hugh Fardy, 1957–58
  • Bern Goobie, 1958–59

Coaches[edit]

  • Howie Meeker, 1957–59, 1966–67
  • Jack Vinnicombe, 1957–58
  • Bob Badcock, 1972–73
  • George Faulkner, 1975–76
  • Bill Riley, 1985-86 (playing-coach)

Trophies and awards[edit]

Team awards[edit]

  • All-Newfoundland senior hockey championships (Herder Memorial Trophy): 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978 (as Bluecaps), 1979 (as Mike's Shamrocks), 1987, 1990
  • First place in Newfoundland Senior Hockey League regular season (Evening Telegram Trophy): 1970, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978 (as BlueCaps), 1987, 1988, 1989, 1996

Individual awards[edit]

S. E. Tuma Memorial Trophy (Top scorer in the regular season)

  • Randy Pearcey, 1978, 1981 (BlueCaps)
  • Andy Sullivan, 1987, 1989


T.A. (Gus) Soper Memorial Award (MVP in the regular season)


Albert "Peewee" Crane Memorial Trophy (Senior league rookie of the year)

  • Bruce Butler, 1970
  • Gary Connolly, 1973
  • Glen Critch, 1975
  • John Breen, 1979 (Shamrocks)
  • Mac Tucker, 1980 (BlueCaps)
  • Roger Kennedy, 1981
  • Peter White, 1987


Howie Clouter memorial Trophy (Most sportsmanlike player in the regular season)

  • Hubert Hutton, 1976


President's Goaltender's Award (Top goaltender in the regular season)

  • Edgar (Eg) Billiard, 1970, 1971
  • Tols Chapman, 1974, 1975
  • Pat Dempsey, 1976, 1978, 1979
  • Roger Kennedy, 1981, 1988, 1989
  • Peter White, 1987

Cliff Gorman Memorial Award (Most valuable player of the Herder Playoffs)

  • Roger Kennedy, 1983
  • Andy Sullivan, 1987

Honoured members[edit]

Retired numbers[edit]

NL Hockey Hall of Fame[edit]

The following people that were associated with the Capitals have been inducted into the Newfoundland and Labrador Hockey Hall of Fame.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Hall of Fame: George Faulkner". Hockey NL. 18 July 2014.
  2. ^ "Hall of Fame: Hugh Fardy". Hockey NL. 18 July 2014.
  3. ^ "Hall of Fame: Stanley Breen". Hockey NL. 17 July 2014.
  4. ^ "Hall of Fame: Robert George Badcock". Hockey NL. 17 July 2014.
  5. ^ "Hall of Fame: Mervyn Green". Hockey NL. 18 July 2014.
  6. ^ "Hall of Fame: Randy Pearcey". Hockey NL. 21 July 2014.
  7. ^ "Hall of Fame: Jim Penney". Hockey NL. 21 July 2014.
  8. ^ "Hall of Fame: Stan Cook". Hockey NL. 18 July 2014.
  9. ^ "Hall of Fame: Howard Meeker". Hockey NL. 21 July 2014.
  10. ^ "Hall of Fame: Edgar "Eggie" Billard". Hockey NL. 17 July 2014.

Bibliography[edit]

  • Abbott, Bill (2000). Herder Memorial Trophy: A History of Senior Hockey in Newfoundland and Labrador. Breakwater Books.