Burford Bulldogs
Encyclopedia
The Burford Bulldogs are Canadian
Junior ice hockey
team based in Burford, Ontario
, Canada
. They play in the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
.
As members of the new Southern Ontario merger Western Junior D Hockey League, the Bulldogs found themselves sandwiched in with 17 other teams. In only their second season, 1989-90, the Bulldogs celebrated their first winning season with 19 wins and 12 losses with 4 ties. A season later they did the same with 22 wins, 15, losses, and 3 extra points. In 1991-92 they had their best season ever with 25 wins and 10 losses, finishing 4th overall.
In 1991, the Western League became the Ontario Hockey Association Junior Development League. The Bulldogs began to struggle come 1992. They had winning season in 1994-95 and 1995-96, only to manage 11 wins in 1996-97.
The 2005-06 season had the Bulldogs finish 15th overall in the OHA Junior Development League. Finishing 4th in their own division, they had to play the division leading Delhi Travellers
in the first round of the playoffs. The Travellers won the series 4-games-to-2.
In 2006-07, the OHA Junior Development League was disbanded and the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
was created in its stead. That season the Bulldogs turned around their fortunes with an 8th place finish and a record of 22 wins, 17 losses, and 3 extra points. With much optimism going into the playoffs, the Bulldogs gained home ice advantage over the Hagersville Hawks
in the first round of the playoffs. The Hawks upset the Bulldogs, defeating them 4-games-to-2.
The 2007-08 season was another improvement, as Burford finished 7th place overall in the league and 2nd place in their own division. The Bulldogs finished the season with 24 wins, 14 losses, and 4 extra point overtime losses. In the first round of the playoffs they played the Wellesley Applejacks
. Despite a hard fought series, for the first time in years, Burford defeated their opponents in the opening playoff round 4-games-to-3. In the league quarter-final, the Bulldogs played division leading Delhi but fell 4-games-to-none to exit the playoffs.Burford finished the previous season in 11th place in the SOJHL.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Junior ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team based in Burford, Ontario
Burford, Ontario
Burford is a rural community and is part of the County of Brant, in central southwestern Ontario. It has 1,940 residents . It is located eight kilometers west of the City of Brantford along Highway 53, and seventy kilometers east of London, Ontario...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. They play in the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
The Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League is a Junior level ice hockey league sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association based out of Southwestern Ontario....
.
History
The Burford Bulldogs were founded in 1988 after a long layoff of junior hockey in the town of Burford. The previous team to play in Burford was the Burford Knights in the mid to late 1970s.As members of the new Southern Ontario merger Western Junior D Hockey League, the Bulldogs found themselves sandwiched in with 17 other teams. In only their second season, 1989-90, the Bulldogs celebrated their first winning season with 19 wins and 12 losses with 4 ties. A season later they did the same with 22 wins, 15, losses, and 3 extra points. In 1991-92 they had their best season ever with 25 wins and 10 losses, finishing 4th overall.
In 1991, the Western League became the Ontario Hockey Association Junior Development League. The Bulldogs began to struggle come 1992. They had winning season in 1994-95 and 1995-96, only to manage 11 wins in 1996-97.
The 2005-06 season had the Bulldogs finish 15th overall in the OHA Junior Development League. Finishing 4th in their own division, they had to play the division leading Delhi Travellers
Delhi Travellers
The Delhi Travellers are a Canadian junior hockey team based in Delhi, Ontario, Canada. The Travellers play in the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association.-History:...
in the first round of the playoffs. The Travellers won the series 4-games-to-2.
In 2006-07, the OHA Junior Development League was disbanded and the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
The Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League is a Junior level ice hockey league sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association based out of Southwestern Ontario....
was created in its stead. That season the Bulldogs turned around their fortunes with an 8th place finish and a record of 22 wins, 17 losses, and 3 extra points. With much optimism going into the playoffs, the Bulldogs gained home ice advantage over the Hagersville Hawks
Hagersville Hawks
The Hagersville Hawks are a Junior ice hockey team based in Hagersville, Ontario. They play in the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League and have been in existence since being granted a franchise in 1992. Hagersville won the league championship in 2005...
in the first round of the playoffs. The Hawks upset the Bulldogs, defeating them 4-games-to-2.
The 2007-08 season was another improvement, as Burford finished 7th place overall in the league and 2nd place in their own division. The Bulldogs finished the season with 24 wins, 14 losses, and 4 extra point overtime losses. In the first round of the playoffs they played the Wellesley Applejacks
Wellesley Applejacks
The Wellesley Applejacks are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team based in Wellesley, Ontario. They play in the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association.-History:...
. Despite a hard fought series, for the first time in years, Burford defeated their opponents in the opening playoff round 4-games-to-3. In the league quarter-final, the Bulldogs played division leading Delhi but fell 4-games-to-none to exit the playoffs.Burford finished the previous season in 11th place in the SOJHL.
Season-by-season standings
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Results |
| 1988-89 | 35 | 14 | 20 | 1 | |||||
| 184 | 208 | 29 | 13th WJDHL | ||||||
| 1989-90 | 35 | 19 | 12 | 4 | |||||
| 217 | 177 | 42 | 9th WJDHL | ||||||
| 1990-91 | 40 | 22 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 248 | 226 | 47 | 6th WJDHL |
| 1991-92 | 35 | 25 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 262 | 166 | 50 | 4th OHAJDL |
| 1992-93 | 40 | 15 | 20 | 4 | 1 | 160 | 181 | 35 | 11th OHAJDL |
| 1993-94 | 40 | 14 | 24 | 2 | |||||
| 188 | 240 | 30 | 11th OHAJDL | ||||||
| 1994-95 | 40 | 19 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 176 | 208 | 40 | 11th OHAJDL |
| 1995-96 | 40 | 19 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 202 | 200 | 42 | 9th OHAJDL |
| 1996-97 | 39 | 11 | 25 | 0 | 3 | 177 | 270 | 25 | 15th OHAJDL |
| 1997-98 | 37 | 21 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 198 | 167 | 44 | 8th OHAJDL |
| 1998-99 | 38 | 14 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 148 | 192 | 28 | 15th OHAJDL |
| 1999-00 | 38 | 16 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 181 | 172 | 39 | 10th OHAJDL |
| 2000-01 | 40 | 25 | 12 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| 53 | 6th OHAJDL | ||||||||
| 2001-02 | 40 | 19 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 160 | 147 | 43 | 9th OHAJDL |
| 2002-03 | 40 | 16 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 141 | 172 | 36 | 12th OHAJDL |
| 2003-04 | 40 | 16 | 18 | 5 | 1 | 133 | 159 | 38 | 12th OHAJDL |
| 2004-05 | 40 | 11 | 21 | 4 | 4 | 126 | 147 | 30 | 15th OHAJDL |
| 2005-06 | 38 | 10 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 150 | 182 | 26 | 15th OHAJDL |
| 2006-07 | 42 | 22 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 193 | 199 | 47 | 8th SOJHL |
| 2007-08 | 42 | 24 | 14 | ||||||
| 4 | 187 | 152 | 52 | 7th SOJHL | |||||
| 2008-09 | 40 | 12 | 21 | ||||||
| 7 | 152 | 182 | 31 | 11th SOJHL | |||||
| 2009-10 | 36 | 13 | 21 | ||||||
| 2 | 131 | 170 | 28 | 11th SOJHL | |||||
| 2010-11 | 35 | 12 | 21 | ||||||
| 2 | 123 | 161 | 26 | 13th SOJHL |