Port Dover Sailors
The Port Dover Sailors are a junior hockey team based in Port Dover, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association until the 2016-17 season when the league joined the Provincial Junior Hockey League and placed under the Bloomfield Division of the new league.
| Port Dover Sailors | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Port Dover, Ontario |
| League | Provincial Junior Hockey League |
| Conference | South |
| Division | Bloomfield |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Home arena | Port Dover Arena |
| Colours | Blue, red, and white |
| Owner(s) | John Lennox |
| General manager | Mike Walker(2020-present) |
| Head coach | Mike Walker |
| Franchise history | |
| 1988–1999: Port Dover Clippers 1999–2011: Port Dover Sailors 2011–2013: Norfolk Rebels 2013–present: Port Dover Sailors | |
| Championships | |
| League champions | None |
History
The Port Dover Clippers were founded in 1988 as members of the Niagara & District Junior C Hockey League. The Clippers were 1990 and 1991 Niagara East champions and Niagara co-champions. In 1990, the Clippers would fall to the Orangeville Crushers of the Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League 4-games-to-1 in the Clarence Schmalz Cup OHA provincial quarter-final. Their western co-champions, the New Hamburg Spirit 83's would fare no better, dropping one of the other quarter-finals in four-straight games to the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League champion Belle River Canadiens. The next year was more of the same, as Port Dover and New Hamburg were the co-champions, New Hamburg lost the provincial quarter-final to Belle River again (this time in six games), and Port Dover fell to Orangeville again in five.
In 1999, the Clippers took leave of the Niagara District league. Clippers changed their name to the Port Dover Sailors and applied for membership in the Ontario Hockey Association Junior Development League.
In 2006, the OHAJDL changed its name to the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League; the Sailors competed in this league until 2012.
From 2011 until 2013 the team was known as the Norfolk Rebels and split time between Port Dover and Waterford, Ontario.
In 2013, the team was renamed the Port Dover Sailors.
The playoffs for the 2019-20 season were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the team not being able to play a single game.
In 2022-23 The Sailors created a record breaking season led by Captain Benjamin Mason. Assistant Captain Nick D’Agostino set a new record for Points in a Season and won Most Sportsmanlike Player. Goaltender Finn Wilson won Rookie of the Year. Also Head Coach Mike Walker won Coach of the Year.
The team went into playoffs as the 3rd ranked team. Completing their first franchise sweep over the Dunnville Mudcats 4-0, and also won there first 2nd round series game (Jr.C) dating back to the 1990-91 season.
Season-by-season record
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Results | Playoffs |
| 1988-89 | 40 | 19 | 13 | 8 | - | -- | -- | 46 | 3rd NJC-E | |
| 1989-90 | 40 | 24 | 10 | 2 | - | -- | -- | 50 | 1st NJC-E | Won East, lost CSC QF |
| 1990-91 | 36 | 22 | 10 | 4 | - | 237 | 152 | 48 | 1st NJC-E | Won East, lost CSC QF |
| 1991-92 | 36 | 23 | 8 | 5 | - | 195 | 145 | 51 | 2nd NJC-E | |
| 1992-93 | 36 | 12 | 16 | 8 | - | 157 | 181 | 32 | 3rd NJC-W | |
| 1993-94 | 36 | 21 | 11 | 4 | - | 176 | 144 | 46 | 2nd NJC-W | |
| 1994-95 | 36 | 19 | 14 | 3 | - | 195 | 171 | 41 | 4th NJC-W | |
| 1995-96 | 40 | 13 | 23 | 4 | - | 163 | 237 | 30 | 4th NJC-W | |
| 1996-97 | 40 | 1 | 37 | 0 | 2 | 78 | 287 | 4 | 6th NJC-W | |
| 1997-98 | 38 | 2 | 35 | 0 | 1 | 106 | 239 | 5 | 6th NJC-W | |
| 1998-99 | 35 | 4 | 30 | - | 1 | -- | -- | 9 | 6th NJC-W | |
| 1999-00 | 38 | 10 | 25 | 1 | 2 | 140 | 242 | 23 | 15th OHAJDL | |
| 2000-01 | 40 | 10 | 26 | 0 | 4 | -- | -- | 24 | 16th OHAJDL | |
| 2001-02 | 40 | 8 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 100 | 212 | 21 | 18th OHAJDL | |
| 2002-03 | 40 | 11 | 27 | 1 | 1 | 126 | 187 | 24 | 18th OHAJDL | |
| 2003-04 | 40 | 16 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 127 | 148 | 34 | 14th OHAJDL | |
| 2004-05 | 40 | 21 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 135 | 129 | 48 | 8th OHAJDL | |
| 2005-06 | 37 | 10 | 21 | 4 | 2 | 127 | 167 | 26 | 14th OHAJDL | |
| 2006-07 | 42 | 8 | 30 | 0 | 4 | 96 | 232 | 20 | 4th SOJHL-BM | Lost Conference Quarter-final |
| 2007-08 | 42 | 12 | 27 | - | 3 | 115 | 218 | 27 | 4th SOJHL-BM | Lost Conference Quarter-final |
| 2008-09 | 40 | 11 | 20 | - | 9 | 107 | 172 | 31 | 5th SOJHL-Mc | DNQ |
| 2009-10 | 36 | 3 | 32 | - | 1 | 91 | 223 | 7 | 5th SOJHL-Mc | DNQ |
| 2010-11 | 35 | 1 | 31 | - | 3 | 83 | 229 | 5 | 8th SOJHL-Mc | Lost Division Quarter-final |
| 2011-12 | 35 | 2 | 30 | - | 3 | 103 | 284 | 7 | 8th SOJHL-Mc | Lost Division Quarter-final |
| 2012-13 | 38 | 0 | 36 | - | 2 | 78 | 319 | 2 | 7th SOJHL-Mc | Lost Division Quarter-final |
| 2013-14 | 35 | 5 | 28 | - | 2 | 89 | 184 | 12 | 8th NJCHL | Lost quarter-final |
| 2014-15 | 42 | 13 | 29 | - | 0 | 140 | 223 | 26 | 7th NJCHL | Lost quarters, 1-4 (Blues) |
| 2015-16 | 42 | 13 | 26 | 1 | 2 | 149 | 194 | 29 | 7th of 8 NJCHL | Lost quarters, 2–4 (Peach Kings) |
| 2016-17 | 42 | 22 | 20 | 0 | - | 161 | 165 | 40 | 4th of 8- PJHL Bloomfield | Lost Div Quarters, 2-4 (Blues) |
| 2017-18 | 42 | 23 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 152 | 167 | 48 | 3rd of 8- PJHL Bloomfield | Won Div Quarters, 4-3 (Riverhawks) Lost div semi-finals, 0-4 (Peach Kings) |
| 2018-19 | 42 | 13 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 110 | 166 | 31 | 7th of 8- PJHL Bloomfield | Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Hawks) |
| 2019-20 | 43 | 13 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 137 | 170 | 29 | 7th of 8- PJHL Bloomfield | Lost Div Quarters, 0-4 (Hawks) |
| 2020-21 | Season Lost due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||||||||
| 2021-22 | 30 | 15 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 121 | 125 | 34 | 5th of 7- PJHL Bloomfield | Lost Div Quarters, 2-4 (Riverhawks) |
| 2022-23 | 42 | 21 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 148 | 153 | 48 | 3rd of 7- PJHL Bloomfield | Won Div Quarters, 4-0 (Mudcats) Lost Div Semis, 1-4 (Peach Kings) |