Smiths Falls Bears

Smiths Falls Bears
Division	Robinson
Founded	1961
History	Smiths Falls Bears 1961–2000 Lanark Thunder 2000–2002 Smiths Falls Bears 2002–present
Home arena	Smiths Falls Memorial Community Centre
City	Smiths Falls, Ontario
Team colors	Black, gold, white
Media	FloSports
Owner	Glenview Sports Entertainment Inc.
General manager	Pat Malloy
Head coach	Pat Malloy
Official website	www.smithsfallsbearshockey.com

The Smiths Falls Bears are a Junior A ice hockey team based in Smiths Falls. The Bears compete in the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) as a member of the Robinson Division, which is the west division in the league. The team has been in existence since 1961, making them one of the oldest Junior A hockey teams in Canada.

The Bears are one of the "Original Six" CCHL teams, along with the Cornwall Royals, Hawkesbury Royals, Hull Hawks, Ottawa Primrose, and the Pembroke Lumber Kings. They have won four Bogart Cup championships between 1965 and 1975, including two years in a row 1974 and 1975. The Bears have made it to the Bogart Cup Final nine times in franchise history, with their last appearance in 2025–26 against the eventual champion Rockland Nationals. They are considered one of the most successful franchises in CCHL history.

The first facility to host the Bears was the original Smiths Falls Memorial Community Centre, the league's former oldest arena, built in 1948. Following the demolition of the old facility in 2010, the team now plays its home games at the new Smiths Falls Memorial Community Centre, located in downtown Smiths Falls. From 2000 to 2002, the team played its home games in Perth, Ontario as the Lanark Thunder when the franchise was suspended. The Bears were re-admitted to the league as an expansion team for the 2002–03 season and held an expansion draft.

History

The origins of the Smiths Falls Bears trace back to when the Ottawa-Hull District Junior Hockey League (now Central Canada Hockey League) was formed in 1961 under the direction of the Montreal Canadiens. The Bears are one of the oldest franchises in Canadian Junior A hockey, despite a 9-year leave of absence from 1976 to 1985.

In February 2000, a dressing room fire at the Smiths Falls Memorial Community Centre destroyed almost all of the team's equipment. The equipment was replaced through donations and charities and Bears were able to finish the 1999–2000 season. The following summer, the Bears announced their relocation to Perth. Assuming the name of the Lanark Thunder, the owner promised to draw attendance at the Perth Community Arena for the 2000–01 season. While the inaugural season of the Thunder drew satisfactory attendance, it dropped dramatically during the following season and nearly being unable to participate in the playoffs at the conclusion of the 2001–02 season and having to give up their playoff spot to the second-last team (Brockville). The Thunder played the Nepean Raiders in the first round and lost the series 4 games to 0. Immediately afterwards, the team was suspended allowing the original franchise to be re-admitted as an expansion team.

During the 2013–14 playoffs, the Smiths Falls Bears made it to the Bogart Cup Final but have lost in five games against fierce rival Carleton Place Canadians. The Bears attracted 8,773 fans in 8 playoff home games to an average of 1,097, including two capacity crowds of over 1,500 people during Game 2 and 4 of the 2014 Bogart Cup Final.

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

1961-62	28	10	14	4	-	--	--	24	6th in OHDJHL	Lost semi-finals
1962-63	32	10	9	3	-	140	124	43	2nd in OHDJHL	Lost final
1963-64	32	13	16	3	-	--	--	29	6th in OHDJHL	Lost quarter-finals
1964-65	36	29	5	2	-	175	75	60	1st in CJHL	Won Bogart Cup
1965-66	36	20	9	7	-	177	123	47	4th in CJHL	Lost semi-finals
1966-67	50	22	20	8	-	186	176	52	2nd in CJHL	Lost final
1967-68	40	21	15	4	-	197	143	46	2nd in CJHL	Lost final
1968-69	40	20	11	9	-	157	123	49	2nd in CJHL	Lost semi-finals
1969-70	40	13	22	5	-	135	159	31	4th in CJHL
1970-71	48	31	12	5	-	247	183	67	1st in CJHL
1971-72	48	29	17	2	-	250	208	60	1st in CJHL	Won Bogart Cup
1972-73	55	25	29	1	-	246	274	51	4th in CJHL
1973-74	50	30	17	3	-	301	240	63	1st in CJHL	Won Bogart Cup Won Fred Page Cup
1974-75	50	27	16	7	-	287	222	61	2nd in CJHL	Won Bogart Cup Won Fred Page Cup
1975-76	50	24	20	6	-	223	227	54	3rd in CJHL
1976-85	Did not play
1985-86	60	12	44	-	4	231	389	28	7th in CJHL
Season	GP	W	L	T	OTL	GF	GA	Points	Finish	Playoffs
1986-87	54	24	25	-	5	218	219	55	5th in CJHL
1987-88	56	4	52	-	0	174	441	11	8th in CJHL
1988-89	55	24	30	-	1	269	305	52	6th in CJHL
1989-90	56	17	33	-	6	225	294	40	8th in CJHL
1990-91	53	13	31	-	9	285	375	35	8th in CJHL
1991-92	57	9	46	-	2	206	423	20	10th in CJHL
1992-93	57	8	43	-	6	184	385	22	10th in CJHL
1993-94	57	33	15	-	9	293	229	75	3rd in CJHL
1994-95	54	29	10	-	15	237	203	73	2nd in CJHL
1995-96	54	26	26	-	2	253	247	54	1st in Robinson
1996-97	53	41	8	-	4	271	172	87	2nd in Robinson	Lost final
1997-98	54	26	19	-	11	224	202	69	2nd in Robinson
1998-99	54	28	20	-	6	202	220	62	4th in Robinson
1999-00	56	25	28	-	3	240	256	53	4th in Robinson
2000-01	55	24	23	-	8	207	194	59	4th in Robinson
2001-02	55	16	26	-	15	212	260	47	4th in Robinson
2002-03	55	9	39	-	9	196	317	25	5th in Robinson	Did not qualify
2003-04	55	11	38	-	9	196	335	28	5th in Robinson	Did not qualify
2004-05	57	9	42	-	6	165	304	24	5th in Robinson	Did not qualify
2005-06	59	18	31	-	10	193	250	46	4th in Robinson	Lost quarter-finals
2006-07	55	25	23	-	7	199	200	57	4th in Robinson	Lost semi-finals
2007-08	60	41	15	-	4	280	183	86	2nd in CJHL	Lost final
2008-09	60	36	22	-	2	247	205	74	5th in CJHL	Lost quarter-finals
2009-10	62	18	40	-	4	148	256	40	10th in CJHL	Did not qualify
2010-11	62	27	29	-	6	191	229	60	8th in CCHL	Lost quarter-finals
2011-12	62	30	30	-	2	220	240	62	8th in CCHL	Lost quarter-finals
2012-13	62	36	22	-	4	235	183	76	7th in CCHL	Lost quarter-finals
2013-14	62	41	17	-	4	238	174	86	2nd in CCHL	Lost final
2014-15	62	28	26	-	8	173	206	64	5th of 6 in Robinson 7th of 12 in CCHL	Lost quarter-finals 4–1 to Nepean Raiders
2015-16	62	38	22	-	2	220	170	78	4th of 6 in Robinson 6th of 12 in CCHL	Lost quarter-finals 4–0 to Hawkesbury Hawks
2016-17	62	21	34	-	7	177	209	55	6th of 6 in Robinson 7th of 12 in CCHL	Lost quarter-finals 4–1 to Cornwall Colts
2017-18	62	21	34	-	4	158	196	55	5th of 6 in Robinson 9th of 12 in CCHL	Did not qualify
2018-19	62	28	23	-	9	195	211	67	3rd of 6 in Robinson 6th of 12 in CCHL	Lost quarter-finals 4–1 to Brockville Braves
2019-20	62	33	24	-	5	223	216	71	3rd of 6 in Robinson 6th of 12 in CCHL	Playoffs cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020-21	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22	55	25	25	-	5	193	216	55	5th of 6 in Robinson 7th of 12 in CCHL	Lost quarter-finals 4–0 Ottawa Jr. Senators
2022-23	55	37	15	-	3	232	165	77	1st of 6 in Robinson 3rd of 12 in CCHL	Won quarter-finals 4–1 over Carleton Place Canadians Won semi-finals 4–1 over Renfrew Wolves Lost Bogart Cup Final 4–3 to Ottawa Jr. Senators
2023-24	55	36	15	-	4	193	128	76	1st of 6 in Robinson 2nd of 12 in CCHL	Won quarter-finals 4–1 over Carleton Place Canadians Won semi-finals 4–1 over Cornwall Colts Lost Bogart Cup Final 4–2 to Navan Grads
2024-25	55	30	19	-	6	168	142	66	2nd of 6 in Robinson 4th of 12 in CCHL	Won quarter-finals 4–2 over Pembroke Lumber Kings Lost semi-finals 4–3 to Rockland Nationals
2025-26	55	39	11	-	5	222	130	83	1st of 6 in Robinson 2nd of 12 in CCHL	Won quarter-finals 4–0 over Brockville Braves Won semi-finals 4–1 over Ottawa Jr. Senators Lost Bogart Cup Final 4–0 to Rockland Nationals

Championships

• CCHL Bogart Cup Championships: 1965, 1972, 1974, 1975

• Eastern Canadian Fred Page Cup Championships: 1974, 1975

Notable alumni

• Fred Brathwaite
• Joe DiPenta
• Rob Dopson
• Randy Pierce
• Steve Poapst
• Ken Richardson
• Billy Smith
• Steve Valiquette
• Ron Ward
• Jason York
• Rod Zaine
• Mark Borowiecki
• Zachary Senyshyn

External links

• Smiths Falls Bears Website