Category Archives: Hockey

2017-2018 Collingwood Blackhawks PeeWee AE Hockey Team

Coaches: (Left to Right) Justin Cragg, Mike MacDonald, Travis McDiarmid, John Limoges, Todd Hammond
Bottom Row Players: Ben Limoges, Goalie Kade McDiarmid, Goalie Nate Ryan
Second Row: Ben Rossbaum, Ryder Osbourn (AP), Evan Cragg, Patrick Rush, Brody Robinson, Cam MacDonald, Will Mantrop, Gavin Hammond
Back Row: Max Exner, Owen Hammond, Mackenzie Robinson, Camden DaSilva, Chase Cooper, Andrew Dorchak (AP), Drew McGuirk

During the 2015-16 regular season, the Atom AE 3 Blackhawks carried a stellar record of 19 wins and a single loss on the way to an OMHA title and being crowned Georgian Bay Minor Hockey League Champions. The Hawks team also captured the gold as Silver Stick Regional champs, earning a trip to the International Silver Stick finals where they lost narrowly in the semi-finals to the team that eventually came out on top.

The team’s domination during the 2015-16 regular season, play downs and playoffs earned the hard-working and talented club multiple distinctions: top of the league during the regular season with a .950 winning percentage; league champions following round-robin and finals versus Essa; Regional Silver Stick champions, allowing only 3 goals against in four games; and OMHA champions, losing only one game in four series. The Blackhawks went deep into Tier 1 of the Silver Stick in Pelham, Ontario, in 2016.
The Collingwood Blackhawks AE 3 squad captured the OMHA championship and Jack Tolhurst Memorial Trophy on March 19, 2016 in game four of the final series against Lincoln. They also knocked off Oro, Kincardine and Napanee.

Raymond Sheffield

Described as a fierce and determined competitor with a thorough mix of talent and hard work, Collingwood’s Ray Sheffield is one of the most universally respected and beloved personalities in the history of Australian ice hockey.

A five-time national hockey champion with the Newcastle Northstars of the Australian Ice Hockey League, Ray played minor and junior hockey in Collingwood before hoisting the Goodall Cup as captain of his team ‘Down Under’. He was a foundation player with the club when they entered the Australian Ice Hockey League in 2002.

Ray became club captain in 2003 and led the North Stars to their first championship that year. Three more Cups followed in 2005, ’06 and ’08. He played in a total of 259 games for Newcastle, including 9 finals over 13 straight seasons — 2002 to ’14 — with 11 as captain. In that time, he averaged 0.64 points per game and captained more games than any other player in AIHL history.

In 2015, the club retired Number 19 and raised his jersey at the Hunter Ice Skating Stadium before a capacity crowd. A well-rounded, multi-sport athlete, Ray returned to the North Stars in 2016 as an Assistant Coach and won his fifth Goodall Cup. In 2017, he was still coach of the Club’s Mites program. He married Belinda Callaway in 2007 and they have three children — Isaiah, Nathaniel and Monique

On Saturday, May 13, 2023, the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame welcomed Raymond Sheffield as an enshrined member of Collingwood’s sporting history.

1973-1974 Collingwood Juvenile Lions – OHA Champions

In late summer of 1973, it appeared the Collingwood Juvenile team was finished due to the limited number of players available to play. CMHA Director Cathy Mulholland contacted Dave Chandler to convince him a Juvenile team was a worthwhile venture. Following the recruitment of Coach Fern St. Onge & Manager John Freudeman, tryouts began for players from Collingwood & surrounding communities. After a rather uneventful season, the OMHA playoffs started. Following a 5 game series with Base Borden marked by police escorts, Collingwood began their magical ride defeating Huntsville (3-0), Markham (3-1), Streetsville (3-0) taking home the OMHA Juvenile Championship defeating London Stoneybrook (4-2).

During the spring of 1974, the team that almost never happened was the last team standing in Collingwood. Throughout the playoffs, home games were packed to the rafters. The town was buzzing with public demand resulting in the final Game 6 being broadcast on CKCB radio by the legendary Scotty Carmichael (Founder – Sports Hall of Fame) and John Nichols.

On Saturday, October 27, 2018, the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame welcomes the 1973-74 Collingwood Juvenile Hockey team as an honoured team.