{{Short description|Junior ice hockey club}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox ice hockey team | team = Espanola Paper Kings | bg_colour = #FFFFFF; border-top:#002A47 5px solid; border-bottom:#097C0E 5px solid | text_colour = #000000 | logo = Espanola_Paper_Kings_logo.png | city = Espanola, Ontario | league = NOJHL | founded = {{Start date|2015}} | arena = Espanola Regional Recreation Complex | colours = {{color box|#002A47}} Oxford blue<br/>{{color box|#097C0E}} Dark green<br/> {{colour box|#F6D500}} Pure yellow | owner = Jason Rapcewicz | gm = Marc Gagnon | coach = Jason Rapcewicz | website = {{URL|espanolapaperkings.com}} | name1 = Espanola Express | dates1 = 2015–2022 | name2 = '''Espanola Paper Kings''' | dates2 = 2022–present }}
The '''Espanola Paper Kings''' are a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey team based out of Espanola, Ontario. They are members of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) and play their home games at the Espanola Regional Recreational Complex.
==History== The Express were one of two expansion teams that entered the league prior to the start of the 2015–16 NOJHL season. Co-Owners Tom McCarthy, Chad Clarke and Jason Rapcewicz decided former NHL forward Tom McCarthy would be its first head coach. McCarthy had previously coached the Espanola Rivermen prior to the teams disbandment.<ref name="jhn_13may2015">{{cite web |title=Espanola Scores New Jr. “A” Hockey Team |url=https://thejuniorhockeynews.com/espanola-scores-new-jr-a-hockey-team/ |website=thejuniorhockeynews.com |access-date=14 November 2025 |date=13 May 2015}}</ref>
In August 2016, coach McCarthy announced he was taking a head coaching position with HSC Csíkszereda in the Romanian Hockey League but would also remain involved with the Express as one of the owners.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thejuniorhockeynews.com/espanola-express-head-coach-takes-pro-coaching-job/ |title=Espanola Express head coach takes pro coaching job |publisher=The Junior Hockey News |date=August 5, 2016}}</ref> Co-coach Jason Rapcewicz took over as head coach. However, after one season, McCarthy returned to Espanola and the head coaching position.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nojhl.com/espanola-express-announce-return-of-tom-mccarthy-as-head-coach |title=Espanola Express announce return of Tom McCarthy as head coach |publisher=NOJHL |date=April 10, 2017}}</ref> He left again after one season and was replaced by Dave Clancy from the Rayside-Balfour Canadians.
{{sticky header}} {{Alternating rows table|class=wikitable sortable sticky-header}} |+ style="background:#EC0A0B; border-top:#000000 5px solid; border-bottom:#000000 5px solid"| {{font color|#FFFFFF|Espanola Express}} ! style="width:4em; text-align:left;" | Season ! style="width:2.2em;" | {{abbr|GP|Games played}} ! style="width:2.2em;" | {{abbr|W|Wins}} ! style="width:2.2em;" | {{abbr|L|Losses}} ! style="width:2.2em;" | {{abbr|T|Tie}} ! style="width:2.2em;" | {{abbr|OTL|Overtime losses}} ! style="width:2.2em;" | {{abbr|GF|Goals for}} ! style="width:2.2em;" | {{abbr|GA|Goals against}} ! style="width:2.2em;" | {{abbr|Pts|Points}} ! style="width:10em; text-align:left;" | Season ! style="width:18em; text-align:left;" | Postseason |-align="right" |align="left"|2015–16 ||54||12||39||0||3||132||243||27||align="left"|<small>5th in division<br />10th overall</small>||align="left"|<small>Lost first round against Soo Eagles (2:0)</small> |-align="right" |align="left"|2016–17 ||56||9||45||1||1||139||297||20||align="left"|<small>6th in division<br />11th overall</small>||align="left"|<small>''Did not qualify''</small> |-align="right" |align="left"|2017–18 ||56||2||52||1||1||114||344||6||align="left"|<small>6th in division<br />12th overall</small>||align="left"|<small>''Did not qualify''</small> |-align="right" |align="left"|2018–19 ||56||10||43||0||3||145||291||23||align="left"|<small>6th in division<br />12th overall</small>||align="left"|<small>''Did not qualify''</small> |-align="right" |align="left"|2019–20 ||56||17||34||0||5||167||247||39||align="left"|<small>5th in division<br />10th overall</small>||align="left"|<small>Lost first round against Soo Eagles (2:0)</small> |-align="right" |align="left"|2020–21 ||12||5||4||0||3||46||56||13||colspan=2; align="center"|<small>''Withdrew from competition midseason''</small> |-align="right" |align="left"|2021–22 ||48||13||31||4||0||150||217||30||align="left"|<small>6th in division<br />10th overall</small>||align="left"|<small>''Did not qualify''</small> {{end}} {{refbegin}} Source: {{cite web |title=Espanola Express hockey team statistics and history |url=https://www.hockeydb.com/stte/espanola-express-11659.html |website=hockeydb.com |access-date=14 November 2025}} {{refend}}
Jason Rapcewicz became the sole owner and head coach in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://espanolaexpress.com/nojhl-team-season-preview-espanola-express |title=NOJHL team season preview: Espanola Express |website=Espanola Express |date=August 31, 2019}}</ref> The club was rebranded as the Espanola Paper Kings in 2022.<ref name="men_8aug2022">{{cite news |last1=Russell |first1=Rosalind |title=New name, branding and coach for Espanola's NOJHL franchise |url=https://www.myespanolanow.com/49659/news/new-name-branding-and-coach-for-espanolas-nojhl-franchise/ |access-date=14 November 2025 |work=My Espanola Now |date=8 August 2022 |language=en-CA}}</ref><ref name="stw_10nov2025">{{cite news |last1=Russon |first1=Randy |title=It is 500 NOJHL games coached ... and counting for Jason Rapcewicz |url=https://www.saultthisweek.com/sports/local-sports/it-is-500-nojhl-games-coached-and-counting-for-jason-rapcewicz |access-date=14 November 2025 |work=saultthisweek.com |publisher=Postmedia |date=10 November 2025}}</ref>
{{sticky header}} {{Alternating rows table|class=wikitable sortable sticky-header}} |+ style="background:#FFFFFF00; border-top:#002A47 5px solid; border-bottom:#097C0E 5px solid"| {{font color|#000000|Espanola Paper Kings}} ! style="width:4em; text-align:left;" | Season ! style="width:2.2em;" | {{abbr|GP|Games played}} ! style="width:2.2em;" | {{abbr|W|Wins}} ! style="width:2.2em;" | {{abbr|L|Losses}} ! style="width:2.2em;" | {{abbr|T|Tie}} ! style="width:2.2em;" | {{abbr|OTL|Overtime losses}} ! style="width:2.2em;" | {{abbr|GF|Goals for}} ! style="width:2.2em;" | {{abbr|GA|Goals against}} ! style="width:2.2em;" | {{abbr|Pts|Points}} ! style="width:10em; text-align:left;" | Season ! style="width:18em; text-align:left;" | Postseason |-align="right" |align="left"|2022–23 ||58||29||24||2||3||233||218||63||align="left"|<small>4th in division<br />7th overall</small>||align="left"|<small>Lost quarterfinal against Greater Sudbury (4:1)</small> |-align="right" |align="left"|2023–24 ||58||34||23||1||0||271||219||69||align="left"|<small>4th in division<br />7th overall</small>||align="left"|<small>Lost quarterfinal against Blind River (4:3)</small> |-align="right" |align="left"|2024–25 ||52||21||27||3||1||183||237||46||align="left"|<small>9th overall</small>||align="left"|<small>''Did not qualify''</small> {{end}} {{refbegin}} Source: {{cite web |title=Espanola Paper Kings hockey team statistics and history |url=https://www.hockeydb.com/stte/espanola-paper-kings-13071.html |website=hockeydb.com |access-date=14 November 2025}} {{refend}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
== Further reading == {{refbegin}} * {{cite news |title=NOJHL team season preview: Espanola Express |url=https://www.midnorthmonitor.com/sports/local-sports/nojhl-team-season-preview-espanola-express |access-date=5 January 2025 |work=midnorthmonitor.com |publisher=Postmedia |date=2 September 2019 |language=en-CA}} * {{cite news |title=New Hockey North Hall of Fame inducts first members |url=https://www.baytoday.ca/local-news/new-hockey-north-hall-of-fame-inducts-first-members-11041688 |access-date=7 August 2025 |work=BayToday.ca |publisher=Village Media |date=7 August 2025 |language=en}} * {{cite news |last1=Russon |first1=Randy |title=Espanola Paper Kings set up for '25-26 NOJHL season with a cast of returnees and newcomers with links to the north including Sault |url=https://www.saultthisweek.com/sports/local-sports/espanola-paper-kings-set-up-for-25-26-nojhl-season-with-a-cast-of-returnees-and-newcomers-with-links-to-the-north-including-sault |access-date=9 August 2025 |work=saultthisweek.com |publisher=Postmedia |date=4 August 2025}} {{refend}}
{{NOJHL}}
Category:Ice hockey teams in Ontario Category:Sports in Northern Ontario Category:2015 establishments in Ontario Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 2015