{{Short description|Senior ice hockey club}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox hockey team | team=Cambridge Hornets | bg_colour = #D8C026; border:#000000 solid 3px | text_colour = #000000 | logo=Cambridge Hornets.jpg | logo_size=125px | colours = {{colour box|#D8C026}} Yellow<br/>{{colour box|#000000}} Black | city=Cambridge, Ontario | league=OHA Senior A League<br>(1960–1979)<br>OHA Senior A Hockey League<br>(1979–1987)<br>Major League Hockey<br>(1999–2006)<br/>Allan Cup Hockey League<br/>(2025–present) | website = {{URL|hornetssrhc.ca}} <!---optional current franchise history---> | name1=Galt Terriers | dates1=1960–1962 | name2=Galt Hornets | dates2=1962–1973 | name3=Cambridge Hornets | dates3=1973–1987 | name4=Cambridge Hornets | dates4=1999–2006 | name5=Cambridge Hornets | dates5=2025–present }} The '''Cambridge Hornets''' are a Senior ice hockey team in the Allan Cup Hockey League based in Cambridge, Ontario.
== History ==
=== OHA Senior A League (1960–1979) ===
The club traces its origins to 1960 when it was founded as the Galt Terriers of the OHA Senior A League. The Terriers won the J. Ross Robertson Cup as league champions in the 1960–61 season.<ref name="Robertson">{{cite web|url=http://www.ohahockey.ca/view/oha/about-us/oha-history-8683/senior-series-2|title=Senior Series|year=2019|website=Ontario Hockey Association|access-date=February 4, 2021|archive-date=March 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315051624/http://www.ohahockey.ca/view/oha/about-us/oha-history-8683/senior-series-2|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Terriers won the 1961 Allan Cup championship, concluding their first season. As the reigning Allan Cup champions, the Terriers represented Canada at the 1962 Ice Hockey World Championships finishing 2nd place, winning the silver medal. Notable players from that era include, Dave Dryden, Tod Sloan, Darryl Sly and Bill Wylie.<ref>[http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayersByTeam.jsp?team=Galt+Terriers Legends of hockey alumni search – Galt Terriers]</ref> The "Terriers" named itself had been used by teams in Galt dating back to the 1920s and 1930s, before World War II. Notable players included Larry Aurie, Clarence Boucher,<ref>[http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=12073 Clarence a.k.a. Bowcher Boucher]</ref> John Brackenborough, Art Gauthier, Norman Himes, Carl Liscombe, Cliff McBride, Mickey Murray and Jean Pusie.
Following the 1961–62 season, the Galt Terriers were renamed the '''Galt Hornets'''. Gord Renwick served as president of the Hornets from 1966 to 1973.<ref name="Order">{{cite web|url=https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/corporate/awards/order-hockey-canada/honourees/gordon-renwick|title=Gordie Renwick - 2012 Order of Hockey in Canada Honouree|year=2012|website=Hockey Canada|access-date=2018-12-05}}</ref><ref name="elitepro">{{cite web|url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/staff/11707/gordon-renwick|title=Gordon Renwick Team Staff Profile|website=Elite Prospects|access-date=2018-12-12}}</ref><ref name="IIHF">{{cite web|url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/IZone/izone.member.info.do?mem=109|title=Gordon Renwick|website=Legends of Hockey|publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame|access-date=2018-12-06}}</ref> He was encouraged to revive the team's ownership group by close friend, and the team's previous coach Bill Wylie.<ref name="therecord">{{cite web|url=https://www.therecord.com/news-story/2600991-cambridge-s-gord-renwick-wins-order-of-hockey-in-canada/|title=Cambridge's Gord Renwick wins Order of Hockey in Canada|date=2012-04-23|publisher=TheRecord|access-date=2018-12-07}}</ref> In 1966, Renwick named Earl Balfour as the team's new playing coach, and signed Gary Collins.<ref name="cambridgecitizen">{{cite web|url=http://cambridgecitizen.ca/galt-hornets-196566-the-third-year-in-review/|title=Galt Hornets 1965/66 The Third Year in Review|last=Spencer|first=Randy|date=2012-11-06|publisher=The Cambridge Citizen|access-date=2019-01-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402102509/http://cambridgecitizen.ca/galt-hornets-196566-the-third-year-in-review/|archive-date=2019-04-02|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Two seasons later, the 1968–69 Hornets team won 52 of 67 games played. They won a second J. Ross Robertson Cup in a four-game sweep of the Barrie Flyers.<ref name="Robertson" /><ref name="AC-1969">{{cite web|url=https://www.allancup.ca/allancup68-69galt.htm |title=Galt Hornets 1968-1969 Allan Cup Champions|website=Allan Cup|publisher=Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame|access-date=2018-12-08}}</ref> In the national playoffs, Galt defeated the Gander Flyers in five games, then the Victoriaville Tigers in six games to reach the final. Galt captured the 1969 Allan Cup winning in four consecutive games over the Calgary Stampeders.<ref name="AC-1969" /><ref name="CSHOF-68-69">{{cite web|url=https://cambridgeshf.com/inductee/galt-hornets-1968-69/|title=Galt Hornets 1968–69|year=1998|website=Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame|access-date=2019-01-22}}</ref><ref name="HG">{{cite web|url=http://hockeygods.com/images/16637-Galt_Hornets_1969_Allan_Cup_Champions|title=Galt Hornets 1969 Allan Cup Champions|website=HockeyGods|access-date=2018-12-09}}</ref>
Renwick and the team executive used a share-the-wealth philosophy, where the players saw proportion of the team's profits. Galt won another Ontario championship in the 1970–71 season, with the goaltending tandem of Harold Hurley and Ken Broderick. In the playoffs, Galt defeated the Barrie Flyers, Orillia Terriers, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay Twins, and the Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts to reach the finals. Galt captured the 1971 Allan Cup winning in four consecutive games over the same Calgary team from 1969, and played to sellout crowds at the Galt Arena Gardens. The Hornets represented Canada at the 1971 Ahearne Cup in Stockholm, finishing in third place behind teams from Russia and Sweden.<ref name="CSHOF-70-71">{{cite web|url=https://cambridgeshf.com/inductee/galt-hornets-1970-71/|title=Galt Hornets 1970–71|year=2004|website=Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame|access-date=2019-01-22}}</ref>
The team later changed its name to the Cambridge Hornets, when Galt was amalgamated into Cambridge.
;NHL alumni List of Galt Hornets alumni who also played in the NHL.<ref>[http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayersByTeam.jsp?team=Galt+Hornets Legends of hockey alumni search – Galt Hornets]</ref> * Earl Balfour, Ken Broderick, Gary Collins, Mike Corbett, Dave Cressman, Norm Defelice, Dave Dryden, Cec Hoekstra, Tom McCarthy, Vic Teal
List of original era Cambridge Hornets alumni who also played in the NHL.<ref name="legendsofhockey.net"/> * John Brenneman, Dave Cressman, Bob Dupuis, Gerry Gray, Gary Kurt, Dave Tataryn, Vic Teal
;Season-by-season record {| class="wikitable" ! Season !! GP !! W !! L !! T !! GF !! GA !! Pts !! Finish !! Playoffs |- |1960-61||40||21||13||6||135||130||48||2nd OHA Sr. A||Won League, Won Allan Cup |- |1961-62||34||24||10||0||178||102||48||1st OHA Sr. A|| |- |1962-63||40||13||25||2||151||214||28||5th OHA Sr. A|| |- |1963-64||40||25||10||5||195||144||55||2nd OHA Sr. A||Lost Final |- |1964-65||40||24||15||1||167||135||49||2nd OHA Sr. A|| |- |1965-66||42||18||22||2||149||181||43||5th OHA Sr. A|| |- |1966-67||40||23||14||3||188||162||49||4th OHA Sr. A|| |- |1967-68||40||27||12||1||152||105||55||1st OHA Sr. A||Lost Final |- |1968-69||39||29||10||0||243||131||58||1st OHA Sr. A||Won League, Won Allan Cup |- |1969-70||40||26||11||3||198||114||55||OHA Sr. A||Lost Final |- |1970-71||40||32|| 8||0||246||103||64||OHA Sr. A||Won League, Won Allan Cup |- |1971-72||40||27||12||1||197||126||55||2nd OHA Sr. A||Lost Final |- |1972-73||44||25||18||1||200||153||51||3rd OHA Sr. A|| |- |1973-74||40||28||12||0||165||132||56||3rd OHA Sr. A|| |- |1974-75||40||16||21||3||175||181||35||5th OHA Sr. A|| |- |1975-76||44||23||20||1||190||170||47||3rd OHA Sr. A|| |- |1976-77||34||22||10||2||188||145||46||2nd OHA Sr. A|| |- |1977-78||40||27||12||1||200||151||55||1st OHA Sr. A|| |- |1978-79||40||21||18||1||179||170||43||3rd OHA Sr. A|| |- |1979-80||40||29||11||0||245||144||58||2nd CSAHL||Won League |- |1980-81||37||33|| 3||1||290||119||67||1st OHA Sr. A||Lost Final |- |1981-82||34||23||11||0||201||115||46||3rd OHA Sr. A||Lost Final |- |1982-83||40||32|| 8||0||316||124||64||1st OHA Sr. A||Won League, Won Allan Cup |- |1983-84||38||26||12||0||244||139||52||1st OHA Sr. A||Won League |- |1984-85||40||25||12||3||210||137||53||1st OHA Sr. A|| |- |1985-86||36||23||13||0||157||144||46||2nd OHA Sr. A|| |- |1986-87||34||13||21||0||158||171||26||4th OHA Sr. AAA|| |} {{refbegin}} Sources: {{Unbulleted list| {{cite web |title=Galt Terriers hockey team [1960–1963 OHASr] statistics and history |url=https://www.hockeydb.com/stte/galt-terriers-5848.html |website=hockeydb.com |access-date=16 September 2025}} |{{cite web |title=Cambridge Hornets hockey team [1963-1987 OHASr] statistics and history |url=https://www.hockeydb.com/stte/cambridge-hornets-5121.html |website=hockeydb.com |access-date=16 September 2025}} }} {{refend}}
=== Major League Hockey (1999–2006) ===
The Hornets finished the 2005-06 season in third place, or so they thought. In January 2006, they signed Chris MacKenzie a former semi-pro hockey player. Despite the fact that the player's driver's licence and health card listed him as a resident of Toronto, he lived most of the time in Indianapolis, Indiana. Two other teams in the league appealed the usage of this player as a violation of the league's residency rule, which resulted in a series of late season victories being overturned to these teams' favour. The overturned victories resulted in a drop to fifth and last place for the Hornets. Irate, the ownership of the Hornets pulled their team from the league and filed a lawsuit for damages. The Cambridge Hornets have not stepped on the ice since.<ref>[http://www.majorleaguehockey.ca/HornetsRemovedFromPlayoffs.htm Major League Hockey news release – February 27, 2006] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012125744/http://www.majorleaguehockey.ca/HornetsRemovedFromPlayoffs.htm |date=October 12, 2007 }}</ref>
;NHL alumni List of modern era Cambridge Hornets alumni who also played in the NHL.<ref name="legendsofhockey.net">[http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayersByTeam.jsp?team=Cambridge+Hornets Legends of hockey alumni search – Cambridge Hornets]</ref> * Jamie Allison, Gilbert Dionne, Todd Harvey, Steven Rice, Mike Torchia, Scott Walker, Peter Zezel
;Season-by-season record
'''''Note:''' GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, SOL = Shootout Loses*, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against''
{| class="wikitable" ! Season !! GP !! W !! L !! T !! OTL !! SOL !! Pts !! GF !! GA !! Finish !! Playoffs |- |2001-02||32||27|| 4||1||0||0||55||221|| 91||1st OHA Sr||Lost Final |- |2002-03||31||21|| 7||1||2||0||45||144||104||1st OHA Sr||Lost Final |- |2003-04||32||19||11||2||0||0||40||160||137||2nd OHA Sr|| |- |2004-05||32||18||12||0||2||0||40||149||148||3rd OHA Sr|| |- |2005-06||30||13||14||0||1||2||29||140||144||5th OHA Sr|| |} {{refbegin}} Source: {{cite web |title=Cambridge Hornets hockey team [1999-2007 OHASr] statistics and history |url=https://www.hockeydb.com/stte/cambridge-hornets-11169.html |website=hockeydb.com |access-date=16 September 2025}} {{refend}}
=== Allan Cup Hockey League ===
In April 2025, Allan Cup Hockey announced that the team would return in the 2025–26 season.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Cambridge Hornets Set To Return For 2025-26 Allan Cup Hockey League Season |url=https://allancuphockey.ca/2025/04/17/cambridge-hornets-set-to-return-for-2025-26-allan-cup-hockey-league-season/ |website=Allan Cup Hockey League |access-date=23 April 2025 |date=17 April 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
== Further reading == {{refbegin}} *[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3VwlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=q-UFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6445,68324&dq=trail+smoke+eaters&hl=en Ottawa Citizen - 2 Jan 1962] *{{cite web |title=Cambridge Hornets: A Look at Their History |url=https://allancuphockey.ca/2025/05/12/cambridge-hornets-a-look-at-their-history/ |website=allancuphockey.ca |publisher=Allan Cup Hockey League |access-date=16 September 2025 |date=12 May 2025}} {{refend}}
{{OHA Senior}}
Category:Defunct ice hockey teams in Ontario Category:Senior ice hockey teams Category:Sports in Cambridge, Ontario Category:1960 establishments in Ontario Category:2006 disestablishments in Ontario Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 1960 Category:Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 2006 Category:Ice hockey teams representing Canada internationally Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 2025