The Picton Pirates are a Junior ice hockey team based in Picton, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Tod Division of the Provincial Junior Hockey League.

Picton Pirates
CityPicton, Ontario, Canada
LeagueProvincial Junior Hockey League
ConferenceEast
DivisionTod
Founded1989 (1989)
Home arenaPrince Edward Community Centre
ColoursRed, black, and white
     
General managerAllan Etmanski
Head coachJamie Lane

League history

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Pirates' Captain and goalie in 2013 Schmalz Cup finals in Essex, Ontario.

Nicknamed the "Patcheyes", the Picton Pirates were founded in 1989 as members of the Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League. In 1995, the Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League changed its name to the Empire B Junior C Hockey League to avoid further confusion with the rather local Ottawa District Hockey Association's Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League.

In 2016, the Empire B Junior C Hockey League became the Tod division of the Provincial Junior Hockey League, an amalgamation of the Southern Ontario junior 'C' leagues under a single banner.

Team history

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Picton Pirates 2013 Schmalz Cup Champions
 
Pirates' goalie lining up for a face-off during 2013 Schmalz Cup finals.

The Pirates' first three seasons were disastrous. With nine wins in three seasons, including a winless 1991–92 season, the Pirates did not have a lot to cheer about in the early going. Finally, in the fourth season of operation, the Pirates came to life. The Pirates celebrating winning seasons for the next ten years. They capped off this strong run with their only league championship in the 1998-99 season. The Pirates were also regular season champions in 1998 and 2000.

In recent years, the Pirates' records have been up and down.

In 2005–06, the Pirates finished the regular season in fourth place. In the playoff quarter-final, the Pirates drew the upstart Colborne Cobras. The series ended up being an upset as it went the distance and the Pirates were defeated 3-games-to-2 in a best-of-five.

The 2006–07 season was not good to the Picton Pirates. They finished in fifth place, just barely outside the playoff picture.

The 2007–08 season was much of the same for the Picton Pirates. They finished in fifth place, again just barely outside the playoff picture.

The 2008–09 season was different the Picton Pirates finished fourth but was swept by the Napanee Raiders in the first round of the playoffs

The 2009-10 season was the same as the 08-09 pirates ended in fourth and again was swept by the Napanee Raiders in round 1 of the playoffs.

The 2010–11 season was a year of redemption for the 3rd place Picton Pirates and faced off with the 2nd place Amherstview Jets in round 1 beating them in 7 games 4–3, The Pirates then moved on to face the 1st place Napanee Raiders who swept the Pirates 2 years in a row, but the Pirates had other plans for the Raiders taking the first 3 games to lead the series 3–0 the Raiders would claw back with the next 2 wins making it 3–2 but the Pirates were not to be denied in Game 6 at home in front of a packed house the pirates got out to an early 4–0 lead in the first and never looked back winning game 6 5–2 and the Empire Championship series 4–2.

On May 1, 2013, the Pirates became the second team in Empire League history to win the Clarence Schmalz Cup as OHA Junior C champions, defeating the Essex 73's of the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League 4-games-to-1.

Season-by-season results

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Season GP W L T OTL GF GA P Results Playoffs
1989-90 30 2 27 1 - 116 312 5 6th EOJCHL
1990-91 30 7 23 0 - 141 206 14 6th EOJCHL
1991-92 30 0 28 2 - 85 223 2 6th EOJCHL
1992-93 35 15 15 5 - 184 181 35 3rd EOJCHL
1993-94 36 19 12 5 - 214 159 43 2nd EOJCHL
1994-95 40 23 15 - 2 221 177 48 3rd EOJCHL
1995-96 42 23 14 0 5 214 173 51 4th EBJCHL
1996-97 42 26 15 1 - 211 158 53 2nd EBJCHL
1997-98 36 26 6 4 - 193 124 56 1st EBJCHL
1998-99 36 23 11 1 1 172 116 48 2nd EBJCHL Won League
1999-00 36 24 11 1 0 199 140 49 1st EBJCHL
2000-01 34 17 15 1 1 127 134 36 3rd EBJCHL
2001-02 36 18 12 3 3 164 156 42 3rd EBJCHL
2002-03 34 8 23 1 2 137 187 19 5th EBJCHL
2003-04 34 18 15 0 1 145 154 37 4th EBJCHL
2004-05 34 18 7 6 2 142 100 45 2nd EBJCHL
2005-06 34 13 20 1 0 129 132 27 4th EBJCHL Lost quarter-final
2006-07 40 13 27 0 3 153 211 29 5th EBJCHL DNQ
2007-08 40 15 23 - 2 163 218 32 5th EBJCHL
2008-09 40 15 23 - 2 151 216 32 4th EBJCHL Lost semi-final
2009-10 40 22 17 - 1 185 139 45 4th EBJCHL Lost semi-final
2010-11 40 20 16 - 4 156 150 44 3rd EBJCHL Won League, lost CSC SF
2011-12 40 27 12 - 1 189 121 55 1st EBJCHL Lost final
2012-13 40 34 4 - 2 250 80 70 1st EBJCHL Won League, won CSC
2013-14 40 36 2 - 2 230 62 74 1st EBJCHL Won League, lost CSC QF
2014-15 40 21 18 1 - 173 131 43 4th EBJCHL Lost semi-finals - 1-4 - (Panthers)
2015-16 40 12 27 1 - 128 193 25 5th of 6
EBJCHL
Did not qualify
2016-17 40 20 19 1 - 158 143 41 4th of 6
Tod Div-PJHL
Lost div semi-final, 0-4 (Panthers)
2017-18 39 24 14 1 - 200 129 49 3rd of 6
Tod Div-PJHL
Lost div semi-final, 0-4 (Panthers)
2018-19 44 30 12 1 1 194 123 62 2nd of 6
Tod Div-PJHL
Won Div Semifinal, 4-1 (Jets)
Lost Div Finals, 0-4 (Raiders)
2019-20 44 27 15 1 1 194 130 56 2nd of 6
Tod Div-PJHL
Won Div Semifinal, 4-0 (Jets)
incomplete Div Finals, 0-2 (Raiders)
Playoffs cancelled - covid-19
2020-21 Season Lost due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22 30 16 12 0 2 125 99 34 3rd of 6
Tod Div-PJHL
Won Div Quarters 4-1 (Huskies)
Lost div. semi-final, 1-4 (Raiders)
2022-23 42 23 15 3 1 152 119 50 3rd of 6
Tod Div-PJHL
Won Div Quarters 4-0 (Rebels)
Won Div. Semifinal, 4-2 (Jets)
Lost Div. Finals 1-4 (Panthers)
2023-24 42 17 22 1 2 143 163 37 5th of 6
Tod Div-PJHL
Lost Div Quarters 2-4 (Raiders)

Schmalz Cup Finals appearances

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2013: Picton Pirates defeated Essex 73's 4-games-to-1
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