Island Husky
Registered User
Charlottetown Junior Islanders ...I believe was what the original Ch'Town team was labeled back in the last 60's and early 70's that sent many on to the pro levels . I picked up a nice Junior Islander Program from the 1970 season a few weeks ago ....awesome to see the name back in use .
It was yes, 1968/69 was the first season of a fledging Maritime League. Their second year, they won the league and played off against Quebec Remparts featuring Guy Lafleur and Andre Savard, among others. When the Islanders won the first two games in Charlottetown, noted by a brawl in Game 2 when Savard, already ejected returned to the ice in streetclothes, Police were called in and the game ended, the series took on a massive "us Islanders vs the big bad Upper Canadians trying to put us down" tone. Even the Quebec Minister of Justice got involved publicly, a very very dynamic time as all the Maritimes struggled to prove themselves worthy to Canada. Anyway, Quebec won the next four games and won the series. But this was Major Junior Hockey, there was no Junior A Tier II yet, although JR B existed in many places. It would change in 1970 with the CAHA ruling forming Junior A Tier II. The Islanders were relegated to Tier II status, and with much of their team still intact, sailed through the season, defeated an Ottawa team ( might have been the Gloucester Rangers) and Detroit Compuware with Mark and Marty Howe ( Gordie's sons) and met Red Deer in the Canadian Final what was the inaugural Centennial Cup.
Was it seven or six games, I know the final was played in Charlottetown at the now demolished Charlottetown Forum, where Red Deer coach Perry Pearn said the PEI fans were literally sitting in the rafters. Despite their popularity however, I remember as a child being glued to the little transistor radio listening to the games with all the adults, they suffered the same problems as the Rocket did. The PR guy of the time used to complain publicly about the lack of support during the season anyway, playoffs were better. One of his comments then was nevertheless, We are called Charlottetown Islanders, but we are a PEI team. I think it will be difficult, as they face other challenges now, but the new ownership is definitely trying to evoke that same sort of emotion from over 40 years ago. Then too, there were a couple of guys that were from off-Island, but the vast majority were from here and went on to prominence in the community, and some successful NHL careers ( Alan Macadam, Bobby MacMillan, and Hilliard Graves for example) It is always a standard challenge, "Island players for Island teams", always has been, and one that this group will have to deal with. It is a formidable one to be sure, as it is nearly impossible to run such a high level team with local content anymore. Eventually it won't matter if they are successful anyway, but I wish them the best.
Last edited:
