Cougars — Junior A hockey organization
The Burlington Cougars are a Junior A hockey organization based in Burlington, Ontario, with roots extending back to the early 1950s.
The franchise has competed through several eras of Ontario junior hockey, beginning as the Burlington Mohawks, briefly playing as the Burlington Industrials, returning to the Mohawks name, and becoming the Burlington Cougars in 1976.
Today, the Cougars compete in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL)
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1950s — The Burlington Mohawks
The organization was founded in the early 1950s as the Burlington Mohawks.
The Mohawks established themselves in the Central Junior B Hockey League, where they played for seven seasons and won two league championships.
Following that period, Burlington transferred to the Niagara District Junior B Hockey League.
1960s — Championships and Junior C
During their time in the Niagara league, the Mohawks briefly changed their name to the:
Burlington Industrials
The Industrials won league championships in:
1963
1964
Later in the decade, the Burlington organization dropped to the Junior C level.
1970s — Burlington Returns to Junior B and the Cougars Name
Cougars returned to Junior B hockey during the 1970s.
The Mohawks joined the Mid-Ontario Junior B Hockey League, playing there for one season before the Ontario Hockey Association moved the organization back into the Central Junior B Hockey League.
A major change came in:
1976
The Mohawks were renamed the Cougars.
The Cougars name has remained associated with the franchise ever since.
1981 — Burlington Sutherland Cup Champions
One of the most important seasons in Cougars history came in 1981.
The Cougars won their first Central League Championship since 1958.
That championship advanced the Cougars to the Sutherland Cup Finals, where the Cougars faced the Stratford Cullitons of the Mid-Western Junior Hockey League.
Burlington defeated Stratford to capture the:
1981 Sutherland Cup
The championship remains one of the signature accomplishments in Cougars junior hockey history.
1987 — Another Central League Championship
The Cougars won another Central League championship in 1987.
According to the organization’s published history, it was the Cougars’ fourth and final Central League title.
1993 — Burlington Moves to Junior A
Another major change occurred in 1993.
The Central League was elevated to Junior A and became the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (OPJHL).
The Cougars moved with the league into the Junior A level.
That transition connected the Cougars’ earlier Junior B history with the modern Junior A era represented today by the Ontario Junior Hockey League.
2007 — Burlington Leaving Central Arena
For decades, Central Arena was closely associated with Cougars junior hockey.
In 2007, the Cougars left Central Arena and moved their home games to the Wave Twin Rinks.
2008 — The OJHL Era
In 2008, the league changed its name and branding from the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League to the:
Ontario Junior Hockey League
The Cougars continued as a member of the newly branded OJHL.
2010 — Honouring the 1981 Champions
In 2010, the Cougars changed their logo and adopted a double-blue color scheme.
The change commemorated the approaching 30th anniversary of the Cougars’ 1981 Sutherland Cup championship.
2014 — Appleby Arena
The Cougars moved again in 2014, leaving the Wave Twin Rinks and beginning play at Appleby Arena.
During the same season, the organization changed its logo and adopted a green-and-blue color scheme.
2021 — Burlington Cougars Return to Central Arena
In 2021, the Burlington Cougars returned to Central Arena, nearly 15 years after leaving their longtime home on Drury Lane.
The organization also introduced another new visual identity, changing its colors to yellow and blue.
The change accompanied a new partnership with the Eagles minor hockey organization.
Central Arena remains the Cougars’ listed home arena.
Burlington Cougars Historical Timeline
Early 1950s — Burlington Mohawks founded
1950s — Two Central Junior B championships
1963 — Burlington Industrials league champions
1964 — Burlington Industrials league champions
Late 1960s — Organization moves to Junior C
1970s — Returns to Junior B hockey
1976 — Burlington Mohawks renamed Burlington Cougars
1981 — Central League champions and Sutherland Cup champions
1987 — Central League champions
1993 — Burlington enters Junior A with the OPJHL
2007 — Moves from Central Arena to Wave Twin Rinks
2008 — OPJHL becomes the Ontario Junior Hockey League
2010 — Double-blue identity introduced in recognition of the 1981 championship
2014 — Moves to Appleby Arena and adopts green-and-blue colours
2021 — Returns to Central Arena and introduces yellow-and-blue identity
Burlington Cougars Players Through the Years
The next stage of the Hockey Career Network™ is documenting the players who represented Cougars throughout the different eras of the organization.
Where published hockey records are available, players can be organized by season.
The historical player record may eventually include players from the:
Mohawks
Industrials
Cougars
Each documented player can then be connected to the other Junior, Major Junior, College/University, and Professional organizations that became part of their hockey career.
Cougars and the Hockey Pathway
Burlington players have followed many different hockey paths after representing the organization.
Those pathways have included:
Major Junior Hockey
NCAA Hockey
U SPORTS Hockey
Minor Professional Hockey
European Professional Hockey
American Hockey League
National Hockey League
The Hockey Career Network™ does not rank those pathways.
It documents them.
Hockey Career Network™
The Burlington Cougars page is part of The Hockey Resource™ Hockey Career Network™.
The objective is to preserve the documented history of the organization while connecting former Burlington players to the teams and leagues that became part of their hockey careers.
JUST THE FACTS PUBLISHED.™
THR PROVIDES THE DOCUMENTED FACTS.
THE PLAYER PROVIDES THE PERSONAL FACTS.
Published hockey records provide the foundation.
Former players can then review their information, identify corrections or missing information and provide the personal facts they want included.
Where Did Hockey Take You?™
Did you play for the Burlington Mohawks, Burlington Industrials or the Cougars?
The Hockey Resource™ wants to document your hockey career.
Where did you play next?
Did hockey take you to another Junior team?
Major Junior?
College or university?
Professional hockey?
Coaching?
Scouting?
Management?
Ownership?
Player development?
Another career within the game?
WHERE DID HOCKEY TAKE YOU?™
Help us continue building the history of the Burlington Cougars and reconnecting the players who were part of it.
Personal Facts — Player Confirmation
WE ARE TRYING TO CONTACT CORY CONACHER TO CONFIRM PERSONAL INFORMATION.
The Hockey Resource™ has provided the documented facts of Cory’s hockey career using available published hockey records and documented public hockey-career information.
Once contact is established, Cory will have the opportunity to review his information and provide any personal facts he would like included.
THR PROVIDES THE DOCUMENTED FACTS.
THE PLAYER PROVIDES THE PERSONAL FACTS.
WHERE DID HOCKEY TAKE YOU?™
CHECK BACK FOR CORY’S PERSONAL UPDATES.
