Cullitons Championship Reunion
Stratford Cullitons Celebrate Dominant 1985-86 Championship Team with Special Reunion
Anonymous
Nearly 40 years after one of junior hockey's most dominant seasons, the 1985-86 Stratford Cullitons are coming back together for a two-day reunion celebrating their championship run. The team went 36-3-1 in the regular season and outscored opponents 8-0 in the league playoffs, winning the Sutherland Cup and their seventh Cherrey Cup title in 10 years, according to Stratford Beacon Herald.
The team's winning percentage of .918 still stands as the best in both Stratford Cullitons and Greater Ontario Hockey League history, according to The Observer. All but three players from the roster have committed to attend the reunion.
A Roster Loaded With Future Pro Talent
The 1985-86 squad was built for dominance. The team had seven players who went on to be NHL draft picks and nine who later played NCAA Division I hockey, according to Owen Sound Sun Times. That kind of talent density made the Cullitons one of the most gifted junior rosters in Ontario that decade.
Head coach Denis Flanagan Jr. balanced veterans with a small group of rookies. Key players included captain Walt Morris, Scott Rex, and Warren Bullock, according to Pincher Creek Echo. Those veterans gave the young team a steady foundation throughout the championship run.
Gary Wray Helped Bring the Team Back Together
Gary Wray, one of the rookies on that 1985-86 team, played a key role in organizing the reunion. Wray reached out to former teammates and helped pull together the two-day event, according to Woodstock Sentinel Review. His effort paid off, with nearly the full roster agreeing to come back.
Only three players from the championship squad are not expected to attend, according to Cochrane Times Post. That level of participation is rare for a reunion happening four decades after the fact — and speaks to how much the season meant to those who were part of it.
A Record-Setting Season That Still Stands Alone
The Cullitons' 36-3-1 regular season record gave them a .918 winning percentage. That number has never been matched in team or Greater Ontario Hockey League history, according to Sault Star. The playoff run was equally clean — eight wins, zero losses.
The Sutherland Cup win in 1986 was the team's seventh Cherrey Cup title in just 10 years. That stretch put Stratford among the most successful junior hockey programs in Ontario during that era, according to Seaforth Huron Expositor.
Reunion Marks 40th Anniversary of the Championship
The celebration marks the 40th anniversary of the Sutherland Cup win. The two-day event gives players a chance to reconnect and relive one of junior hockey's most impressive single-season runs, according to Mitchell Advocate.
For many of the players, the reunion is a chance to reflect on how far they went after Stratford. Seven of them were eventually drafted into the NHL, and nine played high-level college hockey in the United States, according to Paris Star Online.
Sentiment
NeutralNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
13
Articles
12
Reach
13
A
AnonymousAuthor