Islanders cease operations, leave NPHL
GANANOQUE — The first sign came in April, though few in town wanted to believe it.
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By midsummer, the signs were impossible to ignore. The Gananoque Senior Islanders – just one year removed from capturing their first Eastern Ontario Super Hockey League championship – were trading away the very players who had delivered that historic win.
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On April 4, 2024, in Chesterville, the Islanders skated to a 4–2 victory over the two-time defending North Dundas Rockets in an electrifying and decisive Game 5, hoisting the trophy and ending the Rockets' reign.
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This spring, the EOSHL rebranded as the Northern Premier Hockey League, aiming for a broader, more professional identity.
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But as the league looked ahead, the Islanders' roster began to unravel: star forward Ryan Verbeek to Deseronto in May; steady goaltender Alex Lepizzera to Durham; prolific scorer Ryan Pawlikowski to Manotick in June.
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And in July, the blow that truly rattled the fan base – Kevin Domingue, the team's electrifying leader on the ice, shipped to Paugan Falls in a blockbuster deal.
Each move left the Lou Jeffries, Gananoque and TLTI Recreation Centre a little quieter.
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On Thursday, the final buzzer sounded, not from the scoreboard, but from the front office.
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In a statement, owner Jeff McEwen and general manager/coach Tom Dickson confirmed what the trades had been hinting at all summer: the Islanders are ceasing operations and withdrawing from the NPHL.
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When reached by The Recorder and Times, Dickson said the decision to discontinue the Islanders' operations was driven by the organization's dissatisfaction with the direction of the league, which is now under new ownership.
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The Islanders' departure ends a four-season run that brought Gananoque its first higher-level hockey championship in decades, and leaves the town without a higher level of hockey for the first time since 1972.
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'For four remarkable seasons, our team had the immense privilege of being a part of the Gananoque community,' McEwen and Dickson said, calling the 2023–24 title 'a pinnacle moment' and thanking players, sponsors, families, and volunteers for their support.
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They spoke of players who 'weren't just part of a roster — you became part of a family,' and a community that embraced the team as its own.
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2 days ago
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Islanders cease operations, leave NPHL
Article content GANANOQUE — The first sign came in April, though few in town wanted to believe it. Article content By midsummer, the signs were impossible to ignore. The Gananoque Senior Islanders – just one year removed from capturing their first Eastern Ontario Super Hockey League championship – were trading away the very players who had delivered that historic win. Article content On April 4, 2024, in Chesterville, the Islanders skated to a 4–2 victory over the two-time defending North Dundas Rockets in an electrifying and decisive Game 5, hoisting the trophy and ending the Rockets' reign. Article content Article content This spring, the EOSHL rebranded as the Northern Premier Hockey League, aiming for a broader, more professional identity. Article content Article content But as the league looked ahead, the Islanders' roster began to unravel: star forward Ryan Verbeek to Deseronto in May; steady goaltender Alex Lepizzera to Durham; prolific scorer Ryan Pawlikowski to Manotick in June. Article content And in July, the blow that truly rattled the fan base – Kevin Domingue, the team's electrifying leader on the ice, shipped to Paugan Falls in a blockbuster deal. Each move left the Lou Jeffries, Gananoque and TLTI Recreation Centre a little quieter. Article content On Thursday, the final buzzer sounded, not from the scoreboard, but from the front office. Article content In a statement, owner Jeff McEwen and general manager/coach Tom Dickson confirmed what the trades had been hinting at all summer: the Islanders are ceasing operations and withdrawing from the NPHL. Article content Article content When reached by The Recorder and Times, Dickson said the decision to discontinue the Islanders' operations was driven by the organization's dissatisfaction with the direction of the league, which is now under new ownership. Article content The Islanders' departure ends a four-season run that brought Gananoque its first higher-level hockey championship in decades, and leaves the town without a higher level of hockey for the first time since 1972. Article content 'For four remarkable seasons, our team had the immense privilege of being a part of the Gananoque community,' McEwen and Dickson said, calling the 2023–24 title 'a pinnacle moment' and thanking players, sponsors, families, and volunteers for their support. Article content They spoke of players who 'weren't just part of a roster — you became part of a family,' and a community that embraced the team as its own. Article content
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