Mississauga Steelheads

The Mississauga Steelheads were a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), based in Mississauga, Ontario. The Steelheads played their games at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga. During the 2016–17 OHL season, the team won the Emms Trophy as regular season champions of the Central dvision, and the Bobby Orr Trophy as playoffs champions of the Eastern conference. The team relocated nearby to Brampton in 2024, becoming the Brampton Steelheads.

History
The OHL originated in Mississauga with the Mississauga IceDogs. The IceDogs played in Mississauga from 1998 to 2007 being purchased by Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk in 2006. Following the 2006–2007 season, Melnyk sold the Icedogs who moved to St Catherines to become the Niagara IceDogs. At the same time Melynk moved the Toronto St. Michael's Majors to Mississauga to become the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors. The Majors played in Mississauga from 2007 to 2012, also hosting the 2011 Memorial Cup. Following the 2012 season Melnyk sold the Majors franchise to Elliott Kerr of Mississauga's Landmark Sport Group. As a part of the sale, the Majors identity was returned to St. Michael's College, allowing the team to move forward under the fan-selected "Steelheads" moniker.

The Steelheads struggled in their first season in 2012–13 finishing last in the OHL Central division and eighth overall in the Eastern Conference before losing to the Belleville Bulls in six games in the first round. Before the 2013–14 season the Steelheads drafted 15-year-old Sean Day. Day had applied for and been granted Exceptional Player Status to be able to be drafted into the OHL at 15 years old. In the 2013–14 season the Steelheads again finished last in the Central division and eighth in the Eastern Conference, this time being swept by the number one ranked Oshawa Generals in four games in the first round of the 2014 OHL playoffs. In 2014–15, the Steelheads finished in fourth in the Central division ahead of the Sudbury Wolves but missed the 2015 OHL playoffs finishing five points back. In 2015–16, thanks to strong performances by a trio of top 2016 NHL Entry Draft picks (Alexander Nylander, Michael McLeod, Nathan Bastian) the Steelheads finished above .500 for the first time and ended the season in seventh in the Eastern Conference standings,(fourth in their division). Again though the Steelheads would fall in the first round losing to the Barrie Colts in seven games.

The 2016–17 season was backed by continued strong performances by Bastian and McLeod as well as a breakout 44-goal season from 2017 first round draft Pick Owen Tippett, the Steelheads won their first Central division title. Entering the 2017 OHL playoffs as the second seed in the Eastern Conference, the Steelheads defeated the Ottawa 67's in six games in the first round before defeating the Oshawa Generals in five games in the second round. In the Eastern Conference Finals the Steelheads swept the Peterborough Petes in four games to win their first Bobby Orr Trophy in franchise history. The Steelheads would fall in the J. Ross Robertson Cup Finals in five games to the Erie Otters.

In 2017–18, Mississauga returned to the bottom of the Eastern Conference ending the season in seventh place (fourth in the Central division). The Barrie Colts once again defeated the Steelheads in the first round of the playoffs, this time in six games. In 2018–19, Mississauga was the best team of a weak bottom half of the OHL Eastern Conference finishing in fifth place but 20 points back of Sudbury in fourth. In the playoffs the Wolves easily swept Mississauga in four games. The 2019–20 OHL season was cancelled before completion of the regular season, the J. Ross Robertson Cup or the 2020 Memorial Cup in Kelowna. At the time of cancellation the Steelheads sat in sixth place in the OHL Eastern Conference with a record of 27–29–4–1, but 17 points up on ninth place, which would have guaranteed the Steelheads a seventh playoff appearance in eight seasons.

The Steelheads proposed to relocate to Brampton for at least the 2024–25 OHL season, pending approval from the OHL. The relocation was approved by the OHL in June 2024, with the franchise retaining the Steelheads name.

Uniforms and mascot
The primary logo for the Steelheads displayed a Steelhead trout below the word Mississauga with a maple leaf after it. The Steelheads colours were blue and white. The secondary logo featured the Port Credit lighthouse within an M, representing the city landmark.

The Steelheads' blue and white uniforms bore a striking resemblance to those of the nearby Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL); their home sweaters were white with blue striping and collars, while their road sweaters were blue with white striping and collars.

The team mascot was named Sauga. The name was created during a fan contest during the summer of 2012, when the organization asked its fans to create a name for the new Steelheads mascot.

Championships

 * Bobby Orr Trophy – 2016-17
 * Emms Trophy – 2016–17

Head coaches

 * 2012–2016: James Boyd
 * 2016–2024: James Richmond

Captains

 * 2012–13 – Stuart Percy
 * 2013–14 – Brett Foy
 * 2014–15 – Bryson Cianfrone
 * 2015–16 – Joshua Burnside
 * 2016–17 – Michael McLeod
 * 2017–18 – Michael McLeod, Nicolas Hague
 * 2018–19 – Cole Carter
 * 2019–20 – Liam Ham
 * 2020–21 – none (season cancelled)
 * 2021–23 – Ethan Del Maestro
 * 2023–2024 – Chas Sharpe

NHL alumni
List of Steelheads alumni to play in the National Hockey League (NHL):


 * Nathan Bastian
 * Owen Beck
 * Trevor Carrick
 * Sean Day
 * Dylan DeMelo
 * Nicolas Hague
 * Thomas Harley
 * Mason Marchment
 * Spencer Martin
 * Michael McLeod
 * Ryan McLeod
 * Jacob Moverare
 * Alexander Nylander
 * Stuart Percy
 * Cole Schwindt
 * Owen Tippett