Greater Sudbury Cubs

Greater Sudbury Cubs
CityGreater Sudbury
LeagueNOJHL
Folded2026 (2026)
Home arenaCountryside Sports Complex
Colours   
Websitesudburycubs.ca
Franchise history
2000–2005Sudbury Northern Wolves
2005–2011Sudbury Jr. Wolves
2011–2012Sudbury Cubs
2012–2015Sudbury Nickel Barons
2015–2021Rayside-Balfour Canadians
2021–2026Greater Sudbury Cubs
Championships
League

The Greater Sudbury Cubs were a Junior ice hockey franchise of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL). The club folded in 2026.

History

The Sudbury Northern Wolves came into the league in 2000 and were present up until they announced an affiliation agreement with the Ontario Hockey League's Sudbury Wolves midway through the 2005–06 season. The Sudbury Northern Wolves were then re-branded as the Sudbury Jr. Wolves. The team went on to break league records that season. In their first season, the Jr. Wolves won the NOJHL championship over their rivals North Bay Skyhawks. The Jr. Wolves came one goal short of qualifying for the Royal Bank Cup losing to the Fort William North Stars 7–6 in overtime scored by former Sudbury Northern Wolves player, Josh Slobodian.

The Sudbury Jr. Wolves would lose the NOJHL finals to the Soo Indians at the conclusion of the 2006–07 season. The following season, the Jr. Wolves defeated the Abitibi Eskimos and moved on to the Dudley Hewitt Cup in Newmarket, but came back winless. The Sudbury Jr. Wolves last taste of success came in 2010–11 when they went to the NOJHL finals, but lost to the Soo Eagles.

In the summer of 2011, the Jr. Wolves broke their ties with the Sudbury Wolves and elected to change their name to the Cubs. In 2012, the Cubs were sold and changed their name to the Sudbury Nickel Barons and were later awarded hosting duties for the Dudley Hewitt Cup, but they pulled out and the tournament was awarded to North Bay instead.

In spring 2015, the Nickel Barons relocated to Rayside-Balfour and became the Rayside-Balfour Canadians and at the same time pulled out of hosting the 2016 Dudley Hewitt Cup, in which it was allocated to Kirkland Lake. The team was sold to local player agent Adrian Gedye over the spring of 2016.

In 2021, the club was rebranded as the Greater Sudbury Cubs.

The Cubs franchise abruptly folded in 2026. Its ownership cited "the changing landscape of Junior Tier 2 hockey, including the unfettered movement of players, open recruitment from other leagues, exodus of players to Southern leagues for more exposure and the dwindling number of players in the game due to the high cost of participation."

Statistics
SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGAPtsResultPlayoffs
Sudbury Northern Wolves
2000–0140201505204172453rd NOJHL
2001–0242261303253176553rd NOJHL
2002–034828164—260200604th NOJHL
2003–0448311421232168653rd NOJHL
2004–0548123312159245278th NOJHLLost quarter-final
Sudbury Jr. Wolves
2005–0648361101200139731st NOJHLWon League
2006–0748291306207166642nd NOJHLLost final
2007–08502817—5216176614th NOJHLWon League
2008–09502025—5207238456th NOJHL
2009–10501927—4186216426th NOJHLLost semi-final
2010–11503014—623189663rd NOJHLLost final
Sudbury Cubs
2011–12502915—6283229643rd NOJHL
Sudbury Nickel Barons
2012–1348291801186177593rd NOJHL
2013–1456193007170219456th NOJHLLost quarter-final
2014–1552311614203179673rd of 4, West
4th of 9, NOJHL
Lost div. semi-finals, 2–4 vs. Elliot Lake Wildcats
Rayside-Balfour Canadians
2015–1654282501229208573rd of 6, West
7th of 12, NOJHL
Lost div. semi-finals, 1–4 vs. Elliot Lake Wildcats
2016–1756282431191209603rd of 6, West
7th of 12, NOJHL
Lost div. semi-finals, 3–4 vs. Blind River Beavers
2017–1856371414222139791st of 6, West
2nd of 12, NOJHL
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–2 vs. Blind River Beavers
Won Div. Finals, 4–2 vs. Soo Thunderbirds
Lost League Finals, 2–4 vs. Cochrane Crunch
2018–19563120—5194169672nd of 6, West
7th of 12, NOJHL
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–2 vs. Soo Eagles
Lost Div. Finals, 2–4 vs. Soo Thunderbirds
2019–20564011—5260163851st of 6, West
3rd of 12, NOJHL
Postseason cancelled
2020–211036—132427Withdrew from season due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Greater Sudbury Cubs
2021–2258271731171131583rd in division
6th overall
Lost quarterfinal against Soo Eagles (4:2)
2022–2358461020248138941st in division
2nd overall
Won quarterfinal against Espanola (4:1)
Lost semifinal against Soo Thunderbirds (4:2)
2023–2458421212285167892nd in division
2nd overall
Won quarterfinal against Soo Thunderbirds (4:2)
Won semifinal against Blind River (4:1)
Won final against Powassan (4:1)
2024–25 52 44 6 1 1 252 114 90 1st overall Won quarterfinal against Iroquois Falls (4:0)
Won semifinal against Soo Thunderbirds (4:0)
Won final against Hearst (4:3)
2025–265239832298124831st overallWon quarterfinal against Kirkland Lake (4:0)
Won semifinal against Soo Eagles (4:0)
Won final against Timmins Rock (4:0)

Source: "Greater Sudbury Cubs statistics and history". hockeydb.com. Retrieved 26 September 2026.

National championships

Centennial Cup
YearRound-robinRecordStandingQuarterfinalSemifinalChampionship
2024L, Collingwood Blues (OJHL), 2-10
L, Navan Grads (CCHL), 1-5
L, Calgary Canucks (AJHL), 2-3
W, Collège Français de Longueuil (QJHL), 6-0
1-0-3-04th of 5
Group A
did not qualifydid not qualifydid not qualify
2025W, Grande Prairie Storm (AJHL), 6-2
L, Northern Manitoba Blizzard (MJHL), 3-6
L, Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL), 2-5
W, Kam River Fighting Walleye (SIJHL), 2-1
2-0-2-03rd of 5
Group A
Lost, 1-7
Melfort Mustangs
(SJHL)
did not qualifydid not qualify

Retired numbers

In 2016, the Rayside-Balfour Canadians retired jersey number 4 in honour of 19-year-old former defenceman, Sam Oden, who died in a car accident that year.

References

  1. ↑ Campbell, Ian (22 July 2026). "Sudbury Cubs to leave the NOJHL". CTVNews. Bell Media. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  2. ↑ "'Untenable to operate': Greater Sudbury Cubs exit NOJHL". Sudbury.com. Village Media. 17 July 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  3. ↑ "COVID-19 restrictions cause season cancellations by Espanola, French River, Rayside-Balfour". NOJHL. 10 March 2021.
  4. ↑ Dempsey, Keith (3 August 2016). "Canadians mourn former teammate". Sudbury Star. Postmedia. Retrieved 15 October 2026. No one after today will wear No. 4 for the Canadians again in memory and honour of Sam.
  5. ↑ "Rest in peace Sam Oden". Rayside-Balfour Canadians. 2 August 2016.[dead link]

Further reading