Metro Jets

Metro Jets
CityMount Clemens, Michigan
LeagueUSPHL Premier
ConferenceGreat Lakes
Founded1989[1]
Home arenaMount Clemens Ice Arena
ColorsNavy blue, white, red
     
General managerJustin Quenneville
Head coachJustin Quenneville
Franchise history
1989–presentMetro Jets
Championships
Regular season titles2000–01, 2018–19, 2020-21
Playoff championshipsHurster Cup: 1990, 2001, 2002
Fraser Cup: 2018

The Metro Jets are a non-sanctioned junior ice hockey team that plays their home games at Mount Clemens Ice Arena in Mount Clemens, Michigan. They are members of the Great Lakes Conference in the United States Premier Hockey League's Premier Division. Players are ages 16–20, carry amateur status under Junior A guidelines and hope to earn a spot on higher levels of junior ice hockey in the United States and Canada, Canadian major junior, collegiate, and eventually professional teams. The Jets won the 2002 USA Hockey Junior B Silver Cup national championship.[2]

History

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The organization was founded by Hal "Butch" and Mary Kay Wolfe as a member of the Metro Detroit Junior Hockey League, a Junior B league sanctioned by USA Hockey, beginning with the 1989–90 season. The Metro Jets played their first season at Inkster Ice Arena in Inkster, Michigan, and then the next 25 seasons at Lakeland Arena in Waterford Township, Michigan.[3] The Metro Detroit Junior Hockey League rebranded back to Central States Hockey League (CSHL) in 1994 and then moved up to Tier III Junior A in 2007. In 2010, the CSHL was rebranded as the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL).

In 2015, the Metro Jets were sold to Peter Cammick and began playing at Fraser Hockeyland in Fraser, Michigan.[3] The Jets left the NA3HL in 2018 for the Premier Division of the United States Premier Hockey League.[4] The Jets also added their development team to the USPHL Premier after the Lake Erie Bighorns withdrew prior to the 2018–19 season.

In 2021, the organization moved to Mount Clemens, Michigan, to play out of the Mount Clemens Ice Arena and added Professional Broadcaster, Matt Prieur to serve as the Voice of the Metro Jets Hockey Club.[5]

2022 is the 34th year of operation for the Metro Jets Hockey Club and Fifth year of operation for MJDP (Metro Jets Development Program)

Alumni

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The Metro Jets have had several alumni move on to higher levels of junior ice hockey, NCAA Division I, Division III, ACHA college, at professional levels.[6] Jon Cooper coached the Jets to the 2002 USA Hockey Silver Cup National Junior B Championship and later became the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Steven Oleksy was the first Jets' alumni to play in the National Hockey League when he made his debut with the Washington Capitals in 2013.

Season-by-season records

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Season GP W L OTL SOL Pts GF GA Finish Playoffs
2014–15 47 32 12 2 66 204 127 1st of 6, East Div.
7th of 31, NA3HL
[7]
Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Southern Tier Xpress
Won Div. Finals, 2–1 vs. Pittsburgh Vengeance
1–1–1, 4th of 4 in Silver Cup round-robin Pool A
(OTL, 2–3 vs. Jr. Predators; W, 3–1 vs. Americans; L, 1–6 vs. Lumberjacks)
2015–16 47 40 5 2 82 244 961 1st of 6, East Div.
2nd of 34, NA3HL
[8]
Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Wooster Oilers
Won Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. West Michigan Wolves
3–0–0, 1st of 4 in Silver Cup round-robin Pool B
(W, 7–0 vs. Jr. Brahmas; W, 2–1 vs. Steel; W, 7–3 vs. Jr. Blues)
Won Semifinal, 5–4 vs. Great Falls Americans
Lost Championship game, 1–4 vs. North Iowa Bulls
2016–17 47 47 0 0 0 94 262 55 1st of 6, East Div.
1st of 48, NA3HL
Won Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. West Michigan Wolves
Won Div. Finals, 2–1 vs. Pittsburgh Vengeance
2–1–0, 1st of 4 in Silver Cup round-robin Pool A
(W, 3–0 vs.Lumberjacks; L, 2–3 vs. Capitals; W, 5–3 vs. Jr. Blues)
Won Silver Cup semifinal game, 6–1 vs. Yellowstone Quake
Lost Silver Cup Championship game, 1–2 vs. Granite City Lumberjacks
2017–18 47 40 6 1 0 81 238 95 1st of 6, East Div.
3rd of 42, NA3HL
Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Southern Tier Xpress
Won Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. Pittsburgh Vengeance
3–0–0 in Fraser Cup round-robin Pool B
(W, 4–1 vs. Freeze; W, 2–1 vs. Stars;W, 4–1 vs. Brahmas)
Won Fraser Cup semifinal game, 3–2 vs. Granite City Lumberjacks
Won Fraser Cup Final game, 3–2 vs. St. Louis Jr. Blues
2018–19 44 39 4 1 0 79 197 79 1st of 6, Great Lakes Conf.
1st of 52, USPHL-Premier
Won Div. Nationals qualifiers, 2–0 vs. Lansing Wolves
2–0–1 USPHL-Premier Nationals round-robin Pool A
(T, 2–2 vs. Jr. Blades; W, 5–1 vs. Cougars; W, 7–3 vs. Nighthawks)
Won Semifinal game, 7–1 vs. Minnesota Blue Ox
Lost Championship game, 2–5 vs. Hampton Roads Whalers
2019–20 44 36 7 1 0 73 271 87 1st of 6, Great Lakes
3rd of 52, USPHL-Premier
Won Div. Nationals qualifiers, 2–0 vs. Lake Erie Bighorns
0–1–0 USPHL-Premier Nationals round-robin Pool D
(L, 1–2 vs. Moose; vs. Jr. Comets; vs. Whalers)
Tournament cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 43 38 4 1 0 77 234 74 1st of 7, Great Lakes
1st of 63, USPHL-Premier
Won Div. Nationals qualifiers, 2–0 vs. Columbus Mavericks
0–3–0, 4th of 4 USPHL-Premier Nationals round-robin Pool A
(L, 2–4 vs. Elmira Jr. Enforcers; L, 2–4 vs. Northern Cyclones; L, 0–1 vs. Charleston Colonials)
2021–22 44 39 4 1 0 79 327 67 1st of 7, Great Lakes
2nd of 64, USPHL-Premier
Won Div. Nationals qualifiers, 2–0 vs. Pittsburgh Vengeance
2–1–0, 2nd of 4 USPHL-Premier Nationals round-robin Pool A
(W, 2–0 vs. Florida Jr. Blades; W, 7–4 vs. Islanders Hockey Club; L, 1–3 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights)
Won Quarterfinal game, 3–1 vs. Toledo Cherokee
Won Semifinal game, 8–1 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights
Lost National Finals game, 2–3 vs. New Jersey Rockets
2022–23 44 35 8 1 0 71 252 72 2nd of 4, Great Lakes
10th of 69, USPHL-Premier
Won Div. qualifiers, 2–0 vs. Columbus Mavericks
Seeding Round: (W, 4–2 vs. Las Vegas Thunderbirds; W, 7–2 vs. New York Aviators)
Won Round of 16, 4–2 vs. Ogden Mustangs
Lost Quarterfinal game, 1–5 vs. Florida Eels
2023–24 43 38 2 2 1 79 259 71 1st of 6, Great Lakes
3rd of 61, USPHL-Premier
tbd Div. semifinals, 2–0 vs. Buffalo Stampede
Advance to Nationals

References

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  1. ^ "NA3HL approves sale and relocation of Metro Jets". North American 3 Hockey League. March 12, 2015.
  2. ^ "Coaching Staff Bios".
  3. ^ a b "Jets sold, will relocate to Fraser Hockeyland". Metro Jets. March 12, 2015.
  4. ^ "USPHL ANNOUNCES PREMIER DIVISION EXPANSION FOR THE 2018 – 2019 SEASON WITH SIX NEW TEAMS IN THE GREAT LAKES CONFERENCE". United States Premier Hockey League. April 19, 2018.
  5. ^ "Metro Jets entering 33rd junior hockey season at new home in Mount Clemens". Metro Jets. April 5, 2021.
  6. ^ "Metro Jets | Alumni". Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved June 12, 2010.
  7. ^ "2014–15 NA3HL Season Standings". Pointstreak. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
  8. ^ "2015–16 NA3HL Season Standings". Pointstreak. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
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