The Ontario Junior Hockey Hockey announced the simultaneous relocation of two member franchises Friday, including the Cobourg Cougars, ahead of the 2026-2027 season.
Fortunately for local junior A hockey fans, a new version of the Cougars will remain in Cobourg as part of the agreement.
Cobourg is coming off a tumultuous 2025-26 campaign that saw local players dealt, a number of coach and staff firings at different times, roster spots for family of team officials and huge declining attendance at the Cobourg Community Centre.
Under the relocation strategy, the Haliburton County Huskies from Minden are moving to town to compete as the Cobourg Cougars out of the CCC. The OJHL says the organization receives a formal transfer of the Cougars brand from the previous ownership group and will assume the arena tenancy agreement with the Town of Cobourg.
The former Cougars ownership group is relocating its Cobourg franchise to Toronto to compete as the Toronto Warriors out of the Scotiabank Pond, the former home of the Toronto Jr. Canadiens which relocated last season to Newmarket.
“Maintaining the current structural alignment was putting the operational and financial viability of both franchises at critical risk,” OJHL Commissioner Marty Savoy stated in a media release.
“This cooperative strategy serves the best interests of the OJHL. It preserves a historic, highly desirable hockey market in Cobourg under proven, experienced leadership while simultaneously relocating a struggling franchise a vital fresh start in a resource-rich, premier Toronto market.”
Last season, the Cougars finished 11th in the OJHL’s Eastern Conference with nine wins and 47 losses.
The Huskies placed fifth with 31 wins, 23 losses (including seven in overtime) and two ties.
Though not mentioning the disastrous season in Cobourg, the OJHL says that – as part of the relocation and standard league protocol – they will work closely with the new Toronto Warrior ownership during the transition, conducting a comprehensive operational review to establish strict performance benchmarks and standards for the upcoming season.
Author: Jeff Gard
