Steelheads to pay tribute to Cornwall Royals at Seaway Shootout

The Brampton Steelheads will take the ice in the colours of the Cornwall Royals when the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) returns to Cornwall for the Seaway Shootout on Oct. 16 and 17 at the Cornwall Civic Complex.

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The Steelheads will wear throwback Royals jerseys for both games, featuring the design worn by the club from 1969 to 1992 across its tenure in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the OHL. Brampton faces the Ottawa 67's on Friday, Oct. 16 before meeting the Kingston Frontenacs on Saturday, Oct. 17, with both games getting underway at 7 p.m. ET.

"Cornwall holds a special place in the history of major junior hockey, and the Royals built a legacy that still resonates in this community more than three decades later," said OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford. "The Seaway Shootout is a celebration of that history, and seeing the Royals colours back on the ice at the Civic Complex is a fitting way to honour the players, fans and volunteers who made Cornwall one of the great junior hockey markets in the country."

Crawford also extended thanks to Marty Benson, a Cornwall businessman and champion of the Royals legacy as well as the city's hockey history. Benson owns the trademarked Cornwall Royals logo and granted permission for the Royals branding to be used for the event.

"This tribute wouldn't be possible without Marty's support, and we're grateful for his generosity," said Crawford. "He has done so much to keep the Royals story alive in Cornwall, and we're proud to help share it with a new generation of hockey fans."

A crest designed by Cornwall

The Royals crest was born from the community itself. When the club entered the QMJHL in 1969, it invited local fans to help create a new identity. The contest drew hundreds of entries, with judges selecting the concept submitted by Roger Healy, a 15-year-old Cornwall high school student.

His design, refined slightly before being adopted, replaced the Maple Leaf crest previously worn by the Royals and became the club's signature mark for more than two decades. Healy's prize was a transistor radio, allowing him to follow the Royals when they hit the road.

The move to the QMJHL also brought a new look to the ice, as the Royals debuted blue-and-white uniforms at Water Street Arena. Red, white and blue remained the club's colours throughout its major junior history, a stretch that included Memorial Cup championships in 1972, 1980 and 1981. Those colours carry on today through the Cornwall Colts of the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL).

"It's a privilege for our organization to be part of such a special weekend in Cornwall," said Brampton Steelheads Head Coach and General Manager James Richmond. "Our players understand what this jersey represents to this community, and we're proud to wear it and represent a piece of hockey history that means so much to so many people."

The game-worn Royals jerseys will be made available through Dash Auctions, an online platform in the days following the Seaway Shootout, with proceeds benefiting OHL Assists. The program provides funding to enhance community-driven initiatives that bring the league and its communities together.

A weekend-long celebration of hockey in Cornwall

The Seaway Shootout extends beyond the OHL games, with events throughout the weekend celebrating hockey at every level in the community. A free public skate will be held at the Civic Complex on Friday, Oct. 16 from 4 to 5 p.m. Saturday has been designated Seaway Day in partnership with Seaway Valley Minor Hockey, while a Hockey Eastern Ontario AAA Showcase features games at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. leading into the Steelheads' meeting with the Frontenacs.

• Tickets for the Seaway Shootout are available at ohl.ticketpro.ca.

About the Ontario Hockey League

The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) has long been regarded as the number one development league in the world, continuing to serve as a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League. The OHL consists of 20 teams, with 17 located in Ontario, two in the state of Michigan and one in the state of Pennsylvania. A proud member of the Canadian Hockey League, the OHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships, with more than 268 graduates receiving OHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice in 2025-26, resulting in a collective investment of more than $42 million by OHL member teams since 2010.