History
The roots of the Kitchener Rangers are traced back to the 1947–48 hockey season when the franchise was formed as the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters. In 1960 the "Biltmores" as they were often called became the Guelph Royals. At the end of the 1962–63 season, a local business entrepreneur named Eugene George was approached by the New York Rangers about moving the team to Kitchener in hopes of building a more stable junior environment.
The team moved into the Kitchener Auditorium for the start of the 1963–64 season, which had previously been home to the Kitchener Greenshirts and the Kitchener Canucks. The Rangers were successful promoting the team in the community, drawing high attendance despite a poor first season. By 1968 the Rangers were a first place team that had reached the league finals twice.
- Public ownership of the Rangers
When the National Hockey League collectively ended sponsorship of junior teams, the New York Rangers then offered the team to Eugene George for $1.00, a token receipt to assume the financial and overall responsibility of the team from then on. There is no truth to the urban legend that the New York Rangers could re-acquire the team at any time for $1.00.
George, realizing the community importance of the Kitchener Rangers, instead turned the team over to the community; in essence, to its season ticket subscribers. The Rangers became a "publicly" owned team in that each season ticket holder is a Member of the not-for-profit corporation which owns the team and all its assets.
It is often said, incorrectly, that the team is "community owned".
George and colleagues strategically set up a volunteer Directorship, which included key Executives, which still holds true today (elected from among all eligible season ticket subscribers). The Rangers are backboned today by their unique strategy; a 40-person Board of Directors to which 9 Executive positions are elected as key duties including Finances, Policies, Charities, and a Hockey Committee among others.
- 1966 to 1968
The Rangers struggled their first three season in the OHA, but finished strong in 1966 despite a 7th place 16–23–9 record. The Rangers won the first two playoff rounds to make it to the OHA finals, but lost 4 games to 1, to the Oshawa Generals, featuring a young Bobby Orr. Kitchener finished in 1st place the next season, but fell to the Hamilton Red Wings in the playoffs. In 1968 the Rangers were first again in the OHA, and won their second consecutive Hamilton Spectator Trophy. Kitchener played in the finals again, losing a very close series 4 games to 3 with a tie, to the eventual Memorial Cup Champions Niagara Falls Flyers.
- The 1970s
Kitchener struggled through the decade, posting only two winning seasons. In 1973–74, the Rangers finish 1st in the OHA due to the stellar goalkeeping of Don Edwards, with the league lowest goals against average. Kitchener however lost in the semi-finals in the playoffs. Dwight Foster set the Rangers franchise record for points in a highest during the high scoring late 1970s. Foster scored 60 goals and 83 assists totalling 143 points to be the scoring champion.
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