Team will be known as the Hamilton Steel for the 2026-27 season
From GOHL Commissioner Craig Spada:
On behalf of the Greater Ontario Hockey League (GOHL) in combination with our Hamilton franchise, we officially announce that the team will move forward under a new name — the Hamilton Steel Junior Hockey Club.
This name reflects the proud identity and heritage of the City of Hamilton while also creating a strong and meaningful alignment with the Hamilton minor hockey organization. Building this connection is an important step in strengthening the pathway for young players in the community and creating a unified hockey identity within the city.
Hamilton has long been known for its hard work, resilience, and deep hockey tradition. The name Steel represents those values — strength, toughness, and pride — qualities that we expect this organization to carry both on and off the ice.
The GOHL continues to grow with strong ownership groups and community partnerships, and the Hamilton Steel will play an important role in that future.
We are excited for the next chapter of GOHL hockey in Hamilton and look forward to seeing the Hamilton Steel take the ice.”
The original junior franchise was formed in 1974 as an addition to the Niagara Junior C league where they won four titles before moving up to the Golden Horseshoe League in 1989. The team name was changed to Spirit in 1993 and changed back to the Warriors in 2001.
In 2007, the club was a charter member of the Golden Horseshoe Conference in the newly formed GOHL. In 2009, the club won the Golden Horseshoe Championship and advanced to the Sutherland Cup final where they lost to the Brantford Golden Eagles. They won a second straight conference title in 2010, but were eliminated in the Sutherland Cup round-robin.
After six seasons in Stoney Creek, the team moved to Ancaster and were renamed the Avalanche for the start of the 2013-14 season. Five years later, the club moved to Hamilton and were renamed the Kilty B’s for the start of the 2018-19 season. In 2022-23, the team finished with 81 points to claimed the franchise’s first regular season title. A year later, Hamilton won the franchise’s third conference playoff title before being eliminated in the Sutherland Cup round-robin.
The new team website is located at hamiltonjrsteel.com
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