Holody Electro-Plating Limited has a storied and successful history in Junior "A" / Major Junior "A" hockey in Ontario. In 1975, Holody Plating founder Joseph Z. Holody purchased the Guelph CMC's O.H.A (Ontario Hockey Association) Junior "A" Hockey Club and renamed the organization into the Guelph Holody Platers.
The Guelph Holody Platers would go on to win the Southern Ontario Junior "A" Hockey League (SOJAHL) Championship in each of their first two seasons (1976 & 1977).
For the 1977-78 season, the Holody Platers became part of the Ontario Provincial Junior "A" Hockey League (OPJHL). The move into the OPJHL brought even greater success for the Holody Platers as the team became 1978 League Champions, 1978 Central Canadian Champions (Dudley Hewitt Cup), and 1978 Canadian Junior "A" Champions (Centennial Cup).
In 1979, the Holody Platers repeated as OPJHL Champions and Dudley Hewitt Cup Champions, but fell short of repeating as National Champions - finishing 3rd in the Centennial Cup Tournament.
The Holody Platers would finish 2nd in the OPJHL during the 1980-81 season.
During their final season (1981-82), the Guelph Holody Platers claimed their 3rd OPJHL Championship and 3rd Central Canadian Junior "A" Championship (Dudley Hewitt Cup). The Holody Platers advanced to the Centennial Cup Championship for the third time, but the title of 'Canadian Junior "A" Champions' again slipped through the team's grasp in the finals against the Prince Albert Raiders (the team that the Platers defeated for the Cup in 1978).
The OHL Years
The Guelph Holody Platers (renamed to "Guelph Platers") entered into the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) as an expansion team for the 1982-83 season. In the Platers fourth season (1985-86), General Manager Rob Holody, Head Coach Jacques Martin, and the Platers won the OHL Championship and entered the 1986 Memorial Cup Tournament. The Guelph Platers finished first in the Memorial Cup Round Robin, earning a spot in the Championship Final. The Guelph Platers defeated the Hull Olympiques 6-2 to claim the 1986 Memorial Cup and stand as National Canadian Major Junior Hockey Champions.
At the conclusion of the 1988-1989 OHL season, the Platers relocated to Owen Sound, where Rob Holody would continue with the franchise as Managing Partner until the end of the 1999-2000 season when Joseph Z. Holody sold the franchise after 25 years of ownership.
Legacy
Joseph Z. Holody was awarded the 1983 Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) Gold Stick Award for outstanding service to the game of hockey.
In 1991, during the Ontario Hockey Association's 100th Anniversary celebration, the OHA Platers were presented with the OHA Centennial Award.
During the 1998-99 OHL season, the Ontario Hockey League unveiled the Holody Trophy - named after Holody Electro-Plating Founder / Platers Governor & President Joseph Z. Holody. The Holody Trophy is awarded to the winner of the OHL Midwest Division.
Joseph Z. Holody was inducted into the Guelph Sports Hall of Fame on May 8th, 1995.
The 1985-86 Guelph Platers were inducted into the Guelph Sports Hall of Fame on April 29th, 1996.
The 1977-78 Guelph Holody Platers were inducted into the Guelph Sports Hall of Fame on May 4th, 2005.
Robert Holody was inducted into the Guelph Sports Hall of Fame on June 18th, 2014.
In October 2015, The Hockey News ranked the Guelph Platers / Owen Sound Platers / Owen Sound Attack junior hockey organization as #43 in their list of "The Top 50 Producers of NHL Stars."
Within their study of the top "Hockey Factories", The Hockey News chose the following players as their All-Time Platers / Attack lineup:
Forwards
- Kirk Muller - Guelph Platers
- Bobby Ryan - Owen Sound Attack
- Wayne Simmonds - Owen Sound Attack
- Kirk Maltby - Owen Sound Platers (Honourable Mention)
- Andrew Brunette - Owen Sound Platers (Honourable Mention)
- Scott Walker - Owen Sound Platers (Honourable Mention)
Defencemen
- Mark Giordano - Owen Sound Attack
- Steve Chiasson - Guelph Platers
- Andrej Sekera - Owen Sound Attack (Honourable Mention)
- Kerry Huffman - Guelph Platers (Honourable Mention)
Goaltender
- Kevin Weekes - Owen Sound Platers
- Brent Johnson - Owen Sound Platers (Honourable Mention)
The Hockey News 50 Greatest Hockey Factories
