Shannon Coulter
It’s been a long time coming, but the Waterloo Wolves are returning to compete for the TELUS Cup for the first time since 2003.
The road back to Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship has not been easy. In 2024, the Wolves made it all the way to the Central Regional final, only to fall 6-5 to the Markham Waxers.
Last season, Waterloo finished third in the regular season in the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario and barely missed out on becoming back-to-back league champions, falling in the maximum five games to the Elgin-Middlesex Canucks, who went on to finish fourth at the TELUS Cup.
This year, there was finally redemption for the Wolves.
Waterloo finished with a 30-3-2 record, good for first in the ALLIANCE, before sweeping aside the Brantford 99ers and Windsor Jr. Spitfires to set up a rematch with the Canucks. Waterloo came from behind in the six-game series, winning the last two to advance to regionals.
The Wolves went on a run in Markham, going undefeated in the preliminary round and defeating the host Waxers in the semifinals. With a TELUS Cup berth on the line in the final against the North Shore Whitecaps, Zach Forwell scored the overtime winner in a 5-4 thriller to end the 23-year drought.
Forwell has been the one to watch for Waterloo; he compiled 65 points (27-38—65) over 33 regular-season games and added 36 points (11-25—36) in 18 playoff games—an average of two points per game.
This is the second TELUS Cup appearance for the Wolves. Back in 2003, Waterloo finished fifth with a 1-4 record.
HOW THEY GOT TO PETERBOROUGH
Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario Quarterfinal: defeated Brantford 99ers 2-0 (10-2, 11-1) Semifinal: defeated Windsor Jr. Spitfires 3-0 (8-2, 5-0, 5-1) Final: defeated Elgin-Middlesex Canucks 3-2-1 (5-2, 3-6, 3-3, 2-6, 5-2, 5-1)
Central Regional Preliminary round: 1st place (5-0) – defeated Ottawa Automotive 7-6 (OT), defeated North Shore Whitecaps 2-0, defeated North Bay Trappers 9-1, defeated Toronto Titans 4-3 (OT), defeated Markham Waxers 5-4 Semifinal: defeated Markham Waxers 6-2 Final: defeated North Shore Whitecaps 5-4 (OT)
REGULAR SEASON
Record (W-OTL-L): 30-2-3 (1st in ALLIANCE) Goals for: 190 (1st in ALLIANCE) Goals against: 59 (1st in ALLIANCE) Longest winning streak: 16 (Nov. 17-Jan. 31) Top 3 scorers: - Zach Forwell – 27G 38A 65P (1st in ALLIANCE) - Eli Humphrey – 21G 27A 48P (4th in ALLIANCE) - Christopher Mabey – 9G 39A 48P (6th in ALLIANCE)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 15-2-1 Goals for: 100 Goals against: 46 Top 3 scorers: - Zach Forwell – 11G 25A 36P - Eli Humphrey – 19G 8A 27P - Michael Ball – 6G 20A 26P
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
2003 – Waterloo Wolves | 5th place | 1-4-0 | 13GF 18GA
OHL DRAFTED PLAYERS
Liam Straus – London Knights 2025 (11th round, 223rd overall) Christopher Mabey – Guelph Storm 2025 (14th round, 265th overall)