vs. Barrie Colts 2000–01 Finalists vs. Ottawa 67's 2006–07 Champions vs. Sudbury Wolves Wayne Gretzky TrophyWestern Conference Playoff Champion 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2006–07 Hamilton Spectator TrophySeason Champion 1998–99 51 wins, 4 ties, 106 pts 1999–2000 45 wins, 4 ties, 1 OTL, 95 pts 2001–02 39 wins, 12 ties, 2 OTL, 92 pts Bumbacco TrophyWest Division Champion 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2011–12, 2012-13 Coaches 1995–01 Peter DeBoer (6 seasons) - DeBoer was promoted from assistant coach to become coach & general manager of the Whalers organization in 1995. DeBoer was twice voted the OHL Coach of the Year, winning the Matt Leyden Trophy in the 1998–99 and 1999–2000 seasons. DeBoer left to coach the Kitchener Rangers. mid-2007-mid-2008 Greg Stefan (2 seasons) - Stefan began his coaching career in 1993 with the Detroit Junior Red Wings. He served as an assistant coach in Plymouth until 1998, and re-joined the Whalers as director of player development and assistant coach in 2003. Named head coach during the 2007–08 season when Vellucci moved to focus on the front office, Stefan left the Whalers in the middle of the 2008–09 season to take a scouting job with the Carolina Hurricanes. 2001-mid-2007; mid-2008–pres Mike Vellucci (8th season) - Vellucci was promoted to President of the Plymouth Whalers in 2000 and was appointed the team's general manager and head coach in 2001. In 2007, Vellucci won the Matt Leyden Trophy as Ontario Hockey League Coach of the Year - the first American ever to win the award. Vellucci stepped down in the middle of the 2007–08 season to focus on his GM position. He returned as head coach of the club in the middle of the 2008–09 season with Stefan's moving to the Hurricanes. Players Retired numbers 14 - Pat Peake is the only number retired by the Whalers organization. Peake (who played in the Junior Red Wings era) was a two-season captain, the first MVP for the franchise in 1992–93, as well as Canadian Hockey League player of the year, and OHL Most Sportsmanlike player of the year. He has the most career points in franchise history. Team captains 1990–91 Paul Mitton 1991 Mark Lawrence (traded) 1991–93 Pat Peake 1993–95 Jamie Allison 1995–96 Bryan Berard 1996–97 Mike Morrone 1997–98 Andrew Taylor 1998–00 Randy Fitzgerald 2000–02 Jared Newman 2002–03 Nate Kiser 2003–04 James Wisniewski 2004–05 Tim Sestito (home) & John Mitchell (away & playoffs) 2005–06