A New Chapter Begins: Woodstock Navy Vets Set Sights on GOHL Future
As the page turns on the 2025–26 season, the Woodstock Navy Vets are officially stepping into a new era.
Following the March 5 announcement confirming the club’s acceptance into the Greater Ontario Hockey League (GOHL), the organization now shifts its full focus toward the 2026–27 season and the opportunities that lie ahead at a higher level of competition.
The move comes on the heels of another strong campaign in the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL), where the Navy Vets captured their second Doherty Division regular season title in five years and competed hard through the 2026 Schmalz Cup playoffs. With that chapter now complete, the organization is embracing what comes next.
For team president Devon Young, the transition represents both a milestone and a responsibility.
“We’ve always believed that we’re here in the pursuit of excellence,” said Young at the time of the announcement. “This move to the GOHL is a step in that direction—a new chapter where we can challenge ourselves at an even higher level.”
That vision is rooted not only in competitiveness, but in community.
“We’ve had incredible support from our community every step of the way,” Young added. “Our players, staff, volunteers, and partners across the city have all played a role in getting us to this point. This next chapter belongs to all of us.”
The Navy Vets will join the GOHL as part of a 24-team league structure, competing in the Western Conference. The transition positions Woodstock alongside some of the province’s top junior programs, while also reigniting regional rivalries and enhancing the local hockey experience.
The team will continue to call Reeves Community Complex – Southwood Arena home—a building that has long been at the heart of hockey in the city. With a capacity of 2,000 and a reputation for an electric atmosphere, the arena is expected to play a key role as the Navy Vets enter this new level of play.
This moment also reconnects Woodstock with its rich history in higher-level junior hockey. The city’s presence at this level dates back to the 1950s, including the Woodstock Warriors, who captured a Sutherland Cup championship in 1954–55.
Since their founding in 1966, the Navy Vets have built a proud legacy of their own—highlighted by a Schmalz Cup championship in 1969, along with 12 division titles and four league championships in the decades since. The move to the GOHL represents the next evolution of that tradition.
Now, with the offseason underway, the focus shifts to building a program ready to compete on this bigger stage—on the ice, behind the bench, and throughout the organization.
From player recruitment and development to community engagement and game-day experience, every aspect of the Navy Vets is being elevated to meet the demands of the GOHL.
This is more than a league change. It’s the beginning of something bigger.
The next chapter of Woodstock Navy Vets hockey has officially begun.
