After years of trying to secure an MJHL franchise Dauphin finally got its wish when the CMJHL and the MJHL merged for the 1968–69 season. The Kings opened the season with nine straight wins and remained undefeated for twelve games. All season long the Kings' battled with the Selkirk Steelers for first overall which came to a showdown on the very last night of the season at a head-to-head match in Dauphin. The Kings "blanked" them 4–0. The Kings were led by goaltender Ron Low loaned by the Winnipeg Jets of the Western Canada Hockey League. Bob Neufeld anchored the defense with Johnny Roy who gave the Kings an offensive flare from the blueline, Ron Boyes, Farley Hemmings and Wayne Pockett. The first line of "Captain" Dennis Schick, Jim Cahoon and Bob Leguilloux would combine to score 93 goals during the season. Schick won the Scoring Championship, Cahoon came second and Leguilloux center Bob Buchy also finished in the top ten. Other forwards included Clayton Kemp (20 goals), Dennis Clarke, John Morrison, Gary Westbury, Peter Wood and 15-year-old Blaine Stoughton. Nearing the end of the season Butch Goring and his sidekick Merv Haney quit the Winnipeg Jets and joined the Kings.
The Goring affair
On Sunday February 9, 1969, the MJHL held a special emergency meeting to discuss Butch Goring leaving the Winnipeg Jets of the Western Canada Hockey League to join the Dauphin Kings. Goring had played the night before the meeting in Kenora for the Kings during a regular season game. Goring led the Kings to a win and scored 3 goals the Kings had signed Goring the Friday night after the Jets game. Learning of this MJHL president Bill Addison instructed the Kings not to use Goring in Sundays game. Another Jets forward Merv Haney also signed by the Kings and traveled to Kenora with the team but did not play in either game. The Kings won Sundays game 10–6.
At the meeting, which lasted three hours, the MJHL gave the Kings approval to use Goring in regular season and play-off games. After learning of the MJHL's approval Jets owner Ben Hatskin said "There are no ifs, ands or buts. The matter is in the hands of the lawyers and I'll likely seek an injunction to prevent him from playing in Dauphin". The WCHL president Ron Butlin said a court injunction would be sought against Goring and Haney from playing with Dauphin Kings. Butlin, also president of the Canadian Hockey Association, said the CHA would be "taking whatever action is necessary against Dauphin and the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association for damages." Goring was leading the WCHL in goals at the time.
On Monday February 10, the MJHL approved the Kings signing of Haney. On Tuesday the Jets and the CHA filed in court seeking an injunction against Goring and Haney from playing for any club other than the Jets. On Wednesday Goring and Haney played for the Kings in an exhibition game against Weyburn Red Wings of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. In the third period Goring suffered a broken wrist. Since the injunction hearing could not be heard until June it was dropped although the lawsuit for damages was not. Goring would return for the MJHL finals wearing a special cast. It was announced on July 31, as part of an agreement between the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association and the WCHL, that all legal issues in this matter were to be dropped.
'69 playoffs
Goring, with goaltender Ron Low, helped lead the Kings to the western Canadian final for the Memorial Cup to meet the Regina Pats of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). The Pats were led by goaltender Gary Bromley and eight future NHL draft picks, including Don Saleski, won the best of seven 4–3 with Goring missing game seven with a separated shoulder. Goring was picked up by Regina for the Memorial Cup finals and was voted the Pats best player in a losing effort as the Montreal Junior Canadiens, led by Marc Tardif and Gilbert Perreault, swept the Pats four straight.
For the 1969–70 season the Kings had a major rebuild, only Low and Bushy remained. Bushy was named captain. Rookie scoring sensation Ron Chipperfield was added and Dennis Clarke returned after spending most of the previous year on the injury list, to the give Kings the best one two punch in the league. Chipperfield as a 16-year-old rookie tied for the league lead in goals, and with Clarke, and Randy Sigurdson formed the Kings 2nd line. Bushy centered the 1st, with Dan Tremblay and Dave Marin. Barry Chernos was brought in, Herb Andres was elevated from the taxi squad, and Merv Kiryluik came from the Dauphin Minor Hockey Association to make up the third line. Peter Wood, became the tenth forward, after spending the previous year on the taxi squad. Bill Gidden anchored the defense with Ron Realini, Bernie Reid, Harvey Shaw, and Dauphinite Ron Lemieux, who added offensive from the blueline. The Kings breezed through the MJHL, in the final Low recorded 2 shutouts, allowed 3 goals, as the Kings swept in four straight. For the second straight year, the Kings faced the Westfort Hurricanes of Thunder Bay Junior Hockey League. And in a bitter fought series the Kings failed in 6 games.
1970–75
Dauphin Kings logo (2001-2018)
1970–71, the Kings once again needed to rebuild with only 4 returnees, Andres, Marin, Realini and Tremblay. Tremblay would be named captain and led the league in scoring with 109 Points. The Kings added forwards Jeff Berke, Brad Carefoot, Don Larway, Jim Miller, Bill Murray, Darrell Novakowski, Tom Sinclair, Ed Tkachuk, defenseman Mike Korney, Dan Lemieux, Perry Robinson and Drew Trapp. The biggest hole the Kings needed fill was goal. With Ron Low going to the pros the Kings brought in the tandem of Ty Langton and Larry Budzinski. Injuries were the biggest concern for the 1970–71 Kings and the Kings' season ended early.
The Kings entered the 1971–72 season with nearly a set team and the Kings were thinking championship, Budzinski and Langton were back in goal. Dauphinites Korney, Lemieux and Trapp would return to the blueline joined by Jack Osachuk and Dauphinite Greg Kiryluik. Up front the Kings had 7 returnees and Dauphinite Jim Cruise was added to the 1st line with Miller and Murray. Cruise would score 36 goals as a rookie and the line combined for 97 goals in a 48-game schedule. The line of Tkachuk, Marin and Carefoot would score 98 goals and be the Kings' 2nd line. Scott Hetherington, another Elm Creek boy, would center the 3rd with wingers Larway and Novakowski. Dauphinite Ken Buchy was the tenth forward, a position his older Bob[clarification needed] had only a few years earlier. Miller would be named captain. Half a year in Bob Windatt quit the Winnipeg Jets of the WCHL and signed with the Kings. Windatt replaced Novakowski who had been traded. The Kings would win 40 games out 48, score 304 goals and appeared to be the best of the MJHL. The Kings would meet their Waterloo in the Saskatchewan Champions Humboldt Broncos.
During the 1974–75 season Dauphinite Jim Misener established a new MJHL record of 73 goals breaking Bobby Clarke's record of 71.
1977
Rebuilding since the run of 1971–72, the Kings had a veteran lineup for 1976–77. The Kings had three 100-point men, all of whom were in the top 5 in league scoring: Jim Misener (59 goals), Bob Genoway (47 goals) and Lyle Stokotelny (33 goals). Owen Connelly chipped in with 35 goals, add[clarification needed] fellow veterans Cam Carefoot, Martin Dupont, Dan Greening, Rich Hopfner, Vernon Jebb, Dean Murray, Duke Rodnisky, and starting goalie Jim Tkachyk, who was entering his third season, and second as #1[clarification needed]. Three veterans from other clubs, Calven Bernard, Brad Harding, Harvey Takvam and rookies Brock Bulbuck, Rich Little, Rick Peacosh, Ron Shewchuk and Greg Vertz. The Kings prevailed winning the Turnbull Cup for the 4th time in 10 years. The Kings' achilles heel had been getting past the Saskatchewan champs and the Prince Albert Raiders were not going to change that.
1983
In 1982–83 Mike Ridley of the St. Boniface Saints shattered Jim Misener's goal scoring record by 18, netting 91 goals. Kings' Brent Sapergia also surpassed Misener to establish a new team record of 77.
