During the summer of 1972, the QMJHL had threatened a lawsuit against the OHA to force the Junior Canadiens to return to the Quebec-based league.

The OHA then reactivated the suspended franchise after a one-year hiatus, under new ownership and with new players, calling the team the Kingston Canadians.

A. Osborne, and Dr. Wilmer J. Nuttall and a local Minor Hockey Organization operated by Dr. Gerry Wagar, Dr. Michael Simurda, J.Douglas Cunningham Q.C., Peter J. Radley Q.C., Ken Linseman, Hugh Bennett, and Terry French who withdrew from the group shortly after the purchase was completed.

The new Kingston team was essentially an expansion franchise promoted from the OHA's Tier II league, that had only common name to share with the old Junior Canadiens.

However, in some OHA histories (such as the annual Media Guide) the Kingston team is still shown as the legitimate successors of the Junior Canadiens' legacy.

Jim Morrison coached the Canadians for almost half the team's tenure in the OHA & OHL.

(#5 Mike O'Connell, #7 Tony McKegney, #10 Brad Rhiness, #14 Ken Linseman and #29 Chris Clifford).