The Mississauga Steelheads were an Ontario Hockey League (OHL) junior ice hockey team based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. The team adopted the Steelheads name and its first logo in 2012 after new ownership purchased the franchise, which had previously been known as the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors. The franchise relocated to nearby Brampton in 2024 and was renamed the Brampton Steelheads.
Design and History
The Steelheads identity began in May 2012, when the team was renamed following a fan vote and the sale of the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors franchise. The new logo, unveiled for the 2012-13 season, depicted a Steelhead trout with the words “Mississauga Steelheads” written below, along with a small maple leaf included in the name for patriotic purposes. The team’s colours were blue and white. A secondary logo featured the Port Credit lighthouse within an “M,” representing the Mississauga landmark. [1] [2]
In August 2015, the team launched a new primary logo for the 2015-16 season. The updated design retained the same colour scheme as the previous logo, but repositioned the Steelhead trout inside a roundel featuring the City of Mississauga name. The small maple leaf remained within the name as a touch of Canadian patriotism. [3]
In 2024, the franchise relocated to Brampton, Ontario. The City of Brampton officially welcomed the OHL Steelheads franchise and unveiled the new team logo at a ceremony on June 25, 2024. The team became known as the Brampton Steelheads and began play at the CAA Centre for the 2024-25 season. [4] [5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Steelhead trout served as the central symbol of the team’s identity, reflecting the “Steelheads” moniker chosen through fan voting. The maple leaf included in the wordmark was a deliberate patriotic element. The secondary logo used the Port Credit lighthouse, a recognizable Mississauga landmark, integrated into the letter “M.” [1] [3]
Following the move to Brampton, trademark filings with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office described a logo featuring a blue and silver fish in front of a circle reading “BRAMPTON,” indicating the team retained the Steelheads fish motif in its new city identity. [6]
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