The Exeter Hawks were founded in 1961 as members of the Shamrock Junior D Hockey League. In the late sixties, the Hawks jumped to the
Bluewater Junior Hockey League for a short stint. In 1969, the Shamrock league changed its name to the Western Junior D Hockey League. In 1970–71, the Hawks won the Western League and made it all the way to the OHA provincial championship. They met another junior team from
Haliburton, Ontario from the
South Central Junior D Hockey League. Haliburton defeated the Hawks 4-games-to-3. A season later, the Hawks again won the Western League and found themselves against an
Eastern Ontario representative from
Bancroft, Ontario in the provincial final. This year the Hawks were not to be denied as they swept Bancroft 4-games-to-none to win the OHA Cup for the first time. In 1977, the Hawks won their third Western League title and advanced to the provincial championship. Their opponents were the
Stayner Siskins, which they defeated 4-games-to-none to win their second provincial championship. The next year, the Hawks again won the Western League and ran into the
Lakefield Chiefs in the OHA Cup final. The Chiefs overpowered the Hawks in the end, defeating Exeter in Game 7 of the series to claim the OHA Cup 4-games-to-3. The playoffs for the 2019–20 season were cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the team not being able to play a single game. ==Season-by-season standings==