Kamloops Blazers

Last updated
Kamloops Blazers
Kamloops Blazers logo.svg
City Kamloops, British Columbia
League Western Hockey League
ConferenceWestern
DivisionB.C.
Founded1966
Home arena Sandman Centre
ColoursBlue, white, orange
   
Owner(s) Tom Gaglardi (majority) [1]
Shane Doan
Jarome Iginla
Mark Recchi
Darryl Sydor
General managerShaun Clouston [2]
Head coachShaun Clouston [3]
Website chl.ca/whl-blazers/
Franchise history
1966–1971 Estevan Bruins
1971–1981 New Westminster Bruins
1981–1984Kamloops Junior Oilers
1984–presentKamloops Blazers
Championships
Regular season titles7 (1983–84, 1986–87, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95)
Playoff championships Memorial Cup
3 (1992, 1994, 1995)
Ed Chynoweth Cup
6 (1984, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995)
Divsion Titles
9 (1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1999)

The Kamloops Blazers are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Kamloops, British Columbia. The team plays in the B.C. Division of the Western Hockey League's Western Conference and plays its home games at the Sandman Centre. The Blazers originated as the Estevan Bruins in 1966, became the New Westminster Bruins in 1971, and relocated to Kamloops in 1981 as the Kamloops Junior Oilers. After moving to Kamloops, the Blazers became the WHL's most successful club, winning a record six President's Cups, a record seven Scotty Munro Memorial Trophies, and three Memorial Cup titles, all between 1983 and 1995.

Contents

History

The Blazers franchise originated as one of the league's founding clubs, the Estevan Bruins, when the league launched in 1966. [4] After winning a league title in 1968, owner and manager Scotty Munro sold his stake in the club in 1969 and moved on to the Calgary Centennials; two years later, the team moved to New Westminster, British Columbia, as part of the Western Canada Hockey League's effort to span the four Western Canadian provinces. [4] The New Westminster Bruins established a WCHL dynasty in the 1970s, winning four consecutive league titles between 1975 and 1978 and the 1977 and 1978 Memorial Cups. [5] Despite the team's success, it was relocated again in 1981, moving to Kamloops, where the team was initially known as the Junior Oilers. In 1984, the team came under community ownership and was renamed the Blazers. [4] [6]

In Kamloops, the Blazers quickly established a dynasty of their own. The team made three straight finals appearances from 1984 to 1986, winning in their first and third appearances; after a finals loss in 1988, the team would win four more President's Cups between 1990 and 1995. Led at various times by future National Hockey League stars Scott Niedermayer, Darryl Sydor, Jarome Iginla, Shane Doan, Darcy Tucker, Corey Hirsch, and others, and managed by future NHL coaches including Ken Hitchcock and Tom Renney, the Blazers went on to win three Memorial Cup titles in a four-year span, the only team to achieve such a feat. [6] [7] The Blazers hosted the third Memorial Cup tournament in that run in 1995. [6]

When the team arrived in Kamloops, they played at the Kamloops Memorial Arena before moving to the new Riverside Coliseum in 1992. [8]

After their run of success, the Blazers would go twelve seasons without winning a playoff round; the team missed the playoffs for the first time in 2006, and missed four more times between 2011 and 2018. The team hosted the Memorial Cup for a second time in 2023. [9] At the tournament, they were eliminated in overtime of a tie-breaker game against the Peterborough Petes. [10]

Season-by-season record

Giffen Nyren played for the Blazers between 2008 and 2010. Giffen Nyren.jpg
Giffen Nyren played for the Blazers between 2008 and 2010.

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, SOL = Shootout losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Logan Stankoven served as captain of the Blazers during the 2022-23 season. Logan Stankoven 2023.02.20.jpg
Logan Stankoven served as captain of the Blazers during the 2022–23 season.
SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGAPointsFinishPlayoffs
1981–82 7218531–320464374th WestLost West Division semifinal
1982–83 7246260–461356923rd WestLost West Division semifinal
1983–84 7250220–4673321001st WestWon Championship
1984–85 7252172–4232931061st WestLost final
1985–86 7249194–4492991021st WestWon Championship
1986–87 7255143–4962921131st WestLost West Division final
1987–88 7245261–399307911st WestLost final
1988–89 7234335–326309733rd WestLost West Division final
1989–90 7256160–4842781121st WestWon Championship
1990–91 7250202–3852471021st WestLost West Division final
1991–92 7251174–3512261061st WestWon Championship and Memorial Cup
1992–93 7242282–302253863rd WestLost West Division final
1993–94 7250166–3812251061st WestWon Championship and Memorial Cup
1994–95 7252146–3752021101st WestWon Championship and Memorial Cup
1995–96 7248222–343257982nd WestLost West Division final
1996–97 7228377–256285635th WestLost West Division quarterfinal
1997–98 7237323–234253774th WestLost West Division quarterfinal
1998–99 72481113–2981951091st WestLost final
1999–00 72363051244228784th WestLost West Division quarterfinal
2000–01 72352872289274793rd WestLost West Division quarterfinal
2001–02 72382554263230851st B.C.Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2002–03 72392751261222842nd B.C.Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2003–04 72342882192182783rd B.C.Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2004–05 72263772161211614th B.C.Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
SeasonGPWLOTLSOLGFGAPointsFinishPlayoffs
2005–06 72343323179196735th B.C.Did not qualify
2006–07 72402642245222862nd B.C.Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2007–08 72274122197253584th B.C.Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2008–09 72333324242277723rd B.C.Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2009–10 72323325237284713rd B.C.Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2010–11 72293733219285645th B.C.Did not qualify
2011–12 72472023290211991st B.C.Lost Western Conference semifinal
2012–13 72472023261180992nd B.C.Lost Western Conference final
2013–14 72145323175305335th B.C.Did not qualify
2014–15 72283743214258634th B.C.Did not qualify
2015–16 72382554237218853rd B.C.Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2016–17 72422424243198903rd B.C.Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2017–18 72303714212237654th B.C.Did not qualify
2018–19 68283262196212643rd B.C.Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2019–20 63411831271166861st B.C.Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 22184008751361st B.C.No playoffs held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 68481730287176991st B.C.Lost Western Conference final
2022–23 684813433131981031st B.C.Lost Western Conference final
2023–24 68204233180295465th B.C.Did not qualify

Championship history

WHL Championships series

Memorial Cup finals

Players and staff

Current roster

Updated May 10, 2024. [11]

# Nat Player Pos S/G AgeAcquiredBirthplaceDrafted
32 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Kalan Anderlini D L18 2023 Langley, British Columbia Eligible 2024
14 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Nathan Behm C R17 2022 Calgary, Alberta Eligible 2025
27 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Samuel Borschowa D R19 2023 McTaggart, Saskatchewan Undrafted
18 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Harrison Brunicke D R18 2021 Johannesburg, South Africa Eligible 2024
33 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Hudson Closson LW L16 2023 Duncan, British Columbia Eligible 2025
31 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Logan Edmonstone G L16 2022 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Eligible 2026
35 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Dylan Ernst G L20 2019 Weyburn, Saskatchewan Undrafted
9 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Emmitt Finnie  ( A ) C L18 2020 Lethbridge, Alberta 2023, 201st Overall, DET
5 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Isa Guram D R17 2022 Burnaby, British Columbia Eligible 2025
22 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jordan Keller LW L19 2023 Kamloops, British Columbia Undrafted
21 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Josh Kelly LW L18 2023 Port Moody, British Columbia Eligible 2024
6 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Matteo Koci D L18 2023 Karlovy Vary, Czech Repbulic Undrafted
16 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Tommy Lafrenière RW R17 2022 Saint-Sauveur, Quebec Eligible 2025
17 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Kai Matthew RW R18 2020 Edmonton, Alberta Undrafted
12 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Ryan Michael  ( A ) D L19 2020 Langley, British Columbia Undrafted
13 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Bryce Minten C R18 2021 Vancouver, British Columbia Eligible 2024
29 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Zach Pantelakis LW L16 2022 North Vancouver, British Columbia Eligible 2026
10 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Conner Radke RW R18 2021 Langdon, Alberta Eligible 2024
7 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Max Sullivan LW L17 2021 Toronto, Ontario Eligible 2024
25 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Ashton Tait C R17 2021 Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Eligible 2024
19 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Andrew Thomson LW L17 2022 Sherwood Park, Alberta Eligible 2025
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Niko Tsakumis D L18 2024 Vancouver, British Columbia Undrafted
3 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Vojtech Vochvest D L18 2023 Czech Republic Eligible 2024
23 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Cole Wadsworth LW L18 2024 Penticton, British Columbia Eligible 2024

Coaches

Notable head coaches in the history of the Kamloops Blazers include Ken Hitchcock, Tom Renney, Don Hay, Marc Habscheid, and Dean Evason.

NHL alumni

Totals include those who played for the franchise as the Kamloops Junior Oilers

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Hockey League</span> Junior ice hockey league

The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada, alongside the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. Teams play for the Ed Chynoweth Cup, with the winner moving on to play for the Memorial Cup, Canada's national junior championship. WHL teams have won the Memorial Cup 19 times. The WHL is composed of 22 teams divided into two conferences of two divisions. The Eastern Conference comprises 11 teams from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, while the Western Conference comprises eleven teams from British Columbia and the American states of Washington and Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regina Pats</span> Western Hockey League team in Regina, Saskatchewan

The Regina Pats are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. Founded in 1917, the Pats are the world's oldest continuously operating major junior hockey franchise in its original location and using its original name. The team was originally named the Regina Patricia Hockey Club, after Princess Patricia of Connaught, the granddaughter of Queen Victoria and daughter of the Governor General, the Duke of Connaught. The team name also associates Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry–Pats sweaters bear the regimental badge and "PPCLI" flash as a shoulder patch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seattle Thunderbirds</span> Western Hockey League team in Kent, Washington

The Seattle Thunderbirds are a major junior ice hockey team based in the city of Kent, Washington. They are part of the U.S. Division of the Western Conference in the Western Hockey League. Founded in 1971 as the Vancouver Nats, the team arrived in Seattle in 1977 and played as the Breakers until 1985, when they adopted the Thunderbirds name. The team played in Seattle for three decades before moving to the Accesso ShoWare Center in nearby Kent in 2008. The Thunderbirds are two-time WHL champions, with their most recent title coming in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vancouver Giants</span> Western Hockey League team in Langley, British Columbia

The Vancouver Giants are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team playing based in Langley, British Columbia, and playing in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Inaugurated in 2001, the Giants won the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2006 and the Memorial Cup in 2007. The team was based out of the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, the former arena of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, until relocating to the Langley Events Centre in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelowna Rockets</span> Western Hockey League team in Kelowna, British Columbia

The Kelowna Rockets are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Kelowna, British Columbia. The team plays in the B.C Division of the Western Hockey League's Western Conference, playing their home games at Prospera Place. The Rockets are the most successful WHL team in the twenty-first century, winning three regular season titles and four playoff championships. The team has also played in the Memorial Cup finals three times, winning once, in 2004, when Kelowna hosted the tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medicine Hat Tigers</span> Western Hockey League team in Medicine Hat, Alberta

The Medicine Hat Tigers are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League (WHL) based in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Established in 1970, the team has won the second most Ed Chynoweth Cups as league champion with five, and has gone on to win two Memorial Cup titles. The Tigers also have seven Division titles. Since 2015, the Tigers play at Co-op Place after forty-five seasons at the Medicine Hat Arena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saskatoon Blades</span> Western Hockey League team in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

The Saskatoon Blades are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Founded in 1964, the Blades were a charter team of the then-Western Canada Junior Hockey League in 1966, and are the only club that has played every season in the league in its original location. Today, the team plays in the East Division of the Western Hockey League's Eastern Conference, and hosts games at the SaskTel Centre. Despite five regular season titles and five appearances in the championship series, the Blades have never won the Ed Chynoweth Cup as league playoff champions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Columbia Hockey League</span> Junior hockey league

The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) is an independent Canadian Junior ice hockey league with 22 teams in British Columbia and Alberta. It was classified as a Junior 'A' league within the Hockey Canada framework until it became independent in 2023. Since becoming independent, the league characterizes itself simply as a Junior ice hockey league.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince Albert Raiders</span> Western Hockey League team in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan

The Prince Albert Raiders are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Founded in 1971 as a member of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, the Raiders have been members of the Western Hockey League since 1982; they play in the East Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at the Art Hauser Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandon Wheat Kings</span> Western Hockey League team in Brandon, Manitoba

The Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. Founded in 1936, the team was for three decades a successful junior team playing principally in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The Wheat Kings joined the Western Hockey League ahead of the 1967–68 season, and today play in the East Division of the Eastern Conference, hosting games at Keystone Centre. The team owns the best regular season record in WHL history from the 1978–79 season, when the Wheat Kings posted 58 wins and 125 points. That season, they won their first of three league championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chilliwack Bruins</span> Ice hockey team in Chilliwack, British Columbia

The Chilliwack Bruins were a Major Junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League (WHL) based in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada. The 2006–07 season marked the Bruins' inaugural season in the WHL. The team played at Prospera Centre, which was expanded to 5,386 seats for the arrival of the team. The Bruins were sold after the 2010–11 season and subsequently relocated to Victoria to become the Victoria Royals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spokane Chiefs</span> Western Hockey League team in Spokane, Washington

The Spokane Chiefs are an American major junior ice hockey team based in Spokane, Washington. The Chiefs play in the U.S. Division of the Western Hockey League's Western Conference, playing home games at Spokane Arena. The Chiefs are two-time Memorial Cup champions, winning the title in 1991 and 2008. Spokane hosted the first outdoor game in WHL history on January 15, 2011, at Avista Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Westminster Bruins</span> Ice hockey team

The New Westminster Bruins were a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. There were two franchises that carried this name:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marc Habscheid</span> Canadian ice hockey player and coach

Marc Joseph Habscheid is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former National Hockey League player. Habscheid is the former head coach of the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League. He was drafted in the sixth round, 113th Overall in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers. He played 345 games in the NHL over parts of 10 seasons, amassing 72 goals and 163 points.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy</span>

The Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the regular season champion of the Western Hockey League. It is named after one of the league's founders, Scotty Munro. Munro served as the general manager of the Estevan Bruins, one of the league's founding franchises, and later as the head coach and general manager of the Calgary Centennials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed Chynoweth Cup</span> Western Hockey League trophy

The Ed Chynoweth Cup is an ice hockey club championship trophy awarded to the playoff champion of the Western Hockey League (WHL). Originally called the President's Cup when the league was founded in 1966, the trophy was renamed in 2007 to honour Ed Chynoweth's long service to junior hockey in Canada. The WHL champion earns a berth into the Memorial Cup tournament, Canada's junior hockey championship. The Kamloops Blazers have won the most WHL championships with six, followed by the Medicine Hat Tigers with five. The Spokane Chiefs were the first team to win the renamed trophy in the 2007–08 WHL season. The current (2023–24) holders of the Ed Chynoweth Cup are the Moose Jaw Warriors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1992 Memorial Cup</span> Canadian junior mens ice hockey championship

The 1992 Memorial Cup occurred May 9–17 at the Coliseum in Seattle. It was the 74th annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Participating teams were the Western Hockey League host Seattle Thunderbirds, as well as the winners of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Western Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League which were the Verdun Collège Français, Kamloops Blazers and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Kamloops won their first Memorial Cup in dramatic fashion, defeating Sault Ste. Marie in the final game on Zac Boyer's game-winning goal with 14 seconds remaining in regulation time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1986 Memorial Cup</span> Canadian junior mens ice hockey championship

The 1986 Memorial Cup occurred May 10–17 at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon. It was the 68th annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Hosting rights were originally awarded to the Queen's Park Arena and the New Westminster Bruins, but staging the tournament alongside Expo '86 in Vancouver proved logistically impossible and so the tournament was moved to Portland for the second time in three years. Participating teams were the host team Portland Winter Hawks, as well as the winners of the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League which were the Kamloops Blazers, Guelph Platers and Hull Olympiques. The Platers won their first Memorial Cup, and the city's second Memorial Cup, defeating Hull in the final game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1984 Memorial Cup</span> Canadian junior mens ice hockey championship

The 1984 Memorial Cup occurred May 12–19 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium in Kitchener, Ontario. It was the 66th annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Participating teams were the host team Kitchener Rangers, as well as the winners of the Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League which were the Ottawa 67's, Laval Voisins and Kamloops Jr. Oilers. Ottawa won their first Memorial Cup, defeating Kitchener in the final game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria Royals</span> Western Hockey League team in Victoria, British Columbia

The Victoria Royals are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Victoria, British Columbia. The Royals play in the B.C. Division of the Western Conference in the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team began play during the 2011–12 season after the league announced the relocation of the Chilliwack Bruins to Victoria. It marked the return of the WHL to Vancouver Island, 17 years after the departure of the Victoria Cougars. The Royals play their home games at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.

References

  1. ↑ "Ownership". Blazerhockey.com.
  2. ↑ "Clouston Promoted to GM / Head Coach, O'Donovan Named Assistant GM". OurSports Central. 20 July 2019.
  3. ↑ "Kamloops Blazers Name Shaun Clouston Head Coach, Darryl Sydor Associate Coach". OurSports Central. 18 June 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 "WHL History". Western Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2023-07-31. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  5. ↑ "McLean tells tales of New West's brawling Bruins". New Westminster Record. 2016-02-12. Archived from the original on 2023-07-31. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  6. 1 2 3 Kovac, Rob; Seitz, Earl (2020-02-22). "The Blazers 10 year dynasty". CFJC. Archived from the original on 2024-05-17. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  7. ↑ Sadler, Emily (2016-02-05). "Top Kamloops Blazers grads who made the NHL". Sportsnet . Archived from the original on 2024-05-17. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  8. ↑ Jordan, Kevin (2021-11-05). "Kamloops Blazers". WHL Arena Guide. Archived from the original on 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  9. ↑ Ewen, Steve (2022-05-30). "Kamloops to host 2023 Memorial Cup as Blazers zero in on this year's WHL final". The Province . Archived from the original on 2022-05-30. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  10. ↑ Schram, Carol (2023-06-02). "Memorial Cup: Petes pull off crazy comeback to eliminate Blazers in OT". The Hockey News . Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on 2023-06-02. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  11. ↑ WHL Network, Western Hockey League, retrieved 2024-05-10
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.