Calgary Canucks

Last updated
Calgary Canucks
Calgary Canucks logo.png
City Calgary, Alberta
League Alberta Junior Hockey League
DivisionSouth
Founded1971 (1971)
Home arena Ken Bracko Arena
ColoursRed, Yellow, White
   
PresidentSandy Edmonstone
General manager Brad Moran
Head coach Brad Moran
Website calgarycanucks.ca

The Calgary Canucks are a junior A ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). They play in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, with home games at the Ken Bracko Arena. They have won the AJHL championship 11 times and two national championship. The team was selected to host the 2025 Centennial Cup National Junior A championship tournament. [1]

Contents

History

Founded in 1971, the Calgary Canucks are the oldest franchise still operating in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), taking that title when the Spruce Grove Saints joined the British Columbia Hockey League in 2024. The Canucks franchise also has the longest tenure of any in the AJHL in one city.

The Canucks organization was formed of a group led by Doug Eastcott in order to create a junior team so that local players did not have to live away from where they attended school. As the team considered itself a Calgary-based development system, it set an internal limit of three "imports" (non-Calgary area players) per season. The import cap was eventually dropped as the AJHL has added more teams in the Calgary region such as the Calgary Royals and Okotoks Oilers, causing the team to recruit from a larger region.

The Canucks qualified for the playoffs 34 consecutive seasons, a streak finally broken in 2006–07, The team has 12 regular season titles, 11 AJHL championships, two Doyle Cup titles, and two Centennial Cup National Junior A Championship. The team has developed multiple players that have reached the National Hockey League, including Dany Heatley and two-time Stanley Cup winner Mike Vernon. Many more have earned scholarships to American and Canadian universities.

During the 2021–22 season, while renovations made their home Ken Bracko Arena unavailable, [2] the Canucks played their home games at Henry Viney Arena.

Season-by-season record

Calgary Canucks
SeasonGPWLTOTLSOLPtsGFGAFinishPlayoffs
1984–8560302910061293285 3rd South Lost Quarterfinals, 2–4 vs. Calgary Spurs
1985–86523319000662482081st SouthWon Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Olds Grizzlys
Won Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Hobbema Hawks
Won AJHL Championship, 4–3 vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders
Lost Doyle Cup. 1–4 vs. Penticton Knights (BCJHL)
1986–87603918300813152171st SouthWon Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Hobbema Hawks
Lost Semifinals, 3–4 vs. Red Deer Rustlers
1987–88605190001024021961st SouthWon Quarterfinals, 4–1 vs. Calgary Spurs
Won Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Red Deer Rustlers
Won AJHL Championship, 4–1 vs. St. Albert Saints
Won Doyle Cup , 4–0 vs. Vernon Lakers (BCJHL)
Lost Abbott Cup, 3–4 vs. Notre Dame Hounds (SJHL)
1988–8960342240072285217 3rd South Lost Quarterfinals, 1–4 vs. Olds Grizzlys
1989–90604711200963732381st SouthWon Quarterfinals, 4–3 vs. St. Albert Saints
Won Semifinals, 4–1 vs. Olds Grizzlys
Won AJHL Championship, 4–2 vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders
Lost Doyle Cup, 0–4 vs. New Westminster Royals (BCJHL)
1990–9156233210047229249 6th Overall Lost Quarterfinals, 0–4 vs. Calgary Royals
1991–9260312800163266229 5th Overall Lost Quarterfinals, 3–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
1992–9356312300264223214 5th Overall Lost Quarterfinals, 2–5 vs. St. Albert Saints
1993–9456282100763242227 5th Overall Lost Quarterfinals, 3–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
1994–9556362000072307222 2nd Overall Won Quarterfinals, 4–1 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
Won Semifinals, 4–3 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Won AJHL Championship, 4–1 vs. Olds Grizzlys
Won Doyle Cup , 4–3 vs. Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL)

Won 1995 Centennial Cup National Championship
1995–96604214004882812131st OverallWon Quarterfinals, 4–1 vs. Calgary Royals
Lost Semifinals, 1–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
1996–97603718005792572011st OverallWon Quarterfinals, 4–2 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
Won Semifinals. 4–1 vs. Grande Prairie Storm
Lost AJHL Finals, 3–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
1997–9860361900577243202 4th Overall Won Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Lost Semifinals, 3–4 vs. St. Albert Saints
1998–99625080041043501591st SouthWon Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
Won Semifinals, 4–1 vs. Olds Grizzlys
Won AJHL Championship, 4–0 vs. St. Albert Saints
Lost Doyle Cup, 1–4 vs. Vernon Vipers (BCHL)
1999–0064283100561239243 6th South Lost Preliminary series, 1–3 vs. Olds Grizzlys
2000–0164342640072269269 3rd South Lost Preliminary series, 1–3 vs. Calgary Royals
2001–0264292870065256286 5th South Lost Preliminary series, 2–3 vs. Calgary Royals
2002–0364312670069229225 5th South Lost Preliminary series, 0–4 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
2003–0460341790077209177 3rd South Won Preliminary series, 3–1 vs. Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves
Lost Quarterfinals, 1–4 vs. Olds Grizzlys
2004–0564322570071205202 3rd South Won Preliminary series, 3–0 vs. Drumheller Dragons
Lost Quarterfinals, 3–4 vs. Brooks Bandits
2005–0660203406046154205 7th South Won Preliminary series, 3–1 vs. Olds Grizzlys
Lost Quarterfinals, 0–4 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
2006–0760183624042174239 8th South Did not qualify
2007–0862193814043162225 7th South Lost Preliminary series, 1–3 vs. Okotoks Oilers
2008–0962312146072173167 4th South Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 1–3 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
2009–1060292731062214225 4th South Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 1–3 vs. Brooks Bandits
2010–1160183704141178280 8th South Did not qualify
2011–12601936032431692136th South Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–1 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–4 vs. Brooks Bandits
2012–1360163904137137243 8th South Did not qualify
2013–1460154202133156232 8th South Did not qualify
2014–1560173305544160234 8th South Did not qualify
2015–16602433021511562186th of 8, South
11th of 16, AJHL
Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Okotoks Oilers
2016–17603719013782191573rd of 8, South
7th of 16, AJHL
Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–2 vs. Drumheller Dragons
Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–4 vs. Okotoks Oilers
2017–18602632020541992566th of 8, South
11th of 16, AJHL
Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 1–3 vs. Drumheller Dragons
2018–1960949002201273327th of 8, South
15th of 16, AJHL
Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Okotoks Oilers
2019–2058946012211182997th of 7, South
15th of 15, AJHL
Did not qualify
2020–211531101073567align=center colspan=2Season cancelled
2021–22 601539051361442617th of 8, South
15th of 16, AJHL
Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 2-4 vs. Drumheller Dragons
2022–23 601932063471852687th of 8, South
13th of 16, AJHL
Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 1-4 vs. Blackfalds Bulldogs
2023–24 573123012651761903rd of 11, AJHLWon Div. Quarterfinals, 4-2 vs. Grande Prairie Storm
Won Div. Quarterfinals, 4-1 vs. Drumheller Dragons
Won League Finals 4-0 Whitecourt Wolverines
Advance to Centennial Cup
2024–25 543713022782551391st of 6 South
1st of 12, AJHL
Won Div. Semifinals, 4-1 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
Won Div. Finals, 4-0 vs. Drumheller Dragons
Won League Finals 4-0 Grande Prairie Storm
Won Centennial Cup

Source: "Calgary Canucks statistics and history". hockeydb.com. Retrieved 19 May 2025.

Cole Svenson with the Calgary Canucks vs Drumheller Dragons on Heritage Night (1-18-20) Calgary Canucks - Cole Svenson (Quintin Soloviev).jpg
Cole Svenson with the Calgary Canucks vs Drumheller Dragons on Heritage Night (1-18-20)

Junior A National Championship

The National Junior A Championship, known as the Centennial Cup and formerly as Royal Bank Cup or RBC Cup, is the postseason tournament for the Canadian national championship for Junior A hockey teams that are members of the Canadian Junior Hockey League since 1971. Since 1986, the tournament has consisted of the regional Junior A champions and a previously selected host team. Since 1990, the national championship has used a five-team tournament format when the regional qualifiers were designated as the ANAVET Cup (Western), Doyle Cup (Pacific), Dudley Hewitt Cup (Central), and Fred Page Cup (Eastern). From 2013 to 2017, the qualifiers were the Dudley Hewitt Cup (Central), Fred Page Cup (Eastern), and the Western Canada Cup champions and runners-up (Western #1 and #2).

The tournament begins with round-robin play between the five teams followed by the top four teams playing a semifinal game, with the top seed facing the fourth seed and the second facing the third. The winners of the semifinals then face each other in final game for the national championship. In some years, the losers of the semifinal games face each other for a third place game.

YearRound-robinRecordStandingSemifinalChampionship game
1995 W, 1–0 [a] vs. Le National de Joliette (Eastern)
W, 6–0 vs. Thunder Bay Flyers (Central)
W, 5–4 vs. Gloucester Rangers (Host)
L, 3–6 vs. Winnipeg South Blues (Western)
3–1
(W–L)
1st of 5W, 5–3 vs. Thunder Bay FlyersW, 5–4 vs. Gloucester Rangers
Centennial Cup National Junior A Champions

Revised format 2022

Canadian Jr. A National Championships
Maritime Junior Hockey League, Quebec Junior Hockey League, Central Canada Hockey League, Ontario Junior Hockey League, Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League, Superior International Junior Hockey League, Manitoba Junior Hockey League, Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, Alberta Junior Hockey League, and Host. The BCHL declared itself an independent league and there is no BC representative.
Round-robin play in two 5-team pools with top three in pool advancing to determine a Champion.

YearRound-robinRecordStandingQuarterfinalSemifinalChampionship
2024L, Collingwood Blues (OJHL), 4-5
W, Collège Français de Longueuil (QJHL), 5-1
W, Greater Sudbury Cubs (NOJHL), 3-2
SOW, Navan Grads (CCHL), 3-2
2-1-12nd of 5
Group A
Won 4-2
Winkler Flyers
Lost 1-2
Melfort Mustangs
did not qualify
2025
HOST
W, Melfort Mustangs (SJHL), 3-1
W, Valleyfield Braves (QJHL), 11-6
L, Rockland Nationals (CCHL), 2-7
W, Edmundston Blizzard (MJHL), 8-2
3-0-1-01st of 5
Group B
Earned byeOT Win, 2-1
Rockland Nationals
(CCHL)
Won, 7-2
Melfort Mustangs
(SJHL)
Centennial Cup Champions
  1. Due to a challenge by the Canucks on a Joliette rules violation, the 5–1 loss was overturned.

NHL alumni

The following former Canucks have gone on to play in the National Hockey League (NHL):

See also

References

  1. Hartviksen, Galen (12 August 2024). "AJHL's Calgary Canucks Win Bid To Host 2025 Centennial Cup Tournament". My Mountain View Now. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  2. Gilligan, Melissa (2022-01-07). "'A better and more accessible experience': Max Bell Centre's $14M renovation complete". CTV News Calgary . Retrieved 2022-11-12.

Further reading

Preceded by Centennial Cup Champions
1995
Succeeded by