Lethbridge Hurricanes

Last updated
Lethbridge Hurricanes
Lethbridge Hurricanes logo.svg
City Lethbridge, Alberta
League Western Hockey League
ConferenceEastern
DivisionCentral
Founded1967
Home arena ENMAX Centre
ColoursRed, navy, white
   
General managerPeter Anholt
Head coach Bill Peters
Website Official website
Franchise history
1967–1973 Winnipeg Jets
1973–1976 Winnipeg Clubs
1976–1977 Winnipeg Monarchs
1977–1987 Calgary Wranglers
1987–presentLethbridge Hurricanes
Championships
Regular season titles1 (1996–97)
Playoff championships Ed Chynoweth Cup
1 (1997)
Conference Championships
1 (2007–08)
Action during a playoff game against the Calgary Hitmen at the Pengrowth Saddledome. HitmenHurricanesFaceoff.jpg
Action during a playoff game against the Calgary Hitmen at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

The Lethbridge Hurricanes are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team, currently members of the Eastern Conference (Central Division) of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team is based in Lethbridge, Alberta, and play their home games at the ENMAX Centre.

Contents

History

When the Lethbridge Broncos returned to their original home in Swift Current following the 1985–86 season, hockey fans in Lethbridge did not have to wait long for a new team; after just one year out of the WHL, Lethbridge returned to the WHL in 1987–88 when the Calgary Wranglers moved south to become the Hurricanes.[ citation needed ]

The team's crowning achievement came in 1996–97, when the Hurricanes captured their first, and to date only, WHL Championship. The Hurricanes then finished as Memorial Cup runners-up when they lost the title game to the Hull Olympiques. That same year, they also won their division title (only done twice before, in 1989–90 and 1990–91) and the regular season title. In the 2007–08 season, the Hurricanes won the Eastern Conference Championship. [1]

The team changed its logo for the 2013–14 season per requests from the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals, who claim the former Hurricanes’ logo was too similar to theirs. [2] Despite the optimism going into the season under new head coach Drake Berehowsky, who replaced the fired Rich Preston, the 2013–14 season would be a record-setting one, but in the wrong categories; the team stumbled out of the gate and dealt with turmoil amongst the players and coaching staff. Some notable occurrences saw veteran forwards Sam McKechnie and Jaimen Yakuboski sent home until both players were dealt to the Seattle Thunderbirds in October. [3] A week later, third year defenseman Ryan Pilon requested a trade and left the team. [4] Pilon got his wish and was dealt to the Brandon Wheat Kings in a multiplayer deal shortly afterwards. [5] In addition to two more players requesting trades, the team endured a public relations nightmare when Assistant Coach Brad Lukowich walked out on the team following a 3–2 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. Lukowich was terminated "with cause" days later. [6] The team hit new lows by scoring a franchise-low 171 goals, allowing 358 goals and earned notoriety by losing two games by a combined score of 22–0; the first humiliation was a 10–0 loss to the Vancouver Giants on January 24, 2014, followed by a 12–0 loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings on February 17. The team capped off the season on a 15-game losing streak, finishing the year at 12–55–2–3 with 29 points, the League's lowest point total, placing them in last place in the entire WHL. The 12 wins and 29 points also set records for fewest wins and fewest points in the 26-year history of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, and the 46-year history of the franchise that began as the Winnipeg Jets.[ citation needed ]

In 2014, the community-owned franchise faced financial problems, and lost more than $1.25 million in a two-year period, [7] and had taken out a line of credit in order to meet financial goals. [8] The financial situation led to rumours of the team being sold to True North Sports and Entertainment and relocated to Winnipeg, [9] while former Hurricanes forward and Lethbridge native Kris Versteeg stated his desire to purchase the team and keep it in the city. [10] Ultimately, the shareholders voted to raise $2M by issuing preferred shares, and keeping the team community-owned. [11]

Season-by-season record

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

SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGA PointsFinishPlayoffs
1987–88 7220484257357447th EastOut of playoffs
1988–89 7227396356380605th EastLost East division semi-final
1989–90 72511744652701061st EastLost WHL final
1990–91 7245216373281961st EastLost WHL final
1991–92 7239312350284804th EastLost in first round
1992–93 7233363317328695th EastLost in first round
1993–94 7235325306317753rd EastLost East division semi-final
1994–95 7222482263341468th EastOut of playoffs
1995–96 7233363259270692nd CentralLost in first round
1996–97 7247223342248971st CentralWon Championship ; Lost Memorial Cup final
1997–98 72322911261237752nd CentralLost in first round
1998–99 7231329224215713rd CentralLost in first round
1999–00 72253845220250594th CentralOut of playoffs
2000–01 72293544200229664th CentralLost in first round
2001–02 72333360266247724th CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2002–03 72284022236303605th CentralOut of playoffs
2003–04 722728107196203715th CentralOut of playoffs
2004–05 723920121222162912nd CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
SeasonGPWLOTLSOLGFGA PointsFinishPlayoffs
2005–06 72273636195250633rd CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2006–07 72333423254265715th CentralOut of playoffs
2007–08 72452124245175962nd CentralLost final
2008–09 72353232227228754th CentralLost Eastern Conference semi-final
2009–10 72204453178275485th CentralOut of playoffs
2010–11 72233658205295595th CentralOut of playoffs
2011–12 72294201225292596th CentralOut of playoffs
2012–13 72283437212253666th CentralOut of playoffs
2013–14 72125523171358296th CentralOut of playoffs
2014–15 72204453202304486th CentralOut of playoffs
2015–16 72462411304218941st CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2016–17 72442143280253952nd CentralLost Eastern Conference final
2017–18 72333360244260722nd CentralLost Eastern Conference final
2018–19 68401855268234902nd CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2019–20 63371925249193813rd CentralCancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 249123081108214th CentralCancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 68333041216238713rd CentralLost Eastern Conference Quarter-finals
2022–23 68362633204207782nd CentralLost Eastern Conference Quarter-finals

WHL Championship history

Current roster

Updated January 11, 2024. [12]
# Nat Player Pos S/G AgeAcquiredBirthplaceDrafted
4 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Carsen Adair D L17 2022 Clavet, Saskatchewan Eligible 2025
25 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Kash Andresen LW L16 2022 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Eligible 2025
7 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Joe Arntsen  ( C ) D L20 2018 Swift Current, Saskatchewan Undrafted
28 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Leo Braillard RW L18 2023 La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland Undrafted
8 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Noah Chadwick  ( A ) D L18 2020 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 2023, 185th Overall, TOR
11 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Luke Cozens RW R17 2021 Whitehorse, Yukon Eligible 2024
23 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Carter Dereniwsky RW R19 2023 Canora, Saskatchewan Undrafted
9 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Tristen Doyle D R18 2021 Winnipeg, Manitoba Eligible 2024
19 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Brayden Edwards RW L19 2022 Abbotsford, British Columbia Undrafted
12 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Kooper Gizowski RW L18 2023 Edmonton, Alberta Undrafted
27 Flag of Sweden.svg Elias Knoester C R18 2023 Malmö, Sweden Eligible 2024
22 Flag of the United States.svg Colton Langkow C R20 2024 Scottsdale, Arizona Undrafted
14 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Miguel Marques LW R17 2021 Prince George, British Columbia Eligible 2024
2 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Logan McCutcheon D R20 2019 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Undrafted
35 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Harrison Meneghin G L19 2021 South Surrey, British Columbia Undrafted
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Hayden Pakkala LW R20 2024 Okotoks, Alberta Undrafted
17 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Will Sharpe D L16 2022 South Delta, British Columbia Eligible 2025
31 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Brady Smith G L18 2020 Cloverdale, British Columbia Undrafted
10 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Dylan Sydor RW R20 2024 Kamloops, British Columbia Undrafted
6 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Kale Tipler D R17 2021 Edgerton, Alberta Eligible 2024
16 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Sean Tschigerl C L20 2024 Whitecourt, Alberta 2021, 130th Overall, ANA
29 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Landen Ward LW L17 2021 Lloydminster, Alberta Eligible 2024
15 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Trae Wilke LW L17 2021 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Eligible 2024
18 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Logan Wormald LW L18 2020 Langley, British Columbia Undrafted
24 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Braeden Wynne D R20 2024 Coquitlam, British Columbia Undrafted

Team records

Team records for a single season
StatisticTotalSeason
Most points106 1989–90
Most wins511989–90
Most goals for4651989–90
Fewest points29 2013–14
Fewest wins122013–14
Fewest goals for1712013–14
Fewest goals against162 2004–05
Most goals against380 1988–89
Individual player records for a single season
StatisticPlayerTotalSeason
Most goals Kevin St. Jacques 65 1991–92
Most assists Bryan Bosch 901989–90
Most points Corey Lyons 1421989–90
Most points, rookieCorey Lyons1121988–89
Most points, defenceman Shane Peacock 102 1992–93
Best GAA (goalie) Aaron Sorochan 2.192004–05
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played

NHL alumni

See also

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References

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  2. "Lethbridge Forced to Change Logo".
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  5. "Luber's Lounge: Wheat Kings Acquire Pilon in 5-Player Deal". luberslounge.blogspot.ca. Archived from the original on 2014-03-16.
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  7. "Stormy times in Lethbridge - the Moose Jaw Times Herald - blogarticle". Archived from the original on 2013-12-04. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
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  11. https://lethbridgeherald.com/sports/lethbridge-sports/2015/06/02/shareholders-have-their-say-hurricanes-shareholders-vote-to-maintain-community-ownership/
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