Moose Jaw Warriors

Last updated

Moose Jaw Warriors
MJWarriorsnewlogo.JPG
City Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
League Western Hockey League
ConferenceEastern
DivisionEast
Founded1980
Home arena Moose Jaw Events Centre
ColoursRed, white, black
   
General managerJason Ripplinger
Head coachMark O'Leary
Website chl.ca/whl-warriors/
Franchise history
1980–1984 Winnipeg Warriors
1984–presentMoose Jaw Warriors
Championships
Regular season titles1 (2017–18)
Playoff championships Ed Chynoweth Cup
1 (2024)
Conference Championships
2 (2005–06, 2023–24)

The Moose Jaw Warriors are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The Warriors play in the East Division of the Western Hockey League's Eastern Conference, hosting games at the Moose Jaw Events Centre. The team was founded in 1980 as the Winnipeg Warriors, and relocated to Moose Jaw in 1984. The Warriors won their first league championship in 2024.

Contents

History

The Moose Jaw Canucks were a founding franchise of the then-Western Canada Hockey League in 1966, and were the new league's first champion. [1] However, after just two seasons and with the WCHL barred by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) from competing for the Memorial Cup, the Canucks opted to return to the revived Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League in 1968. [2] When the WCHL became recognized by CAHA in 1970, Moose Jaw was left without top-level junior hockey. [3]

The Warriors franchise was established as the Winnipeg Warriors prior to the start of the 1980–81 WHL season, and played out of Winnipeg Arena, which they shared with the National Hockey League's Winnipeg Jets. [4] In 1984, the franchise relocated to Moose Jaw, bringing major junior hockey back to the city for the first time since 1970. [2] [3]

The Warriors played in the Moose Jaw Civic Centre, also known as "The Crushed Can", for 26 seasons, before moving to Mosaic Place, now the Moose Jaw Events Centre, in the city centre in 2011. [5] [6]

The team's first few seasons in Moose Jaw saw Theoren Fleury emerge as the team's primary star—Fleury finished among the top five scorers in the WHL during his tenure with the team. Led by Fleury, Kelly Buchberger, Mike Keane, and Lyle Odelein, the Warriors made the franchise's first playoff appearance after the relocation during the 1985–86 season. [3] The team captured its first regular season division title in 2003–04. [7] In 2005–06, led by Troy Brouwer and Dustin Boyd, the Warriors followed their best regular season with their first ever trip to the championship series, in which they were swept by the Vancouver Giants. [8] In 2017–18, the Warriors captured their first Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as regular season champions with their first 50-win and 100-point season, before bowing out in the second round of the playoffs to the eventual champion Swift Current Broncos. [9] [10]

In the 2023–24 season—the Warriors' 40th in Moose Jaw—the Warriors won their first Ed Chynoweth Cup as league champions. Led by Jagger Firkus, Denton Mateychuk, and Brayden Yager, the Warriors advanced to their second league final by defeating the regular-season champion Saskatoon Blades in a seven game series that featured a WHL-record six overtime games, including the seventh and deciding game. [11] In the final, they won four straight games versus the Portland Winterhawks to secure the championship and a berth in the 2024 Memorial Cup tournament. [12] [13] At their first Memorial Cup, the Warriors advanced to the semi-final, where they were eliminated by the host and eventual champion Saginaw Spirit. [14]

Logo and uniforms

Quinton Howden with the Warriors in 2010. QuintonHowden.JPG
Quinton Howden with the Warriors in 2010.

The Warriors' original branding, based on the founding franchise in Winnipeg, featured Indigenous imagery, including a long-used logo featuring a silhouetted side-profile of a head wearing an Indigenous headdress. In 2020, in light of the Native American mascot controversy, the Warriors announced that they were reviewing their branding. [15] In 2022, the team unveiled a new brand and logo based on the city's aviation history and connection with the Royal Canadian Air Force and Snowbirds—the logo features a CT-114 Tutor jet emblazoned with the Snowbirds logo. [16] The team retained its original colour scheme featuring red, black, and white. [17]

Season-by-season record

The Warriors played out of the Moose Jaw Civic Centre--dubbed the "Crushed Can"--from 1984 until 2010. Moose Jaw Civic Centre.JPG
The Warriors played out of the Moose Jaw Civic Centre—dubbed the "Crushed Can"—from 1984 until 2010.

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

SeasonGP W L T OTLGF GA PointsFinishPlayoffs
1984–85 7221501–320438437th EastDid not qualify
1985–86 7225443–294375536th EastLost East Division semifinal
1986–87 7238313–366321794th EastLost East Division semifinal
1987–88 7218522–308458388th EastDid not qualify
1988–89 7227423–318372576th EastLost East Division semifinal
1989–90 7228413–287330598th EastDid not qualify
1990–91 7231392–336369646th EastLost East Division semifinal
1991–92 7233363–279316696th EastLost East Division quarterfinal
1992–93 7227423–277346578th EastDid not qualify
1993–94 7221483–269361459th EastDid not qualify
1994–95 7239321–315275794th EastLost East Division semifinal
1995–96 7218495–223331416th EastDid not qualify
1996–97 7236297–278240794th EastLost East Division semifinal
1997–98 72233910–235281565th EastLost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
1998–99 7239312–292262803rd EastLost Eastern Conference semifinal
1999–00 72253494221259633rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2000–01 72342945287291773rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2001–02 72303462226239683rd EastLost Eastern Conference semifinal
2002–03 723622113266208862nd EastLost Eastern Conference semifinal
2003–04 72412281209172911st EastLost Eastern Conference semifinal
2004–05 721447101182282394th EastLost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
SeasonGP W L OTL SOLGF GA PointsFinishPlayoffs
2005–06 72442053278205961st EastLost final
2006–07 72284130217271595th EastDid not qualify
2007–08 72372168229214884th EastLost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2008–09 72195012198352416th EastDid not qualify
2009–10 72332758243247784th EastLost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2010–11 72402624245240862nd EastLost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2011–12 72451962258213981st EastLost Eastern Conference final
2012–13 72253647182249614th EastDid not qualify
2013–14 72214236202283515th EastDid not qualify
2014–15 72323541221266694th EastDid not qualify
2015–16 72362772249231813rd EastLost Eastern Conference semifinal
2016–17 72422181255219932nd EastLost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2017–18 725215233262161091st EastLost Eastern Conference semifinal
2018–19 68402062234192883rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2019–20 62144440146291326th EastCancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 24813307195196th EastNo playoffs were held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 68372443251221812nd EastLost Eastern Conference semifinal
2022–23 68412403252237853rd EastLost Eastern Conference semifinal
2023–24 68442103297228912nd EastWon Championship

Championship history

The Warriors shake hands with the Saskatoon Blades after winning the 2024 Eastern Conference Championship in overtime of game 7. Blades vs Wariors 7 May 2024 2.jpg
The Warriors shake hands with the Saskatoon Blades after winning the 2024 Eastern Conference Championship in overtime of game 7.

WHL Championship

Players

NHL alumni

The following Moose Jaw Warriors alumni have played in the National Hockey League (NHL). [18]

NLL alumni

Warriors alumnus Kaleb Toth played thirteen seasons in the National Lacrosse League for the Calgary Roughnecks and Toronto Rock; he was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2022. [19]

Team records

Team records for a single season
StatisticTotalSeason
Most points109 2017–18
Most wins522017–18
Most goals for366 1986–87
Fewest points for32 2019–20
Fewest wins for14 2004–05/2019–20
Fewest goals for1462019–20
Fewest goals against172 2003–04
Most goals against458 1987–88
Individual player records for a single season
StatisticPlayerTotalSeason
Most goals Blair Atcheynum 70 1988–89
Most assists Theoren Fleury 92 1987–88
Most pointsTheoren Fleury1601987–88
Most points, rookie Mark MacKay 140 1984–85
Most points, defencemanScott Schoneck76 1998–99
Best GAA (goalie) Mike Brodeur 2.11 2003–04
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played

Awards

Bob Clarke Trophy (WHL top scorer)

Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (WHL player of the year)

WHL Playoff MVP

Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy (WHL top defenceman)

Del Wilson Trophy (WHL top goaltender)

Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy (WHL rookie of the year)

Doc Seaman Trophy (WHL scholastic player of the year)

Brad Hornung Trophy (WHL most sportsmanlike)

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Smith, Marc (September 25, 2015). "Moose Jaw Hockey History Honoured". Discover Moose Jaw. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "WHL History". Western Hockey League. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Lapp, Richard M.; White, Silas (1993). Local Heroes: A History of the Western Hockey League . Madeira Park, British Columbia: Harbour Publishing. pp. 117–118. ISBN   1-55017-080-5.
  4. ↑ "Winnipeg Warriors". WHL Arena Guide. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Moose Jaw Civic Centre". National Trust for Canada . Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Moose Jaw complex gets corporate name". CBC News . August 11, 2011. Archived from the original on October 24, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Moose Jaw Warriors History". Moose Jaw Warriors. May 16, 2024. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023.
  8. ↑ Palmer, Randy (April 21, 2024). "Warriors looking forward to showdown with Blades in Eastern Conference final". Moose Jaw Today. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  9. ↑ Smith, Marc (March 13, 2018). "Warriors Clinch Scotty Munro Trophy; Willms Breaks Record". Discover Moose Jaw. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  10. ↑ McCurdy, Bruce (May 9, 2018). "Netminder Stuart Skinner the latest of Edmonton Oilers' promising 2017 draft class to bid for an NHL contract". Edmonton Journal . Archived from the original on May 10, 2018. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Warriors advance to first WHL final in 18 years with 3-2 OT win over Blades". CBC News. The Canadian Press. May 8, 2024. Archived from the original on May 12, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  12. ↑ McLernon, Will (May 16, 2024). "Moose Jaw Warriors win first WHL championship in 40-year franchise history". CBC News. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  13. ↑ Kirshenblatt, Adam (May 23, 2024). "Moose Jaw brings star power in first Memorial Cup appearance". The Sports Network . Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  14. ↑ Palmer, Randy (May 31, 2024). "Warriors see magical season come an end with loss in Memorial Cup semifinal". Moose Jaw Today. Archived from the original on June 1, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  15. ↑ Hanna, Claire (October 1, 2020). "Moose Jaw Warriors to review use of Indigenous images in logo". CTV News . Archived from the original on October 4, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  16. ↑ "After review of logo, Moose Jaw Warriors unveil new Snowbirds inspired theme". Sportsnet . Associated Press. July 5, 2022. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Warriors reveal new brand logo". Discover Moose Jaw. July 5, 2022. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  18. ↑ Legends of Hockey player search
  19. ↑ Smith, Marc (December 2, 2022). "Alumni Report: Kaleb Toth enters Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame". Canadian Hockey League. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
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