Okotoks Bisons

Last updated

Okotoks Bisons
Okotoks Bisons official logo.jpg
City Okotoks, Alberta, Canada
League Heritage Junior B Hockey League
DivisionSouth
Founded1985 (1985)–86
Home arenaMurray Arena
ColoursNavy Blue, red, white
   
General manager Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Ryan Rarick
Head coach Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Brad Cobb
Website www.okotoksbisons.com/
Franchise history
1985–1990Okotoks 85ers
1990–2002Foothills Bisons
2002–presentOkotoks Bisons

The Okotoks Bisons are a junior "B" ice hockey team based in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the South Division of the Heritage Junior B Hockey League (HJHL). They play their home games at Murray Arena.

Contents

History

Division titles won: 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2022, 2023, 2024
League Championships won: 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2022, 2023, 2024
Alberta Provincial entries: 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2022, 2023, 2024
Alberta Provincial titles: 2013, 2024
Keystone Cup titles: none

Founded in 1985, the Bisons were originally known as the Okotoks 85ers and played in the Southern Alberta Junior Hockey League. They moved to the Calgary Junior Hockey League in 1989 – changing to the Foothills Bisons one year later – before settling in the Heritage Junior B Hockey League (HJHL) in 1991.

The Bison’s have been the most successful franchise in HJHL history, earning 20 League Final Appearances, 17 1st Place Finishes, 14 HJHL Playoff Championships, 10 Provincial Medals and 1 Western Canadian Championship Medal. The program is also seen as one of the best across Canada with recent national rankings of #1 in 2023-24, #2 2022-23 & #4 in 2021-22.

The Bison’s were at their all-time high between 2011 and 2014 where they made league history by being the first and only team since to win four consecutive league titles in the HJHL. A feat they had come close to in 2001–2003 winning three consecutively. Today, the Bison’s look to capture their fourth consecutive league championships as they have most recently been crowned League Champs in 2022, 2023 & 2024.


Season-by-season record

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

SeasonGPWLTOTLPtsGFGAPIMFinishPlayoffs
1995–9637333167304971st, OverallHJHL Champions
1996–9736306602331101st, OverallHJHL Champions
1997–983725120502241544th, OverallLost in Semifinals
1998–99372782562141163rd, OverallLost in Finals
1999–00373232663061222nd, OverallLost in Semifinals
2000–01373052622851152nd, OverallHJHL Champions
2001–02383071612311162nd, OverallHJHL Champions
2002–0336306060207761st, SouthHJHL Champions
2003–04363321067241751st, South Lost in Finals
2004–05373331067314901st, SouthHJHL Champions
2005–063836101733527414061st, SouthHJHL Champions, 2–0 (Vipers)
2006–0736304116221011214861st, SouthLost Round Robin Finals, 1–3 (Wranglers)
2007–08362110144716613212254th, SouthLost semifinals, 3–4 (Generals)
2008–09361912234319413511223rd, SouthLost semifinals, 3–4 (Generals)
2009–103629223631788311001st, SouthLost semifinals, 1–3 (Vipers)
2010–1136251100501721039951st, SouthHJHL Champions, 2–1 (Wranglers)
2011–123831610632621301st, SouthHJHL Champions, vs. (Thrashers)
Russ Barnes Trophy
Alberta Silver Medal
2012–13383322169223951st, SouthHJHL Champions, 3–0 (Vipers)
Russ Barnes Trophy – Alberta Champion
Keystone Cup – Bronze Medal
2013–14362691531651161st, SouthHJHL Champions, 3–2 (Wranglers)
Russ Barnes Trophy
eliminated pool round
2014–15382313248162123 ?3rd, SouthWon Div. Qualifier, 0–2 (Academy Bears)
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–0 (Generals)
Lost Div. Finals, 0–4 (Copperheads)
2015–16382990582141192nd, SouthLost div. semi-finals, 2–4 (Copperheads)
2016–17382611153194135 2nd of 7, South
4 of 14, HJHL
Lost div. semi-finals, 3–4 (Copperheads)
2017–18362410250179115 2nd of 7, South
3 of 13, HJHL
Div. Quarterfinals — bye
Won Div. Semifinals, 3–0 (Generals)
Lost Div. Finals, 1–4 (Copperheads)
2018–193827743817193 2nd of 7, South
4 of 14, HJHL
Lost div. semi-finals, 1–4 (Generals)
2019–2038352171232841st of 7, South
1st of 14, HJHL
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–0 (Flyers)
Incomplete Div. Finals, 2–1 (Generals)
2020–2133006184Remaining season lost to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–2236332167248671st of 7, South
1st of 14, HJHL
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–1 (Wheat Kings)
Won Division Finals 4–2 (Cubs)
Won League Finals 3–0 (Generals)
HJBHL CHAMPIONS
Advance to Russ Barnes Championships
2022–2338353070188761st of 6, South
1st of 14, HJHL
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–0 (Wheat Kings)
Won Division Finals 4–0 (Cubs)
Won League Finals 3–0 (Wranglers)
HJBHL CHAMPIONS
Host Russ Barnes Championships
2023–2438343169185681st of 6, South
1st of 13, HJHL
Won Quarterfinals, 3-1 (Flyers)
Won Semifinals 3–0 (Rams)
Won League Finals 4-2
(Wranglers)
HJBHL CHAMPIONS
Advance to Russ Barnes Championships

Russ Barnes Trophy

Alberta Jr B Provincial Championships

YearRound RobinRecordStandingSemifinalBronze Medal GameGold Medal Game
2003 W, St. Paul Canadiens 5–2
W, Calgary Royal Gold 3–1
W, Spruce Grove Regals 6–3
3–0–0n/aL, Fort St. John Huskies 1–3 W, Lloydminster Bandits 7–5
Bronze Medalists
n/a
2005 L, North Peace Navigators 2–4
W, Calgary Bruins 7–0
T, Beverly Warriors 4–4
1–1–1n/aL, Calgary Stampeders 4–6 L, North Peace Navigators 1–3n/a
2006 W, N Edmonton Red Wings 5–3
W, Calgary Stampeders 6–2
T, Grande Prairie Wheelers 6–6
2–0–1n/aL, Red Deer Vipers 2–3 W, N Edmonton Red Wings 5–4
Bronze Medalists
n/a
2011 L, North Peace Navigators 6–8
L, Beaumont Chiefs 3–6
W, Calgary Blazers 4–2
1–2–0n/aDid not qualifyn/an/a
2012 L, Whitecourt Wolverines 3–4
W, Spruce Grove Regals 2–3
W, Killam 6–0
1–2–0n/aW, Edmonton Royals 5–2 n/a L, Whitecourt Wolverines 1–5
'Silver Medalists
2013 T, Wainwright Bisons, 2–2
W, Sherwood Park Knights, 6–2
W, Calgary Rangers, 7–1
2–0–1n/a W, Red Deer Vipers, 7–2 n/a W, Sherwood Park Knights, 8–4
GOLD MEDALIST
Advance to Keystone Cup
2022 W, Wainwright Bisons, 4–0
T, Sherwood Park Knights, 6–6
W, CBHA Rangers, 2–0
2–0–11st of 4 Pool BL, Fort St. John Huskies 2–5W, Sherwood Park Knights 5–2
Bronze Medalists
n/a
2023
HOST
W, Fort St. John Huskies, 5–4
W, Sylvan Lake Wranglers, 4–0
W, Sherwood Park Knights, 6–3
L, Wainwright Bisons 4–5
3–1–11st of 6no semi'sn/aL, Wainwright Bisons 1–3
Silver Medalists
2024 W, St. Albert Merchants, 6-5
L, La Crete Lumber Barons, 1-5
W, North Peace Navigators, 5-3
W, Wainwright Bisons, 4-3
3-1–02nd of 6n/an/aWon 6-3
La Crete Lumber Barons
Gold Medalists

Awards and trophies

HJHL Championship

ALBERTA Championship

See also

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