| River East Royal Knights | |
|---|---|
| City | Winnipeg, Manitoba  |
| League | Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Home arena | Terry Sawchuk Memorial Arena |
| Colours | Away: Black, Purple, White Home: White, Gold, Purple |
| Owner(s) | Barry Bonni |
| General manager | Barry Bonni |
| Head coach | Blake Bonni |
The River East Royal Knights are a junior ice hockey team in the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League. Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, the Royal Knights play their home games at Terry Sawchuk Memorial Arena.
Formed in 1972 as the East Kildonan Knights, president and part owner John Haasbeek (who led a group that bought the team in 1977) folded the team in April 1981 after operating it for four seasons. Haasbeek was then approached by Barry Bonni (2017 Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame inductee) about keeping a team in the area. The two worked together and formed the new River East Royal Knights for the 1981-82 MMJHL season. [1]
After three straight seasons by the E.K. Knights of finishing third in the league standings the Royal Knights captured the Jack McKenzie Trophy in their very first season. The team won four consecutive league titles from 1987 to 1990 and again in 1993 and 2001. [2]
The Royal Knights have been to the league finals twelve times while claiming the Art Moug Trophy (regular season winner) seven times in team history.
| Season | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972-73 | 17 | 16 | 2 | --- | 36 | 4th of 8 | |
| 1973-74 | 11 | 17 | 7 | --- | 29 | 7th of 8 | |
| 1974-75 | 17 | 15 | 5 | --- | 39 | 5th of 8 | |
| 1975-76 | 13 | 19 | 4 | --- | 30 | 6th of 8 | |
| 1976-77 | 18 | 17 | 7 | --- | 43 | 4th of 7 | |
| 1977-78 | 27 | 13 | 2 | --- | 57 | 3rd of 8 | |
| 1978-79 | 25 | 10 | 7 | --- | 57 | 3rd of 8 | |
| 1979-80 | 22 | 19 | 1 | --- | 45 | 3rd of 8 | |
| 1980-81 | 27 | 15 | 0 | --- | 54 | 3rd of 8 | |
| 1981-82 | 22 | 20 | 0 | --- | 44 | 4th of 8 | League champion |
| 1982-83 | 25 | 16 | 1 | --- | 51 | 2nd of 8 | |
| 1983-84 | 18 | 20 | 2 | --- | 38 | 6th of 9 | |
| 1984-85 | 20 | 20 | 0 | --- | 40 | 5th of 9 | |
| 1985-86 | 19 | 19 | 4 | --- | 42 | 5th of 8 | |
| 1986-87 | 28 | 13 | 0 | --- | 56 | 1st of 8 | League champion |
| 1987-88 | 34 | 6 | 2 | --- | 70 | 1st of 8 | League champion |
| 1988-89 | 37 | 3 | 2 | --- | 76 | 1st of 8 | League champion |
| 1989-90 | 35 | 6 | 1 | --- | 71 | 1st of 8 | League champion |
| 1990-91 | 24 | 17 | 1 | --- | 49 | 6th of 8 | |
| 1991-92 | 28 | 14 | 0 | --- | 56 | 3rd of 8 | |
| 1992-93 | 33 | 9 | 0 | --- | 66 | 1st of 8 | League champion |
| 1993-94 | 33 | 8 | 1 | --- | 67 | 1st of 8 | |
| 1994-95 | 33 | 9 | 0 | --- | 66 | 1st of 8 | |
| 1995-96 | 28 | 13 | 1 | --- | 57 | 3rd of 8 | |
| 1996-97 | 13 | 28 | 1 | --- | 27 | 8th of 8 | |
| 1997-98 | 25 | 15 | 2 | --- | 52 | 2nd of 8 | |
| 1998-99 | 22 | 19 | 1 | --- | 45 | 4th of 8 | |
| 1999-00 | 19 | 21 | 2 | --- | 40 | 6th of 8 | |
| 2000-01 | 19 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 45 | 3rd of 8 | League champion |
| 2001-02 | 31 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 64 | 2nd of 10 | |
| 2002-03 | 36 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 76 | 2nd of 10 | |
| 2003-04 | 24 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 51 | 3rd of 10 | |
| 2004-05 | 25 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 53 | 4th of 10 | |
| 2005-06 | 27 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 56 | 3rd of 10 | |
| 2006-07 | 24 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 52 | 4th of 10 | |
| 2007-08 | 25 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 55 | 5th of 10 | |
| 2008-09 | 21 | 17 | --- | 7 | 49 | 7th of 10 | |
| 2009-10 | 20 | 22 | --- | 3 | 43 | 6th of 10 | |
| 2010-11 | 11 | 31 | --- | 3 | 25 | 9th of 10 | |
| 2011-12 | 9 | 25 | --- | 6 | 24 | 8th of 9 | |
| 2012-13 | 22 | 19 | --- | 4 | 48 | 5th of 10 | |
| 2013-14 | 21 | 18 | --- | 6 | 48 | 5th of 10 | |
| 2014-15 | 23 | 19 | --- | 3 | 49 | 6th of 10 | |
| 2015-16 | 18 | 22 | --- | 5 | 41 | 9th of 10 | DNQ |
| 2016-17 | 6 | 39 | --- | 0 | 12 | 10th of 10 | DNQ |
| 2017-18 | 2 | 41 | --- | 2 | 6 | 10th of 10 | DNQ |
| 2018-19 | 3 | 40 | --- | 2 | 8 | 10th of 10 | DNQ |
| 2019-20 | 4 | 36 | --- | 5 | 13 | 10th of 10 | DNQ |
| 2020-21 | 0 | 4 | - | 0 | 0 | Covid | |
| 2021-22 | 20 | 25 | - | 0 | 40 | 7th of 10 | Lost Quarters 1-4 (Transcona) |
| 2022-23 | 28 | 14 | - | 3 | 59 | 2nd of 10 | Lost Quarters 1-4 (Transcona) |
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