Spruce Grove Saints

Last updated
Spruce Grove Saints
City Spruce Grove, Alberta
League British Columbia Hockey League
DivisionNorth
Founded1963 (1963)
Home arenaGrant Fuhr Arena
ColoursBlue, white and gold
   
Owner(s)Silent Ice (Dan Leckelt, Lindsay Leckelt, Ryan Smyth)
General managerRob Sklaruk
Head coachRyan Marsh
Website sprucegrovesaints.ca
Franchise history
1963–1965Edmonton Canadians
1965–1972Edmonton Movers
1972–1974Edmonton Mets
1974–1977Spruce Grove Mets
1977–2004 St. Albert Saints
2004–presentSpruce Grove Saints
Previous franchise history
1963–1972Edmonton Maple Leafs

The Spruce Grove Saints are a junior A ice hockey team in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play in Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada, with home games at Grant Fuhr Arena. The team was originally a member of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), but joined the British Columbia Hockey League on February 1, 2024.

Contents

History

Prior to their 2024 departure, the Saints' franchise was the only franchise remaining from the inception of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). The franchise began as the Edmonton Movers in 1963 before it merged with the Edmonton Maple Leafs organization to become the Edmonton Mets for the 1972–73 season. It then relocated to Spruce Grove as the Spruce Grove Mets for the 1974–75 season. During its first stint in Spruce Grove, the Mets won the 1975 Centennial Cup as Canadian Jr. A national champions and two league championships. After three years in Spruce Grove, the franchise relocated again to nearby St. Albert to become the St. Albert Saints in 1977. The franchise captured four AJHL championships during its time in St. Albert.

After 27 years in St. Albert, arena issues caused the franchise to return to Spruce Grove as the Spruce Grove Saints in 2004. Since returning to Spruce Grove, the team has won five AJHL playoff championships and five regular season titles, but have not advanced to the National Junior A Championship after failing to advance past the Doyle Cup or Western Canada Cup qualifiers.

On January 20, 2024, it was announced that the team, along with four other AJHL teams, would join the BCHL in the 2024-2025 season. [1]

Over 50 former Saints' players have gone on to play in the National Hockey League, including Mark Messier, Stu Barnes, Mike Comrie, and Steven Reinprecht.

Season-by-season record

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

SeasonGPWLT/OTLPtsGFGAFinishPlayoffs
2004–056442166902081472nd NorthWon Preliminary series, 3–0 vs. Lloydminster Blazers
Lost Quarterfinals, 2–4 vs. Drayton Valley Thunder
2005–066039183811971603rd NorthWon Preliminary series, 3–0 vs. Fort Saskatchewan Traders
Won Quarterfinals, 4–3 vs. Drayton Valley Thunder
Lost Semifinals, 2–4 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
2006–076032208722131863rd NorthWon Preliminary series, 3–2 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
Lost Quarterfinals, 1–4 vs. Grande Prairie Storm
2007–0862341612802482033rd NorthWon Preliminary series, 3–0 vs. Lloydminster Bobcats
Won Quarterfinals, 4–3 vs. Grande Prairie Storm
Lost Semifinals, 1–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
2008–096246791012741391st NorthWon Div. Semifinals, 4–1 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Won Div. Finals, 4–0 vs. Olds Grizzlys
Lost AJHL Finals, 0–4 vs. Grande Prairie Storm
2009–10605244108252991st NorthWon Div. Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
Won Div. Finals, 4–1 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
Won AJHL Championship, 4–3 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Lost Doyle Cup, 3–4 vs. Vernon Vipers (BCHL)
2010–116048841002331061st NorthWon Div. Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Lloydminster Bobcats
Won Div. Finals, 4–0 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Won AJHL Championship, 4–1 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
Lost Doyle Cup, 3–4 vs. Vernon Vipers (BCHL)
2011–126046681002141291st NorthWon Div. Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Drayton Valley Thunder
Lost Div. Finals, 3–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
2012–136035169791811571st NorthWon Div. Semifinals, 4–2 vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders
Won Div. Finals, 4–1 vs. Whitecourt Wolverines
Lost AJHL Finals, 1–4 vs. Brooks Bandits
2013–146047103972351351st NorthWon Div. Semifinals, 4–3 vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders
Won Div. Finals, 4–3 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Won AJHL Championship, 4–0 vs. Drumheller Dragons
Did not advance in 2014 Western Canada Cup
2014–156048751012541211st NorthWon Div. Semifinals, 4–2 vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders
Won Div. Finals, 4–2 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
Won AJHL Championship, 4–2 vs. Brooks Bandits
Did not advance in 2015 Western Canada Cup
2015–166049741012631231st NorthWon Div. Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders
Won Div. Finals, 4–1 vs. Lloydminster Bobcats
Lost AJHL Finals, 1–4 vs. Brooks Bandits
2016–176040182821981453rd NorthWon Div. Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Drayton Valley Thunder
Lost Div. Semifinals, 3–4 vs. Whitecourt Wolverines
2017–186047103972621381st of 8, North
2nd of 16, AJHL
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Grande Prairie Storm
Won Div. Finals, 4–0 vs. Whitecourt Wolverines
Won AJHL Championship, 4–1 vs. Okotoks Oilers
Lost Doyle Cup, 4–1 vs. Wenatchee Wild (BCHL)
2018–196040173832041413rd of 8, North
4th of 16, AJHL
Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–1 vs. Drayton Valley Thunder
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
Won Div. Finals, 4–2 vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders
Lost AJHL Finals, 4–0 vs. Brooks Bandits
2019–205843132882461552nd of 8, North
4th of 15, AJHL
Won Div. Quarterfinals, 4–2 vs. Grande Prairie Storm
Postseason cancelled

Western Canada Cup

The Western Canada Cup was a postseason tournament between the playoff champions of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), and a previously selected host team from one of the leagues. It ran from 2013 to 2017 with the top two teams qualifying for the Royal Bank Cup Junior A national championship tournament. It replaced the Doyle Cup, which had been the qualifier for the AJHL and BCHL champions, and the ANAVET Cup, which had been the qualifier for the MJHL and SJHL champions. The qualifying system reverted the Doyle and ANAVET Cups in 2018.

The tournament began with round-robin play between the five team followed by the top two teams playing in championship game and the third and fourth place teams playing in a semifinal game. The loser of the championship game then faced the winner of the semifinal game for the runner-up qualifier. The winner of the championship and the runner-up game advanced to the Royal Bank Cup.

YearRound-robinRecordStandingSemifinalChampionship gameRunner-up game
2014 L, 2–4 vs. Dauphin Kings (Host)
L, 1–3 vs. Coquitlam Express (BCHL)
OTW, 3–2 vs. Yorkton Terriers (SJHL)
W, 5–3 vs. Winnipeg Blues (MJHL)
2–2–0
(W–L–OTL)
3rd of 5W, 5–3 vs. Coquitlam ExpressL, 2–4 vs. Dauphin Kings
2015 L, 3–11 vs. Penticton Vees (BCHL)
OTL, 3–4 vs. Melfort Mustangs (SJHL)
L, 4–5 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons (Host)
L, 2–4 vs. Portage Terriers (MJHL)
0–4
(W–L)
5th of 5Did not advance

See also

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References

  1. "BCHL agrees to terms with five Alberta-based teams". bchl.ca. Retrieved 20 January 2024.