Steinbach Pistons

Steinbach Pistons
City	Steinbach, Manitoba
League	Manitoba Junior Hockey League
Division	East
Founded	1988
Home arena	HyLife Centre
Colours	Navy blue, blue, white
Owner(s)	Steinbach Pistons, Inc.
General manager	Paul Dyck
Head coach	Paul Dyck
Media	www.SteinbachOnline.com AM Radio 1250 Mix 96.7 FM Country 107.7 FM
Website	www.steinbachpistons.ca
Franchise history
1988-1991	Southeast Thunderbirds
1991-1992	Southeast T-Birds
1992-2007	Southeast Blades
2007-2009	Beausejour Blades
2009-Present	Steinbach Pistons

The Steinbach Pistons are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada. They are members of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, which is a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League.

History

Southeast Thunderbirds/T-Birds/Blades

The MJHL granted an expansion team to the Southeast Tribal Council, a group of First Nation bands in southeastern Manitoba, to begin play in the 1988–89 season. The team was known as the Southeast Thunderbirds and played out of the Notre Dame Arena in Winnipeg. The team was renamed the Southeast Blades in 1992. After taking a leave of absence for the 1996–97 season, the Blades moved northeast of Winnipeg to Sagkeeng First Nation. The Blades played ten seasons in Sagkeeng, the most successful being the 2002–03 season when they advanced to the Turnbull Cup finals which they lost to the OCN Blizzard.

Beausejour Blades

The Beausejour Blades were formed in 2007 following the sale and relocation of the team to the Sun Gro Centre in Beausejour. The move did not improve the team's fortunes; the Blades managed to win only 13 games over the two seasons of their existence. ^[1]

Steinbach Pistons

During the 2009 Allan Cup in Steinbach, Manitoba, the City of Steinbach, together with Blades management, announced that the team would be relocating to the T.G. Smith Centre in Steinbach for the 2009–10 MJHL season. ^[2] The team was renamed the Steinbach Pistons, in recognition of the city's reputation as "The Automobile City". ^[3] Steinbach was previously home to a MJHL team called the Hawks from 1985 to 1988. ^{[1] [4]}

Despite the team's improved record after the move to Steinbach, the Pistons failed to qualify for the playoffs in each of their first three seasons. ^[5] The team's continued poor performance and strained financial position spurred a group of investors from the local business community to purchase the Pistons in 2012 and convert it to a community-owned organization. ^{[6] [7]} The next season, the Pistons ended the franchise's ten year playoff drought and captured their first Turnbull Cup.

The Pistons enjoyed their best season in 2017-2018 when the team won its second Turnbull Cup, defeated the Nipawin Hawks to win the ANAVET Cup, and qualified for the 2018 Royal Bank Cup. ^[4]

Season-by-season record

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

Season	GP	W	L	T	OTL	GF	GA	Points	Finish	Playoffs
1988-89	48	1	47	0	-	177	449	2	9th MJHL	DNQ
1989-90	52	20	31	1	-	282	342	41	8th MJHL	Lost Round 1
1990-91	48	8	38	2	-	216	347	18	9th MJHL	DNQ
1991-92	48	2	46	0	0	106	453	4	9th MJHL	DNQ
1992-93	48	16	29	3	0	224	307	35	9th MJHL	DNQ
1993-94	56	10	34	1	1	--	--	22	9th MJHL	DNQ
1994-95	55	21	30	1	3	196	271	46	8th MJHL	Lost Round 1
1995-96	56	5	49	2	0	144	404	12	9th MJHL	Lost Round 1
1996-97	Did Not Participate
1997-98	62	20	38	2	2	231	300	44	10th MJHL	DNQ
1998-99	61	21	38	2	0	234	265	44	8th MJHL	DNQ
1999-00	64	29	26	-	9	282	285	67	8th MJHL	DNQ
2000-01	64	7	55	-	2	160	405	16	12th MJHL	DNQ
2001-02	64	23	36	-	5	202	286	51	10th MJHL	DNQ
2002-03	63	40	18	-	5	265	210	85	5th MJHL	Lost final
2003-04	64	12	50	0	2	184	389	26	11th MJHL	DNQ
2004-05	63	7	50	2	4	165	331	20	11th MJHL	DNQ
2005-06	63	18	34	5	6	198	293	47	9th MJHL	DNQ
2006-07	63	9	46	5	3	181	356	26	11th MJHL	DNQ
2007-08	62	7	50	-	5	165	400	19	11th MJHL	DNQ
2008-09	62	6	52	-	4	147	424	16	11th MJHL	DNQ
2009-10	62	13	43	-	6	185	308	32	11th MJHL	DNQ
2010-11	62	19	40	-	3	203	277	41	11th MJHL	DNQ
2011-12	62	15	41	-	6	188	319	36	10th MJHL	DNQ
2012-13	60	31	25	-	4	224	211	66	5th MJHL	Won League
2013-14	60	42	16	-	2	216	147	86	2nd MJHL	Lost semi-final
2014-15	60	39	14	-	7	218	150	85	2nd MJHL	Lost final
2015-16	60	45	10	-	5	251	138	95	2nd MJHL	Lost final
2016-17	60	49	10	-	1	249	124	99	1st MJHL	Lost semi-final
2017-18	60	48	8	-	4	296	130	100	1st MJHL	Won League, won AC
2018-19	60	34	17	-	4	197	127	82	3rd MJHL	Lost semi-final
2019-20	60	42	10	-	8	219	138	92	1st MJHL	Won quarter-final
2020-21	7	5	1	-	1	29	12	11	3rd MJHL	Cancelled
2021-22	54	42	9	-	3	239	122	87	1st MJHL	Lost final
2022-23	58	42	15	-	1	227	139	85	2nd MJHL	Won League
2023–24	58	47	8	-	3	224	103	97	1st of 7 East 1st of 13 MJHL	Won Div Semi 4-0 Niverville Nighthawks Won Semifinal 4-3 ONC Storm Lost Finals 0-4 Winkler Flyers

Playoffs

• 1989 DNQ
• 1990 Lost div semi-final

Kildonan North Stars defeated Southeast Thunderbirds 4-games-to-none

• 1991 DNQ
• 1992 DNQ
• 1993 DNQ
• 1994 Lost div semi-final

St. Boniface Saints defeated Southeast Blades 4-games-to-1

• 1995 Lost div semi-final

St. Boniface Saints defeated Southeast Blades 4-games-to-none

• 1996 DNQ
• 1997 Did Not Participate
• 1998 DNQ
• 1999 DNQ
• 2000 DNQ
• 2001 DNQ
• 2002 DNQ
• 2003 Lost final

Southeast Blades defeated Winkler Flyers 4-games-to-3

Southeast Blades defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-1

OCN Blizzard defeated Southeast Blades 4-games-to-none

• 2004 DNQ
• 2005 DNQ
• 2006 DNQ
• 2007 DNQ
• 2008 DNQ
• 2009 DNQ
• 2010 DNQ
• 2011 DNQ
• 2012 DNQ
• 2013 Won League, lost in 2013 Western Canada Cup round robin

Steinbach Pistons defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3

Steinbach Pistons defeated Winnipeg Blues 4-games-to-2

Steinbach Pistons defeated Dauphin Kings 4-games-to-2MJHL CHAMPIONS

Fifth and eliminated from 2013 Western Canada Cup round robin (0-4)

• 2014 Lost division final

Steinbach Pistons defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-3

Winnipeg Blues defeated Steinbach Pistons 4-games-to-1

• 2015 Lost final

Steinbach Pistons defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-0

Steinbach Pistons defeated Winnipeg Blues 4-games-to-1

Portage Terriers defeated Steinbach Pistons 4-games-to-0

• 2016 Lost final

Steinbach Pistons defeated Swan Valley Stampeders 4-games-to-0

Steinbach Pistons defeated Winkler Flyers 4-games-to-3

Portage Terriers defeated Steinbach Pistons 4-games-to-1

• 2017 Lost semi-final

Steinbach Pistons defeated Neepawa Natives 4-games-to-2

Portage Terriers defeated Steinbach Pistons 4-games-to-2

• 2018 Won League, won ANAVET Cup

Steinbach Pistons defeated Swan Valley Stampeders 4-games-to-0

Steinbach Pistons defeated Winnipeg Blues 4-games-to-2

Steinbach Pistons defeated Virden Oil Capitals 4-games-to-2MJHL CHAMPIONS

Steinbach Pistons defeated Nipawin Hawks 4-games-to-2ANAVET CUP CHAMPIONS

Fifth and eliminated from 2018 Royal Bank Cup round robin (0-2-2)

• 2019 Lost semi-final

Steinbach Pistons defeated Winnipeg Blues 4-games-to-2

Swan Valley Stampeders defeated Steinbach Pistons 4-games-to-2

• 2020 Won quarter-final

Steinbach Pistons defeated Winnipeg Blues 4-games-to-0

Remainder of season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic ^[8]

• 2021 Playoffs cancelled ^[9]
• 2022

Steinbach Pistons defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-1

Steinbach Pistons defeated Virden Oil Capitals 4-games-to-2

Dauphin Kings defeated Steinbach Pistons 4-games-to-3

• 2023 Won League

Steinbach Pistons defeated Winkler Flyers 4-games-to-3

Steinbach Pistons defeated Swan Valley Stampeders 4-games-to-2

Steinbach Pistons defeated Virden Oil Capitals 4-games-to-1MJHL CHAMPIONS

Head coaches

The following is a list of the franchise's head coaches:

• Wayne Babych, 1988-90
• Rick Buffie, 1990-91
• Bob Cook, 1991-92
• Gord Malinoski, 1992
• Don MacGillivray, 1992-93
• David Roulston, 1993-95
• Dan Gregovski, 1995
• Dan Bourbonnais, 1996
• Bruce Schmidt, 1997-99
• Heavy Evason, 1999-2000
• Kelly Zacharias, 2000
• Steve Brown, 2000-01
• Jamie Leach, 2001-03
• Troy Kennedy, 2003-04
• Lyle Loewen, 2004-05
• Ray Neufeld, 2005-07
• Jamie Watts, 2007
• Kurt Walsten, 2007-09
• Rich Gosselin, 2009-11
• Paul Dyck, 2011-present

Gallery

• 
  Beausejour Blades logo 2007-2009
• 
  Steinbach Pistons logo 2012-2020

See also

• List of ice hockey teams in Manitoba

References

1. "Blades cut ties with Beausejour for Steinbach". Winnipeg Free Press. 15 April 2009.
2. "Steinbach welcomes MJHL". MJHL. 14 April 2009. Archived from the original on April 22, 2009. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
3. "MJHL welcomes the Steinbach Pistons". Hockey Manitoba. 1 May 2019.
4. "Steinbach Pistons pumped". Winnipeg Sun. 18 April 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
5. Jeremy St. Louis (15 Dec 2011). "Rich Gosselin Resigns From Pistons". SteinbachOnline.com. Retrieved 2011-12-16.
6. "City Council Applauds Local Ownership Of Pistons". Steinbachonline.com. 8 August 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-08.
7. "Steinbach Pistons Sold". Winnipeg Sun. 8 August 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-08.
8. "MJHL COVID-19 Update: 2020 MJHL Playoffs". MJHL. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
9. "MJHL cancels remainder for the 2020-21 season". Discover Westman. February 12, 2021.

Further reading

• Dankochik, Cassidy (8 May 2023). "May 2023: Pistons set to play in La Broquerie next season". The Carillon. Retrieved 5 August 2024.

• Olifirowich, Lexi (25 February 2024). "HyLife Centre ice plant getting replaced after 40+ years of use". SteinbachOnline. Retrieved 5 August 2024.

• Dankochik, Cassidy (28 August 2023). "Pistons set to embrace La Broquerie this season". The Carillon. Retrieved 5 August 2024.

• Dankochik, Cassidy (8 June 2023). "Centennial Arena remembered by residents as aging building is torn down". The Carillon. Retrieved 5 August 2024.

• Gareau, Chris (22 February 2024). "HyLife Centre gets $1.28-million ice plant replacement". The Carillon. Retrieved 5 August 2024.

• Anthony, Dave (4 June 2024). "Pistons announce details of planned first game in new arena". SteinbachOnline. Retrieved 21 September 2024.

External links

• Steinbach Pistons website
• Steinbach Pistons season statistics and records at The Internet Hockey Database
• Steinbach Pistons win over OCN