The following is a list of ice hockey teams in British Columbia , past and present. It includes the league(s) they play for, and championships won.
Team | City | Established | Stanley Cups | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Vancouver Canucks | Vancouver | 1970 | 0 |
Team | City | Existed | League Titles | Stanley Cups | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New Westminster Royals | New Westminster | 1911-14 | 1 | 0 | |
Vancouver Millionaires | Vancouver | 1911-24 | 6 | 1 | Became Maroons in 1922; Joined WCHL in 1924 |
Victoria Aristocrats | Victoria | 1911-16, 18-24 | 2 | 0 | Became Cougars in 1923; Joined WCHL in 1924 |
Team | City | Existed | League titles | Stanley Cups |
---|---|---|---|---|
Vancouver Maroons | Vancouver | 1924–1926 | 0 | 0 |
Victoria Cougars | Victoria | 1924–1926 | 2 | 1 |
Team | City | Existed | Avco Cups | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Vancouver Blazers | Vancouver | 1973-75 | 0 | Founded in 1972 as the Miami Screaming Eagles; Became Calgary Cowboys in 1975 |
Team | City | Existed | Calder Cups | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Abbotsford Heat | Abbotsford | 2009-14 | 0 | Previously the Quad City Flames; became Adirondack Flames |
Abbotsford Canucks | Abbotsford | 2021-present | 0 | Previously the Utica Comets |
Team | City | Existed | Kelly Cups | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Victoria Salmon Kings | Victoria | 2004-11 | 0 | Founded in 1988 as the Erie Panthers |
Team | City | Existed | Lester Patrick Cups | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
New Westminster Royals | New Westminster | 1945-52 | 1 | Joined Western Hockey League (WHL) in 1952. |
Vancouver Canucks | Vancouver | 1945-52 | 2 | Joined Western Hockey League (WHL) in 1952. |
Victoria Cougars | Victoria | 1949-52 | 1 | Joined Western Hockey League (WHL) in 1952. |
Victoria Cubs | Victoria | 1928-30 | 0 | Just before the 1929-1930 season a fire destroyed their home arena and the Cubs played all 18 scheduled home games on the road, divided between Vancouver, BC and Seattle, WA. [1] Moved to Tacoma, WA and became the Tacoma Tigers for the 1930-31 season, then folded. |
Team | City | Existed | Lester Patrick Cups |
---|---|---|---|
New Westminster Royals | New Westminster | 1952–1959 | 0 |
Vancouver Canucks | Vancouver | 1952–1970 | 4 |
Victoria Cougars | Victoria | 1952–1961 | 0 |
Victoria Maple Leafs | Victoria | 1964–1967 | 1 |
Current teams
Team | City | Established | Ed Chynoweth Cups | Memorial Cups | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kamloops Blazers | Kamloops | 1981 | 6 | 3 | Established in 1966 as the Estevan Bruins |
Kelowna Rockets | Kelowna | 1995 | 3 | 1 | Established in 1991 as the Tacoma Rockets |
Prince George Cougars | Prince George | 1994 | 0 | 0 | Established in 1971 as the Victoria Cougars |
Vancouver Giants | Vancouver | 2001 | 1 | 1 | |
Victoria Royals | Victoria | 2011 | 0 | 0 | Established in 2006 as the Chiliwack Bruins |
Former teams
Team | City | Existed | President's Cups | Memorial Cups | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chilliwack Bruins | Chilliwack | 2006-11 | 0 | 0 | Became the Victoria Royals in 2011 |
Kamloops Chiefs | Kamloops | 1973-77 | 0 | 0 | Founded in 1971 as the Vancouver Nats; Became the Seattle Breakers in 1977 |
Kelowna Wings | Kelowna | 1982-85 | 0 | 0 | Became the Spokane Chiefs in 1985 |
Kootenay Ice | Cranbrook | 1998-2019 | 3 | 1 | Established in 1996 as the Edmonton Ice. Became the Winnipeg Ice in 2019. |
Nanaimo Islanders | Nanaimo | 1982-83 | 0 | 0 | Founded in 1966 as the Calgary Buffaloes; Became the New Westminster Bruins in 1983 |
New Westminster Bruins | New Westminster | 1971-81 | 4 | 2 | Founded in 1966 as the Estevan Bruins; Became the Kamloops Junior Oilers in 1981 |
New Westminster Bruins | New Westminster | 1983-88 | 0 | 0 | Founded in 1966 as the Calgary Buffaloes; Became the Tri-City Americans in 1988 |
Vancouver Nats | Vancouver | 1971-73 | 0 | 0 | Became the Kamloops Chiefs in 1973 |
Victoria Cougars | Victoria | 1971-94 | 1 | 0 | Became the Prince George Cougars in 1994 |
League | Region | Established | Provincial titles | Keystone Cup titles |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kootenay International Junior Hockey League | Interior, and Kootenays | 1962 | 16 | 4 |
Pacific Junior Hockey League | Lower Mainland | 1967 | 16 | 2 |
Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League | Vancouver Island | 1974 | 5 | 1 |
Current teams
Team | City | Established | Provincial Titles | Telus Cups | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saanich Braves | Saanich | 1969 | 0 | 0 | |
Juan de Fuca Grizzlies | Colwood | 1969 | 0 | 0 | Established in 1969 as the Juan de Fuca Orcas |
Nanaimo Clippers | Nanaimo | 1969 | 0 | 0 | |
Victoria Kings | Saanich | 1969 | 4 | 0 | Established in 1969 as the Racquet Club Kings |
Kerry Park Islanders | Mill Bay | 1970 | 0 | 0 | |
Powell River Regals | Powell River | 1981 | 0 | 0 | |
Sooke Thunderbirds | Sooke | 1970 | 0 | 0 | |
Cowichan Valley Capitals | Duncan | 1969 | 0 | 0 | |
Alberni Valley Bulldogs | Port Alberni | 1980 | 0 | 0 | |
Campbell River Tyees | Campbell River | 1976 | 0 | 0 | |
Comox Valley Chiefs | Comox | 1969 | 0 | 0 | |
Lake Cowichan Lakers | Lake Cowichan | 1985 | 0 | 0 | |
Victoria Ice Hawks | Esquimalt | 1991 | 0 | 0 | |
Oceanside Breakers | Parksville | 1969 | 0 | 0 | |
Tri-Port Eagles | Port Hardy | 1977 | 0 | 0 | |
Gold River Ravens | Gold River | 1982 | 0 | 0 | |
Peninsula Eagles | Sidney | 1972 | 0 | 0 |
Team | City | Established | League titles | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
British Columbia Breakers | Langley | 2004-06; 2007-09 | 0 |
Team | City | Established | League titles | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
British Columbia Breakers | Langley | 2006-07 | 0 | Member of WWHL 2004-06 |
Vancouver Griffins | Vancouver | 2001-03 | 0 |
Team | City | Established | Provincial titles | Esso Nat Ap.s | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BC Outback | Kamloops | 1999 | 3 | 2 | last 3 AAA senior Prov |
Twisters AAA | Surrey | 1998 | 0 | 0 | been to 4 provincials (host) |
Killarney Knights | Vancouver | 1991 | 3 | 3 | |
Pacific Steelers | Richmond | 1997 | 3 | 3 | Sends top players to US universities |
Storm U-21 Jr | Surrey | 2005 | 0 | 0 |
Team | City | Established | League titles | Allan Cups | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Powell River Regals | Powell River | 1957 | ?? | 3 | |
Fort St. John Flyers | Fort St. John | ???? | ?? | ? | |
Nanaimo Steelmen | Nanaimo | 1996 | 0 | 0 | Joined the West Coast Senior AAA hockey league in 1996 and folded in 1998. Played with the Powell River Regals, Seattle, New Westminster and Burnaby |
West Coast Walleye | Langley | 2018 | ?? | ? |
Only one British Columbia university competes in ice hockey in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association.
Team | City | Established | Conference titles | University Cups | Women's Titles | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University of British Columbia | Vancouver | 1961 | ?? | 0 | 0 |
The following teams play in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League.
Team | City | Established | BCIHL Championships | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Selkirk College | Castlegar | ???? | 4 | |
Simon Fraser University | Burnaby | ???? | 3 | |
Vancouver Island University | Nanaimo | 2017 | 0 | |
University of Victoria | Victoria | ???? | 3 |
Championship | Times won | Description |
Stanley Cup | 2 | Canadian amateur champion |
Stanley Cup | 0 | National Hockey League champion |
PCHA Championship | 8 | Pacific Coast Hockey Association champion |
WCHL Championship | 2 | Western Canada Hockey League champion |
Lester Patrick Cup | 9 | PCHL/WHL champion |
President's Cup | 11 | Western Hockey League champion |
Memorial Cup | 5 | Canadian Major-Junior national champion |
Allan Cup | 10 | Canadian senior national champion |
Doyle Cup | 21 | Alberta/B.C. Junior "A" regional championship |
Royal Bank Cup | 9 | Canadian Junior "A" national champion |
Keystone Cup | 4 | Western Canada Junior "B" champion |
Presidents' Trophy | 2 | National Hockey League champions |
Ice hockey is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hockey sticks to control, advance, and shoot a closed, vulcanized, rubber disc called a "puck" into the other team's goal. Each goal is worth one point. The team which scores the most goals is declared the winner. In a formal game, each team has six skaters on the ice at a time, barring any penalties, one of whom is the goaltender. Ice hockey is a full contact sport, and is considered to be one of the more physically demanding team sports.
The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada, alongside the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Teams play for the Ed Chynoweth Cup, with the winner moving on to play for the Memorial Cup, Canada's national junior championship. WHL teams have won the Memorial Cup 19 times. Many players have been drafted from WHL teams, and have found success at various levels of professional hockey, including the National Hockey League (NHL).
The UBC Thunderbirds are the athletic teams that represent the University of British Columbia in the University Endowment Lands just outside the city limits of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In Canadian intercollegiate competition, the Thunderbirds are the most successful athletic program both regionally in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association, and nationally in U Sports, winning 112 national titles. UBC has won an additional 20 national titles competing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics against collegiate competition from the United States and 38 national titles in sports that compete in independent competitions.
The Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) was a professional ice hockey league in western Canada and the western United States, which operated from 1911 to 1924 when it then merged with the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). The PCHA was considered to be a major league of ice hockey and was important in the development of the sport of professional ice hockey through its innovations.
The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) is an association of Canadian junior A ice hockey leagues and teams and was formed in November 1993, emerging from the Canada West Association of Junior 'A' Hockey. The champion of the Canadian Junior Hockey League wins the Centennial Cup.
The SFU Red Leafs or Simon Fraser Red Leafs teams represent Simon Fraser University (SFU), which is located in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. The Red Leafs are members of NCAA Division II and are the only Canadian university affiliated with the U.S.-based National Collegiate Athletic Association. The teams previously used the nicknames "Clansmen" and "Clan," which were retired in 2020. In September 2022, the updated nickname "Red Leafs" was announced.
Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur and operate within regions of each country.
The Trail Smoke Eaters are a junior A ice hockey team from Trail, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League.
The Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a junior "A" ice hockey league of 11 franchised member clubs, all of which are currently located in Canada, on Vancouver Island. The Brent Patterson Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the league playoff champion at the end of each season. The winner of the Brent Patterson Memorial Trophy competes with the champions of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League and the Pacific International Junior Hockey League for the Cyclone Taylor Cup, the British Columbia Junior B championship.
Minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from class to class. In North America, the rules are governed by the national bodies, Hockey Canada and USA Hockey, while local hockey associations administer players and leagues for their region. Many provinces and states organize regional and provincial championship tournaments, and the highest age groups in Canada and USA also participate in national championships.
The Surrey Eagles are a junior "A" ice hockey team based in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Mainland Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at South Surrey Arena.
College ice hockey is played principally in the United States and Canada, though leagues exist outside North America.
The Oxford University Ice Hockey Club (OUIHC) is home to the Men’s and Women’s Blues ice hockey teams of the University of Oxford, England. The Men's Blues, also known as Oxford University Blues, is one of the world's oldest ice hockey teams. Tradition places the origin of the team in 1885, when a match is said to have been played against Cambridge University Ice Hockey Club in St Moritz, Switzerland. This date is recognised by the Hockey Hall of Fame, and prior to the 1985 Ice Hockey Varsity Match, the International Ice Hockey Federation formally recognised the 1885 game as the first ice hockey match played in Europe. However, there is no contemporary evidence that this match took place, and Oxford now claims that this was a bandy match.
The Grandview Steelers are a Junior "A" ice hockey team based in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Tom Shaw Conference of the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL). The Steelers play their home games at Burnaby Winter Club. Aldo Bruno is the team's Vice-president and general manager. Stevan Matic is the team's head coach.
The Wenatchee Wild were a Junior A ice hockey team. The team played its home games at the 4,300-seat Town Toyota Center in Wenatchee, Washington. The team joined the North American Hockey League as an expansion club for the 2008–09 season, and in that time they were well known for their rivalry with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs. The Wild moved to the British Columbia Hockey League for 2015–16, after seeking approval from both Hockey Canada and USA Hockey for three years. In 2023, the ownership of the Wild purchased and relocated the Winnipeg Ice, a major junior Western Hockey League franchise, under the Wenatchee Wild brand, but ceased operations of their junior A team.
Ice hockey has been played in the United Kingdom since the beginning of the twentieth century, and it was a game between English Army veterans played in Canada that is the first recorded use of a sawed-off ball, which led to the use of the puck in hockey. The Great Britain men's national ice hockey team enjoyed worldwide success through the 1920s and 1930s, achieving bronze at the 1924 Olympics, and gold twelve years later. They also won medals at the World Championships in 1935, 1937 and 1938, though never won the tournament. The national team has struggled since the Second World War, and has not finished better than twelfth in the World Championships since 1962. Ice hockey is played professionally in the United Kingdom in the Elite Ice Hockey League, a ten team league which was founded in 2003.
Daniel Gary Patrick Dineen was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. Dineen played five seasons with the Canadian national amateur team, including at the 1964 and 1968 Winter Olympics where he won a bronze medal at the latter, before joining the professional leagues in 1968. He played the bulk of his professional career in the minor leagues, and four games for the Minnesota North Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL) during the 1968–69 season. He later became a coach in the American Hockey League and junior ice hockey.
The Intercollegiate Hockey Association was a loose collection of ice hockey programs from schools in the Northeastern United States. The colleges involved would schedule one another at least once during the season with and the team with the best record would be declared the champion. As this was the only championship for college hockey at the time, however unofficial the designation may have been, the victor served as the de facto National Champion. The IHA was called both the Intercollegiate Hockey Association and the Intercollegiate Hockey League during its existence. It is referred to here as the IHA to distinguish from the later Intercollegiate Hockey League. Although all of the IHA member colleges would later become members of the Ivy League, all of the Ivy League colleges were never members of the IHA at the same time.