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Lethbridge Hurricanes
Lethbridge Hurricanes logo.svg
City Lethbridge, Alberta
League Western Hockey League
Conference Eastern
Division Central
Founded 1967
Home arena VisitLethbridge.com Arena
Colours Red, navy, white
              
General manager Peter Anholt
Head coach Bill Peters
Championships Ed Chynoweth Cup
1 (1997)
Conference Championships
2 (1996–97, 2007–08)
Website
chl.ca/whl-hurricanes
Franchise history
1967–1973 Winnipeg Jets
1973–1976 Winnipeg Clubs
1976–1977 Winnipeg Monarchs
1977–1987 Calgary Wranglers
1987–present Lethbridge Hurricanes

The Lethbridge Hurricanes are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Lethbridge, Alberta. The Hurricanes play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League's Eastern Conference, and play their home games at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena. The team replaced Lethbridge's first major junior team, the Broncos, who played in the city from 1974 to 1986. When that team relocated to Swift Current, Saskatchewan, the city acquired the Calgary Wranglers franchise and the Hurricanes began play in 1987.

History

The Lethbridge Broncos played at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena from 1974 until 1986. Originally the Swift Current Broncos, the team returned to Swift Current in 1986 when local investors gathered enough resources to make the team a community-owned club. However, neither the league nor the city wanted Lethbridge to be left without a team, and just one year later, the Calgary Wranglers were relocated to Lethbridge to become the Hurricanes, which was a community-owned team. While the Broncos had adopted their name from the Swift Current club, the new team was named through a fan contest, with Hurricanes emerging the winner, a reference to the locally significant Chinook winds.

The team enjoyed early success in Lethbridge, winning back-to-back division titles in their third and fourth seasons and advancing to the championship series both years. The team's best season came in 1996–97, when the Hurricanes captured their first, and to date only, regular season and playoff titles. The Hurricanes advanced to the 1997 Memorial Cup tournament, where they rallied in the round robin to defeat the Hull Olympiques 7–6 in overtime after trailing 6–1 after two periods. The final was a rematch between Lethbridge and Hull, with Hull hanging on for a 5–1 victory, leaving the Hurricanes as runners-up. After that season, the Hurricanes would go ten straight seasons without a playoff series win. Then, in the 2007–08 season, the Hurricanes returned to the playoff final, which they lost to the eventual Memorial Cup champion Spokane Chiefs.

Despite optimism going into the season under new coach Drake Berehowsky, who replaced Rich Preston, the 2013–14 season would be a record-setting one, but in the wrong categories. In the middle of what would become a six-year playoff drought, the team struggled on the ice and dealt with turmoil amongst the players and coaching staff. Veteran forwards Sam McKechnie and Jaimen Yakuboski were sent home until they were traded to the Seattle Thunderbirds in October. A week later, defenceman Ryan Pilon requested a trade and left the team. In addition to two more players requesting trades, assistant coach Brad Lukowich walked out on the team following a 3–2 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. Lukowich was terminated "with cause" days later. The team hit new lows by scoring a franchise-low 171 goals, allowing 358 goals, and losing two games by a combined score of 22–0, including a 10–0 loss to the Vancouver Giants on January 24, 2014, followed by a 12–0 loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings on February 17. The team finished the season on a 15-game losing streak, finishing the year with 12 wins and 29 points, setting records for fewest wins and fewest points in the 46-year history of the franchise.

It was revealed that the community-owned franchise was also facing financial problems, losing more than $1.25 million in a two-year period and taking out a line of credit in order to stay afloat. The financial situation led to rumours of the team being sold to True North Sports and Entertainment and relocated to Winnipeg, while former Hurricanes forward and Lethbridge native Kris Versteeg stated his desire to purchase the team and keep it in the city. Ultimately, the shareholders voted to raise $2 million by issuing preferred shares, keeping the team community-owned.

The team returned to stability and made back-to-back runs to the conference final in 2017 and 2018. In 2018, they matched up against Swift Current after the teams swung a blockbuster trade together at the season's trade deadline, including swapping goaltenders. The Broncos won the series in six games, and went on to win the league title.

In 2023, the Hurricanes courted controversy by hiring former NHL head coach Bill Peters as the team's new coach. Peters had resigned as coach of the Calgary Flames in 2019 after allegations of racism and physical abuse surfaced against him. WHL commissioner Ron Robison endorsed the hiring, stating that Peters would be undertaking anti-racism education.

Lethbridge Hurricanes (ice hockey team) text logo
Hurricanes logo c. 2009–2011.

Logos and jerseys

The Hurricanes have gone through a number of design changes over the years, while maintaining a variation of red, blue, and white colours. For several seasons, they donned a Tasmanian Devil-inspired twister logo. From 2004, they began gradually simplifying the logo, until 2013, when they ran afoul of the National Hockey League Washington Capitals, who took issue with a Hurricanes logo and jerseys that were near copies of those used by the Capitals. The Hurricanes were forced to change their look, and adopted their alternate logo full-time. Around the same time, a third-jersey design was introduced featuring a Hawker Hurricane World War II airplane.

Season-by-season record

HitmenHurricanesFaceoff
Playoff action against the Calgary Hitmen at the Saddledome.

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
1987–88 72 20 48 4 — 257 357 44 7th East Did not qualify
1988–89 72 27 39 6 — 356 380 60 5th East Lost East Division semifinal
1989–90 72 51 17 4 — 465 270 106 1st East Lost Final
1990–91 72 45 21 6 — 373 281 96 1st East Lost Final
1991–92 72 39 31 2 — 350 284 80 4th East Lost in first round
1992–93 72 33 36 3 — 317 328 69 5th East Lost in first round
1993–94 72 35 32 5 — 306 317 75 3rd East Lost East Division semifinal
1994–95 72 22 48 2 — 263 341 46 8th East Did not qualify
1995–96 72 33 36 3 — 259 270 69 2nd Central Lost in first round
1996–97 72 47 22 3 — 342 248 97 1st Central Won Championship; Lost Memorial Cup Final
1997–98 72 32 29 11 — 261 237 75 2nd Central Lost in first round
1998–99 72 31 32 9 — 224 215 71 3rd Central Lost in first round
1999–00 72 25 38 4 5 220 250 59 4th Central Did not qualify
2000–01 72 29 35 4 4 200 229 66 4th Central Lost in first round
2001–02 72 33 33 6 0 266 247 72 4th Central Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2002–03 72 28 40 2 2 236 303 60 5th Central Did not qualify
2003–04 72 27 28 10 7 196 203 71 5th Central Did not qualify
2004–05 72 39 20 12 1 222 162 91 2nd Central Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
Season GP W L OTL SOL GF GA Points Finish Playoffs
2005–06 72 27 36 3 6 195 250 63 3rd Central Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2006–07 72 33 34 2 3 254 265 71 5th Central Did not qualify
2007–08 72 45 21 2 4 245 175 96 2nd Central Lost Final
2008–09 72 35 32 3 2 227 228 75 4th Central Lost Eastern Conference semifinal
2009–10 72 20 44 5 3 178 275 48 5th Central Did not qualify
2010–11 72 23 36 5 8 205 295 59 5th Central Did not qualify
2011–12 72 29 42 0 1 225 292 59 6th Central Did not qualify
2012–13 72 28 34 3 7 212 253 66 6th Central Did not qualify
2013–14 72 12 55 2 3 171 358 29 6th Central Did not qualify
2014–15 72 20 44 5 3 202 304 48 6th Central Did not qualify
2015–16 72 46 24 1 1 304 218 94 1st Central Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2016–17 72 44 21 4 3 280 253 95 2nd Central Lost Eastern Conference final
2017–18 72 33 33 6 0 244 260 72 2nd Central Lost Eastern Conference final
2018–19 68 40 18 5 5 268 234 90 2nd Central Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2019–20 63 37 19 2 5 249 193 81 3rd Central Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 24 9 12 3 0 81 108 21 4th Central No playoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 68 33 30 4 1 216 238 71 3rd Central Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2022–23 68 36 26 3 3 204 207 78 2nd Central Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2023–24 68 33 28 7 0 214 210 73 4th Central Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal

Championship History

  • Ed Chynoweth Cup: 1996–97
  • Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy: 1996–97
  • Playoff Division/Conference titles (4): 1989–90, 1990–91, 1996–97, 2007–08
  • Regular season Division titles (4): 1989–90, 1990–91, 1996–97, 2015–16

WHL Championship

Memorial Cup finals

NHL alumni

  • Calen Addison
  • Carter Bancks
  • Doug Barrault
  • Kyle Beach
  • Zach Boychuk
  • Travis Brigley
  • Dylan Cozens
  • Allan Egeland
  • Eric Godard
  • Mark Greig
  • Terry Hollinger
  • D. J. King
  • Dwight King
  • Rob Klinkhammer
  • Kirby Law
  • Ross Lupaschuk
  • Bryan Maxwell
  • Jason McBain
  • Jamie McLennan
  • Brantt Myhres
  • Chris Phillips
  • Domenic Pittis
  • Dale Purinton
  • Jamie Pushor
  • Byron Ritchie
  • Jason Ruff
  • Luca Sbisa
  • Bryce Salvador
  • Colton Sceviour
  • Brent Seabrook
  • Brandy Semchuk
  • Cam Severson
  • Stuart Skinner
  • Mark Smith
  • Lee Sorochan
  • Martin Spanhel
  • Nick Tarnasky
  • Wes Walz
  • Jason Widmer
  • Shane Willis
  • Matthew Yeats
  • Brad Zavisha
  • Kris Versteeg

Team records

Team records for a single season
Statistic Total Season
Most points 106 1989–90
Most wins 51 1989–90
Fewest points 29 2013–14
Fewest wins 12 2013–14
Most goals for 465 1989–90
Fewest goals for 171 2013–14
Fewest goals against 162 2004–05
Most goals against 380 1988–89
Individual player records for a single season
Statistic Player Total Season
Most goals Kevin St. Jacques 65 1991–92
Most assists Bryan Bosch 90 1989–90
Most points Corey Lyons 142 1989–90
Most points, rookie Corey Lyons 112 1988–89
Most points, defenceman Shane Peacock 102 1992–93
Best GAA (goalie) Aaron Sorochan 2.19 2004–05
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played

See also

  • List of ice hockey teams in Alberta
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