Prince George Cougars facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prince George Cougars |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| City | Prince George, British Columbia |
| League | Western Hockey League |
| Conference | Western |
| Division | B.C. |
| Founded | 1971 |
| Home arena | CN Centre |
| Colours | Red, bronze, white and black |
| General manager | Mark Lamb |
| Head coach | Mark Lamb |
|
Website chl.ca/whl-cougars |
|
| Franchise history | |
| 1971–1994 | Victoria Cougars |
| 1994–present | Prince George Cougars |
The Prince George Cougars are a Canadian junior ice hockey team. They play in Prince George, British Columbia. The team started in 1971 as the Victoria Cougars. In 1994, they moved to Prince George. This made them the most northern team in the Canadian Hockey League. The Cougars are part of the B.C. Division. This division is in the Western Conference of the Western Hockey League (WHL). They play their home games at the CN Centre.
Contents
Team History: From Victoria to Prince George
The Cougars began as a junior hockey club in Victoria. In 1971, they joined the Western Canada Hockey League. They were one of three teams from British Columbia to join that year. The team won one league title in 1981.
By 1994, the team faced problems. They had low attendance and high travel costs. So, the team was sold and moved to Prince George. This move made the Cougars the most distant team in the entire Canadian Hockey League (CHL). They often had to drive more than seven hours for away games.
The Prince George Cougars started playing in the 1994–95 season. Their first home was the Prince George Coliseum. Their own arena, the Multiplex, was built for their second season.
Finding Success and New Ownership
The Cougars did not make the playoffs in their first two seasons. But they reached the Division finals twice in the next four years. This success came under coach Stan Butler.
However, the team missed the playoffs seven times between 2003 and 2014. Attendance dropped, and the team was put up for sale. There was a risk they might move again. In late 2013, owner Rick Brodsky began the sale process. Local investor Greg Pocock wanted to buy the team. He teamed up with former Cougars players Dan Hamhuis and Eric Brewer. Their group promised to keep the team in Prince George. The WHL approved the sale on April 30, 2014.
The new owners quickly worked to improve the team. They updated the team's facilities. They also looked for ways to partner with the community. On the ice, the team won its first B.C. Division regular season title in the 2016–17 season.
Record-Breaking Season in 2023–24
The team's best season was in 2023–24. The Cougars set new team records. They had 49 wins and 102 points. They entered the playoffs as the top-ranked team in the CHL. This was the first time they topped the WHL's Western Conference standings.
Forwards Zac Funk and Riley Heidt broke previous scoring records. Funk set a new record with 123 points. He also scored a record 67 goals. Heidt set a record with 80 assists.
In the playoffs, the team reached the Western Conference final. This was their first time since 2007. They played against the Portland Winterhawks. The Cougars lost the series in six games. The last game went into double overtime. It was the longest game in Cougars history. After the season, coach and manager Mark Lamb was named the WHL's coach and executive of the year.
Team Uniforms and Logos
The Cougars' traditional colors are red, white, and black. Their logo has always shown a cougar in different designs. After the team was sold in 2014, they revealed a new logo. It featured a cougar shape within the letter 'C'. Their new uniforms also added gold to the color scheme.
Like many junior teams, the Cougars often wear special jerseys. These are for specific events or are limited editions. In 2024, they released a jersey inspired by Indigenous art. It was designed by local artists.
- Team logo timeline
-
1994–96
-
1996–2008
-
2008–2015
-
Alternate c. 2008
Season-by-Season Performance
This table shows how the Prince George Cougars have performed each season. 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 |
| 1994–95 | 72 | 14 | 55 | 3 | - | 229 | 392 | 31 | 7th West | Did not qualify |
| 1995–96 | 72 | 17 | 53 | 2 | - | 219 | 340 | 36 | 7th West | Did not qualify |
| 1996–97 | 72 | 28 | 39 | 5 | - | 238 | 287 | 61 | 6th West | Lost West Division final |
| 1997–98 | 72 | 43 | 24 | 5 | - | 311 | 236 | 91 | 3rd West | Lost West Division semifinal |
| 1998–99 | 72 | 34 | 32 | 6 | - | 255 | 264 | 74 | 4th West | Lost West Division quarterfinal |
| 1999–2000 | 72 | 43 | 20 | 4 | 5 | 279 | 228 | 95 | 2nd West | Lost West Division final |
| 2000–01 | 72 | 31 | 33 | 4 | 4 | 242 | 266 | 70 | 5th West | Lost West Division quarterfinal |
| 2001–02 | 72 | 34 | 27 | 9 | 2 | 244 | 215 | 79 | 3rd B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarterfinal |
| 2002–03 | 72 | 26 | 41 | 3 | 2 | 257 | 317 | 57 | 5th B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarterfinal |
| 2003–04 | 72 | 30 | 34 | 7 | 1 | 214 | 236 | 68 | 5th B.C. | Did not qualify |
| 2004–05 | 72 | 26 | 41 | 3 | 2 | 158 | 223 | 57 | 5th B.C. | Did not qualify |
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | GF | GA | Points | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2005–06 | 72 | 35 | 31 | 2 | 4 | 195 | 195 | 76 | 4th B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarterfinal |
| 2006–07 | 72 | 33 | 31 | 3 | 5 | 221 | 217 | 74 | 3rd B.C. | Lost Western Conference final |
| 2007–08 | 72 | 20 | 48 | 1 | 3 | 172 | 304 | 44 | 5th B.C. | Did not qualify |
| 2008–09 | 72 | 25 | 44 | 0 | 3 | 188 | 298 | 53 | 4th B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarterfinal |
| 2009–10 | 72 | 12 | 56 | 1 | 3 | 172 | 327 | 28 | 5th B.C. | Did not qualify |
| 2010–11 | 72 | 33 | 35 | 2 | 2 | 258 | 265 | 70 | 4th B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarterfinal |
| 2011–12 | 72 | 24 | 46 | 0 | 2 | 166 | 357 | 50 | 5th B.C. | Did not qualify |
| 2012–13 | 72 | 21 | 43 | 2 | 6 | 177 | 273 | 50 | 4th B.C. | Did not qualify |
| 2013–14 | 72 | 27 | 35 | 3 | 5 | 238 | 305 | 62 | 4th B.C. | Did not qualify |
| 2014–15 | 72 | 31 | 36 | 2 | 3 | 222 | 295 | 67 | 3rd B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarterfinal |
| 2015–16 | 72 | 36 | 31 | 3 | 2 | 240 | 225 | 77 | 4th B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarterfinal |
| 2016–17 | 72 | 45 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 253 | 201 | 96 | 1st B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarterfinal |
| 2017–18 | 72 | 24 | 38 | 5 | 5 | 217 | 295 | 58 | 5th B.C. | Did not qualify |
| 2018–19 | 68 | 19 | 41 | 5 | 3 | 152 | 237 | 46 | 5th B.C. | Did not qualify |
| 2019–20 | 62 | 20 | 34 | 4 | 4 | 144 | 205 | 48 | 5th B.C. | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2020–21 | 22 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 57 | 62 | 21 | 4th B.C. | No playoffs held due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021–22 | 68 | 24 | 39 | 4 | 1 | 177 | 240 | 53 | 3rd B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarterfinal |
| 2022–23 | 68 | 37 | 24 | 6 | 1 | 290 | 241 | 81 | 2nd B.C. | Lost Western Conference semifinal |
| 2023–24 | 68 | 49 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 316 | 187 | 102 | 1st B.C. | Lost Western Conference final |
Players Who Made it to the NHL
Many players from the Prince George Cougars have gone on to play in the National Hockey League (NHL). Here are some of them:
- Blair Betts
- Alexandre Boikov
- Derek Boogaard
- Tyler Bouck
- Eric Brewer
- Dustin Byfuglien
- Zdeno Chara
- Dennis Cholowski
- Brett Connolly
- Jonathan Filewich
- Kyle Freadrich
- Brendan Guhle
- Dan Hamhuis
- Jansen Harkins
- Trent Hunter
- David Koci
- Joel Kwiatkowski
- Mike Leclerc
- Martin Marincin
- Chris Mason
- Vladimir Mihalik
- Ronald Petrovicky
- Justin Pogge
- Devin Setoguchi
- Nick Drazenovic
- Sheldon Souray
- Dana Tyrell
- Michael Wall
- Ty Wishart
Team Records
These tables show the best performances by the Prince George Cougars as a team and by individual players.
| Statistic | Total | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Most points | 102 | 2023–24 |
| Most wins | 49 | 2023–24 |
| Longest point streak | 19 | 2023–24 |
| Most goals for | 316 | 2023–24 |
| Fewest goals for | 158 | 2004–05 |
| Fewest goals against | 187 | 2023–24 |
| Most goals against | 392 | 1994–95 |
| Statistic | Player | Total | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most goals | Zac Funk | 67 | 2023–24 |
| Most assists | Riley Heidt | 80 | 2023–24 |
| Most points | Zac Funk | 123 | 2023–24 |
| Most points, rookie | Terik Parascak | 105 | 2023–24 |
| Most points, defenceman | Hudson Thornton | 74 | 2023–24 |
| Most shutouts (goalie) | Josh Ravensbergen | 6 | 2023–24 |
| Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played | |||
| Statistic | Player | Total | Career |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most goals | Chase Witala | 120 | 2011–2014 |
| Most assists | Riley Heidt | 195 | 2020–2024 |
| Most points | Riley Heidt | 280 | 2020–2024 |
| Most points, defenceman | Hudson Thornton | 196 | 2020–2024 |
| Most games played | Greg Gardner | 338 | 2003–2008 |
Awards and Honors
The Prince George Cougars and their players have won several important awards in the WHL.
Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (WHL player of the year)
- Dan Hamhuis: 2001–02
Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy (WHL rookie of the year)
- Brett Connolly: 2008–09
Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy (WHL top defenceman)
- Christian Chartier: 2000–01
- Dan Hamhuis: 2001–02
Brad Hornung Trophy (WHL most sportsmanship)
- Trent Hunter: 1999–00
Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy (WHL coach of the year)
- Mark Lamb: 2023–24
See also
- List of ice hockey teams in British Columbia
