Spokane Chiefs facts for kids

This page is about the current WHL junior hockey team. For the defunct senior hockey team, see Spokane Chiefs (WIHL).

Quick facts for kids Spokane Chiefs

City	Spokane, Washington
League	Western Hockey League
Conference	Western
Division	U.S.
Founded	1982
Home arena	Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena
Colors	Red, white and blue
General manager	Matt Bardsley
Head coach	Brad Lauer
Championships	Ed Chynoweth Cup 2 (1991, 2008) Memorial Cup 2 (1991, 2008) conference championships 2 (2008, 2025)
Website chl.ca/whl-chiefs
Franchise history
1982–1985	Kelowna Wings
1985–present	Spokane Chiefs

The Spokane Chiefs are a junior ice hockey team from Spokane, Washington, USA. They play in the Western Hockey League (WHL) and their home games are at Spokane Arena. The Chiefs have won the Memorial Cup twice, in 1991 and 2008. They were only the second American team to win this big championship! Spokane also hosted the very first outdoor game in WHL history on January 15, 2011, at Avista Stadium.

Team History

How the Chiefs Started

The Spokane Chiefs team we know today began in 1985. Before that, there was another team called the Kelowna Wings in Kelowna, British Columbia. The Wings played for three seasons, from 1982 to 1985. Then, the team moved to Spokane and became the Chiefs.

The Chiefs were not the first junior hockey team in Spokane. There was a team called the Flyers from 1980 to 1982. The Chiefs started playing their games at the Spokane Coliseum, which had been a hockey home since the 1950s.

Winning Their First Big Titles

The Chiefs quickly became a strong team in Spokane. For their first thirteen seasons, they only missed the playoffs once. In 1990, new owners bought the team and brought in Bryan Maxwell as coach and Tim Speltz as general manager.

The 1990–91 season was amazing! Players like Ray Whitney and Pat Falloon led the team. Whitney scored 67 goals and had 185 points, while Falloon had 64 goals and 138 points. The arena started selling out for games. Goaltender Trevor Kidd joined the team and was a huge help.

In the playoffs, the Chiefs beat the defending champions, the Kamloops Blazers. Then, they won the league final against the Lethbridge Hurricanes in four straight games. This made them WHL champions! They went on to win the 1991 Memorial Cup, beating the Drummondville Voltigeurs 5–1 in the final game. They were only the second American team to win the Memorial Cup.

In 1995, the Chiefs moved to the new Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. In 2016, Ray Whitney became the first player to have his jersey number retired by the team. This means no other player will wear his number 14.

Second Championship Win

After a few tough seasons, the Chiefs had a record-breaking year in 2007–08. They won 50 games and earned 107 points! Key players included goaltender Dustin Tokarski, Jared Cowan, and rookie Tyler Johnson.

Just like in 1991, they beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the WHL championship in four games. Tyler Johnson was named the playoff's most valuable player. This win sent them to their second Memorial Cup tournament. They won the final game 4–1 against the Kitchener Rangers. Tokarski made 53 saves and was named the tournament's most valuable player. During their celebration, the Memorial Cup famously broke into two pieces!

Tyler Johnson, who is from Spokane, had a great career with the Chiefs. In 2022, his jersey number 9 was also retired, making him the second player to receive this honor.

The Chiefs stayed strong for several years after their second Memorial Cup win. In 2010, they played a playoff series against Portland where the home team didn't win any games. This was a first in league history!

Outdoor Game and Fan Support

The Chiefs hosted the Kootenay Ice in the WHL's first outdoor game at Avista Stadium in Spokane. The Chiefs won the game 11–2.

Spokane hosted the very first outdoor game in the Western Hockey League on January 15, 2011. It was called the "Outdoor Hockey Classic" and was played at Avista Stadium. A huge crowd of 7,075 fans watched the Chiefs beat the Kootenay Ice 11–2.

Spokane is known for its strong support for the Chiefs. Fans often clap together to celebrate goals. After their first championship in 1991, attendance jumped by 30 percent! This helped the team plan for a new, bigger arena. The Chiefs consistently rank among the top WHL teams for attendance. For example, in the 2022–23 season, they were second in the league for average attendance, even though they didn't make the playoffs.

Season Records

Regular Season Performance

The Chiefs line up for a game with the Tri-City Americans.

Here's a look at how the Chiefs have done in their regular seasons:

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

Season	GP	W	L	T	OTL	SOL	GF	GA	Points	Finish	Playoffs
1985–86	72	30	41	1	-	-	373	413	61	3rd West	Lost West Division semifinal
1986–87	72	37	33	2	-	-	374	350	76	3rd West	Lost West Division semifinal
1987–88	72	37	32	3	-	-	330	296	77	2nd West	Lost West Division final
1988–89	72	25	45	2	-	-	326	419	56	6th West	Did not qualify
1989–90	72	30	37	5	-	-	334	344	65	4th West	Lost West Division semifinal
1990–91	72	48	23	1	-	-	435	275	97	2nd West	Won Championship and Memorial Cup
1991–92	72	37	29	6	-	-	267	270	80	2nd West	Lost West Division semifinal
1992–93	72	28	40	4	-	-	311	319	60	5th West	Lost West Division semifinal
1993–94	72	31	37	4	-	-	324	320	66	5th West	Lost West Division quarterfinal
1994–95	72	32	36	4	-	-	244	261	68	5th West	Lost West Division semifinal
1995–96	72	50	18	4	-	-	322	221	104	1st West	Lost final
1996–97	72	35	33	4	-	-	260	235	74	3rd West	Lost West Division semifinal
1997–98	72	45	23	4	-	-	288	235	94	2nd West	Lost West Division final
1998–99	72	19	44	9	-	-	193	268	47	7th West	Did not qualify
1999–2000	72	47	19	4	2	-	272	191	100	1st West	Lost final
2000–01	72	35	28	7	2	-	242	219	79	4th West	Lost West Division final
2001–02	72	33	25	11	3	-	223	206	80	2nd U.S.	Lost Western Conference semifinal
2002–03	72	26	36	6	4	-	216	261	62	2nd U.S.	Lost Western Conference semifinal
2003–04	72	32	29	4	7	-	200	215	75	4th U.S.	Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2004–05	72	24	38	8	2	-	192	230	58	5th U.S.	Did not qualify
Season	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	GF	GA	Points	Finish	Playoffs
2005–06	72	25	39	5	3	193	254	58	5th U.S.	Did not qualify
2006–07	72	36	28	4	4	232	217	80	4th U.S.	Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2007–08	72	50	15	1	6	251	160	107	2nd U.S.	Won Championship and Memorial Cup
2008–09	72	46	23	0	3	246	145	95	2nd U.S.	Lost Western Conference semifinal
2009–10	72	45	22	3	2	240	179	95	3rd U.S.	Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2010–11	72	48	18	4	2	310	193	102	2nd U.S.	Lost Western Conference final
2011–12	72	38	25	5	4	257	225	85	3rd U.S.	Lost Western Conference semifinal
2012–13	72	44	26	2	0	269	230	90	2nd U.S.	Lost Western Conference semifinal
2013–14	72	40	26	3	3	244	213	86	4th U.S.	Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2014–15	72	34	34	3	1	219	229	72	4th U.S.	Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2015–16	72	33	30	5	4	223	245	75	4th U.S.	Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2016–17	72	27	33	8	4	235	272	66	5th U.S.	Did not qualify
2017–18	72	41	25	3	3	282	240	88	3rd U.S.	Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2018–19	68	40	21	2	5	267	222	87	2nd U.S.	Lost Western Conference final
2019–20	64	41	18	4	1	258	179	87	3rd U.S.	Season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21	21	6	10	4	1	55	79	17	4th U.S.	No playoffs held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22	68	24	39	4	1	188	289	53	4th U.S.	Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2022–23	68	15	43	4	6	195	314	40	5th U.S.	Did not qualify
2023–24	68	30	32	5	1	268	263	66	4th U.S.	Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2024–25	68	45	20	1	2	292	202	93	2nd U.S.	Lost Final

Playoff Journey

The Chiefs have won the Western Conference Championship five times, in 1991, 1996, 2000, 2008, and 2025.

The Chiefs have had many exciting playoff runs. Here are some of their key playoff results:

1990–91: Won the WHL Championship and the Memorial Cup!
1995–96: Reached the WHL Finals, but lost.
1999–2000: Reached the WHL Finals again, but lost.
2007–08: Won the WHL Championship and the Memorial Cup!
2010–11: Made it to the Western Conference final.
2018–19: Made it to the Western Conference final.
2024–25: Reached the WHL Finals, but lost.

Overall, the Chiefs have a playoff record of 164 wins and 152 losses. In Memorial Cup tournaments, they have a record of 9 wins and 3 losses.

Championship Wins

On September 27, 2008, the Chiefs unveiled their WHL and Memorial Cup Championship banners.

The Spokane Chiefs have won several major championships:

Memorial Cup: 1991, 2008
Ed Chynoweth Cup (WHL Championship): 1990–91, 2007–08
Conference Championship: 2007–08, 2024–25
Regular Season Division Titles: 1995–96, 1999–00

WHL Championship Series

1990–91: Won, 4–0, vs. Lethbridge Hurricanes
1995–96: Lost, 1–4, vs. Brandon Wheat Kings
1999–2000: Lost, 2–4, vs. Kootenay Ice
2007–08: Won, 4–0, vs. Lethbridge Hurricanes
2024–25: Lost, 1–4, vs. Medicine Hat Tigers

Memorial Cup Finals

The Memorial Cup is lowered via rope from the roof of Spokane Arena on opening night, 2008. Four months earlier, the Cup broke in the Chiefs' hands during their on-ice celebration.

1991: Won, 5–1 vs Drummondville Voltigeurs
2008: Won, 4–1 vs Kitchener Rangers

Team Players

Players Who Played in the NHL

Many players who started with the Spokane Chiefs later played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Some of these players include:

Jaret Anderson-Dolan
Adam Beckman
Valeri Bure
Jared Cowen
Pat Falloon
Michael Grabner
Travis Green
Tyler Johnson
Trevor Kidd
Darcy Kuemper
Bryan McCabe
Derek Ryan
Jared Spurgeon
Dustin Tokarski
Ray Whitney
Kailer Yamamoto

Retired Jersey Numbers

The Chiefs have honored special players by retiring their jersey numbers. This means no other player on the team will ever wear that number again.

#	Player	Ref.
9	Tyler Johnson
14	Ray Whitney

Team Leaders

Head Coaches

The head coach guides the team during games and practices. Here are some of the Chiefs' head coaches:

1989–1994: Bryan Maxwell
1994–2000: Mike Babcock
2005–2008: Bill Peters
2010–2017: Don Nachbaur
2024–present: Brad Lauer

General Managers

The general manager (GM) is in charge of building the team, including signing players and making trades.

1990–2016: Tim Speltz
2022–present: Matt Bardsley

Where the Chiefs Play

The Chiefs play home games at Spokane Arena.

The Chiefs play their home games at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. Before 1995, they played at the Spokane Coliseum.

Chiefs Fan Attendance

The Chiefs have a strong fan base. Here's how many people have come to their games over the years:

Season	Average Attendance	WHL Rank
1996–97	7,826	2nd
1997–98	8,048	2nd
1998–99	7,482	2nd
1999–2000	7,200	1st
2000–01	6,669	2nd
2001–02	6,370	3rd
2002–03	6,100	3rd
2003–04	6,293	3rd
2004–05	6,250	4th
2005–06	6,092	5th
2006–07	6,028	4th
2007–08	6,557	3rd
2008–09	6,656	3rd
2009–10	6,453	3rd
2010–11	6,439	3rd
2011–12	6,443	2nd
2012–13	6,368	3rd
2013–14	6,102	4th
2014–15	5,829	5th
2015–16	5,765	4th
2016–17	5,812	5th
2017–18	5,741	3rd
2018–19	5,959	2nd
2019–20	5,709	3rd
2020–21	—	4th
2021–22	4,419	4th
2022–23	5,842	5th
2023–24	6,044	3rd

Images for kids

Spokane Chiefs team logo
Spokane Chiefs uniform

All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:

Spokane Chiefs Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.