Spokane Chiefs facts for kids

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)
Website chl.ca/whl-chiefs
Franchise history
1982–1985	Kelowna Wings
1985–present	Spokane Chiefs

The Spokane Chiefs are a major junior ice hockey team from Spokane, Washington, in the United States. They play in the U.S. Division of the Western Hockey League's Western Conference. Their home games are held at the Spokane Arena. The Chiefs have won the Memorial Cup twice, in 1991 and 2008. They were only the second American team to win this important championship. Spokane also hosted the first outdoor game in WHL history on January 15, 2011. This exciting game took place at Avista Stadium.

Team History: How the Chiefs Began

Early Days in Spokane

The Spokane Chiefs team you know today started in 1985. Before that, a different team called the Kelowna Wings played in Kelowna, British Columbia. In 1985, the Kelowna Wings moved to Spokane and changed their name to the Chiefs. This made them the second WHL team in Spokane. They began playing their games at the Spokane Coliseum, an arena that had hosted hockey since the 1950s.

First Big Win: The 1991 Championship

The Chiefs quickly became a successful team in Spokane. They only missed the playoffs once in their first thirteen seasons. In their sixth season, led by amazing players like Pat Falloon and Ray Whitney, the team won its first WHL championship. This win was very important for the team, which was having money problems.

In 1990, new owners took over the team. They hired Bryan Maxwell as coach and Tim Speltz as general manager. The 1990–91 season was incredible! Ray Whitney led the league in goals and points. Pat Falloon was right behind him. The arena, which used to be half-empty, started selling out for games. The team also added a great goalie, Trevor Kidd, who helped them a lot.

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

In 1995, the 1991 championship team was honored as the Spokane Coliseum closed. Later that year, 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 can wear his number 14.

Another Championship: The 2008 Season

After a few tough seasons, the Chiefs had an amazing year in 2007–08. Led by goalie Dustin Tokarski, along with Jared Cowan and rookie Tyler Johnson, the team set a new record with 50 wins and 107 points. 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.

Then, they went to the Memorial Cup tournament again. They won the final game against the Kitchener Rangers with a score of 4–1. Dustin Tokarski made 53 saves in that final game and was named the tournament's most valuable player. During their celebration, the famous Memorial Cup trophy actually broke into two pieces! Spokane native Tyler Johnson later had a great career with the Chiefs. In 2022, his jersey number 9 was also retired by the club.

After their second Memorial Cup win, the Chiefs stayed strong for several seasons. The team went through a rebuilding period in the late 2010s. This time was also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Outdoor Hockey Fun 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 Western Hockey League's first-ever outdoor game on January 15, 2011. They played against their rivals, the Kootenay Ice. This game was called the "Outdoor Hockey Classic." It was played at Avista Stadium in front of a huge crowd of 7,075 fans. The Chiefs won the game with a big score of 11–2!

Spokane is known for its strong support for the Chiefs. Fans come in large numbers and have special traditions, like clapping together when the team scores a goal. After the first championship in 1991, attendance jumped by 30 percent. This helped the team plan for a new, bigger arena. The Chiefs have always been one of the top teams in the WHL for attendance. For example, in 2022–23, even though they didn't make the playoffs, they were still second in the league for average attendance. This shows how much Spokane loves its Chiefs!

Championship Wins

The Spokane Chiefs have won several important championships:

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

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

WHL Championship Series

• 1990–91: Won, 4-0 against Lethbridge Hurricanes
• 1995–96: Lost, 1-4 against Brandon Wheat Kings
• 1999–00: Lost, 2-4 against Kootenay Ice
• 2007–08: Won, 4-0 against Lethbridge Hurricanes

Memorial Cup Finals

• 1991: Won, 5-1 against Drummondville Voltigeurs
• 2008: Won, 4-1 against Kitchener Rangers

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.

Players Who Made It Big

NHL Alumni

Many players who played for the Spokane Chiefs have gone on to play in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Retired Jersey Numbers

When a player's number is retired, it means no other player on that team will ever wear that number again. It's a big honor!

Where the Chiefs Play

The Chiefs play home games at Spokane Arena.

The Spokane Chiefs play their home games at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. This arena has a capacity of 9,916 fans. Before 1995, they played at the Spokane Coliseum.

Images for kids

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

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  The Chiefs have won the Western Conference Championship four times.