Lethbridge Hurricanes
CityLethbridge, Alberta
LeagueWestern Hockey League
ConferenceEastern
DivisionCentral
Founded1967
Home arenaENMAX Centre
ColoursRed, navy, white
     
General managerPeter Anholt
Head coachBill Peters
WebsiteOfficial website
Franchise history
1967–1973Winnipeg Jets
1973–1976Winnipeg Clubs
1976–1977Winnipeg Monarchs
1977–1987Calgary Wranglers
1987–presentLethbridge Hurricanes
Championships
Regular season titles1 (1996–97)
Playoff championshipsEd Chynoweth Cup
1 (1997)
Conference Championships
1 (2007–08)
Action during a playoff game against the Calgary Hitmen at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

The Lethbridge Hurricanes are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team, currently members of the Eastern Conference (Central Division) of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team is based in Lethbridge, Alberta, and play their home games at the ENMAX Centre.

History

When the Lethbridge Broncos returned to their original home in Swift Current following the 1985–86 season, hockey fans in Lethbridge did not have to wait long for a new team; after just one year out of the WHL, Lethbridge returned to the WHL in 1987–88 when the Calgary Wranglers moved south to become the Hurricanes.

The team's crowning achievement came in 1996–97, when the Hurricanes captured their first, and to date only, WHL Championship. The Hurricanes then finished as Memorial Cup runners-up when they lost the title game to the Hull Olympiques. That same year, they also won their division title (only done twice before, in 1989–90 and 1990–91) and the regular season title. In the 2007–08 season, the Hurricanes won the Eastern Conference Championship.[1]

The team changed its logo for the 2013–14 season per requests from the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals, who claim the former Hurricanes’ logo was too similar to theirs.[2] Despite the optimism going into the season under new head coach Drake Berehowsky, who replaced the fired Rich Preston, the 2013–14 season would be a record-setting one, but in the wrong categories; the team stumbled out of the gate and dealt with turmoil amongst the players and coaching staff. Some notable occurrences saw veteran forwards Sam McKechnie and Jaimen Yakuboski sent home until both players were dealt to the Seattle Thunderbirds in October.[3] A week later, third year defenseman Ryan Pilon requested a trade and left the team.[4] Pilon got his wish and was dealt to the Brandon Wheat Kings in a multiplayer deal shortly afterwards.[5] In addition to two more players requesting trades, the team endured a public relations nightmare when 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.[6] The team hit new lows by scoring a franchise-low 171 goals, allowing 358 goals and earned notoriety by losing two games by a combined score of 22–0; the first humiliation was 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 capped off the season on a 15-game losing streak, finishing the year at 12–55–2–3 with 29 points, the League's lowest point total, placing them in last place in the entire WHL. The 12 wins and 29 points also set records for fewest wins and fewest points in the 26-year history of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, and the 46-year history of the franchise that began as the Winnipeg Jets.

In 2014, the community-owned franchise faced financial problems, and lost more than $1.25 million in a two-year period,[7] and had taken out a line of credit in order to meet financial goals.[8] The financial situation led to rumours of the team being sold to True North Sports and Entertainment and relocated to Winnipeg,[9] while former Hurricanes forward and Lethbridge native Kris Versteeg stated his desire to purchase the team and keep it in the city.[10]

Season-by-season record

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

SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGA PointsFinishPlayoffs
1987–887220484—257357447th EastOut of playoffs
1988–897227396—356380605th EastLost East division semi-final
1989–907251174—4652701061st EastLost WHL final
1990–917245216—373281961st EastLost WHL final
1991–927239312—350284804th EastLost in first round
1992–937233363—317328695th EastLost in first round
1993–947235325—306317753rd EastLost East division semi-final
1994–957222482—263341468th EastOut of playoffs
1995–967233363—259270692nd CentralLost in first round
1996–977247223—342248971st CentralWon Championship; Lost Memorial Cup final
1997–9872322911—261237752nd CentralLost in first round
1998–997231329—224215713rd CentralLost in first round
1999–0072253845220250594th CentralOut of playoffs
2000–0172293544200229664th CentralLost in first round
2001–0272333360266247724th CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2002–0372284022236303605th CentralOut of playoffs
2003–04722728107196203715th CentralOut of playoffs
2004–05723920121222162912nd CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
SeasonGPWLOTLSOLGFGA PointsFinishPlayoffs
2005–0672273636195250633rd CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2006–0772333423254265715th CentralOut of playoffs
2007–0872452124245175962nd CentralLost final
2008–0972353232227228754th CentralLost Eastern Conference semi-final
2009–1072204453178275485th CentralOut of playoffs
2010–1172233658205295595th CentralOut of playoffs
2011–1272294201225292596th CentralOut of playoffs
2012–1372283437212253666th CentralOut of playoffs
2013–1472125523171358296th CentralOut of playoffs
2014–1572204453202304486th CentralOut of playoffs
2015–1672462411304218941st CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2016–1772442143280253952nd CentralLost Eastern Conference final
2017–1872333360244260722nd CentralLost Eastern Conference final
2018–1968401855268234902nd CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2019–2063371925249193813rd CentralCancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21249123081108214th CentralCancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021–2268333041216238713rd CentralLost Eastern Conference Quarter-finals
2022–2368362633204207782nd CentralLost Eastern Conference Quarter-finals

WHL Championship history

Current roster

Updated January 11, 2024.[11]
# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Drafted
4 Canada Carsen Adair D L 16 2022 Clavet, Saskatchewan Eligible 2025
25 Canada Kash Andresen LW L 16 2022 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Eligible 2025
7 Canada Joe Arntsen (C) D L 20 2018 Swift Current, Saskatchewan Undrafted
28 Switzerland Leo Braillard RW L 18 2023 La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland Undrafted
8 Canada Noah Chadwick (A) D L 18 2020 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 2023, 185th Overall, TOR
11 Canada Luke Cozens RW R 17 2021 Whitehorse, Yukon Eligible 2024
23 Canada Carter Dereniwsky RW R 19 2023 Canora, Saskatchewan Undrafted
9 Canada Tristen Doyle D R 17 2021 Winnipeg, Manitoba Eligible 2024
19 Canada Brayden Edwards RW L 19 2022 Abbotsford, British Columbia Undrafted
12 Canada Kooper Gizowski RW L 18 2023 Edmonton, Alberta Undrafted
27 Sweden Elias Knoester C R 18 2023 Malmö, Sweden Eligible 2024
22 United States Colton Langkow C R 19 2024 Scottsdale, Arizona Undrafted
14 Canada Miguel Marques LW R 17 2021 Prince George, British Columbia Eligible 2024
2 Canada Logan McCutcheon D R 19 2019 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Undrafted
35 Canada Harrison Meneghin G L 19 2021 South Surrey, British Columbia Undrafted
Canada Hayden Pakkala LW R 19 2024 Okotoks, Alberta Undrafted
17 Canada Will Sharpe D L 16 2022 South Delta, British Columbia Eligible 2025
31 Canada Brady Smith G L 18 2020 Cloverdale, British Columbia Undrafted
10 Canada Dylan Sydor RW R 20 2024 Kamloops, British Columbia Undrafted
6 Canada Kale Tipler D R 17 2021 Edgerton, Alberta Eligible 2024
16 Canada Sean Tschigerl C L 20 2024 Whitecourt, Alberta 2021, 130th Overall, ANA
29 Canada Landen Ward LW L 17 2021 Lloydminster, Alberta Eligible 2024
15 Canada Trae Wilke LW L 17 2021 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Eligible 2024
18 Canada Logan Wormald LW L 18 2020 Langley, British Columbia Undrafted
24 Canada Braeden Wynne D R 19 2024 Coquitlam, British Columbia Undrafted

Team records

Team records for a single season
StatisticTotalSeason
Most points1061989–90
Most wins511989–90
Most goals for4651989–90
Fewest points292013–14
Fewest wins122013–14
Fewest goals for1712013–14
Fewest goals against1622004–05
Most goals against3801988–89
Individual player records for a single season
StatisticPlayerTotalSeason
Most goalsKevin St. Jacques651991–92
Most assistsBryan Bosch901989–90
Most pointsCorey Lyons1421989–90
Most points, rookieCorey Lyons1121988–89
Most points, defencemanShane Peacock1021992–93
Best GAA (goalie)Aaron Sorochan2.192004–05
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played

NHL alumni

See also

References

  1. ↑ Down, John (2008-04-24). "'Canes sweep Hitmen from WHL playoffs". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on 2012-11-04. Retrieved 2008-04-29.
  2. ↑ "Lethbridge Forced to Change Logo".
  3. ↑ "Small Thoughts at Large: Trainwreck in Lethbridge". 18 October 2013.
  4. ↑ "Pilon gone — defenceman leaves the team › the Lethbridge Herald – myLH.ca". Archived from the original on 2014-03-16. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  5. ↑ "Luber's Lounge: Wheat Kings Acquire Pilon in 5-Player Deal". luberslounge.blogspot.ca. Archived from the original on 2014-03-16.
  6. ↑ "Nightmare season in Lethbridge hits new low - Sportsnet.ca".
  7. ↑ "Stormy times in Lethbridge - the Moose Jaw Times Herald - blogarticle". Archived from the original on 2013-12-04. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  8. ↑ "Financial woes plague Lethbridge Hurricanes - Lethbridge | Globalnews.ca".
  9. ↑ "Business as usual for Hurricanes — Wichers says no league involvement, board moving on › the Lethbridge Herald – myLH.ca". Archived from the original on 2014-03-16. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  10. ↑ "Versteeg writes open letter to fans, shareholders › the Lethbridge Herald – myLH.ca". Archived from the original on 2014-03-16. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  11. ↑ WHL Network, Western Hockey League, retrieved 2024-01-11
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