Lethbridge Hurricanes

Lethbridge Hurricanes
City Lethbridge, Alberta
League Western Hockey League
Conference Eastern
Division Central
Founded 1967
Home arena ENMAX Centre
Colours Red, navy, white
              
General manager Peter Anholt
Head coach Brent Kisio
Website www.lethbridgehurricanes.com
Franchise history
1967–1973 Winnipeg Jets
1973–1976 Winnipeg Clubs
1976–1977 Winnipeg Monarchs
1977–1987 Calgary Wranglers
1987–present Lethbridge Hurricanes
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 recent years, the community-owned franchise has faced serious financial problems, which came to light during the 2013–14 season. The team lost upwards of $1.25 million in a two-year period[7] and has gone as far as having to scale back on their marketing campaigns and player accommodations on road trips. In March 2014, the team revealed it had to take out a line of credit in order to meet financial goals.[8] The financial situation of the team has led to internet rumours of the team possibly being sold to True North Sports and Entertainment and relocated to Winnipeg,[9] while former Hurricanes forward and Lethbridge native Kris Versteeg has publicly stated his desire to purchase the team and keep it in the city.[10] As the losses continued to pile up and the fan interest waning, the team fired Head Coach Drake Berehowsky on December 9 and General Manager Brad Robson on December 10, and hired former Prince Albert Raiders Head Coach Peter Anholt to both positions that day.

Anholt stepped down as coach, but stayed on as general manager, and hired 33 year old Brent Kisio away from the Calgary Hitmen as the team's new head coach.

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

WHL Championship history

Current roster

Updated October 9, 2018.[11]
# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Drafted
2 Canada Calen Addison D R 18 2015 Brandon, Manitoba 2018, 53rd Overall, PIT
27 Canada Logan Barlage C R 17 2018 Humboldt, Saskatchewan Eligible 2019
15 Canada Jordy Bellerive (C) C L 19 2014 North Vancouver, British Columbia 2017, Free Agent, PIT
19 Canada Noah Boyko C R 16 2017 Redwater, Alberta Eligible 2020
17 Canada Hayden Clayton RW R 18 2017 Sylvan Lake, Alberta Undrafted
28 Canada Alex Cotton D R 17 2016 Langley, British Columbia Eligible 2019
16 Canada Zachary Cox C R 19 2017 Rocky View, Alberta Undrafted
24 Canada Dylan Cozens C R 17 2016 Whitehorse, Yukon Eligible 2019
20 Canada Jake Elmer RW R 19 2017 Calgary, Alberta Undrafted
12 Canada Adam Hall C R 17 2016 Edmonton, Alberta Eligible 2019
9 Canada Justin Hall LW L 17 2016 Edmonton, Alberta Eligible 2019
18 Canada Keri Jeri-Leon RW R 18 2018 Kelowna, British Columbia Undrafted
7 Canada Nolan Jones D L 17 2016 Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan Eligible 2019
23 Canada Jadon Joseph C R 19 2014 Sherwood Park, Alberta Undrafted
31 Canada Reece Klassen G L 19 2017 Cloverdale, British Columbia Undrafted
10 Canada Ty Kolle C L 18 2018 Kamloops, British Columbia Undrafted
11 Ukraine Igor Merezhko D R 20 2015 Kharkov, Ukraine Undrafted
4 Belarus Danila Palivko D L 16 2018 Novopolotsk, Belarus Eligible 2020
6 Canada Ty Prefontaine D L 19 2016 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Undrafted
8 Canada Taylor Ross LW L 20 2017 Kronau, Saskatchewan Undrafted
14 Canada Jackson Shepard LW L 18 2018 North Vancouver, British Columbia Undrafted
35 Canada Carl Tetachuk G L 17 2018 Lethbridge, Alberta Eligible 2019
29 Canada Koletrane Wilson D R 19 2014 Edmonton, Alberta Undrafted

Team records

Team records for a single season
StatisticTotalSeason
Most points1061989–90
Most wins511989–90
Most goals for4651989–90
Least points292013–14
Least wins122013–14
Least goals for1712013–14
Least 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. ↑ http://www.icethetics.info/blog/2013/3/27/lethbridge-forced-to-change-logo.html
  3. ↑ http://smallatlarge.blogspot.ca/2013/10/trainwreck-in-lethbridge.html
  4. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-03-16. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  5. ↑ http://luberslounge.blogspot.ca/2013/11/wheat-kings-acquire-pilon-in-5-player.html
  6. ↑ http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/nightmare-season-in-lethbridge-hits-new-low/
  7. ↑ http://www.mjtimes.sk.ca/Blog-Article/b/25317/Stormy-times-in-Lethbridge
  8. ↑ http://globalnews.ca/news/1134501/financial-woes-plague-lethbridge-hurricanes/
  9. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-03-16. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  10. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-03-16. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  11. ↑ WHL Network, Western Hockey League, retrieved 2018-10-09
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