Swift Current Broncos

Swift Current Broncos
City Swift Current, Saskatchewan
League Western Hockey League
Conference Eastern
Division East
Founded 1967 (1967)
Home arena Credit Union iPlex
Colours Blue, green, white, black
                   
General manager Dean Brockman
Head coach Dean Brockman
Championships 1989 Memorial Cup Champions
1989, 1993, 2018 WHL champions
Website www.scbroncos.com
Franchise history
1967–1974 Swift Current Broncos
1974–1986 Lethbridge Broncos
1986–present Swift Current Broncos

The Swift Current Broncos are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. Founded during 1967 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, the Broncos played seven seasons before relocating to Lethbridge from 1974 to 1986 as the Lethbridge Broncos. The Broncos then returned to Swift Current, and have played there since 1986, at the Credit Union iPlex.

History

The Broncos started out as the Swift Current Broncos in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, but moved to Lethbridge in 1974. The team had been losing money in tiny Swift Current and the new Lethbridge Sportsplex was beckoning for a team. The Broncos played in Lethbridge for twelve seasons, winning the President's Cup in 1982–83. In the mid 1980s, the team came up for sale, and despite a large and loyal fanbase in Lethbridge, the Broncos were bought by local interests in Swift Current and moved back to their original home. After a year without WHL hockey in Lethbridge, the Calgary Wranglers moved to the city and became the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

The Broncos won its only Memorial Cup championship two years later at the 1989 Memorial Cup. In the 1993 Memorial Cup, the Broncos were eliminated in a tie-breaker. Afterwards, head coach Graham James resigned to coach the Calgary Hitmen, but three seasons later, allegations arose that he sexually abused former player Sheldon Kennedy during their days together with the Broncos. James was convicted of sexual offenses and sentenced to three years in prison.

The Broncos play their home games at the Credit Union iPlex.

The Broncos, play in the second smallest market in the Canadian Hockey League. The only market smaller than Swift Current is Bathurst, New Brunswick, home of the QMJHL's Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

1986 team bus crash

On December 30, 1986, the Broncos' bus crashed on the way to a game in Regina. Four players: Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka and Brent Ruff (younger brother of then-player and former Dallas Stars coach Lindy Ruff) were killed.[1] The team still wears a commemorative patch in remembrance of the four players. The rest of the team, led by future NHL star Joe Sakic, who recorded 60 goals, played out the season despite the loss. In a move to memorialise the fallen players, the WHL now awards the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy to the League's Player of the Year.

Season-by-season record

First Broncos (1967–74)

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

SeasonGP W L T GF GA PointsFinishPlayoffs
1967–686016386242343389th OverallOut of playoffs
1968–696014442186329304th WestLost quarter-final
1969–706027312240265563rd WestLost quarter-final
1970–716624402229290504th WestLost quarter-final
1971–726825421242311515th EastOut of playoffs
1972–736827356300359605th EastOut of playoffs
1973–746835249240306793rd EastLost semi-final

Second Broncos (1986-present)

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

SeasonGP W L T OTLGF GA PointsFinishPlayoffs
1986–877228404-331393606th EastLost East quarter-final
1987–887244262-388312904th EastLost East semi-final
1988–897255161-4473191111st EastWon championship and Memorial Cup
1989–907229394-323351626th EastLost in first round
1990–917240293-369351833rd EastLost in first round
1991–927235334-296313745th EastLost East semi-final
1992–937249212-3842671001st EastWon championship
Lost Memorial Cup tie-breaker
1993–947235334-284258744th EastLost East semi-final
1994–957231347-274284696th EastLost in first round
1995–967236315-285271771st CentralLost in first round
1996–977244235-336243932nd EastLost Eastern Conference semi-final
1997–987244199-276220972nd EastLost Eastern Conference semi-final
1998–997234326-232211744th EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
1999–2000724718432571701011st EastLost Eastern Conference semi-final
2000–0172432072275215951st EastLost Eastern Conference final
2001–0272421767274218972nd CentralLost Eastern Conference semi-final
2002–0372382473240215862nd CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2003–0472362970234209794th CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2004–0572224163135218535th CentralOut of playoffs
SeasonGPWLOTLSOLGFGAPtsFinishPlayoffs
2005–0672243468175242624th CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2006–0772333612199241693rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2007–0872412416244205893rd EastLost Eastern Conference semi-final
2008–0972422811258220863rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2009–1072373014231232793rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2010–1172264402181260546th EastOut of playoffs
2011–1272273726216272625th EastOut of playoffs
2012–1372362934206193793rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2013–1472382536248229852nd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2014–1572343314221245733rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2015–1672243873189249585th EastOut of playoffs
2016–1772392346247239883rd EastLost Eastern Conference semi-final
2017–18724817522842131032nd EastWon championship

WHL Championship history

Current roster

Updated September 21, 2018.[2]

# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Drafted
16 Canada Matthew Culling C L 17 2018 Regina, Saskatchewan Eligible 2019
10 Canada Kaden Elder C R 20 2015 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Undrafted
26 Canada Andrew Fyten RW R 19 2018 Didsbury, Alberta Undrafted
30 Canada Joel Hofer G R 18 2017 Winnipeg, Manitoba 2018, 107th Overall, STL
36 Canada Connor Horning D R 17 2016 Kelowna, British Columbia Eligible 2019
12 Canada Eric Houk LW R 17 2018 Regina, Saskatchewan Eligible 2019
7 Canada Noah King D L 19 2014 Winnipeg, Manitoba Undrafted
19 Finland Joona Kiviniemi RW L 16 2018 Oulu, Finland Eligible 2020
5 Russia Artyom Minulin (A) D R 20 2015 Tyumen, Russia Undrafted
15 Canada Colum McGauley LW L 18 2018 Nelson, British Columbia Eligible 2019
25 Canada Tanner Nagel RW R 20 2018 Mossbank, Saskatchewan Undrafted
20 Canada Ethan O'Rourke RW R 19 2018 Penticton, British Columbia Undrafted
23 Canada Max Patterson RW R 18 2017 Kamloops, British Columbia Undrafted
6 Canada Ryan Pouliot D R 20 2018 North Vancouver, British Columbia Undrafted
27 Canada Sam Pouliot D R 18 2018 North Vancouver, British Columbia Eligible 2019
1 Canada Isaac Poulter G R 17 2016 Winnipeg, Manitoba Eligible 2019
2 Finland Roope Pynnonen D L 17 2018 Tampere, Finland Eligible 2019
18 Canada Ethan Regnier RW R 18 2015 Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Undrafted
38 Canada Christian Riemer D L 18 2017 Regina, Saskatchewan Undrafted
4 Canada Billy Sowa D R 16 2018 Calgary, Alberta Eligible 2020
24 Canada Carter Spenst D R 17 2017 Valleyview, Alberta Eligible 2019
28 Canada Quinton Waitzner C L 18 2015 Victoria, British Columbia Undrafted
13 Canada MacKenzie Wight RW R 19 2016 Burnaby, British Columbia Undrafted
39 Canada Alec Zawatsky LW L 18 2018 Winfield, British Columbia Undrafted

Team records

Team records for a single season
StatisticTotalSeason
Most points1111988–89
Most wins551988–89
Most goals for4471988–89
Fewest goals for1352004–05
Fewest goals against1701999–2000
Most goals against3931986–87
Individual player records for a single season
StatisticPlayerTotalSeason
Most goalsJason Krywulak811992–93
Most assistsTerry Ruskowski931973–74
Most pointsJason Krywulak1621992–93
Most points, rookieJoe Sakic1331986–87
Most points, defencemanDan Lambert1021988–89
Best GAA (goalie)Bryce Wandler2.061999–2000
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played

NHL alumni

Retired numbers: The Swift Current Broncos have retired the jersey numbers of the four players who died in the aforementioned 1986 team bus accident.

Coaches

Swift Current Broncos original logo.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Joyce, Gare (2006-12-30). "E-Ticket: Denial of Death". ESPN. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  2. ↑ WHL Network, Western Hockey League, retrieved 2018-09-21
  3. ↑ "Brockman Named Broncos New Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations". OurSportsCentral.com. June 27, 2018.
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