Cranbrook Colts

The Cranbrook Colts were a Junior "B" and a Junior "A" team in Cranbrook, British Columbia. They were formed in 1971 as a Junior "B" team in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. They were immediately successful, winning the league title in their first four years. The Colts jumped to the Junior "A" Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League in 1991, winning three league titles in their seven years in the league.

Cranbrook Colts
CityCranbrook, British Columbia, Canada
LeagueKootenay International Junior Hockey League
Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League
Operated1971 (1971)-1998
ColoursBlack and White

The Colts folded in 1998 and with that, the whole league (RMJHL) the year after folded, because of the forming of the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook, British Columbia, a major junior team in the Western Hockey League. The Ice relocated to Winnipeg, Manitoba after the 2018-19 WHL season, going back once again to junior "A" in the BCHL for the 2020-21 BCHL season, as the Cranbrook Bucks.

Championships

History

In 1971, the Cranbrook Colts joined the KIJHL with a partial schedule. After going undefeated in nineteen games, Colts went on to win the league playoff title. For much of the 1970s, the Colts were the elite of the KIJHL and amongst the best British Columbia Junior B hockey had to offer. The Colts went on to win KIJHL playoff titles in 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, and 1976, topping this off with Cyclone Taylor Cups as Provincial Champions in 1974 and 1975.

In the early 1980s, the Colts came back to their winning ways, taking league titles in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987. They finished this dynasty off with four consecutive Cyclone Taylor Cups in 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987 as BC champions.

In 1991, the Colts joined the Peace-Cariboo Junior Hockey League with a group of other KIJHL teams to form the Kootenay Division of what was to now be known as the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League. The PCJHL had been a tiny Junior "A" league bridging the British Columbia-Alberta North-Central border since 1980. The Southern expansion into the Kootenays was an effort to increase the talent pool and to venture into an area that British Columbia Junior Hockey League had yet to claim. The Colts would continue to dominate, even as a Junior "A" team, winning league championships in 1995, 1997, and 1998.

In 1998, the Western Hockey League's Edmonton Ice was failing and was sold and moved to Cranbrook. The Colts folded to make way for the Major Junior team.

Season-by-season standings

SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGAPResultsPlayoffs
1971-72191900-19348383rd WKHLWon League
1972-73302550-23092501st KIJHL-EWon League
1973-74302631-245116531st KIJHL-EWon League, Won CTC
1974-75343220-237111641st KIJHL-EWon League, Won CTC
1975-763424100-207139481st KIJHL-EWon League
1976-774420231-241221411st KIJHL-E
1977-784217250-209229343rd KIJHL-E
1978-794026131-264205532nd KIJHL-E
1979-804021163-217178453rd KIJHL-E
1980-81403631-293141731st KIJHL-E
1981-82423750-381162741st KIJHL-EWon League, Won CTC
1982-83423660-331154721st KIJHL-EWon League
1983-844229121-318221592nd KIJHL-EWon League
1984-85423480-303187681st KIJHL-EWon League, Won CTC
1985-86393270-310184641st KIJHL-EWon League, Won CTC
1986-87423381-303171671st KIJHL-EWon League, Won CTC
1987-88423390-336180662nd KIJHL-E
1988-894325180-270172502nd KIJHL-E
1989-904020200-226215402nd KIJHL-E
1990-914015241-183223313rd KIJHL-E
1991-925229203-220173612nd RMJHL-KLost Semi-final
1992-93523120-1262194633rd RMJHL-KLost Final
1993-94523417-1295239692nd RMJHL-KLost Semi-final
1994-95523715-0312193742nd RMJHL-KWon League
1995-96583721-0295197741st RMJHL-KLost Quarter-final
1996-97603424-2309281701st RMJHLWon League
1997-98543514-5311202752nd RMJHLWon League

Playoffs

  • 1992 Lost Semi-final
Cranbrook Colts defeated Fernie Ghostriders 4-games-to-none
Trail Smoke Eaters defeated Cranbrook Colts 4-games-to-3
  • 1993 Lost Final
Cranbrook Colts defeated Kimberley Dynamiters 4-games-to-2
Cranbrook Colts defeated Trail Smoke Eaters 4-games-to-2
Williams Lake Mustangs defeated Cranbrook Colts 3-games-to-2
  • 1994 Lost Semi-final
Cranbrook Colts defeated Creston Valley Thunder 4-games-to-1
Kimberley Dynamiters defeated Cranbrook Colts 4-games-to-1
Cranbrook Colts defeated Kimberley Dynamiters 4-games-to-none
Cranbrook Colts defeated Creston Valley Thunder 4-games-to-none
Cranbrook Colts defeated Prince George Spruce Kings 4-games-to-2 RMJHL CHAMPIONS
Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL) defeated Cranbrook Colts 3-games-to-none
  • 1996 Lost Quarter-final
Kimberley Dynamiters defeated Cranbrook Colts 4-games-to-2
Kimberley Dynamiters defeated Cranbrook Colts 4-games-to-3
Cranbrook Colts defeated Nelson Leafs 4-games-to-none
Cranbrook Colts defeated Fernie Ghostriders 4-games-to-none RMJHL CHAMPIONS
South Surrey Eagles (BCHL) defeated Cranbrook Colts 3-games-to-none
Cranbrook Colts defeated Fernie Ghostriders 4-games-to-1
Cranbrook Colts defeated Kimberley Dynamiters 4-games-to-3 RMJHL CHAMPIONS
South Surrey Eagles (BCHL) defeated Cranbrook Colts 3-games-to-none

Notable alumni

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