Sherwood Park Crusaders

The Sherwood Park Crusaders are a junior A ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). They play in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, with home games at Sherwood Park Arena.

Sherwood Park Crusaders
CitySherwood Park, Alberta
LeagueAlberta Junior Hockey League
DivisionNorth
Founded1976 (1976)
Home arenaSherwood Park Arena
ColoursBlack, green and white
General managerKyle Chase
Head coachAdam Manah
Franchise history
1976–1978Edmonton Crusaders
1978–presentSherwood Park Crusaders

History

The Edmonton Crusaders joined the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) in 1976 playing out of the Jasper Place Arena. The AJHL franchise was revived from a dormant entry controlled by Jim McCaddie. The Edmonton Crusaders played two seasons in the AJHL.

In 1978, a group of Sherwood Park businessmen, headed by John Fisher, Frank Chase, and Al Bishop, moved the franchise to Sherwood Park. John Fisher, a Sherwood Park resident and former Alberta Oilers' player, became the first coach of the Crusaders.

During a game on February 21, 1980, twenty-year-old captain Trevor Elton was hit cleanly along the boards by a player on the St. Albert Saints in St. Albert, Alberta. Elton landed and went into convulsions and died later that night while in hospital.[1] The 1980–81 team was coached by Gregg Pilling, and finished first place in the South Division.

During the 1985–86 season, Brett Pearce suffered a major injury which left him paralyzed. During the same season, the Crusaders capture the AJHL North Division championship. In 1986–87, the Crusaders won their first regular season championship, followed by another division title in 1989–90. The Crusaders made it the league playoff finals in 1985, 1986, and 1990, but never won the playoff championship. On July 2, 1996, Crusaders' general manager and part owner, Al McDonald died from cancer.

At the conclusion of the 1998 season, the team was purchased from Art Cox by a group of local businessmen headed by Tom Maxwell. The group has since turned the club into a non-profit society. The 1998–99 season had the team finish in last place in the North Division with a 13–44–3–2 record. In 1999, the entire team was rebuilt with mostly younger players and finished with a 7–52–3–2 record, the worst Junior A record in the 1999–2000 Canadian Junior Hockey League season.

The 2000–01 season had a new head coach in Doug Schum and qualified for the playoffs with a 20–29–6–2 record before losing to St. Albert Saints in three games. The Crusaders lost only five players going into the 2001–02 season and replaced Schum with head coach Dan Auchenberg. The team started slow in the season and then went on a 15-game winning streak to finish third in the North Division. Head coach Dan Auchenberg won the AJHL's Coach of the Year for the team's turnaround. They then swept their first round playoff series against the Lloydminster Blazers before a losing to the Drayton Valley Thunder in six games.

The team continued its improvement winning their four of their first five games before returning goaltender,Chris Denman, was injured and the team began trading for and rotating many goaltenders, including female goaltender Shannon Szabados for eight games. Szabados, who would later play for the Canadian women's national team for over a decade, earned two shutouts and a 7–1 record. The Crusaders finished the season with 43 wins, earning a first place finish in the North Division and the regular season title. In the first round of the playoffs, the Bonnyville Pontiacs were swept in four games. The playoff format for that season gave the team a second round bye and a 19-day layoff. The team then lost to the St. Albert Saints in five games in the division finals.

In the 2003–04 season, the team lost several of their veteran players, but head coach Auchenberg and goaltender Szabados returned. The team finished the season in fourth place in the North Division and were swept out of the playoffs in the first round by Drayton Valley.

Season-by-season record

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

SeasonGPWLT/OTLSOLPtsGFGAFinishPlayoffs
1976–77605550—101823767th OverallDid not qualify
1977–786030291—612762604th OverallLost Quarterfinals, 3–4 vs. Fort Saskatchewan Traders
1978–796012480—242303507th OverallDid not qualify
1979–805819390—382533307th OverallLost Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Red Deer Rustlers
1980–816036231—732942841st NorthWon Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Fort Saskatchewan Traders
Lost Semifinals, 2–4 vs. St. Albert Saints
1981–826023370—462543065th NorthDid not qualify
1982–836025341—512963564th NorthLost Quarterfinals, 0–4 vs. St. Albert Saints
1983–846028311—572873023rd NorthLost Quarterfinals, 3–4 vs. St. Albert Saints
1984–856037203—773192431st NorthWon Quarterfinals, 4–1 vs. Hobbema Hawks
Won Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Fort Saskatchewan Traders
Lost Finals, 2–4 vs. Red Deer Rustlers
1985–865230193—692612062nd NorthWon Quarterfinals, 4–1 vs. Fort Saskatchewan Traders
Won Semifinals, 4–1 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Lost Finals, 3–4 vs. Calgary Canucks
1986–876043134—902741921st NorthWon Quarterfinals, 4–1 vs. Fort Saskatchewan Traders
Lost Semifinals, 3–4 vs. St. Albert Saints
1987–886018411—372053015th NorthDid not qualify
1988–896039193—813222431st NorthWon Quarterfinals, 4–2 vs. St. Albert Saints
Lost Semifinals, 0–4 vs. Fort Saskatchewan Traders
1989–906026331—532933044th NorthWon Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Won Semifinals, 4–3 vs. Lloydminster Blazers
Lost Finals, 2–4 vs. Calgary Canucks
1990–915616391—332042878th OverallLost Quarterfinals, 0–4 vs. Fort Saskatchewan Traders
1991–92601640—4363033978th OverallLost Quarterfinals, 0–4 vs. Olds Grizzlys
1992–93561738—1352112938th OverallLost Quarterfinals, 4–5 vs. Fort Saskatchewan Traders
1993–94563520—1712472082nd OverallWon Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Lloydminster Blazers
Lost Semifinals, 2–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
1994–95562926—1592532345th OverallWon Quarterfinals, 4–1 vs. St. Albert Saints
Lost Semifinals, 0–4 vs. Olds Grizzlys
1995–96602730—3572292506th OverallLost Quarterfinals, 3–4 vs. St. Albert Saints
1996–97603126—3642232276th OverallLost Quarterfinals, 2–4 vs. St. Albert Saints
1997–98602335—24819925610th OverallDid not qualify
1998–99621644—2341983237th NorthDid not qualify
1999–00641052—2221863237th NorthDid not qualify
2000–016427298—622352456th NorthLost Preliminary series, 0–3 vs. St. Albert Saints
2001–026438215—812601933rd NorthWon Preliminary series, 3–0 vs. Lloydminster Blazers
Lost Quarterfinals, 2–4 vs. Drayton Valley Thunder
2002–036443138—942591651st NorthWon Div. Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
Bye
Lost Div. Finals, 1–4 vs. St. Albert Saints
2003–046030255—651841894th NorthLost Preliminary series, 0–3 vs. Drayton Valley Thunder
2004–056414437—351592758th NorthDid not qualify
2005–0660153510—401422158th NorthDid not qualify
2006–0760222810—541501997th NorthLost Preliminary series, 0–3 vs. Grande Prairie Storm
2007–086228259—651912065th NorthLost Preliminary series, 2–3 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
2008–096241201—832231693rd NorthWon Div. Quarterfinals, 3–1 vs. St. Albert Steel
Lost Div. Semifinals, 2–4 vs. Grande Prairie Storm
2009–106033189—752061814th NorthLost Div. Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
2010–116029256—641751986th NorthLost Div. Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
2011–126037194—782311994th NorthWon Div. Quarterfinals, 3–2 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
2012–136028257—631841837th NorthWon Div. Quarterfinals, 3–1 vs. Grande Prairie Storm
Lost Div. Semifinals, 2–4 vs. Spruce Grove Saints
2013–146029283—611922084th NorthWon Div. Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
Lost Div. Semifinals, 3–4 vs. Spruce Grove Saints
2014–156028257—631731765th NorthWon Div. Quarterfinals, 3–1 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Lost Div. Semifinals, 2–4 vs. Spruce Grove Saints
2015–166039192—802401945th NorthWon Div. Quarterfinals, 3–1 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–4 vs. Spruce Grove Saints
2016–1760322531672332355th of 8, North
11th of 16, AJHL		Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 1–3 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
2017–186027312—562092415th of 8, North
9th of 16, AJHL		Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 2–3 vs. Grande Prairie Storm
2018–196044142—902541591st of 8, North
2nd of 16, AJHL		Won Div. Semifinals, 4–2 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Lost Div. Finals, 2–4 vs. Spruce Grove Saints
2019–20584999—982711281st of 8, North
1st of 15, AJHL		Postseason cancelled

NHL alumni

The following former Crusaders have gone on to play in the NHL:

The following former Crusaders have gone on to play for the Canada national women's ice hockey team:

Retired numbers and honored personnel
  • Al McDonald: General manager and part owner died from cancer on July 2, 1996. The Sherwood Park Crusaders have placed a banner in his memory in the Sherwood Park Arena and dedicated a trophy for a Crusaders' player that best combines academic and athletic excellence each season.
  • #10 Trevor Elton: Captain of the Crusaders during the 1979–80 season. In February 1980 during a game against the St. Albert Saints, he was on the receiving end of a body check. Trevor collapsed and later died as a result of the hit. Elton's number was retired and a banner was placed in the arena to honour him. The Crusaders named the team's most valuable player trophy after him.
  • #11 Brett Pearce: In 1985, Pearce won the Crusaders' Most Improved Player award and an accident during a game the following season paralyzed him. Pearce's number was retired and a banner was placed in the arena to honour him. The Crusaders renamed the team's Most Improved Player trophy after him.

See also

References
  1. Junior player dies after game. Regina Leader-Post, February 21, 1980, p. 20.
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