Calgary Canucks
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| Calgary Canucks | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Calgary, Alberta |
| League | Alberta Junior Hockey League |
| Division | South |
| Founded | 1971 |
| Home arena | Ken Bracko Arena |
| Colours | Red, Yellow, White |
| President | Sandy Edmonstone |
| General manager | Brad Moran |
| Head coach | Brad Moran |
| Website | calgarycanucks |
The Calgary Canucks are a junior A ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). They play in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, with home games at the Ken Bracko Arena. They have won the AJHL championship 11 times and two national championship. The team was selected to host the 2025 Centennial Cup National Junior A championship tournament.[1]
History
[edit]
Founded in 1971, the Calgary Canucks are the oldest franchise still operating in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), taking that title when the Spruce Grove Saints joined the British Columbia Hockey League in 2024. The Canucks franchise also has the longest tenure of any in the AJHL in one city.
The Canucks organization was formed of a group led by Doug Eastcott in order to create a junior team so that local players did not have to live away from where they attended school. As the team considered itself a Calgary-based development system, it set an internal limit of three "imports" (non-Calgary area players) per season. The import cap was eventually dropped as the AJHL has added more teams in the Calgary region such as the Calgary Royals and Okotoks Oilers, causing the team to recruit from a larger region.
The Canucks qualified for the playoffs 34 consecutive seasons, a streak finally broken in 2006–07, The team has 12 regular season titles, 11 AJHL championships, two Doyle Cup titles, and two Centennial Cup National Junior A Championship. The team has developed multiple players that have reached the National Hockey League, including Dany Heatley and two-time Stanley Cup winner Mike Vernon. Many more have earned scholarships to American and Canadian universities.
During the 2021–22 season, while renovations made their home Ken Bracko Arena unavailable,[2] the Canucks played their home games at Henry Viney Arena.
Season-by-season record
[edit]| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984–85 | 60 | 30 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 293 | 285 | 3rd South | Lost Quarterfinals, 2–4 vs. Calgary Spurs |
| 1985–86 | 52 | 33 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 248 | 208 | 1st South | Won Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Olds Grizzlys Won Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Hobbema Hawks Won AJHL Championship, 4–3 vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders Lost Doyle Cup. 1–4 vs. Penticton Knights (BCJHL) |
| 1986–87 | 60 | 39 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 315 | 217 | 1st South | Won Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Hobbema Hawks Lost Semifinals, 3–4 vs. Red Deer Rustlers |
| 1987–88 | 60 | 51 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 102 | 402 | 196 | 1st South | Won Quarterfinals, 4–1 vs. Calgary Spurs Won Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Red Deer Rustlers Won AJHL Championship, 4–1 vs. St. Albert Saints Won Doyle Cup, 4–0 vs. Vernon Lakers (BCJHL) Lost Abbott Cup, 3–4 vs. Notre Dame Hounds (SJHL) |
| 1988–89 | 60 | 34 | 22 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 72 | 285 | 217 | 3rd South | Lost Quarterfinals, 1–4 vs. Olds Grizzlys |
| 1989–90 | 60 | 47 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 96 | 373 | 238 | 1st South | Won Quarterfinals, 4–3 vs. St. Albert Saints Won Semifinals, 4–1 vs. Olds Grizzlys Won AJHL Championship, 4–2 vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders Lost Doyle Cup, 0–4 vs. New Westminster Royals (BCJHL) |
| 1990–91 | 56 | 23 | 32 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 229 | 249 | 6th Overall | Lost Quarterfinals, 0–4 vs. Calgary Royals |
| 1991–92 | 60 | 31 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 63 | 266 | 229 | 5th Overall | Lost Quarterfinals, 3–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons |
| 1992–93 | 56 | 31 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 64 | 223 | 214 | 5th Overall | Lost Quarterfinals, 2–5 vs. St. Albert Saints |
| 1993–94 | 56 | 28 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 63 | 242 | 227 | 5th Overall | Lost Quarterfinals, 3–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons |
| 1994–95 | 56 | 36 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72 | 307 | 222 | 2nd Overall | Won Quarterfinals, 4–1 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs Won Semifinals, 4–3 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons Won AJHL Championship, 4–1 vs. Olds Grizzlys Won Doyle Cup, 4–3 vs. Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL) Won 1995 Centennial Cup National Championship |
| 1995–96 | 60 | 42 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 88 | 281 | 213 | 1st Overall | Won Quarterfinals, 4–1 vs. Calgary Royals Lost Semifinals, 1–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons |
| 1996–97 | 60 | 37 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 79 | 257 | 201 | 1st Overall | Won Quarterfinals, 4–2 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs Won Semifinals. 4–1 vs. Grande Prairie Storm Lost AJHL Finals, 3–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons |
| 1997–98 | 60 | 36 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 77 | 243 | 202 | 4th Overall | Won Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons Lost Semifinals, 3–4 vs. St. Albert Saints |
| 1998–99 | 62 | 50 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 104 | 350 | 159 | 1st South | Won Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Camrose Kodiaks Won Semifinals, 4–1 vs. Olds Grizzlys Won AJHL Championship, 4–0 vs. St. Albert Saints Lost Doyle Cup, 1–4 vs. Vernon Vipers (BCHL) |
| 1999–00 | 64 | 28 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 61 | 239 | 243 | 6th South | Lost Preliminary series, 1–3 vs. Olds Grizzlys |
| 2000–01 | 64 | 34 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 72 | 269 | 269 | 3rd South | Lost Preliminary series, 1–3 vs. Calgary Royals |
| 2001–02 | 64 | 29 | 28 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 256 | 286 | 5th South | Lost Preliminary series, 2–3 vs. Calgary Royals |
| 2002–03 | 64 | 31 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 69 | 229 | 225 | 5th South | Lost Preliminary series, 0–4 vs. Camrose Kodiaks |
| 2003–04 | 60 | 34 | 17 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 77 | 209 | 177 | 3rd South | Won Preliminary series, 3–1 vs. Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves Lost Quarterfinals, 1–4 vs. Olds Grizzlys |
| 2004–05 | 64 | 32 | 25 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 71 | 205 | 202 | 3rd South | Won Preliminary series, 3–0 vs. Drumheller Dragons Lost Quarterfinals, 3–4 vs. Brooks Bandits |
| 2005–06 | 60 | 20 | 34 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 46 | 154 | 205 | 7th South | Won Preliminary series, 3–1 vs. Olds Grizzlys Lost Quarterfinals, 0–4 vs. Camrose Kodiaks |
| 2006–07 | 60 | 18 | 36 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 42 | 174 | 239 | 8th South | Did not qualify |
| 2007–08 | 62 | 19 | 38 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 43 | 162 | 225 | 7th South | Lost Preliminary series, 1–3 vs. Okotoks Oilers |
| 2008–09 | 62 | 31 | 21 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 72 | 173 | 167 | 4th South | Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 1–3 vs. Camrose Kodiaks |
| 2009–10 | 60 | 29 | 27 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 62 | 214 | 225 | 4th South | Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 1–3 vs. Brooks Bandits |
| 2010–11 | 60 | 18 | 37 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 41 | 178 | 280 | 8th South | Did not qualify |
| 2011–12 | 60 | 19 | 36 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 43 | 169 | 213 | 6th South | Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–1 vs. Camrose Kodiaks Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–4 vs. Brooks Bandits |
| 2012–13 | 60 | 16 | 39 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 37 | 137 | 243 | 8th South | Did not qualify |
| 2013–14 | 60 | 15 | 42 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 33 | 156 | 232 | 8th South | Did not qualify |
| 2014–15 | 60 | 17 | 33 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 44 | 160 | 234 | 8th South | Did not qualify |
| 2015–16 | 60 | 24 | 33 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 51 | 156 | 218 | 6th of 8, South 11th of 16, AJHL |
Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Okotoks Oilers |
| 2016–17 | 60 | 37 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 78 | 219 | 157 | 3rd of 8, South 7th of 16, AJHL |
Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–2 vs. Drumheller Dragons Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–4 vs. Okotoks Oilers |
| 2017–18 | 60 | 26 | 32 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 54 | 199 | 256 | 6th of 8, South 11th of 16, AJHL |
Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 1–3 vs. Drumheller Dragons |
| 2018–19 | 60 | 9 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 127 | 332 | 7th of 8, South 15th of 16, AJHL |
Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Okotoks Oilers |
| 2019–20 | 58 | 9 | 46 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 118 | 299 | 7th of 7, South 15th of 15, AJHL |
Did not qualify |
| 2020–21 | 15 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 35 | 67 | align=center colspan=2 | Season cancelled |
| 2021–22 | 60 | 15 | 39 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 36 | 144 | 261 | 7th of 8, South 15th of 16, AJHL |
Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 2-4 vs. Drumheller Dragons |
| 2022–23 | 60 | 19 | 32 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 47 | 185 | 268 | 7th of 8, South 13th of 16, AJHL |
Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 1-4 vs. Blackfalds Bulldogs |
| 2023–24 | 57 | 31 | 23 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 65 | 176 | 190 | 3rd of 11, AJHL | Won Div. Quarterfinals, 4-2 vs. Grande Prairie Storm Won Div. Quarterfinals, 4-1 vs. Drumheller Dragons Won League Finals 4-0 Whitecourt Wolverines Advance to Centennial Cup |
| 2024–25 | 54 | 37 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 78 | 255 | 139 | 1st of 6 South 1st of of 12, AJHL |
Won Div. Semifinals, 4-1 vs. Camrose Kodiaks Won Div. Finals, 4-0 vs. Drumheller Dragons Won League Finals 4-0 Grande Prairie Storm Won Centennial Cup |
Source: "Calgary Canucks statistics and history". hockeydb.com. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
Junior A National Championship
[edit]The National Junior A Championship, known as the Centennial Cup and formerly as Royal Bank Cup or RBC Cup, is the postseason tournament for the Canadian national championship for Junior A hockey teams that are members of the Canadian Junior Hockey League since 1971. Since 1986, the tournament has consisted of the regional Junior A champions and a previously selected host team. Since 1990, the national championship has used a five-team tournament format when the regional qualifiers were designated as the ANAVET Cup (Western), Doyle Cup (Pacific), Dudley Hewitt Cup (Central), and Fred Page Cup (Eastern). From 2013 to 2017, the qualifiers were the Dudley Hewitt Cup (Central), Fred Page Cup (Eastern), and the Western Canada Cup champions and runners-up (Western #1 and #2).
The tournament begins with round-robin play between the five teams followed by the top four teams playing a semifinal game, with the top seed facing the fourth seed and the second facing the third. The winners of the semifinals then face each other in final game for the national championship. In some years, the losers of the semifinal games face each other for a third place game.
| Year | Round-robin | Record | Standing | Semifinal | Championship game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | W, 1–0[a] vs. Le National de Joliette (Eastern) W, 6–0 vs. Thunder Bay Flyers (Central) W, 5–4 vs. Gloucester Rangers (Host) L, 3–6 vs. Winnipeg South Blues (Western) |
3–1 (W–L) |
1st of 5 | W, 5–3 vs. Thunder Bay Flyers | W, 5–4 vs. Gloucester Rangers Centennial Cup National Junior A Champions |
Revised format 2022
[edit]Canadian Jr. A National Championships
Maritime Junior Hockey League, Quebec Junior Hockey League, Central Canada Hockey League, Ontario Junior Hockey League, Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League, Superior International Junior Hockey League, Manitoba Junior Hockey League, Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, Alberta Junior Hockey League, and Host. The BCHL declared itself an independent league and there is no BC representative.
Round-robin play in two 5-team pools with top three in pool advancing to determine a Champion.
| Year | Round-robin | Record | Standing | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | L, Collingwood Blues (OJHL), 4-5 W, Collège Français de Longueuil (QJHL), 5-1 W, Greater Sudbury Cubs (NOJHL), 3-2 SOW, Navan Grads (CCHL), 3-2 |
2-1-1 | 2nd of 5 Group A |
Won 4-2 Winkler Flyers |
Lost 1-2 Melfort Mustangs |
did not qualify |
| 2025 HOST |
W, Melfort Mustangs (SJHL), 3-1 W, Valleyfield Braves (QJHL), 11-6 L, Rockland Nationals (CCHL), 2-7 W, Edmundston Blizzard (MJHL), 8-2 |
3-0-1-0 | 1st of 5 Group B |
Earned bye | OT Win, 2-1 Rockland Nationals (CCHL) |
Won, 7-2 Melfort Mustangs (SJHL) Centennial Cup Champions |
- ^ Due to a challenge by the Canucks on a Joliette rules violation, the 5–1 loss was overturned.
NHL alumni
[edit]The following former Canucks have gone on to play in the National Hockey League (NHL):
See also
[edit]- List of ice hockey teams in Alberta
- Ice hockey in Calgary
- Calgary Buffaloes (AJHL)
- Calgary Cowboys (AJHL)
- Calgary Spurs
References
[edit]- ^ Hartviksen, Galen (12 August 2024). "AJHL's Calgary Canucks Win Bid To Host 2025 Centennial Cup Tournament". My Mountain View Now. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ Gilligan, Melissa (2022-01-07). "'A better and more accessible experience': Max Bell Centre's $14M renovation complete". CTV News Calgary. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
Further reading
[edit]- "Centennial Cup taps Cubs' Moore as most sportsmanlike". Sudbury.com. Village Media. 21 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
- Dankochik, Cassidy (22 May 2025). "Host Calgary Canucks win Centennial Cup in blowout". The Carillon. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
