Kamloops Blazers
The Kamloops Blazers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team plays in the B.C. Division of the Western Conference, is based out of Kamloops, British Columbia, and play home games at the Sandman Centre.
Kamloops Blazers | |
---|---|
City | Kamloops, British Columbia |
League | Western Hockey League |
Conference | Western |
Division | B.C. |
Founded | 1966 |
Home arena | Sandman Centre |
Colours | Blue, white and orange |
Owner(s) | Tom Gaglardi (majority)[1] Shane Doan Jarome Iginla Mark Recchi Darryl Sydor |
General manager | Matt Bardsley[2] |
Head coach | Shaun Clouston[3] |
Championships | 6 WHL championships: 1984, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995 3 Memorial Cup championships: 1992, 1994, 1995 |
Website | www.blazerhockey.com |
Franchise history | |
1966–1971 | Estevan Bruins |
1971–1981 | New Westminster Bruins |
1981–1984 | Kamloops Junior Oilers |
1984–present | Kamloops Blazers |
The Blazers originated as the Estevan Bruins in 1966, became the New Westminster Bruins in 1971, and relocated to Kamloops in 1981 as the Kamloops Junior Oilers. The Blazers have won the Memorial Cup three times; in 1992, 1994, and 1995, and the Ed Chynoweth Cup six times.
History
The franchise was granted in 1966 as the Estevan Bruins in Estevan, Saskatchewan. In 1971, it moved to New Westminster, British Columbia, and was known as the New Westminster Bruins. It then moved to Kamloops in 1981 and was known as the Junior Oilers until 1984, when it was given its present name, the Kamloops Blazers. The team moved from the Kamloops Memorial Arena to the Riverside Coliseum, then renamed the "Interior Savings Centre", in 1992, and finally changed to the Sandman Centre in 2015, due to co-owner Tom Gaglardi also owning the Sandman hotels brand.
The team has won the most Memorial Cups of any team in the WHL with five, two as New Westminster (1977 and 1978) and three as Kamloops (1992, 1994 and 1995). The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) record is seven, held by the Ontario Hockey League's Toronto Marlboros, now known as the Guelph Storm.
The franchise began in 1946 as the Humboldt Indians of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and moved to Estevan to become the Bruins in 1957. The franchise has won the President's Cup a record 11 times, once in Estevan, four times in a row in New Westminster and six times since relocating to Kamloops. The Blazers hosted the 1995 Memorial Cup, also winning the WHL championship that year.
The team was featured as a plot element in a book called Blazer Drive by Sigmund Brouwer.
WHL finals appearances
Memorial Cup appearances
- 1992 Memorial Cup – Win, 5–4 vs. Sault Ste. Marie
- 1994 Memorial Cup – Win, 5–3 vs. Laval
- 1995 Memorial Cup – Win, 8–2 vs. Detroit
Coaches
Notable head coaches in the history of the Kamloops Blazers include Ken Hitchcock, Tom Renney, Don Hay, Marc Habscheid and Dean Evason.
Players
Current roster
Updated July 31, 2020.[4]
# | Nat | Player | Pos | S/G | Age | Acquired | Birthplace | Drafted |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 | Caedan Bankier | C | L | 17 | 2018 | Surrey, British Columbia | Eligible 2021 | |
3 | Inaki Baragano | D | R | 18 | 2019 | Lausanne, Switzerland | Undrafted | |
34 | Reese Belton | C | R | 18 | 2017 | Winnipeg, Manitoba | Eligible 2020 | |
24 | Ethan Brandwood | D | R | 18 | 2017 | Victoria, British Columbia | Eligible 2020 | |
22 | Tyler Carpendale | LW | R | 20 | 2020 | Powell River, British Columbia | Undrafted | |
19 | Orrin Centazzo | LW | L | 20 | 2018 | Marwayne, Alberta | Undrafted | |
31 | Dylan Garand | G | L | 18 | 2017 | Victoria, British Columbia | Eligible 2020 | |
40 | Daylan Kuefler | LW | L | 18 | 2017 | Stettler, Alberta | Eligible 2020 | |
5 | Montana Onyebuchi (A) | D | R | 20 | 2018 | Dugald, Manitoba | Undrafted | |
– | Viktor Persson | D | R | 18 | 2020 | Valbo, Sweden | Eligible 2020 | |
9 | Josh Pillar | C | R | 18 | 2017 | Warman, Saskatchewan | Eligible 2020 | |
29 | Rayce Ramsay | G | L | 19 | 2017 | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | Undrafted | |
25 | Quinn Schmiemann | D | L | 19 | 2016 | Wilcox, Saskatchewan | 2019, 182nd Overall, TBL | |
13 | Matthew Seminoff | RW | R | 16 | 2018 | Leesburg, Virginia | Eligible 2022 | |
12 | Kyrell Sopotyk | LW | L | 18 | 2016 | Aberdeen, Saskatchewan | Eligible 2020 | |
11 | Logan Stankoven | C | R | 17 | 2018 | Kamloops, British Columbia | Eligible 2021 | |
17 | Brodi Stuart (A) | LW | L | 20 | 2015 | Langley, British Columbia | Undrafted | |
6 | Sean Strange | D | L | 20 | 2015 | Saanich, British Columbia | Undrafted | |
18 | Connor Zary (A) | C | L | 18 | 2016 | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | Eligible 2020 |
NHL alumni
- Totals include those who played for the franchise as the Kamloops Junior Oilers
- Jared Aulin
- Len Barrie
- Nolan Baumgartner
- Robin Bawa
- Brian Benning
- Craig Berube
- Doug Bodger
- Zac Boyer
- Mike Brown
- Rob Brown
- Garth Butcher
- Kyle Calder
- Erik Christensen
- Dave Chyzowski
- Dean Clark
- Ken Daneyko
- Jarrett Deuling
- Rob DiMaio
- Robert Dirk
- Shane Doan
- Hnat Domenichelli
- Devan Dubnyk
- Micki DuPont
- Joel Edmundson
- Keaton Ellerby
- Todd Ewen
- Dean Evason
- Dylan Ferguson
- Scott Ferguson
- Mark Ferner
- Steve Gainey
- Marc Habscheid
- Greg Hawgood
- Corey Hirsch
- Jason Holland
- Ryan Huska
- Jarome Iginla
- Jonas Johansson
- Ty Jones
- Mark Kachowski
- Paul Kruse
- Bryce Lampman
- J.C. Lipon
- Brad Lukowich
- David Mackey
- Pat MacLeod
- Mike MacWilliam
- Dean Malkoc
- Dave Marcinyshyn
- Gordon Mark
- Shaone Morrisonn
- Chris Murray
- Tyson Nash
- Mike Needham
- Scott Niedermayer
- Colton Orr
- Steve Passmore
- Ed Patterson
- Rudy Poeschek
- Brendan Ranford
- Daryl Reaugh
- Mark Recchi
- Robyn Regehr
- Cam Severson
- Ron Shudra
- Trevor Sim
- Rob Skrlac
- Tyler Sloan
- Colin Smith
- Geoff Smith
- Ryan Stewart
- Jason Strudwick
- Darryl Sydor
- Darcy Tucker
- Scottie Upshall
- Gord Walker
- David Wilkie
Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, SOL = Shootout losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Points | Finish | Playoffs |
1981–82 | 72 | 18 | 53 | 1 | – | 320 | 464 | 37 | 4th West | Lost West Division semi-final |
1982–83 | 72 | 46 | 26 | 0 | – | 461 | 356 | 92 | 3rd West | Lost West Division semi-final |
1983–84 | 72 | 50 | 22 | 0 | – | 467 | 332 | 100 | 1st West | Won championship |
1984–85 | 72 | 52 | 17 | 2 | – | 423 | 293 | 106 | 1st West | Lost final |
1985–86 | 72 | 49 | 19 | 4 | – | 449 | 299 | 102 | 1st West | Won championship |
1986–87 | 72 | 55 | 14 | 3 | – | 496 | 292 | 113 | 1st West | Lost West Division final |
1987–88 | 72 | 45 | 26 | 1 | – | 399 | 307 | 91 | 1st West | Lost final |
1988–89 | 72 | 34 | 33 | 5 | – | 326 | 309 | 73 | 3rd West | Lost West Division final |
1989–90 | 72 | 56 | 16 | 0 | – | 484 | 278 | 112 | 1st West | Won championship |
1990–91 | 72 | 50 | 20 | 2 | – | 385 | 247 | 102 | 1st West | Lost West Division final |
1991–92 | 72 | 51 | 17 | 4 | – | 351 | 226 | 106 | 1st West | Won championship and Memorial Cup |
1992–93 | 72 | 42 | 28 | 2 | – | 302 | 253 | 86 | 3rd West | Lost West Division final |
1993–94 | 72 | 50 | 16 | 6 | – | 381 | 225 | 106 | 1st West | Won championship and Memorial Cup |
1994–95 | 72 | 52 | 14 | 6 | – | 375 | 202 | 110 | 1st West | Won championship and Memorial Cup |
1995–96 | 72 | 48 | 22 | 2 | – | 343 | 257 | 98 | 2nd West | Lost West Division final |
1996–97 | 72 | 28 | 37 | 7 | – | 256 | 285 | 63 | 5th West | Lost West Division quarter-final |
1997–98 | 72 | 37 | 32 | 3 | – | 234 | 253 | 77 | 4th West | Lost West Division quarter-final |
1998–99 | 72 | 48 | 11 | 13 | – | 298 | 195 | 109 | 1st West | Lost final |
1999–00 | 72 | 36 | 30 | 5 | 1 | 244 | 228 | 78 | 4th West | Lost West Division quarter-final |
2000–01 | 72 | 35 | 28 | 7 | 2 | 289 | 274 | 79 | 3rd West | Lost West Division quarter-final |
2001–02 | 72 | 38 | 25 | 5 | 4 | 263 | 230 | 85 | 1st B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarter-final |
2002–03 | 72 | 39 | 27 | 5 | 1 | 261 | 222 | 84 | 2nd B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarter-final |
2003–04 | 72 | 34 | 28 | 8 | 2 | 192 | 182 | 78 | 3rd B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarter-final |
2004–05 | 72 | 26 | 37 | 7 | 2 | 161 | 211 | 61 | 4th B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarter-final |
Season | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | GF | GA | Points | Finish | Playoffs |
2005–06 | 72 | 34 | 33 | 2 | 3 | 179 | 196 | 73 | 5th B.C. | Out of playoffs |
2006–07 | 72 | 40 | 26 | 4 | 2 | 245 | 222 | 86 | 2nd B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarter-final |
2007–08 | 72 | 27 | 41 | 2 | 2 | 197 | 253 | 58 | 4th B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarter-final |
2008–09 | 72 | 33 | 33 | 2 | 4 | 242 | 277 | 72 | 3rd B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarter-final |
2009–10 | 72 | 32 | 33 | 2 | 5 | 237 | 284 | 71 | 3rd B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarter-final |
2010–11 | 72 | 29 | 37 | 3 | 3 | 219 | 285 | 64 | 5th B.C. | Out of playoffs |
2011–12 | 72 | 47 | 20 | 2 | 3 | 290 | 211 | 99 | 1st B.C. | Lost Western Conference semi-final |
2012–13 | 72 | 47 | 20 | 2 | 3 | 261 | 180 | 99 | 2nd B.C. | Lost Western Conference final |
2013–14 | 72 | 14 | 53 | 2 | 3 | 175 | 305 | 33 | 5th B.C. | Out of playoffs |
2014–15 | 72 | 28 | 37 | 4 | 3 | 214 | 258 | 63 | 4th B.C. | Out of playoffs |
2015–16 | 72 | 38 | 25 | 5 | 4 | 237 | 218 | 85 | 3rd B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarter-final |
2016–17 | 72 | 42 | 24 | 2 | 4 | 243 | 198 | 90 | 3rd B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarter-final |
2017–18 | 72 | 30 | 37 | 1 | 4 | 212 | 237 | 65 | 4th B.C. | Out of playoffs |
2018–19 | 68 | 28 | 32 | 6 | 2 | 196 | 212 | 64 | 3rd B.C. | Lost Western Conference quarter-final |
2019–20 | 63 | 41 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 271 | 166 | 86 | 1st B.C. | Cancelled |
References
- "Ownership". Blazerhockey.com.
- "Matt Bardsley Named Kamloops Blazers General Manager". OurSportsCentral.com. 1 June 2018.
- "Kamloops Blazers Name Shaun Clouston Head Coach, Darryl Sydor Associate Coach". OurSports Central. 18 June 2019.
- WHL Network, Western Hockey League, retrieved 2020-07-21