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 Innovation Credit Union iPlex.

This article is about the current Western Hockey League team. For the defunct Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League team, see Swift Current Broncos (SJHL).

Swift Current Broncos
City	Swift Current, Saskatchewan
League	Western Hockey League
Conference	Eastern
Division	Central
Founded	1967 (1967)
Home arena	Innovation 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

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 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

Main article: Swift Current Broncos 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 Buffalo Sabres and 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

Season	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Points	Finish	Playoffs
1967–68	60	16	38	6	242	343	38	9th Overall	Out of playoffs
1968–69	60	14	44	2	186	329	30	4th West	Lost quarter-final
1969–70	60	27	31	2	240	265	56	3rd West	Lost quarter-final
1970–71	66	24	40	2	229	290	50	4th West	Lost quarter-final
1971–72	68	25	42	1	242	311	51	5th East	Out of playoffs
1972–73	68	27	35	6	300	359	60	5th East	Out of playoffs
1973–74	68	35	24	9	240	306	79	3rd East	Lost 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

Season	GP	W	L	T	OTL	GF	GA	Points	Finish	Playoffs
1986–87	72	28	40	4	–	331	393	60	6th East	Lost East quarter-final
1987–88	72	44	26	2	–	388	312	90	4th East	Lost East semi-final
1988–89	72	55	16	1	–	447	319	111	1st East	Won championship and Memorial Cup
1989–90	72	29	39	4	–	323	351	62	6th East	Lost in first round
1990–91	72	40	29	3	–	369	351	83	3rd East	Lost in first round
1991–92	72	35	33	4	–	296	313	74	5th East	Lost East semi-final
1992–93	72	49	21	2	–	384	267	100	1st East	Won championship Lost Memorial Cup tie-breaker
1993–94	72	35	33	4	–	284	258	74	4th East	Lost East semi-final
1994–95	72	31	34	7	–	274	284	69	6th East	Lost in first round
1995–96	72	36	31	5	–	285	271	77	1st Central	Lost in first round
1996–97	72	44	23	5	–	336	243	93	2nd East	Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
1997–98	72	44	19	9	–	276	220	97	2nd East	Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
1998–99	72	34	32	6	–	232	211	74	4th East	Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
1999–2000	72	47	18	4	3	257	170	101	1st East	Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
2000–01	72	43	20	7	2	275	215	95	1st East	Lost Eastern Conference final
2001–02	72	42	17	6	7	274	218	97	2nd Central	Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
2002–03	72	38	24	7	3	240	215	86	2nd Central	Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2003–04	72	36	29	7	0	234	209	79	4th Central	Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2004–05	72	22	41	6	3	135	218	53	5th Central	Out of playoffs
Season	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	GF	GA	Pts	Finish	Playoffs
2005–06	72	24	34	6	8	175	242	62	4th Central	Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2006–07	72	33	36	1	2	199	241	69	3rd East	Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2007–08	72	41	24	1	6	244	205	89	3rd East	Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
2008–09	72	42	28	1	1	258	220	86	3rd East	Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2009–10	72	37	30	1	4	231	232	79	3rd East	Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2010–11	72	26	44	0	2	181	260	54	6th East	Out of playoffs
2011–12	72	27	37	2	6	216	272	62	5th East	Out of playoffs
2012–13	72	36	29	3	4	206	193	79	3rd East	Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2013–14	72	38	25	3	6	248	229	85	2nd East	Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2014–15	72	34	33	1	4	221	245	73	3rd East	Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2015–16	72	24	38	7	3	189	249	58	5th East	Out of playoffs
2016–17	72	39	23	4	6	247	239	88	3rd East	Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
2017–18	72	48	17	5	2	284	213	103	2nd East	Won championship
2018–19	68	11	51	4	2	135	301	28	6th East	Out of playoffs
2019–20	63	10	48	2	3	129	298	25	6th Central	Cancelled

WHL Championship history

• 1988–89: Win, 4–0 vs Portland
• 1992–93: Win, 4–3 vs Portland
• 2017–18: Win, 4–2 vs Everett

Current roster

Updated August 8, 2020.[2]

#	Nat	Player	Pos	S/G	Age	Acquired	Birthplace	Drafted
29		Matthew Benson	D	R	19	2019	Vancouver, British Columbia	Undrafted
14		Jordan Borysiuk	C	R	18	2019	Mannville, Alberta	Eligible 2020
34		Kye Buchanan	RW	R	18	2018	Lethbridge, Alberta	Eligible 2020
37		Aiden Bulych	RW	L	18	2019	Yorkton, Saskatchewan	Eligible 2020
37		Kaleb Bulych	D	R	20	2019	Yorkton, Saskatchewan	Undrafted
15		Hendrik De Klerk	D	L	17	2019	Swift Current, Saskatchewan	Eligible 2021
–		Vladislav Demidovich	F	L	18	2020	Belarus	Eligible 2020
30		Isaiah DiLaura	G	L	20	2020	Elko New Market, Minnesota	Undrafted
36		Bode Hagan	RW	R	18	2020	Alsike, Alberta	Eligible 2020
–		Carter Halamandaris	C	R	17	2020	Portage la Prairie, Manitoba	Eligible 2021
4		Parker Hendren	D	R	19	2020	Regina, Saskatchewan	Undrafted
12		Eric Houk	LW	R	19	2018	Regina, Saskatchewan	Undrafted
28		Sam McGinley	D	L	17	2019	Calgary, Alberta	Eligible 2021
5		Alex Moar	D	L	19	2018	Prince Albert, Saskatchewan	Undrafted
38		Cole Nagy	C	R	18	2019	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan	Undrafted
15		Raphael Pelletier	C	R	18	2019	St. Albert, Alberta	Eligible 2020
1		Isaac Poulter	G	R	18	2016	Winnipeg, Manitoba	Undrafted
21		Cohner Saleski	RW	R	18	2019	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan	Eligible 2020
27		Garrett Sambrook	D	R	20	2019	Medora, Manitoba	Undrafted
24		Tyler Smithies	LW	L	20	2019	Calgary, Alberta	Undrafted
4		Billy Sowa	D	R	18	2018	Calgary, Alberta	Eligible 2020
20		Justin Svenson	RW	R	19	2019	Île-des-Chênes, Manitoba	Undrafted
19		Caleb Wyrostok	RW	R	17	2018	Medicine Hat, Alberta	Eligible 2021

Team records

Team records for a single season
Statistic	Total	Season
Most points	111	1988–89
Most wins	55	1988–89
Most goals for	447	1988–89
Fewest goals for	135	2004–05
Fewest goals against	170	1999–2000
Most goals against	393	1986–87

Individual player records for a single season
Statistic	Player	Total	Season
Most goals	Jason Krywulak	81	1992–93
Most assists	Terry Ruskowski	93	1973–74
Most points	Jason Krywulak	162	1992–93
Most points, rookie	Joe Sakic	133	1986–87
Most points, defenceman	Dan Lambert	102	1988–89
Best GAA (goalie)	Bryce Wandler	2.06	1999–2000
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played

NHL alumni

Blair Atcheynum Warren Babe Ryan Bast Ken Baumgartner Rollie Boutin Willie Brossart Jakub Cutta Kimbi Daniels Jake DeBrusk Ron Delorme Ed Dyck Gary Emmons Kris Foucault Dallas Gaume Larry Giroux Josh Green Ian Herbers Chris Herperger Shane Hnidy Milan Hnilicka

Bill Hogaboam Earl Ingarfield Jr. Jason Jaffray Trent Kaese Sheldon Kennedy Ladislav Kohn Don Kozak Maxime Lajoie Dan Lambert Lane Lambert Brad Larsen Jim Leavins Brett Lernout Adam Lowry Dean Malkoc Dean McAmmond Trent McCleary Ryan McGill Todd McLellan

Jim McTaggart Craig Millar John Negrin Lawrence Nycholat Jaroslav Obsut Bill Oleschuk Ben Ondrus Colton Orr Ed Patterson Paul Postma Kelly Pratt Pokey Reddick Jeremy Reich Michal Rozsival Terry Ruskowski Joe Sakic Geoff Sanderson Andy Schneider Dave Schultz

Cam Severson Trevor Sim Nathan Smith Zack Smith Brent Sopel Rocky Thompson Ryan Tobler Bryan Trottier Layne Ulmer Sergei Varlamov Dale Weise Ian White Bob Wilkie Jeremy Williams Tiger Williams Dody Wood Tyler Wright Joe Zanussi

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

• 8 Trent Kresse
• 9 Scott Krueger
• 11 Brent Ruff
• 22 Chris Mantyka

Coaches

Swift Current Broncos original logo.

• Graham James 1986–87 to 1993–94
• Todd McLellan 1994–95 to 1999–2000
• Brad McEwen 2000–01 to 2002–03
• Randy Smith 2003–04
• Dean Chynoweth 2004–05 to 2008–09
• Mark Lamb 2009–10 to 2015–16
• Emanuel Viveiros 2016 to 2018
• Dean Brockman 2018–present[3]

See also

• List of ice hockey teams in Saskatchewan
• Swift Current Broncos (SJHL)

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 2020-08-08
3. "Brockman Named Broncos New Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations". OurSportsCentral.com. June 27, 2018.

External links

• Swift Current Broncos official website