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
CitySwift Current, Saskatchewan
LeagueWestern Hockey League
ConferenceEastern
DivisionCentral
Founded1967 (1967)
Home arenaInnovation Credit Union iPlex
ColoursBlue, green, white, black
                   
General managerDean Brockman
Head coachDean Brockman
Championships1989 Memorial Cup Champions
1989, 1993, 2018 WHL champions
Websitewww.scbroncos.com
Franchise history
1967–1974Swift Current Broncos
1974–1986Lethbridge Broncos
1986–presentSwift 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

SeasonGP W L T GF GA PointsFinishPlayoffs
1967–686016386242343389th OverallOut of playoffs
1968–696014442186329304th WestLost quarter-final
1969–706027312240265563rd WestLost quarter-final
1970–716624402229290504th WestLost quarter-final
1971–726825421242311515th EastOut of playoffs
1972–736827356300359605th EastOut of playoffs
1973–746835249240306793rd EastLost 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

SeasonGP W L T OTLGF GA PointsFinishPlayoffs
1986–877228404–331393606th EastLost East quarter-final
1987–887244262–388312904th EastLost East semi-final
1988–897255161–4473191111st EastWon championship and Memorial Cup
1989–907229394–323351626th EastLost in first round
1990–917240293–369351833rd EastLost in first round
1991–927235334–296313745th EastLost East semi-final
1992–937249212–3842671001st EastWon championship
Lost Memorial Cup tie-breaker
1993–947235334–284258744th EastLost East semi-final
1994–957231347–274284696th EastLost in first round
1995–967236315–285271771st CentralLost in first round
1996–977244235–336243932nd EastLost Eastern Conference semi-final
1997–987244199–276220972nd EastLost Eastern Conference semi-final
1998–997234326–232211744th EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
1999–2000724718432571701011st EastLost Eastern Conference semi-final
2000–0172432072275215951st EastLost Eastern Conference final
2001–0272421767274218972nd CentralLost Eastern Conference semi-final
2002–0372382473240215862nd CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2003–0472362970234209794th CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2004–0572224163135218535th CentralOut of playoffs
SeasonGPWLOTLSOLGFGAPtsFinishPlayoffs
2005–0672243468175242624th CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2006–0772333612199241693rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2007–0872412416244205893rd EastLost Eastern Conference semi-final
2008–0972422811258220863rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2009–1072373014231232793rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2010–1172264402181260546th EastOut of playoffs
2011–1272273726216272625th EastOut of playoffs
2012–1372362934206193793rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2013–1472382536248229852nd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2014–1572343314221245733rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2015–1672243873189249585th EastOut of playoffs
2016–1772392346247239883rd EastLost Eastern Conference semi-final
2017–18724817522842131032nd EastWon championship
2018–1968115142135301286th EastOut of playoffs
2019–2063104823129298256th CentralCancelled

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
StatisticTotalSeason
Most points1111988–89
Most wins551988–89
Most goals for4471988–89
Fewest goals for1352004–05
Fewest goals against1701999–2000
Most goals against3931986–87
Individual player records for a single season
StatisticPlayerTotalSeason
Most goalsJason Krywulak811992–93
Most assistsTerry Ruskowski931973–74
Most pointsJason Krywulak1621992–93
Most points, rookieJoe Sakic1331986–87
Most points, defencemanDan Lambert1021988–89
Best GAA (goalie)Bryce Wandler2.061999–2000
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played

NHL alumni

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.
gollark: It's not like fixing buses/cars is very useful anyway. I mean, sure, there are quite a lot of instances when buses or cars may need fixing, but tons of people can do that and to some extent you can probably get away with looking it up on the internet on demand; meanwhile, assembly programmng is a rare and hard to learn skill.
gollark: Do they think the peak of human sophistication is being a car mechanic or something?
gollark: I.
gollark: 🐝 the entire IndexedDB AP.
gollark: Well, I have a cheap Chinese USB HDMI input which emulates a webcam, so with far too many adapters it could work.

See also

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.
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