Swift Current Broncos

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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
Swift Current Broncos.svg
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
ChampionshipsEd Chynoweth Cup
3 (1989, 1993, 2018)
Memorial Cup
1 (1989)
Websitewww.scbroncos.com
Franchise history
1967–1974Swift Current Broncos
1974–1986Lethbridge Broncos
1986–presentSwift 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.

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 due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 24 6 16 2 0 72 108 14 7th East No playoffs were held

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 March 25, 2021.[2]

# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Drafted
3 Canada D R 18 2018 Falher, Alberta Eligible 2021
2 Canada D L 19 2020 Airdrie, Alberta Undrafted
32 Canada C L 16 2020 Regina, Saskatchewan Eligible 2023
14 Canada C R 19 2019 Mannville, Alberta Undrafted
23 Canada  (A) RW L 19 2019 Yorkton, Saskatchewan Undrafted
37 Canada  (A) D R 21 2019 Yorkton, Saskatchewan Undrafted
17 Canada C L 17 2019 Airdrie, Alberta Eligible 2022
30 Canada G L 17 2019 Winkler, Manitoba Eligible 2022
16 Canada  (A) RW R 21 2020 Richmond, British Columbia Undrafted
24 Canada C L 17 2019 Winnipeg, Manitoba Eligible 2022
13 Canada RW R 19 2020 Alsike, Alberta Undrafted
25 Canada C R 18 2020 Portage la Prairie, Manitoba Eligible 2021
12 Canada  (A) LW R 20 2018 Regina, Saskatchewan Undrafted
4 Canada D L 19 2018 Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan Undrafted
20 Canada C L 18 2018 Virden, Manitoba Eligible 2021
28 Canada D L 18 2019 Calgary, Alberta Eligible 2021
5 Canada D L 20 2018 Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Undrafted
38 Canada C R 20 2019 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Undrafted
15 Canada C R 19 2019 St. Albert, Alberta Undrafted
27 Canada D L 17 2019 St. Adolphe, Manitoba Eligible 2022
1 Canada G R 19 2016 Winnipeg, Manitoba Undrafted
21 Canada RW R 19 2019 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Undrafted
26 Canada C R 19 2020 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Undrafted
10 Canada RW R 17 2019 Kamloops, British Columbia Eligible 2022
6 Canada D R 18 2021 Warman, Saskatchewan Eligible 2021
7 Canada  (A) D L 20 2021 Delta, British Columbia Undrafted
19 Canada RW R 18 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[]

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
  • 11 Brent Ruff
  • 22 Chris Mantyka

Coaches[]

Swift Current Broncos original logo.

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 2021-03-25
  3. ^ "Brockman Named Broncos New Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations". OurSportsCentral.com. June 27, 2018.

External links[]

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