Wikipedia

Moose Jaw Warriors

The Moose Jaw Warriors are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The Warriors play in the East Division of the Western Hockey League's Eastern Conference, hosting games at the Moose Jaw Events Centre. The team was founded in 1980 as the Winnipeg Warriors, and relocated to Moose Jaw in 1984. The Warriors won their first league championship in 2024.

Moose Jaw Warriors
CityMoose Jaw, Saskatchewan
LeagueWestern Hockey League
ConferenceEastern
DivisionEast
Founded1980
Home arenaMoose Jaw Events Centre
ColoursRed, white, black
     
General managerJason Ripplinger
Head coachMark O'Leary
Websitechl.ca/whl-warriors/
Franchise history
1980–1984Winnipeg Warriors
1984–presentMoose Jaw Warriors
Championships
Regular season titles1 (2017–18)
Playoff championshipsEd Chynoweth Cup
1 (2024)
Conference Championships
2 (2005–06, 2023–24)
Current uniform

History

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The Moose Jaw Canucks were a founding franchise of the then-Western Canada Hockey League in 1966, and were the new league's first champion.[1] However, after just two seasons and with the WCHL barred by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) from competing for the Memorial Cup, the Canucks opted to return to the revived Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League in 1968.[2] When the WCHL became recognized by CAHA in 1970, Moose Jaw was left without top-level junior hockey.[3]

The Warriors franchise was established as the Winnipeg Warriors prior to the start of the 1980–81 WHL season, and played out of Winnipeg Arena, which they shared with the National Hockey League's Winnipeg Jets.[4] In 1984, the franchise relocated to Moose Jaw, bringing major junior hockey back to the city for the first time since 1970.[2][3]

The Warriors played in the Moose Jaw Civic Centre, also known as "The Crushed Can", for 26 seasons, before moving to Mosaic Place, now the Moose Jaw Events Centre, in the city centre in 2011.[5][6]

The team's first few seasons in Moose Jaw saw Theoren Fleury emerge as the team's primary star—Fleury finished among the top five scorers in the WHL during his tenure with the team. Led by Fleury, Kelly Buchberger, Mike Keane, and Lyle Odelein, the Warriors made the franchise's first playoff appearance after the relocation during the 1985–86 season.[3] The team captured its first regular season division title in 2003–04.[7] In 2005–06, led by Troy Brouwer and Dustin Boyd, the Warriors followed their best regular season with their first ever trip to the championship series, in which they were swept by the Vancouver Giants.[8] In 2017–18, the Warriors captured their first Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as regular season champions with their first 50-win and 100-point season, before bowing out in the second round of the playoffs to the eventual champion Swift Current Broncos.[9][10]

In the 2023–24 season—the Warriors' 40th in Moose Jaw—the Warriors won their first Ed Chynoweth Cup as league champions. Led by Jagger Firkus, Denton Mateychuk, and Brayden Yager, the Warriors advanced to their second league final by defeating the regular-season champion Saskatoon Blades in a seven game series that featured a WHL-record six overtime games, including the seventh and deciding game.[11] In the final, they won four straight games versus the Portland Winterhawks to secure the championship and a berth in the 2024 Memorial Cup tournament.[12][13] At their first Memorial Cup, the Warriors advanced to the semi-final, where they were eliminated by the host and eventual champion Saginaw Spirit.[14]

Logo and uniforms

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Quinton Howden with the Warriors in 2010.

The Warriors' original branding, based on the founding franchise in Winnipeg, featured Indigenous imagery, including a long-used logo featuring a silhouetted side-profile of a head wearing an Indigenous headdress. In 2020, in light of the Native American mascot controversy, the Warriors announced that they were reviewing their branding.[15] In 2022, the team unveiled a new brand and logo based on the city's aviation history and connection with the Royal Canadian Air Force and Snowbirds—the logo features a CT-114 Tutor jet emblazoned with the Snowbirds logo.[16] The team retained its original colour scheme featuring red, black, and white.[17]

Season-by-season record

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The Warriors played out of the Moose Jaw Civic Centre—dubbed the "Crushed Can"—from 1984 until 2010.

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
1984–85 72 21 50 1 – 320 438 43 7th East Did not qualify
1985–86 72 25 44 3 – 294 375 53 6th East Lost East Division semifinal
1986–87 72 38 31 3 – 366 321 79 4th East Lost East Division semifinal
1987–88 72 18 52 2 – 308 458 38 8th East Did not qualify
1988–89 72 27 42 3 – 318 372 57 6th East Lost East Division semifinal
1989–90 72 28 41 3 – 287 330 59 8th East Did not qualify
1990–91 72 31 39 2 – 336 369 64 6th East Lost East Division semifinal
1991–92 72 33 36 3 – 279 316 69 6th East Lost East Division quarterfinal
1992–93 72 27 42 3 – 277 346 57 8th East Did not qualify
1993–94 72 21 48 3 – 269 361 45 9th East Did not qualify
1994–95 72 39 32 1 – 315 275 79 4th East Lost East Division semifinal
1995–96 72 18 49 5 – 223 331 41 6th East Did not qualify
1996–97 72 36 29 7 – 278 240 79 4th East Lost East Division semifinal
1997–98 72 23 39 10 – 235 281 56 5th East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
1998–99 72 39 31 2 – 292 262 80 3rd East Lost Eastern Conference semifinal
1999–00 72 25 34 9 4 221 259 63 3rd East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2000–01 72 34 29 4 5 287 291 77 3rd East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2001–02 72 30 34 6 2 226 239 68 3rd East Lost Eastern Conference semifinal
2002–03 72 36 22 11 3 266 208 86 2nd East Lost Eastern Conference semifinal
2003–04 72 41 22 8 1 209 172 91 1st East Lost Eastern Conference semifinal
2004–05 72 14 47 10 1 182 282 39 4th East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
Season GP W L OTL SOL GF GA Points Finish Playoffs
2005–06 72 44 20 5 3 278 205 96 1st East Lost final
2006–07 72 28 41 3 0 217 271 59 5th East Did not qualify
2007–08 72 37 21 6 8 229 214 88 4th East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2008–09 72 19 50 1 2 198 352 41 6th East Did not qualify
2009–10 72 33 27 5 8 243 247 78 4th East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2010–11 72 40 26 2 4 245 240 86 2nd East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2011–12 72 45 19 6 2 258 213 98 1st East Lost Eastern Conference final
2012–13 72 25 36 4 7 182 249 61 4th East Did not qualify
2013–14 72 21 42 3 6 202 283 51 5th East Did not qualify
2014–15 72 32 35 4 1 221 266 69 4th East Did not qualify
2015–16 72 36 27 7 2 249 231 81 3rd East Lost Eastern Conference semifinal
2016–17 72 42 21 8 1 255 219 93 2nd East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2017–18 72 52 15 2 3 326 216 109 1st East Lost Eastern Conference semifinal
2018–19 68 40 20 6 2 234 192 88 3rd East Lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal
2019–20 62 14 44 4 0 146 291 32 6th East Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 24 8 13 3 0 71 95 19 6th East No playoffs were held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 68 37 24 4 3 251 221 81 2nd East Lost Eastern Conference semifinal
2022–23 68 41 24 0 3 252 237 85 3rd East Lost Eastern Conference semifinal
2023–24 68 44 21 0 3 297 228 91 2nd East Won Championship

Championship history

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The Warriors shake hands with the Saskatoon Blades after winning the 2024 Eastern Conference Championship in overtime of game 7.

WHL Championship

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Players

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NHL alumni

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The following Moose Jaw Warriors alumni have played in the National Hockey League (NHL).[18]

NLL alumni

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Warriors alumnus Kaleb Toth played thirteen seasons in the National Lacrosse League for the Calgary Roughnecks and Toronto Rock; he was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2022.[19]

Team records

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Team records for a single season
Statistic Total Season
Most points 109 2017–18
Most wins 52 2017–18
Most goals for 366 1986–87
Fewest points for 32 2019–20
Fewest wins for 14 2004–05/2019–20
Fewest goals for 146 2019–20
Fewest goals against 172 2003–04
Most goals against 458 1987–88
Individual player records for a single season
Statistic Player Total Season
Most goals Blair Atcheynum 70 1988–89
Most assists Theoren Fleury 92 1987–88
Most points Theoren Fleury 160 1987–88
Most points, rookie Mark MacKay 140 1984–85
Most points, defenceman Scott Schoneck 76 1998–99
Best GAA (goalie) Mike Brodeur 2.11 2003–04
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played

Awards

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Bob Clarke Trophy (WHL top scorer)

Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (WHL player of the year)

WHL Playoff MVP

Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy (WHL top defenceman)

Del Wilson Trophy (WHL top goaltender)

Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy (WHL rookie of the year)

Doc Seaman Trophy (WHL scholastic player of the year)

Brad Hornung Trophy (WHL most sportsmanlike)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Smith, Marc (September 25, 2015). "Moose Jaw Hockey History Honoured". Discover Moose Jaw. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "WHL History". Western Hockey League. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Lapp, Richard M.; White, Silas (1993). Local Heroes: A History of the Western Hockey League. Madeira Park, British Columbia: Harbour Publishing. pp. 117–118. ISBN 1-55017-080-5.
  4. ^ "Winnipeg Warriors". WHL Arena Guide. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  5. ^ "Moose Jaw Civic Centre". National Trust for Canada. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  6. ^ "Moose Jaw complex gets corporate name". CBC News. August 11, 2011. Archived from the original on October 24, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  7. ^ "Moose Jaw Warriors History". Moose Jaw Warriors. May 16, 2024. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023.
  8. ^ Palmer, Randy (April 21, 2024). "Warriors looking forward to showdown with Blades in Eastern Conference final". Moose Jaw Today. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  9. ^ Smith, Marc (March 13, 2018). "Warriors Clinch Scotty Munro Trophy; Willms Breaks Record". Discover Moose Jaw. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  10. ^ McCurdy, Bruce (May 9, 2018). "Netminder Stuart Skinner the latest of Edmonton Oilers' promising 2017 draft class to bid for an NHL contract". Edmonton Journal. Archived from the original on May 10, 2018. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  11. ^ "Warriors advance to first WHL final in 18 years with 3-2 OT win over Blades". CBC News. The Canadian Press. May 8, 2024. Archived from the original on May 12, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  12. ^ McLernon, Will (May 16, 2024). "Moose Jaw Warriors win first WHL championship in 40-year franchise history". CBC News. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  13. ^ Kirshenblatt, Adam (May 23, 2024). "Moose Jaw brings star power in first Memorial Cup appearance". The Sports Network. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  14. ^ Palmer, Randy (May 31, 2024). "Warriors see magical season come an end with loss in Memorial Cup semifinal". Moose Jaw Today. Archived from the original on June 1, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  15. ^ Hanna, Claire (October 1, 2020). "Moose Jaw Warriors to review use of Indigenous images in logo". CTV News. Archived from the original on October 4, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  16. ^ "After review of logo, Moose Jaw Warriors unveil new Snowbirds inspired theme". Sportsnet. Associated Press. July 5, 2022. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  17. ^ "Warriors reveal new brand logo". Discover Moose Jaw. July 5, 2022. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  18. ^ Legends of Hockey player search
  19. ^ Smith, Marc (December 2, 2022). "Alumni Report: Kaleb Toth enters Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame". Canadian Hockey League. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
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