Swift Current Broncos
CitySwift Current, Saskatchewan
LeagueWestern Hockey League
ConferenceEastern
DivisionCentral
Founded1967 (1967)
Home arenaInnovation Credit Union iPlex
ColoursBlue, green, white, black
       
General managerChad Leslie[1]
Head coachTaras McEwen (interim)[2]
Websitewww.scbroncos.com
Franchise history
1967–1974Swift Current Broncos
1974–1986Lethbridge Broncos
1986–presentSwift Current Broncos
Championships
Regular season titles2 (1988–89, 1992–93)
Playoff championshipsEd Chynoweth Cup
3 (1989, 1993, 2018)
Conference Championships
1 (2017–18)
Memorial Cup
1 (1989)

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 looking 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 fan base in Lethbridge, the Broncos were bought by local interests in Swift Current and moved back to their original home.[3] 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

On December 30, 1986, the Broncos' bus crashed on the way to a game in Regina. Four players were killed: Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka and Brent Ruff (younger brother of Lindy Ruff).[4] 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 memorialize 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 due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21246162072108147th EastNo playoffs were held
2021–2268263552181246594th CentralOut of playoffs
2022–2368313313227242665th CentralOut of playoffs

WHL Championship history

Current roster

Updated January 11, 2024.[5]

# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Drafted
16 Canada Brady Birnie C L 18 2020 Regina, Saskatchewan Undrafted
38 Canada Grayson Burzynski D L 18 2020 Winnipeg, Manitoba Undrafted
25 Canada Clarke Caswell LW L 17 2021 Brandon, Manitoba Eligible 2024
15 Canada Ty Coupland RW R 16 2022 North Vancouver, British Columbia Eligible 2025
20 Czech Republic Jakub Dvorak D L 18 2022 Liberec, Czech Republic 2023, 54th Overall, LAK
30 Canada Reid Dyck G L 19 2019 Winkler, Manitoba 2022, 183rd Overall, BOS
29 Canada Van Eger RW R 18 2020 Willow Bunch, Saskatchewan Undrafted
24 Canada Josh Filmon (A) C L 19 2019 Winnipeg, Manitoba 2022, 166th Overall, NJD
14 Canada Connor Gabriel C L 18 2020 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Undrafted
Canada Tyson Galloway D L 20 2024 Kamloops, British Columbia 2021, 145th Overall, STL
96 Canada Conor Geekie C L 19 2024 Strathclair, Manitoba 2022, 11th Overall, ARI
18 Canada Dawson Gerwing LW L 17 2021 Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan Eligible 2024
12 Canada Rylan Gould C L 18 2020 Headingley, Manitoba Undrafted
21 Canada Connor Hvidston RW R 19 2019 Tisdale, Saskatchewan 2022, 139th Overall, ANA
4 Canada Peyton Kettles D R 16 2022 Winnipeg, Manitoba Eligible 2025
30 Canada Matthew Kieper G L 19 2023 Winnipeg, Manitoba Undrafted
6 Canada Ryan McCleary D R 20 2023 Swift Current, Saskatchewan 2021, 192nd Overall, PIT
13 Canada Luke Mistelbacher LW R 18 2021 Steinbach, Manitoba Eligible 2024
34 Czech Republic Petr Pavelec LW L 18 2023 Ostrava, Czech Republic Undrafted
27 Canada Owen Pickering (C) D L 19 2019 St. Adolphe, Manitoba 2022, 21st Overall, PIT
35 Canada Joey Rocha G L 18 2020 Nanaimo, British Columbia Undrafted
2 Canada Zach Turner D L 20 2023 Boissevain, Manitoba Undrafted
10 Canada Mathew Ward (A) RW R 19 2019 Kamloops, British Columbia Undrafted
19 Canada Caleb Wyrostok (A) RW R 20 2018 Medicine Hat, Alberta Undrafted

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.

Coaches

Swift Current Broncos original logo.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Swift Current Broncos head coach and GM Dean Brockman steps down". CTV.ca. October 16, 2021.
  2. ↑ "McEwen named Broncos Interim Head Coach". chl.ca. November 29, 2021.
  3. ↑ Culp, Leesa; Drinnan, Gregg; Wilkie, Bob (2012). Sudden Death: The Incredible Saga of the 1986 Swift Current Broncos. Toronto: Dundurn. p. 35. ISBN 978-1459705449.
  4. ↑ Joyce, Gare (2006-12-30). "E-Ticket: Denial of Death". ESPN.
  5. ↑ WHL Network, Western Hockey League, retrieved 2024-01-11
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