Moose Jaw Warriors

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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 championshipsConference Championships
2 (2005–06, 2023–24)

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 its games at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.

History[edit]

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.

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.[3] In 1984, the franchise relocated to Moose Jaw, bringing major junior hockey back to the city for the first time since 1970.[2]

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.[4][5]

The team has struggled to find consistent on-ice success throughout its history. 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.[6][non-primary source needed] The team captured its first regular season division title in 2003–04.[6] 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.[7] 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.[8][9]

Logo and uniforms[edit]

The Warriors' original branding, based on the original franchise in Winnipeg, featured Indigenous imagery; for example, a long-used logo featured 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.[10] 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.[11] The team retained its original colour scheme featuring red, black, and white.[12]

Championship history[edit]

WHL Championship[edit]

Season-by-season record[edit]

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 Out of playoffs
1985–86 72 25 44 3 – 294 375 53 6th East Lost East Division semi-final
1986–87 72 38 31 3 – 366 321 79 4th East Lost East Division semi-final
1987–88 72 18 52 2 – 308 458 38 8th East Out of playoffs
1988–89 72 27 42 3 – 318 372 57 6th East Lost East Division semi-final
1989–90 72 28 41 3 – 287 330 59 8th East Out of playoffs
1990–91 72 31 39 2 – 336 369 64 6th East Lost East Division semi-final
1991–92 72 33 36 3 – 279 316 69 6th East Lost East Division quarter-final
1992–93 72 27 42 3 – 277 346 57 8th East Out of playoffs
1993–94 72 21 48 3 – 269 361 45 9th East Out of playoffs
1994–95 72 39 32 1 – 315 275 79 4th East Lost East Division semi-final
1995–96 72 18 49 5 – 223 331 41 6th East Out of playoffs
1996–97 72 36 29 7 – 278 240 79 4th East Lost East Division semi-final
1997–98 72 23 39 10 – 235 281 56 5th East Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
1998–-99 72 39 31 2 – 292 262 80 3rd East Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
1999–00 72 25 34 9 4 221 259 63 3rd East Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2000–01 72 34 29 4 5 287 291 77 3rd East Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2001–02 72 30 34 6 2 226 239 68 3rd East Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
2002–03 72 36 22 11 3 266 208 86 2nd East Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
2003–04 72 41 22 8 1 209 172 91 1st East Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
2004–05 72 14 47 10 1 182 282 39 4th East Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
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 Out of playoffs
2007–08 72 37 21 6 8 229 214 88 4th East Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2008–09 72 19 50 1 2 198 352 41 6th East Out of playoffs
2009–10 72 33 27 5 8 243 247 78 4th East Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2010–11 72 40 26 2 4 245 240 86 2nd East Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
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 Out of playoffs
2013–14 72 21 42 3 6 202 283 51 5th East Out of playoffs
2014–15 72 32 35 4 1 221 266 69 4th East Out of playoffs
2015–16 72 36 27 7 2 249 231 81 3rd East Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
2016–17 72 42 21 8 1 255 219 93 2nd East Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2017–18 72 52 15 2 3 326 216 109 1st East Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
2018–19 68 40 20 6 2 234 192 88 3rd East Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
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
2021–22 68 37 24 4 3 251 221 81 2nd East Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
2022–23 68 41 24 0 3 252 237 85 3rd East Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
2023–24 68 44 21 0 3 297 228 91 2nd East TBD

Current roster[edit]

Updated March 30, 2024.[13]

# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Drafted
37 Canada Owen Berge C R 18 2021 Edmonton, Alberta Eligible 2024
3 Canada Lucas Brenton D L 21 2018 Winnipeg, Manitoba Undrafted
23 Canada Atley Calvert (A) C R 20 2019 Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan Undrafted
16 Canada Noah Degenstein C L 17 2022 Airdrie, Alberta Eligible 2025
47 Canada Max Finley C R 17 2022 Kelowna, British Columbia Eligible 2025
27 Canada Jagger Firkus C R 20 2019 Irma, Alberta 2022, 35th Overall, SEA
33 Canada Dimitri Fortin G R 17 2021 Winnipeg, Manitoba Eligible 2024
22 Canada Ethan Hughes C L 17 2021 Edmonton, Alberta Eligible 2025
39 Canada Rilen Kovacevic RW R 19 2023 Kelowna, British Columbia Undrafted
17 Canada Lynden Lakovic C L 17 2021 Kelowna, British Columbia Eligible 2025
5 Canada Denton Mateychuk (C) D L 19 2019 Dominion City, Manitoba 2022, 12th Overall, CBJ
1 Canada Evan May G R 19 2024 Nanaimo, British Columbia Undrafted
7 Canada Landen McFadden C L 16 2022 Edmonton, Alberta Eligible 2025
20 Canada Pavel McKenzie LW L 18 2023 Cumberland House, Saskatchewan Eligible 2024
2 Canada Brady Ness D L 17 2021 Edmonton, Alberta Undrafted
8 Canada Kalem Parker D R 19 2023 Clavet, Saskatchewan 2023, 181st Overall, MIN
44 Czech Republic Vojtech Port D R 18 2023 Jihlava, Czech Republic 2023, 161st Overall, ANA
19 Czech Republic Martin Ryšavý LW R 21 2020 Přerov, Czech Republic 2021, 197th Overall, CBJ
93 Canada Matthew Savoie RW R 20 2024 St. Albert, Alberta 2022, 9th Overall, BUF
10 Canada Connor Schmidt D R 17 2022 Sturgeon County, Alberta Eligible 2025
18 Canada Brayden Schuurman C R 20 2023 Abbotsford, British Columbia Undrafted
14 Canada Ethan Semeniuk C R 19 2023 Fort St. John, British Columbia Undrafted
30 Canada Jackson Unger G R 19 2020 Calgary, Alberta Undrafted
12 Canada Cosmo Wilson D R 19 2020 Vernon, British Columbia Undrafted
29 Canada Brayden Yager (A) C R 19 2020 Dundurn, Saskatchewan 2023, 14th Overall, PIT
21 Canada Aiden Ziprick D L 18 2020 Russell, Manitoba Eligible 2024

Team records[edit]

Team records for a single season
Statistic Total Season
Most points 109 2017–2018
Most wins 52 2017–2018
Most goals for 366 1986–87
Fewest points for 32 2019–2020
Fewest wins for 14 2004–05 and 2019-2020
Fewest goals for 146 2019–2020
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

NHL alumni[edit]

List of Moose Jaw Warriors alumni to have played in the National Hockey League (NHL).[14]

NLL alumni[edit]

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.[15]

Retired numbers[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  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. ^ "Winnipeg Warriors". WHL Arena Guide. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  4. ^ "Moose Jaw Civic Centre". National Trust for Canada. Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  5. ^ "Moose Jaw complex gets corporate name". CBC News. August 11, 2011. Archived from the original on October 24, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Moose Jaw Warriors history
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ "Warriors reveal new brand logo". Discover Moose Jaw. July 5, 2022. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  13. ^ WHL Network, Western Hockey League, retrieved March 30, 2024
  14. ^ Legends of Hockey player search
  15. ^ 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.

External links[edit]

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