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Chilliwack Bruins
Chilliwack Bruins Logo
City: Chilliwack, British Columbia
League: Western Hockey League
Conference: Western
Division: B.C.
Operated: 2006โ€“2011
Home Arena: Prospera Centre
Colours: Black, white and cream
              
Franchise history
2006โ€“11: Chilliwack Bruins
2011โ€“present: Victoria Royals


The Chilliwack Bruins were a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League, based out of Chilliwack, British Columbia. The 2006โ€“07 season marked the Bruins inaugural season in the WHL. The team played at Prospera Centre, which was expanded to 5,386 seats for the arrival of the Bruins. The team was sold after the 2010-2011 season and relocated to British Columbia's capital, Victoria to become the Royals.[1] [2]

History[]

In 2005, the city of Chilliwack was granted a WHL expansion team after an attempt by the owners of the Tri-City Americans (Brian Burke, Glen Sather and Darryl Porter) to move the Americans to Chilliwack was voted down by the WHL directors. As a result, Burke, Sather, and Porter sold their stake in the Americans and purchased the 21st franchise in the WHL. The arrival of the Bruins displaced the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL)'s Chilliwack Chiefs, who relocated to Langley to become the Langley Chiefs. They have since been sold to RG Properties to allow them to move the team to Victoria. The previous ownership group had an offer of 7.75 Million from the Chiefs development group including Justin Morneau and Willie Mitchell.

The Bruins opened their inaugural season in 2006โ€“07 at Prospera Centre on September 21, 2006, defeating the Kelowna Rockets by a score of 3โ€“1. Keith Voytechek scored the first goal in franchise history, while Alex Archibald earned the first win by a Bruins goaltender. A month later, on October 28, Archibald became the first Bruins goaltender to record a shutout with a 3โ€“0 win over the Tri-City Americans, which also established the first Bruins road win. Forward Josh Aspenlind established another Bruins first later in the season with the franchise's first hat-trick on February 23, 2007, against the Kamloops Blazers. General Manager Darrell May and the team's first head coach, Jim Hiller, the Bruins posted an overall record of 25โ€“40โ€“5โ€“2, the third best overall record for a WHL expansion team, and made it to the post-season. In the 2007 playoffs, the Bruins played the eventual Memorial Cup champion Vancouver Giants in the first round and lost the series 4โ€“1.

Bruins forwards Mark Santorelli and Oscar Moller emerged in the team's second season in 2007โ€“08, establishing team marks in all statistical categories. Santorelli set team marks with 74 assists and 101 points, earning the team's first major WHL trophy by leading the league in scoring, while Moller scored a franchise-high 39 goals. The Bruins finished in 7th place in the Western Conference and lost to the Giants in the first round. All games were decided by one goal.

After missing the playoffs in 2008โ€“09, the Bruins fired head coach Jim Hiller. On June 3, 2009, the team named Marc Habscheid as head coach and general manager.

Initial interest in the team was good, prior to the arrival of the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League. Following the Heat's arrival, interest in the Bruins waned and the team was sold to an ownership group from Victoria, British Columbia.

Season-by-season record[]

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime losses, SOL = Shootout losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Season GP W L OTL SOL GF GA Points Finish Playoffs
2006โ€“07 72 25 40 5 2 169 260 57 4th B.C. Lost Western Conference quarter-final
2007โ€“08 72 28 35 4 5 206 241 65 3rd B.C. Lost Western Conference quarter-final
2008โ€“09 72 19 46 2 5 154 267 45 5th B.C. Out of playoffs
2009โ€“10 72 32 33 2 5 215 239 71 4th B.C. Lost Western Conference quarter-final
2010โ€“11 72 33 31 4 4 227 255 74 3rd B.C. Lost Western Conference quarter-final

Team records[]

Team records for a single season
Statistic Total Season
Most points 74 2010โ€“11
Most wins 33 2010โ€“11
Most goals for 227 2010โ€“11
Least goals for 169 2006โ€“07
Least goals against 239 2009โ€“10
Most goals against 267 2008โ€“09
Individual player records for a single season
Statistic Player Total Season
Most goals Ryan Howse 51 2010-11
Most assists Mark Santorelli 74 2007โ€“08
Most points Mark Santorelli 101 2007โ€“08
Most points, rookie Mark Santorelli 82 2006โ€“07
Most points, defenceman Nick Holden 60 2007โ€“08
Best GAA (goalie) Matt Esposito 2.97 2006โ€“07
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played

NHL draftees[]

NHL alumni[]

Transactions[]

  • Keith Voytechek traded to the Moose Jaw Warriors for Defenseman Dylan Chapman - October 8, 2006
  • Stephen Lenoski traded to the Spokane Chiefs for Defenseman Matt McCue - December 28, 2006
  • Myles Stoesz traded to the Regina Pats for Forward Brayden Metz - January 10, 2007
  • Bruins traded a 5th round 2007 Bantam Draft pick to the Brandon Wheat Kings for Forward Michael Proudley
  • Bruins traded a 4th round 2007 Bantam Draft pick to the Everett Silvertips for Goaltender Matt Esposito
  • Goaltender Alex Archibald and Bruins list player Tyler Halliday were traded to the Edmonton Oil Kings in lieu of Edmonton selecting a player from the Bruins unprotected list for their expansion draft pick


References[]

External links[]

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