| Fort Vancouver Pioneers | |
| City: | Fort Vancouver, Washington |
|---|---|
| League: | Northern Pacific Hockey League |
| Founded: | 2003 |
| Colors: | Burgundy, Black, & White |
| Franchise history | |
| 2003-2004: | Portland Pioneers |
| 2004-2007: | Fort Vancouver Pioneers |
The franchise was established in 2003 as the Portland Pioneers The team relocated to Fort Vancouver for the 2004-05 season as the Fort Vancouver Pioneers. The team jumped to the upstart WHA Junior Hockey League in the fall of 2007. The reason for the move would soon become apparent as the WHAJHL was an unsanctioned league.
The WHA lost its Bellingham franchise in the fall of 2007, but gained the Fort Vancouver Pioneers. The Pioneers received much scrutiny in USA Hockey's NorPac league due to allegations of "overcompensating" their players and violating their amateur status. The team was founded in 2003 as the Portland Pioneers and won two league championships. On October 28, 2007, the Fort Vancouver Pioneers ceased operations following the WHA reneging on travel arrangements made with the club. The Pioneers had a league best 7-1-0-0 record with 61 goals for and 27 goals against. Late in November, the transplanted 2007 champion Whalers (3-6-0-0 with 40 GF and 49 GA) seemingly folded (or were thrown out of the league) on October 27, 2007 and their players were moved in with the Osoyoos Spurs franchise. The remaining teams played little more than half the schedule before the season was cut short,[3] and a "championship" series played between the Oliver Jets and the Armstrong Sharks.