This is a list of ice hockey teams in Alberta. It features the leagues they have played for, and championships won.
Since hockey was introduced to Alberta, Canada, in the 1890s, teams at all levels have come and gone. While the professional ranks have been confined to the major cities of Calgary and Edmonton, partially due to geographical isolation from the major eastern and Pacific coast population centres, both junior and senior teams thrive across the province.
Alberta is home to two National Hockey League teams, five Western Hockey League teams, the 16-team Alberta Junior Hockey League, and five Junior B hockey leagues comprising over 50 teams. The Canadian Women's Hockey League is represented in Alberta, as are teams competing at the senior, university and college ranks.
This list does not include teams below the junior age group, or adult teams below Senior AA.
Major professional[]
National Hockey League[]
The Edmonton Oilers became the first National Hockey League team in Alberta as a result of the NHL–WHA merger. The Calgary Flames arrived from Atlanta the following year.
Team | City | Established | Stanley Cups[1] | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Calgary Flames | Calgary | 1980 | 1 | Founded in 1972 as the Atlanta Flames[2] |
Edmonton Oilers | Edmonton | 1979 | 5 | Founded in 1972 as a World Hockey Association franchise[3] |
Western Canada Hockey League[]
The Western Canada Hockey League was the first major-professional league on the prairies. Founded in 1921, it collapsed due to escalating costs in 1926, and was reformed as the Prairie Hockey League from 1926–28.
Team | City | Existed[4] | League titles[4] | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Calgary Tigers | Calgary | 1921–27 | 2* | Appeared in 1924 Stanley Cup championship[1] |
Edmonton Eskimos | Edmonton | 1921–27 | 1 | Appeared in 1923 Stanley Cup championship.[1] |
*Includes 1926–27 championship after league was renamed the Prairie Hockey League.[5]
World Hockey Association[]
The World Hockey Association had envisioned that franchises in Calgary and Edmonton would create an effective rivalry. When the Calgary Broncos were unable to start their inaugural season, the Oilers were briefly renamed the Alberta Oilers with the intention of splitting games between the two cities. This plan failed to materialize.
Team | City | Existed | Avco Cups[6] | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Calgary Broncos | Calgary | 1972 | 0 | Original WHA franchise, folded before playing first game[7] |
Calgary Cowboys | Calgary | 1975–77 | 0 | Founded in 1972 as the Miami Screaming Eagles[7] |
Edmonton Oilers | Edmonton | 1972–79 | 0 | Known as the Alberta Oilers 1972–73; Joined the National Hockey League in 1979[3] |
Minor professional[]
American Hockey League[]
The Edmonton Oilers brought their American Hockey League franchise to the Alberta capital during the 2004–05 NHL lockout season. The team was suspended following the resumption of the NHL, and was eventually reformed as the Oklahoma City Barons.
Team | City | Existed | Calder Cups | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Calgary Wranglers | Calgary | 2022-present | ||
Edmonton Road Runners | Edmonton | 2004–05 | 0 | Brought to Edmonton during the 2004–05 NHL lockout.[8] |
Western Hockey League[]
The professional Western Hockey League was formed following a merger with the Pacific Coast Hockey League and the Western Canada Senior Hockey League. Both Alberta franchises lost their amateur status when they joined the new league.
Team | City | Existed[9] | Lester Patrick Cups[10] | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Calgary Stampeders | Calgary | 1951–63 | 1 | |
Edmonton Flyers | Edmonton | 1951–63 | 3 |
Junior[]
Western Hockey League[]
The Major-Junior Western Hockey League was formed in 1966 to strengthen junior hockey in the west. The Calgary Buffaloes were the only expansion team, as the other six founding members defected from existing leagues.
Current teams
Team | City | Established[11] | Ed Chynoweth Cups[12] | Memorial Cups[13] | Notes[11] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Calgary Hitmen | Calgary | 1995 | 2 | 0 | |
Edmonton Oil Kings | Edmonton | 2007 | 2 | 1 | |
Lethbridge Hurricanes | Lethbridge | 1987 | 1 | 0 | Founded in 1967 as the Winnipeg Jets; known as the Calgary Wranglers (1977–87) |
Medicine Hat Tigers | Medicine Hat | 1970 | 5 | 2 | |
Red Deer Rebels | Red Deer | 1992 | 1 | 1 |
Former teams
Team | City | Existed[11] | President's Cups[12] | Memorial Cups[13] | Notes[11] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Calgary Centennials | Calgary | 1966–77 | 0 | 0 | Known as the Buffaloes in 1966–67; became the Billings Bighorns (1977–82), Nanaimo Islanders (1982–83), New Westminster Bruins (1983–88) and Tri-City Americans (1988–present) |
Calgary Wranglers | Calgary | 1977–87 | 0 | 0 | Founded in 1967 as the Winnipeg Jets; became Lethbridge Hurricanes in 1987 |
Edmonton Oil Kings | Edmonton | 1966–76 | 2 | 2* | Founding pre-dates WHL; became the Portland Winter Hawks in 1976 |
Edmonton Oil Kings | Edmonton | 1978–79 | 0 | 0 | Founded in 1967 as the Flin Flon Bombers; became Great Falls Americans (1979) and Spokane Flyers (1980–81) |
Edmonton Ice | Edmonton | 1996–98 | 0 | 0 | Became the Kootenay Ice in 1998 |
Lethbridge Broncos | Lethbridge | 1974–86 | 1 | 0 | Founded in 1967 as the Swift Current Broncos; returned to Swift Current in 1986 |
*The Oil Kings' two Memorial Cups predate the WHL.
Alberta Junior Hockey League[]
The Junior A Alberta Junior Hockey League was founded to improve the level of junior hockey in Alberta, motivated by the dominance of the Edmonton Oil Kings in the early 1960s.
Junior B hockey leagues[]
League | Region | Established | Provincial titles[18] | Keystone Cup titles[19] | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Calgary Junior Hockey League | Calgary | 1945 | 4 | 1 | 8 teams |
Capital Junior Hockey League | Edmonton region | 1972 | 17 | 2 | 14 teams |
Heritage Junior B Hockey League | Southern Alberta | 1987 | 3 | 1 | 15 teams |
North Eastern Alberta Junior B Hockey League | Northeast Alberta | Unknown | 5 | 2 | 9 teams |
Northwest Junior Hockey League | Peace River Country | 1995 | 1 | 0 | 7 teams (5 in Alberta) |
Junior C hockey leagues[]
League | Region | Established | Provincial titles | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Calgary Junior C Hockey League | Calgary | Unknown | N/A | |
Noralta Junior Hockey League | Edmonton region | Unknown | N/A |
Junior female[]
The Alberta Junior Female Hockey League was founded in 2009 to promote female junior hockey for players aged 18–21 in Alberta. The league has grown from its original 6 team to 10 teams throughout the province.
Team | City | Established | Titles | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Banff Academy Bears | Banff | 2012 | 0 | The Banff Academy Bears played in the AJFHL until the end of the 2013/14 season as a conditional team as they were a midget academy team. |
Calgary Titans | Calgary | 2010 | 0 | |
Calgary Warriors | Calgary | 2012 | 0 | |
Central Alberta Amazons | Red Deer | 2009 | 1 | |
Cremona/Mountain View Hurricanes | Cremona/Mountain View | 2010 | 0 | Folded in 2012 due a lack of players |
Edmonton Wolves | Edmonton | 2009 | 2 | |
Fort Saskatchewan Fury | Fort Saskatchewan | 2009 | 1 | |
Irma Chargers | Irma | 2009 | 0 | |
Lethbridge Jr. Eagles | Lethbridge | 2012 | 1 | |
Medicine Hat Hockey Hounds | Medicine Hat | 2012 | 0 | |
Sherwood Park Steele | Sherwood Park | 2009 | 0 | |
Spruce Grove Stars | Spruce Grove | 2009 | 0 | Moved to Thorsby in 2011 |
Thorsby Thunder | Thorsby | 2011 * | 0 | Founded as the Spruce Grove Stars, moved to Thorsby in 2011 |
Wainwright | Wainwright | 2009 | 0 |
Semi-professional, senior and amateur[]
Women's hockey teams[]
Both of Alberta's elite women's teams were invited to join the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) in 2002. In 2004, they broke away to form the Western Women's Hockey League (WWHL) due to the lack of competition in the west. They returned to the NWHL in 2006 following a merger between the two leagues. However, due to circumstances arising over scheduling between the WWHL and the NWHL, the merger was never completed. This, coupled with the collapse of the NWHL in 2007, left the Oval X-Treme and Chimos as members of the WWHL. The league announced on April 19, 2011, that it would merge with the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL) for the 2011–12 season. The merger was to feature one team based in Edmonton and Calgary and is a combination of the former WWHL franchises, the Edmonton Chimos and Strathmore Rockies, with games in various locations around Alberta. In August 2011, the WWHL announced that there had never officially been a merger and that the WWHL would continue to compete against the CWHL,[20] but the WWHL never played another game. Team Alberta commenced play in the CWHL in 2011 before taking on the identity of the Calgary Inferno in 2013. The CWHL and the Inferno ceased operations in 2019.
Team | City | Established | Titles | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Calgary Inferno | Calgary | 2011–2019 | 2 | CWHL member known as Team Alberta from 2011 to 2013. Won the 2016 and 2019 Clarkson Cup. |
Calgary Oval X-Treme | Calgary | 2002–2009 | 5 | Members of the NWHL 2002–2004 and WWHL 2004–2009.[21] Club founded in 1995 and joined the NWHL in 2002. |
Edmonton Chimos | Edmonton | 2002–2011 | 0 | Members of the NWHL 2002–04 and WWHL 2004–2011.[22] Club founded in 1973 and joined the NWHL in 2002. |
Strathmore Rockies | Strathmore | 2006–2011 | 0 | WWHL member from 2006 to 2011.[23] |
Senior[]
Several teams from Alberta have gone on to capture the Allan Cup, Canada's national senior championship.
Team | City | Existence | Allan Cups[24] | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Calgary Stampeders | Calgary | 1938–1951 | 1 | Turned professional in 1951 by joining the WPHL[25] |
Drumheller Miners | Drumheller | 1936–1939, 1960s | 1 | [26] |
Edmonton Flyers | Edmonton | 1941–1951 | 1 | Turned professional in 1951 by joining the WPHL[27] |
Edmonton Mercurys | Edmonton | Unknown | Won 1950 World Hockey Championship and 1952 Olympic gold medal[28] | |
Lloydminster Border Kings | Lloydminster | unknown–present | 1 | Member of the Wild Goose Hockey League[29] |
Stony Plain Eagles | Stony Plain | 1930s–present | 1 | Member of the Chinook Hockey League[30] |
Nanton Palominos | Nanton | 1930s–present | 0 | Member of the Ranchland Hockey League[31] |
Bonnyville Pontiacs | Bonnyville | 1952–present | 0 | Member of the North Central Senior Hockey League[32] |
Bentley Generals | Bentley | 1999–present | 2 | Member of the Chinook Hockey League[33] |
University[]
The Canada West Universities Athletic Association was founded in 1919, representing schools across Western Canada.
Team | City | Established | Conference titles[34][35][36] | University Cups[37] | Women's Titles[38] | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alberta Golden Bears | Edmonton | 1913 | 53 | 15 | 7 | |
Calgary Dinos | Calgary | 1964 | 8 | 0 | 0 | Women's Hockey team played in ACAC from 2002–03 to 2008–09 |
Lethbridge Pronghorns | Lethbridge | 1980 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
College[]
The Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference organizes sport at the collegiate level.
Team | City | Established | ACAC men's titles[39] | CCAA men's national titles[39] | ACAC women's titles[40] | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Augustana Vikings | Camrose | 1971 | 1 | 1 | N/A | Does not play ACAC women's hockey, only men's |
Calgary Dinos | Calgary | 1 | Women's Hockey team played in ACAC from 2002–03 to 2008–09 | |||
Concordia Thunder | Edmonton | 1992 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
MacEwan Gryphons | Edmonton | 1998 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
Mount Royal Cougars | Calgary | 1968 | 11 | 4 | 4 | |
NAIT Ooks | Edmonton | 1965 | 13 | 7 | 0 | |
Portage Voyageurs | Lac La Biche | 2008 | 0 | 0 | Does not play ACAC women's hockey, only men's | |
Red Deer Queens | Red Deer | 2 | Does not play ACAC men's hockey, only women's | |||
SAIT Trojans | Calgary | 1965 | 9 | 2 | 2 |
League, regional and national championships[]
Teams from Alberta have captured titles at all levels of hockey.
Championship | Times won | Description |
Stanley Cup | 6 | National Hockey League champion[1] |
WCHL Championship | 3† | Western Canada Hockey League champion[4] |
Lester Patrick Cup | 4 | Western Hockey League (minor pro) champion[10] |
President's Cup | 11 | Western Hockey League champion[12] |
Memorial Cup | 6 | Canadian Major-Junior national champion[13] |
Allan Cup | 4‡ | Canadian senior national champion[24] |
Doyle Cup | 24 | Alberta/B.C. Junior "A" regional championship[15] |
Royal Bank Cup | 7 | Canadian Junior "A" national champion[15] |
Keystone Cup | 8 | Western Canada Junior "B" champion[19] |
NWHL Championship Cup | 2 | National Women's Hockey League championship[21] |
WWHL Championship Cup | 3 | Western Women's Hockey League championship[21] |
University Cup | 16 | CIS national men's university champion[37] |
CIS Women's Championship | 7 | CIS national women's university champion[38] |
CCHA Championship | 14 | CCAA national college champion[39] |
- †Includes Calgary's 1926-27 title after league renamed itself the Prairie Hockey League
- ‡Does not include win by Lloydminster Border Kings as team is primarily based in Saskatchewan
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Stanley Cup Champions and Finalists. nhl.com.
- ↑ (2006) 2006–07 Calgary Flamed Media Guide. Calgary Flames, 4–5.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Edmonton Oilers - History. CBS Sportsline.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Western Canada Hockey League (1921-25). hockeyleaguehistory.com.
- ↑ Prairie Hockey League (1926–28). hockeyleaguehistory.com.
- ↑ Avco World Trophy. legendsofhockey.net.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Calgary Cowboys—Those Brawlin’ Broncos. Edmonton Oilers Heritage.
- ↑ Edmonton Roadrunners (AHL). hockeydb.com.
- ↑ Teams of the WHL/PCHL. The old Western Hockey League.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Lester Patrick Cup. legendsofhockey.net.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 2006-07 WHL Guide. Western Hockey League, 41–136.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 2006-07 WHL Guide. Western Hockey League, 149.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Memorial Cup winners. chl.ca.
- ↑ hockeydb team search (search for league "AJHL"). hockeydb.com.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 AJHL Annual Guide & Record Book. Alberta Junior Hockey League, 69–70.
- ↑ History of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. ajhl.ca.
- ↑ AJHL Moving to Whitecourt, Alberta. Alberta Junior Hockey League (2012-05-02).
- ↑ HJHL history. Red Deer Vipers hockey club.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Keystone Cup champions. Rauzulu's Street.
- ↑ Chimos Part of Merger With CWHL
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Calgary Oval X-Treme excited for new National league. Calgary Oval-Xtreme Hockey Club.
- ↑ The Edmonton Chimos. Edmonton Chimos Hockey Club.
- ↑ The Strathmore Rockies. Strathmore Rockies Hockey Club.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Past winners of the Allan Cup. allancup.ca.
- ↑ hockeydb team search (search for team name "Stampeders"). hockeydb.com.
- ↑ hockeydb team search (search for team name "Miners"). hockeydb.com.
- ↑ hockeydb team search (search for team name "Flyers"). hockeydb.com.
- ↑ Edmonton Mercurys. The Canadian Encyclopedia.
- ↑ "Lloydminster Border Kings win Allan Cup", cbc.ca, 2001-04-14.
- ↑ The Eagles. Stony Plain Eagles Hockey Club.
- ↑ Pals. Nanton Palominos Hockey Club.
- ↑ Bonnyville Sr. Pontiacs. Bonnyville Sr. Pontiacs Hockey Club.
- ↑ Bentley Generals. Bentley Generals Hockey Club.
- ↑ Golden Bears Ice Hockey History (pdf). bears.ualberta.ca.
- ↑ Dinos Hockey Program. godinos.com.[dead link]
- ↑ Canada West Winter Championship History (pdf). canadawest.org.
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 CIS Winter Championship History (pdf). canadawest.org.
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 2007-08 CIS Women's Hockey Media Guide And Almanac (pdf). cisport.ca.
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 Men's hockey champions. ACAC.
- ↑ Women's hockey champions. ACAC.
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