The Winnipeg Rangers were a Canadian Junior A hockey team from St. Boniface, Manitoba. They were members of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League for 11 seasons. The Rangers entered the MJHL in 1956 as an expansion team. They were owned and operated by Dennis Ball, and affiliated with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League. Team colors were blue, red, and white, same as the NHL Rangers.
In the beginning, the Team was based out of west end Winnipeg. They were the only junior team in 56-57 to play out of the Winnipeg Arena. Because of ice availability the Rangers were forced to play out of Brandon at the Wheat City Arena for first half of the 57-58 season, and were called the Brandon Rangers. They moved back to the Winnipeg area with the opening of the Transcona Arena at the first of January, and were renamed the Transcona Rangers. After the 59 season, the Team returned to Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Arena, with their name reverting back to the Winnipeg Rangers. In 64, the Rangers were assigned the east area (mainly, St. Boniface and St. Vital), however, continued to play in the Winnipeg Arena because of its artificial ice.
During the fall of 1967, Ball would sell the club to Ben Hatskin. With the NHL mandating the end of professional teams sponsoring junior teams, the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association did not want the newly created major junior to do so either. Before granting Hatskin’s Winnipeg Jets permission to play in the Western Canada Junior Hockey League, demanded he sell his three MJHL teams to community-minded sports groups. The new owners renamed the franchise the St. Boniface Saints. This ended an era of junior hockey in Manitoba.
The Rangers were crowned MJHL champions in 1961 and 1966, winning the Turnbull Cup.
In Memorial Cup play, they advanced to the Western Canada Final for the Abbott Cup in 1961.
Season-by-Season Record[]
Note: click on season for team rosters or on league for direct link to that season.
| Season | League | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Points | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1956-57 | MJHL | 29 | 7 | 21 | 1 | 95 | 203 | 15 | 3rd | Lost Semi Final |
| 1957-58 | MJHL | 30 | 10 | 20 | 0 | 128 | 190 | 20 | 4th | DNQ |
| 1958-59 | MJHL | 32 | 10 | 19 | 3 | 110 | 166 | 23 | 4th | Lost Semi Final |
| 1959-60 | MJHL | 31 | 10 | 20 | 1 | 100 | 144 | 21 | 4th | Lost Final |
| 1960-61 | MJHL | 32 | 21 | 11 | 0 | 157 | 120 | 42 | 2nd | Won League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960-61 | Memorial Cup | 12 | 5 | 7 | - | 47 | 47 | - | - | Lost West Final |
| 1961-62 | MJHL | 40 | 16 | 20 | 4 | 128 | 150 | 36 | 4th | Lost Semi Final |
| 1962-63 | MJHL | 40 | 11 | 25 | 4 | 141 | 196 | 26 | 5th | DNQ |
| 1963-64 | MJHL | 30 | 15 | 12 | 3 | 124 | 95 | 33 | 3rd | Lost Semi Final |
| 1964-65 | MJHL | 46 | 21 | 19 | 6 | 202 | 170 | 48 | 2nd | Lost Semi Final |
| 1965-66 | MJHL | 48 | 27 | 16 | 5 | 219 | 186 | 59 | 1st | Won League |
| 1965-66 | Memorial Cup | 4 | 0 | 4 | - | 9 | 24 | - | - | Lost W Qtr Final |
| 1966-67 | MJHL | 57 | 34 | 19 | 4 | 263 | 201 | 74 | 3rd | Lost Semi Final |
Award Winners, League Leaders, & All-Stars[]
NHL Alumni[]
| Dennis Ball | Terry Ball | Jack Bownass | Butch Goring |
| Bryan Hextall | Jim Johnson | Gord Labossiere | Bryan Lefley |
| Chuck Lefley | Rick Newell | Dave Richardson | Bob Woytowich |
NHL Draft Picks[]
| Draft Year | Player | Drafted by | Round | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Terry Jones | New York Rangers | 2 | 10 |
| 1965 | George Surmay | New York Rangers | 2 | 6 |
| 1969 | Butch Goring | Los Angeles Kings | 5 | 51 |
| 1970 | Chuck Lefley | Montreal Canadiens | 1 | 6 |