Swift Current Broncos

Hockey team | CAN_eng = 1|
team = Swift Current Broncos

city = Swift Current, Saskatchewan
league = Western Hockey League
conference = Eastern
division = East
founded = 1967
arena = Credit Union iPlex
colours = blue, black and silver
coach = Dean Chynoweth
GM = Dean Chynoweth
name1 = Swift Current Broncos
dates1 = 1967–74
name2 = Lethbridge Broncos
dates2 = 1974–86
name3 = Swift Current Broncos
dates3 = 1986–Present
|The Swift Current Broncos are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. Founded during 1967 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, the Broncos played seven seasons before relocating to Lethbridge from 1974 to 1986 as the Lethbridge Broncos. The Broncos returned to Swift Current, and played there since 1986, at the Credit Union iPlex.

:Division titles won: 1988–89, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1999–00, 2000–01:Regular season titles won: 1988–89, 1992–93, :WHL Championships won: 1988–89, 1992–93:Memorial Cup Titles: 1988–89

History

The Broncos started out as the Swift Current Broncos in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, but moved to Lethbridge in 1974. The team had been losing money in tiny Swift Current and the new Lethbridge Sportsplex was beckoning for a team. The Broncos played in Lethbridge for twelve seasons, winning the President's Cup in 1982–83. In the mid 1980's, the team came up for sale, and despite a large and loyal fanbase in Lethbridge, the Broncos were bought by local interests in Swift Current and moved back to their original home. The Lethbridge Hurricanes moved in to replace the Broncos in southern Alberta.

On December 30, 1986, the Broncos' bus crashed on the way to a game in Regina. Four players: Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka and Brent Ruff (younger brother of Sabre coach Lindy Ruff) were killed. [http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=swiftcurrent] Their jersey numbers were retired by the team afterwards, and the team still wears a commemorative patch in remembrance of the four players. The rest of the team, led by future NHL star Joe Sakic, who recorded 60 goals, played out the season despite the loss. In a move to memorialise the fallen players, the WHL now awards the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy to the league's Player of the Year.

The team won its only Memorial Cup championship two years later at the 1989 Memorial Cup. In the 1993 Memorial Cup, the Broncos were eliminated in a tie-breaker. Afterwards, the team's only head coach Graham James resigned to coach the Calgary Hitmen, but three seasons later, allegations arose that he sexually abused former player Sheldon Kennedy during their days together with the Broncos. James was convicted of sexual offenses and sentenced to three years in prison.

The Broncos play their home games at the Credit Union iPlex.

eason-by-season Record

First Broncos (1967–74)

"Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against"

NHL alumni

*Blair Atcheynum *Warren Babe *Ryan Bast *Ken Baumgartner *Rollie Boutin *Willie Brossart *Jakub Cutta *Kimbi Daniels *Ron Delorme *Ed Dyck *Gary Emmons *Dallas Gaume *Larry Giroux *Josh Green *Ian Herbers *Chris Herperger

*Shane Hnidy *Milan Hnilicka *Bill Hogaboam *Earl Ingarfield Jr. *Trent Kaese *Sheldon Kennedy *Ladislav Kohn *Don Kozak *Dan Lambert *Lane Lambert *Brad Larsen *Jim Leavins *Dean Malkoc *Dean McAmmond *Trent McCleary *Ryan McGill

*Todd McLellan *Jim McTaggart *Craig Millar *Lawrence Nycholat *Jaroslav Obsut *Bill Oleschuk *Ben Ondrus *Colton Orr *Ed Patterson *Kelly Pratt *Pokey Reddick *Jeremy Reich *Michal Rozsival *Terry Ruskowski *Joe Sakic *Geoff Sanderson *Andy Schneider

*Dave Schultz *Cam Severson *Trevor Sim *Nathan Smith *Brent Sopel *Rocky Thompson *Ryan Tobler *Bryan Trottier *Layne Ulmer *Sergei Varlamov *Ian White *Bob Wilkie *Jeremy Williams *Tiger Williams *Dody Wood *Tyler Wright *Joe Zanussi

Retired Numbers:
*8 Scott Krueger
*9 Brent Ruff
*11 Chris Mantyka
*22 Trent Kresse

Coaches

*Graham James 1985–86 to 1993–94
*Todd McLellan 1994–95 to 1999–2000
*Brad McEwen 2000–01 to 2002–03
*Randy Smith 2003–04
*Dean Chynoweth 2004–05 to present

ee also

* List of ice hockey teams in Saskatchewan

External links

* [http://www.scbroncos.com/ Swift Current Broncos official website]