Prince Albert Raiders

Hockey team | CAN_eng = 1|
team = Prince Albert Raiders

city = Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
league = Western Hockey League
conference = Eastern
division = East
founded = 1982–83
arena = Art Hauser Centre
colours = black, green and gold
coach = Bruno Campese
GM = Donn Clark
|The Prince Albert Raiders are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. The Raiders play in the East Division of the Eastern Conference. They are based in the Saskatchewan city of Prince Albert. The team plays its home games at the Art Hauser Centre.

History

The Early Days

The Raiders started in 1972 as one of the most successful Tier II franchises in Canada, playing in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). Prince Albert won the Tier II national championship, the Manitoba Centennial Trophy, a record 4 times in a six-year span from 1977 to 1982. While competing for the Manitoba Centennial Trophy, the Raiders competed against a few future OHL teams, the Guelph Platers and the Belleville Bulls. The Raiders also won 7 straight Anavet Cups between 1976 until 1982 against various champions of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

Terry Simpson was the team's coach for those 6 years in the SJHL. He stayed with the team for its first 4 years when it moved up to the WHL. The City of Prince Albert was granted a WHL expansion franchise for the 1982–83 season.

1985 Memorial Cup

Three years later, the Raiders were the best team in the WHL. Lead by team captain Dan Hodgson, the team achieved the best regular season record in the WHL of 58 wins, 11 losses and 3 ties. The Raiders defeated the Calgary Wranglers, Medicine Hat Tigers and the Kamloops Blazers in the WHL playoffs to win the WHL championship. Other notable members of the 1984–1985 team are; Tony Grenier, Dave Pasin, Pat Elynuik, Dave Manson, Ken Baumgartner, Dave Goetz and Emmanuel Viverios.

The Raiders went on the compete for the Memorial Cup in 1985, versus the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, Verdun Junior Canadiens and the Shawinigan Cataractes. In their first game, Prince Albert lost 6–2 to the Shawinigan Cataractes, with 108 penalty minutes called in total. The second game saw the Raiders beat Verdun 5 to 3 with 2 goals from defenceman Dave Goetz. In game three, the Raiders defeated the Greyhounds 8 to 6, and Dan Hodgson had 5 assists in the match. The two teams would play each other again in the semi-finals. Prince Albert would prevail again by an 8 to 3 score. The Raiders won the Memorial Cup and became CHL champions by defeating the Shawinigan Cataractes 6–1 in the final game.

Since 1985 the Raiders have produced many NHL stars, but have never won the WHL championship again.

Championships

Memorial Cup Champions *1985 Manitoba Centennial Cup Champions *1977, 1979, 1981, 1982

Western Hockey League Champions *1985 WHL Eastern Division *1985, 1992, 1999

NHL Alumni

Listed below are alumni from Prince Albert Raiders of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and the Western Hockey League (WHL) who went on to play in the National Hockey League.

JHL Raiders

*Robin Bartel *Todd Bergen *Rollie Boutin *Ron Delorme

*Gary Emmons *Bob Hoffmeyer *Brad McCrimmon *Dave Michayluk

*Bill Oleschuk *Greg Paslawski *James Patrick *Darcy Regier

*Dave Reierson *Dave Tippett *Bill Watson *Aaron Bonertz

WHL Raiders

*Ryan Bast *Ken Baumgartner *Todd Bergen *Curtis Brown *Shawn Byram *Frederic Chabot *Kyle Chipchura *Brad Church *Byron Dafoe *Rod Dallman *Pat Elynuik *Todd Fedoruk *Joaquin Gage *Dave Goertz *Steve Gotaas

*Scott Hartnell *Paul Healey *Jim Hiller *Shane Hnidy *Dan Hodgson *Kim Issel *Steve Kelly *Dan Kesa *Darin Kimble *Dean Kolstad *Milan Kraft *Gord Kruppke *Dale Kushner *Jeff Lank

*Jamie Linden *Ross Lupaschuk *Dave Manson *Dean McAmmond *Grant McNeill *Marian Menhart *Mike Modano *Jeff Nelson *Todd Nelson *Dave Pasin *Denis Pederson *Chris Phillips *Richard Pilon *Garrett Prosofsky

*Nick Schultz *Cam Severson *Reid Simpson *Michal Sivek *Allan Stewart *Ryan Stewart *Kevin Todd *Shayne Toporowski *David Van Drunen *Darren Van Impe *Emanuel Viveiros *Roman Vopat *Wes Walz *Shane Willis

eason-by-season record

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

ee also

* List of ice hockey teams in Saskatchewan

External links

* [http://www.raiderhockey.com/ Raiders official web site]