Spokane Chiefs

Hockey team
team = Spokane Chiefs

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city = Spokane, Washington
league = Western Hockey League
conference = Western
division = U.S.
founded = 1985–86
arena = Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena
colours = Red, White and Blue
coach = Hardy Sauter
GM = Tim Speltz
name1 = Kelowna Wings
dates1 = 1982–85
name2 = Spokane Chiefs
dates2 = 1985-PresentThe Spokane Chiefs are a major junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League based out of Spokane, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, with a capacity of 10,700. Their uniforms are similar to those of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. Spokane consistently ranks in the top 10 in the Canadian Hockey League in attendance. [http://www.mib.org/~lennier/hockey/leagueatt.cgi] They are the current Memorial Cup champions, and first team ever to win the Ed Chynoweth Cup - awarded starting in 2008 to the team that wins the WHL Championship.

:Memorial Cup Championships: 2 (1990–91, 2007–08):Memorial Cup Appearances: 3 (1990–91, 1997–98, 2007–08):WHL Championships: 2 (1990–91, 2007–08):WHL Championship Appearances: 4 (1990–91, 1995–96, 1999–00, 2007–08):WHL Western Conference Championships: 4 (1990–91, 1995–96, 1999–00, 2007–08):WHL West/U.S. Division Championships: 2 (1995–96, 1999–00):Playoff Appearances: 19 (1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2007–08)

History

The Spokane Chiefs franchise was granted in 1982 to Kelowna, British Columbia as the Kelowna Wings. They moved to Spokane in 1985.

The Chiefs won the WHL and Memorial Cup championships in 1991 and 2008. In addition, they have won two division titles and four Western Conference championships. The Chiefs and Portland Winter Hawks are the only two U.S. division teams to win the Memorial Cup. The Chiefs are also the only team in the history of the Western Hockey League to come back from an 0–3 deficit to win a best-of-seven series, which they did against Portland in 1996.

The 1991 Memorial Cup team included future NHL players: Ray Whitney, Pat Falloon, Trevor Kidd, Jon Klemm, and Scott Bailey. This team of future NHL'ers blew through the Memorial Cup Tournament, scoring a goal in the first couple of minutes of virtually every game.

The Chiefs' move to the new Spokane Arena in 1995 proved to be good luck. Along with being called the gem of the Western Hockey League, the Arena hosted many memorable events in the first year and saw the Chiefs win 50 games and advance to the WHL finals, only to lose in five games to the Brandon Wheat Kings. Throughout much of that season, the Chiefs were #1 in the CHL's top rankings.

Just two years later, the Chiefs hosted the 1998 Memorial Cup, and were one goal away from advancing to the final game to take on WHL rival Portland. However an overtime victory by the Guelph Storm sent the Chiefs home for the year. Still, Spokane set an attendance record for the Memorial Cup. In the 1999-00 season head coach Mike Babcock led the team from a last place finish the previous year to a first place, 47 win season. The Chiefs advanced to play the Kootenay Ice in the WHL finals, but lost in six games.

Between 2001 and 2005, the Chiefs struggled to find an identity. The organization went through three head coaches in five years: Perry Ganchar (resigned), Al Conroy (fired) and Bill Peters. Still Spokane fans, known for their robust support, continued to turn out. The Chiefs consistently average 6,000–7,000 fans per game, one of the top figures in the Western and Canadian Hockey Leagues. The Chiefs are also known for a goal celebration often called the 'best in junior hockey.' [http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/story.html?id=c716761e-6216-40c8-a7c5-730c73befcfe&k=98569] In 1999, the fans were named the best in the WHL. On Saturday nights, often referred to as 'Hockey Night in Spokane', the Spokane Arena is generally sold out, and sellouts are expected when the Tri-City Americans come to town.

The 2007–08 season produced the most wins by a Spokane Chiefs team since the 1999–00 season, a season which saw the Chiefs go to the WHL Finals. The team, backed by a solid goaltending tandem and an offensive attack led by Carolina Hurricanes draft pick Drayson Bowman, ranked in the top ten of the CHL for most of the season, and reached the #1 spot in late February. In one of the greatest series in WHL history the Chiefs beat their arch-rival, the Tri-City Americans, 4 games to 3 in the Western Conference finals to earn a spot in the 2008 WHL Finals. Five of the 7 games went into overtime, including 3 games decided in double overtime.

In the Finals, the Chiefs outscored the Lethbridge Hurricanes 15–5 and swept the series 4–0, just as they did in the 1991 WHL playoffs, to earn a trip to the Memorial Cup in Kitchener, Ontario. The Chiefs skated to a perfect 3–0 round robin record en route to their 2nd Memorial Cup, defeating the host Kitchener Rangers 4–1 in the championship game. The Chiefs remain the only U.S. team ever to win the Memorial Cup on Canadian soil.

In the 2008 offseason, head coach Bill Peters announced he was leaving the Chiefs for the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL. Assistant Coach Hardy Sauter was named the Chiefs 10th head coach a week later. He is the only former Chiefs player to become head coach.

Players

Current roster

ee also

*Spokane Flyers

External links

* [http://www.spokanechiefs.com/ Spokane Chiefs website]
* [http://www.stefan-ulmer.at.tt/ Stefan Ulmer website]