Calgary Hitmen
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| Calgary Hitmen | |
|---|---|
| City: | Calgary, Alberta |
| League: | Western Hockey League |
| Conference: | Eastern |
| Division: | Central |
| Founded: | 1995-96 |
| Home Arena: | Pengrowth Saddledome |
| Colours: | Black, silver & copper |
| Head Coach: | Kelly Kisio |
| General Manager: | Kelly Kisio |
The Calgary Hitmen are a junior ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada playing in the Western Hockey League (WHL). They play their home games at the Pengrowth Saddledome. The Hitmen name is derived from Calgary-born wrestler, and original part owner, Bret "the Hitman" Hart. The Hitmen's original jerseys were a distinctive mix of pink, black and grey, also taken from Hart's ring attire.
The Hitmen are the third WHL team to represent Calgary, preceded by the Centennials and Wranglers. In 1999, the Hitmen became the first Calgary team to win the President's Cup as league champions, and the first to represent Calgary in the Memorial Cup since the Calgary Canadians won the national junior title in 1926.
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[edit] History
Calgary had been without a WHL team since 1987, when the Calgary Wranglers moved south to become the Lethbridge Hurricanes, as the juniors could not compete against the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League. Eighteen investors, however, convinced the WHL to grant the city of Calgary an expansion franchise for the 1995-96 WHL season. In addition to Hart, the ownership group included NHL stars Theo Fleury and Joe Sakic.[1] Though initially nervous of competing with the Hitmen for hockey fan's dollars, the Flames chose to purchase the Hitmen in 1997, and have since built the team into one of the premier junior hockey teams in Canada.
[edit] Controversial beginnings
The Hitmen immediately generated controversy when the team logo was unveiled. While the "Jason Voorhees" style logo was instantly popular with many fans, some in the local media, as well as the league office found the look too violent, and the Hitmen were forced to use an alternate "starburst" logo in their inaugural season. The WHL relented after one year, allowing the original logo to return in 1996.[2]
The Hitmen were caught up in a second controversy in their second season as general manager and head coach Graham James was forced to resign partway through the 1996-97 season after being charged with sexually assaulting two of his players while coaching the Swift Current Broncos. James was convicted in January 1997.[3]
The team on the ice did not fare much better than it did off of it. The Hitmen won only 33 games in their first two seasons, finishing safely out of playoff contention both years.
[edit] WHL championship
After two challenging seasons, the Hitmen quickly rose to prominence. In 1997-98, the Hitmen won 40 games and the Central Division. Entering the playoffs for the first time, the Hitmen cruised past the Saskatoon Blades, then upset the Swift Current Broncos before falling in the Eastern Conference final to the Brandon Wheat Kings. Head coach Dean Clark, brought in to replace James, won the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy as WHL coach of the year for his efforts. He was also named the CHL coach of the year.[4]
Calgary improved to 51 wins in 1998-99, narrowly edging the Kamloops Blazers for the regular season title. Led by Brad Moran, Pavel Brendl and goaltender Alexandre Fomitchev, the Hitmen lost just five games in the playoffs, capturing their first President's Cup at home before a WHL playoff record crowd of 17,139.[5]
In the 1999 Memorial Cup, the Hitmen finished atop the round robin standings earning a berth straight into the final. Calgary faced the host Ottawa 67s of the Ontario Hockey League in the championship game in an exciting back-and-forth affair. The Hitmen fell just short however, losing 7-6 in overtime.[6]
In 1999-00, the Hitmen set franchise records for wins (58) and points (120) while capturing their second straight regular season title. After sweeping their first two playoff series, the Hitmen were stunned by the eventual WHL champion Kootenay Ice.
[edit] Recent years
In the past several seasons, the Hitmen have settled in as a middle of the road team on the ice. Despite this, the team has become a perennial attendance leader, finishing atop the WHL standings each of the past four years. In 2004-05, the Flames heavily marketed the Hitmen in the wake of the 2004-05 NHL lockout. As a result, the Hitmen averaged 10,062 fans, the first junior team to average 10,000, and the highest average of any junior or professional team in North America. Their season total of 362,227 set WHL and CHL records.[7]
While the team has not been extremely successful in recent years, the Hitmen have developed several players who have gone onto success in the NHL and at major international tournaments. Ryan Getzlaf and Andrew Ladd were both members of the dominating Canadian team that won the 2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.[8] Justin Pogge emerged as the unlikely hero for team Canada as they defended their gold medal at the 2006 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.[9] Pogge would also be named the WHL and CHL goaltender of the year in 2005-06.[10]
Ladd also became the first Hitmen alumnus to win the Stanley Cup, which he did with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006.[11] Getzlaf won the cup the following season with the Anaheim Ducks, leading the team in scoring with seven goals and ten assists in twenty-one games.
[edit] Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties OTL = Overtime losses Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Points | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1995-96 | 72 | 18 | 51 | 3 | - | 222 | 359 | 39 | 5th Central | Out of playoffs |
| 1996-97 | 72 | 15 | 53 | 4 | - | 199 | 360 | 34 | 4th Central | Out of playoffs |
| 1997-98 | 72 | 40 | 28 | 4 | - | 265 | 232 | 84 | 1st Central | Lost Eastern Conference final |
| 1998-99 | 72 | 51 | 13 | 8 | - | 319 | 187 | 110 | 1st Central | Won championship; Memorial Cup finalist |
| 1999-00 | 72 | 58 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 313 | 182 | 120 | 1st Central | Lost Eastern Conference final |
| 2000-01 | 72 | 37 | 27 | 5 | 3 | 284 | 250 | 82 | 3rd Central | Lost Eastern Conference semi-final |
| 2001-02 | 72 | 33 | 33 | 5 | 1 | 271 | 281 | 72 | 3rd Central | Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final |
| 2002-03 | 72 | 27 | 36 | 7 | 2 | 240 | 260 | 63 | 4th Central | Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final |
| 2003-04 | 72 | 34 | 24 | 8 | 6 | 220 | 187 | 82 | 3rd Central | Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final |
| 2004-05 | 72 | 34 | 23 | 9 | 6 | 200 | 183 | 83 | 3rd Central | Lost Eastern Conference semi-final |
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | GF | GA | Points | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2005-06 | 72 | 47 | 18 | 3 | 4 | 195 | 155 | 101 | 2nd Central | Lost Eastern Conference semi-final |
| 2006-07 | 72 | 39 | 26 | 3 | 4 | 251 | 205 | 85 | 3rd Central | Lost Eastern Conference final |
| 2007-08 | Season in progress | |||||||||
Source: [12]
[edit] Players
The Hitmen presently have 24 players on their active roster,[13] while 21 former Hitmen have gone on to play in the National Hockey League.[14]
[edit] Current roster
| # | Player | Born | Place of Birth | Drafted | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Martin Jones | 1990 | North Vancouver, British Columbia | Eligible 2008 |
| 33 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Dan Spence | 1988 | Langley, British Columbia | Free Agent |
| # | Player | Born | Place of Birth | Drafted | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Paul Postma | 1989 | Red Deer, Alberta | Atl - 7th round 2007 |
| 3 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Dan Mercer | 1987 | West Vancouver, British Columbia | Free Agent |
| 4 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Alex Plante | 1989 | Brandon, Manitoba | Edm - 1st round 2007 |
| 5 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Matt MacKenzie | 1991 | New Westminster, British Columbia | Eligible 2009 |
| 6 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Eric Frere | 1988 | Trochu, Alberta | Free Agent |
| 7 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Keith Seabrook | 1988 | Delta, British Columbia | Was - 2nd round 2006 |
| 26 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Ryan Gillen | 1987 | Golden, British Columbia | Free Agent |
| 27 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Karl Alzner | 1988 | Burnaby, British Columbia | Was - 1st round 2007 |
| 28 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Michael Stone | 1990 | Winnipeg, Manitoba | Eligible 2008 |
| # | Player | Position | Born | Place of Birth | Drafted | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Kyle Bortis | C | 1988 | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | Eligible 2008 |
| 9 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | T.J. Galiardi | LW | 1988 | Calgary, Alberta | Col - 2nd round 2007 |
| 10 | Image:Flag of Slovenia.svg | Bostjan Golicic | LW | 1989 | Kranj, Slovenia | Eligible 2008 |
| 11 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Chase Schaber | C | 1991 | Red Deer, Alberta | Eligible 2009 |
| 12 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Brett Sonne | C/LW | 1989 | Maple Ridge, British Columbia | Stl - 3rd round 2007 |
| 14 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Carson McMillan | RW | 1988 | Brandon, Manitoba | Free Agent |
| 15 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Brandon Kozun | C | 1990 | Calgary, Alberta | Eligible 2008 |
| 17 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Ian Duval | C | 1988 | Winnipeg, Manitoba | Free Agent |
| 18 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Brendan Rowinski | LW/C | 1990 | Winnipeg, Manitoba | Eligible 2008 |
| 19 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Ian Schultz | RW | 1990 | Calgary, Alberta | Eligible 2008 |
| 22 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Devon Kalinski | LW/C | 1990 | La Corey, Alberta | Eligible 2008 |
| 25 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Ryan White | C | 1988 | Brandon, Manitoba | Mtl - 3rd round 2006 |
| 29 | Image:Flag of Canada.svg | Ryan Fox | RW | 1990 | Creighton, Saskatchewan | Eligible 2008 |
Roster as of December 28, 2007
[edit] NHL Alumni
- List of Calgary Hitmen alumni who have played in the NHL.
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[edit] Retired numbers
- #20 - Brad Moran 1995-2000
[edit] Head Coaches
The Hitmen have had five coaches in their history.[14]
| # | Name | Dates | Games | Record | Winning % | Playoffs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graham James | 1995-96 | 95 | 21-71-3 | .237 | 0-0 | Resigned 23 games into 1996-97 season |
| 2 | Dean Clark | 1996-01 | 334 | 183-118-30-3 | .597 | 40-24 | 1998 WHL, CHL coach of the year |
| 3 | Richard Kromm | 2001-04 | 216 | 94-93-20-9 | .502 | 7-12 | |
| 4 | Dean Evason | 2004-05 | 72 | 34-23-9-6 | .576 | 7-5 | Co-coach with Kelly Kisio |
| 5 | Kelly Kisio | 2004-present | 216 | 120-77-12-17 | .623 | 23-20 |
[edit] Club records
Team records held by the Hitmen and players:[12]
[edit] Season
Individual
- Most goals, 73, Pavel Brendl, 1998-99
- Most assists, 72, Brad Moran, 1999-00
- Most points, 134, Pavel Brendl, 1998-99
- Most penalty minutes: 302, Ryan Andres, 1997-98
- Best goals against average, 1.72, Justin Pogge, 2005-06
- Most shutouts, 11, Justin Pogge, 2005-06
Team
- Most wins: 58, 1999-00
- Most points: 120, 1999-00
- Most goals for: 319, 1998-99
- Fewest goals against: 155, 2005-06
[edit] Career
- Most goals: 204, Brad Moran, 1995-00
- Most assists: 244, Brad Moran, 1995-00
- Most points: 448, Brad Moran, 1995-00
- Most penalty minutes: 704, Mike Egener, 2000-04
- Best goals against average: 1.92, Justin Pogge, 2004-06
- Most shutouts: 13, Justin Pogge, 2004-06
[edit] Awards and honours
WHL and CHL awards captured by the Hitmen:[4]
President's Cup
Western Hockey League champion
Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy
Regular season champion
Central Division titles
Four Broncos Memorial Trophy
Player of the year
Bob Clarke Trophy
Top scorer
Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy
Scholastic player of the year
Brad Hornung Trophy
Most sportsmanlike player
Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy
Defenceman of the year
Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy
Rookie of the year
Del Wilson Trophy
Goaltender of the year
Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy
Coach of the year
Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award
CHL coach of the year
Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy
Executive of the year
Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy
Humanitarian of the year
WHL Plus-Minus Award
Top plus-minus
- Pavel Brendl: 1998-99
- Kenton Smith: 1999-00
- Andrew Ladd: 2003-04
St. Clair Group Trophy
Top marketing/public relations department
- Mark Stiles: 2003-04
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ hitmenhockey.com, "Inside the Club", Accessed October 16
- ^ Hart, Bret, Bret Hart's Calgary Sun column for April 30,2004 reproduced at brethart.com. Accessed October 14, 2006
- ^ Deacon, James, Hockey Coach Guilty of Sexual Assault, MacLean's January 13, 1997. Reproduced on thecanadianencyclopedia.com. Accessed October 14, 2006
- ^ a b 2005-06 WHL guide, WHL Awards, pgs. 167-170
- ^ WHL playoff records, whl.ca. Accessed October 14, 2006
- ^ Lajoie, Roger, MasterCard Memorial Cup Priceless Moment No. 9 - Ottawa scores in overtime to win Memorial Cup at home, chl.ca. Accessed October 16, 2006
- ^ WHL season records whl.ca. Accessed October 14, 2006
- ^ 2005 WJHC roster, hockeycanada.ca. Accessed October 16, 2006
- ^ 2006 WJHC roster, hockeycanada.ca. Accessed October 16, 2006
- ^ Del Wilson Trophy winners, whl.ca. Accessed October 16, 2006
- ^ Shea, Kevin HHOF Stanley Cup journal - Andrew Ladd, hhof.com. Accessed October 16, 2006
- ^ a b 2005-06 WHL guide, Calgary Hitmen, pgs 22-25
- ^ whl.ca Calgary Hitmen Roster
- ^ a b Calgary Hitmen all-time roster hockeydb.com. Accessed October 16, 2006
[edit] External links
Western Hockey League | |
|---|---|
| East Division | Brandon Wheat Kings · Moose Jaw Warriors · Prince Albert Raiders · Regina Pats · Saskatoon Blades · Swift Current Broncos |
| Central Division | Calgary Hitmen · Edmonton Oil Kings · Kootenay Ice · Lethbridge Hurricanes · Medicine Hat Tigers · Red Deer Rebels |
| B.C. Division | Chilliwack Bruins · Kamloops Blazers · Kelowna Rockets · Prince George Cougars · Vancouver Giants |
| U.S. Division | Everett Silvertips · Portland Winter Hawks · Seattle Thunderbirds · Spokane Chiefs · Tri-City Americans |
| CHL: Memorial Cup · Ed Chynoweth Cup · WHL seasons · WHL history · Awards · OHL · QMJHL | |
fr:Hitmen de Calgary pl:Calgary Hitmen
