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Grande Prairie Storm
CityGrande Prairie, Alberta
LeagueAlberta Junior Hockey League
DivisionNorth
Founded1966[1]
Home arenaBonnetts Energy Centre
ColoursYellow, Navy blue, and White
General managerMark Bomersback
Head coachEric Thurston
Franchise history
1966–1972Grande Prairie Jr. Athletics
1972–1989Grande Prairie North Stars
1991–1995Grande Prairie Chiefs
1995–presentGrande Prairie Storm

The Grande Prairie Storm is a junior A ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) based in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada, with home games at Bonnetts Energy Centre.

History

The organization was founded in 1966 as the Junior Athletics[1] as a member of the Peace Junior B Hockey League (PJHL). The team rebranded around 1972 as the Grande Prairie North Stars.[2] When the Quesnel Millionaires and Prince George Spruce Kings joined the league in 1975, the league became the Peace-Cariboo Junior Hockey League (PCJHL). In 1980, the league and teams were promoted to Junior A. The North Stars were financially struggling and sat out two seasons from 1989 to 1991. They came back as the Grande Prairie Chiefs in 1991, but the league had brought in teams from the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League and reformed as the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League (RMJHL).

In 1995, with the Chiefs continuing to have financial difficulties, a community-led group bought the team with the goal of paying off its $150,000 in debts and restoring junior A hockey to prominence in the Peace Country. The team rebranded as the Grande Prairie Storm and moved to a brand new arena, the Canada Games Arena, built for the 1995 Canada Winter Games.

In 1996, the Storm moved from the RMJHL to the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). The Storm qualified for the AJHL post season in each of its first 18 consecutive seasons before missing in 2014. In 2004, the Storm won their first AJHL championship. They also hosted the 2004 Royal Bank Cup national junior A championship tournament that season, where they lost in the semifinals.

The Storm have been a major success off the ice as well as the franchise perennially leads the AJHL in attendance, and often leads the entire Canadian Junior A Hockey League in attendance.[citation needed] The Storm broke the previous attendance record for the Royal Bank Cup by over 9000 fans in 2004.

Season-by-season record

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

Season GP W L T/OTL SOL Pts GF GA Finish Playoffs
1975–76 39 28 11 0 — 56 217 159 1st, PC Jr. B Lost Finals, 1–4 vs. Prince George Spruce Kings
1976–77 40 17 23 0 — 34 179 216 4th, PC Jr. B
1977–78 40 21 19 0 — 42 203 164 3rd, PC Jr. B
1978–79 35 13 21 1 — 27 231 254 5th, PC Jr. B
1979–80 48 27 21 0 — 54 296 239 5th, PC Jr. B Lost Semifinals vs. Fort St. John Golden Hawks
1980–81 40 17 23 0 — 34 180 207 5th, PCJHL Did not qualify
1981–82 56 37 19 0 — 78 367 234 2nd, PCJHL Won Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Dawson Creek Kodiaks
Lost Finals, 1–4 vs. Prince George Spruce Kings
1982–83 Did not participate
1983–84 50 22 27 1 — 45 278 273 3rd, PCJHL Lost Semifinals, 0–4 vs. Williams Lake Mustangs
1984–85 48 20 27 1 — 41 248 274 4th, PCJHL Lost Semifinals, 2–4 vs. Fort St. John Huskies
1985–86 50 26 24 0 — 52 281 288 4th, PCJHL Lost Semifinals, 0–4 vs. Prince George Spruce Kings
1986–87 48 28 20 0 — 56 284 247 3rd, PCJHL Won Semifinals, 4–3 vs. Fort St. John Huskies
Lost Finals, 2–4 vs. Quesnel Millionaires
1987–88 50 38 12 0 — 76 346 189 1st, PCJHL Won Semifinals, 4–1 vs. Williams Lake Mustangs
Won PCJHL Championship, 4–3 vs. Prince George Spruce Kings
Lost Mowat Cup, 0–2 vs. Vernon Lakers (BCJHL)
1988–89 52 40 12 0 — 80 333 180 1st, PCJHL Won Semifinals, 4–1 vs. Prince George Spruce Kings
Lost Finals, 1–4 vs. Williams Lake Mustangs
1989–1991 Did not participate
1991–92 52 13 37 2 — 28 211 355 5th, Peace-Cariboo Did not qualify
1992–93 52 22 30 0 — 44 260 339 3rd, Peace-Cariboo Lost Conf. Semifinals, 0–4 vs. Prince George Spruce Kings
1993–94 52 34 17 1 — 69 270 223 3rd, Peace-Cariboo Lost Conf. Semifinals, 3–4 vs. Fort St. John Huskies
1994–95 52 24 25 3 — 51 253 272 2nd, Peace-Cariboo Lost Conf. Semifinals, 2–4 vs. Williams Lake Mustangs
1995–96 58 40 18 0 — 80 317 228 1st, Peace-Cariboo Lost Conf. Semifinals, 2–4 vs. Quesnel Millionaires
1996–97 60 28 27 — 5 88 236 227 5th, AJHL Won Quarterfinals, 4–2 vs. Bow Valley Eagles
Lost Semifinals, 1–4 vs. Calgary Canucks
1997–98 60 42 15 — 3 87 277 205 2nd, AJHL Won Quarterfinals, 4–1 vs. Bow Valley Eagles
Lost Semifinals, 1–4 vs. Fort Saskatchewan Traders
1998–99 62 33 22 — 7 73 238 203 4th, North Won Div. Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
Lost Quarterfinals, 1–4 vs. St. Albert Saints
1999–00 64 36 26 — 2 74 218 203 4th, North Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
2000–01 64 39 22 3 — 81 279 244 2nd, North Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–2 vs. Fort Saskatchewan Traders
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–1 vs. St. Albert Saints
Lost Div. Finals, 1–4 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
2001–02 64 34 21 9 — 77 233 214 5th, North Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–2 vs. St. Albert Saints
Won Div. Finals, 4–3 vs. Canmore Eagles
Lost Championship, 0–4 vs. Drayton Valley Thunder
2002–03 64 40 23 1 — 81 267 193 4th, North Won Div. Quarterfinals, 4–2 vs. Drayton Valley Thunder
Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–4 vs. St. Albert Saints
2003–04 60 40 14 6 — 86 241 139 1st, North Won Div. Semifinals, 4–1 vs. Lloydminster Blazers
Won Div. Finals, 4–2 vs. Olds Grizzlys
Won AJHL Championship, 4–1 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Lost Doyle Cup, 1–4 vs. Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL)
2004–05 64 38 21 5 — 81 216 160 5th, North Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–1 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
2005–06 60 38 18 4 — 80 211 148 4th, North Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 1–3 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
2006–07 60 41 15 4 — 86 247 176 2nd, North Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–1 vs. Spruce Grove Saints
Lost Div. Finals, 2–4 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
2007–08 62 38 18 6 — 82 207 161 2nd, North Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–2 vs. St. Albert Steel
Lost Div. Semifinals, 3–4 vs. Spruce Grove Saints
2008–09 62 42 15 5 — 89 228 134 2nd, North Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–1 vs. Lloydminster Bobcats
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–2 vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders
Won Div. Finals, 4–1 vs. Brooks Bandits
Won AJHL Championship, 4–0 vs. Spruce Grove Saints
Lost Doyle Cup, 0–4 vs. Vernon Vipers (BCHL)
2009–10 60 40 17 4 — 83 233 174 2nd, North Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–1 vs. Lloydminster Bobcats
Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
2010–11 60 34 22 4 — 72 188 157 4th North Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 2–3 vs. Lloydminster Bobcats
2011–12 60 21 35 4 — 46 169 221 7th North Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 2–3 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
2012–13 60 35 21 4 — 74 185 156 2nd North Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 1–3 vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders
2013–14 60 21 36 3 — 45 155 220 8th North Did not qualify
2014–15 60 15 41 4 — 34 119 245 8th North Did not qualify
2015–16 60 11 45 4 — 26 138 302 8th North Did not qualify
2016–17 60 15 38 7 1 37 146 153 7th of 8, North
14th of 16, AJHL		 Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Whitecourt Wolverines
2017–18 60 28 29 — 3 59 212 225 4th of 8, North
8th of 16, AJHL		 Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–2 vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders
Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–4 vs. Spruce Grove Saints
2018–19 60 30 26 4 — 64 208 215 5th of 8, North
11th of 16, AJHL		 Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 1–3 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
2019–20 58 18 33 7 — 43 139 198 7th of 8, North
12th of 15, AJHL		 Lost Div. Quarterfinals, 2–4 vs. Spruce Grove Saints

Junior A National Championship

The National Junior A Championship, known as the Centennial Cup and formerly as the Royal Bank Cup or RBC Cup, is the postseason tournament for the Canadian national championship for Junior A hockey teams that are members of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The tournament consists of the regional Junior A champions and a previously selected host team. Since 1990, the national championship has used a five-team tournament format when the regional qualifiers were designated as the ANAVET Cup (Western), Doyle Cup (Pacific), Dudley Hewitt Cup (Central), and Fred Page Cup (Eastern). From 2013 to 2017, the qualifiers were the Dudley Hewitt Cup (Central), Fred Page Cup (Eastern), and the Western Canada Cup champions and runners-up.

The tournament begins with round-robin play between the five teams followed by the top four teams playing a semifinal game, with the top seed facing the fourth seed and the second facing the third. The winners of the semifinals then face each other in final game for the national championship. In some years, the losers of the semifinal games face each other for a third place game.

Year Round-robin Record Standing Semifinal Third place game Championship game
2004
Host		 W, 5–3 vs. Kindersley Klippers (Western)
W, 4–2 vs. Aurora Tigers (Central)
W, 7–2 vs. Nepean Raiders (Eastern)
L, 2–7 vs. Nanaimo Clippers (Pacific)		 3–1 1st of 5 L, 3–4 vs. Kindersley Klippers Not played —

League awards

Player awards

Team awards

NHL alumni

The following former Storm have gone on to play in the NHL:

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Team History". Grande Prairie Storm. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  2. ^ "Grande Prairie North Stars Statistics and History [PJHL]". HockeyDB. Retrieved July 2, 2019.

External links

Alberta Junior Hockey League
Sports teams based in Alberta
Categories