Swift Current Broncos


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 then returned to Swift Current, and have played there since 1986, at the Innovation Credit Union iPlex.

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 1980s, 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. After a year without WHL hockey in Lethbridge, the Calgary Wranglers moved to the city and became the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
The Broncos 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, 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 in the second smallest market in the Canadian Hockey League. The only market smaller than Swift Current is Bathurst, New Brunswick, home of the QMJHL's Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

1986 team bus crash

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 were killed. 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.

Season-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
SeasonGP W L T GF GA PointsFinishPlayoffs
1967–686016386242343389th OverallOut of playoffs
1968–696014442186329304th WestLost quarter-final
1969–706027312240265563rd WestLost quarter-final
1970–716624402229290504th WestLost quarter-final
1971–726825421242311515th EastOut of playoffs
1972–736827356300359605th EastOut of playoffs
1973–746835249240306793rd EastLost semi-final

Second Broncos (1986–present)

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
SeasonGP W L T OTLGF GA PointsFinishPlayoffs
1986–877228404–331393606th EastLost East quarter-final
1987–887244262–388312904th EastLost East semi-final
1988–897255161–4473191111st EastWon championship and Memorial Cup
1989–907229394–323351626th EastLost in first round
1990–917240293–369351833rd EastLost in first round
1991–927235334–296313745th EastLost East semi-final
1992–937249212–3842671001st EastWon championship
Lost Memorial Cup tie-breaker
1993–947235334–284258744th EastLost East semi-final
1994–957231347–274284696th EastLost in first round
1995–967236315–285271771st CentralLost in first round
1996–977244235–336243932nd EastLost Eastern Conference semi-final
1997–987244199–276220972nd EastLost Eastern Conference semi-final
1998–997234326–232211744th EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
1999–2000724718432571701011st EastLost Eastern Conference semi-final
2000–0172432072275215951st EastLost Eastern Conference final
2001–0272421767274218972nd CentralLost Eastern Conference semi-final
2002–0372382473240215862nd CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2003–0472362970234209794th CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2004–0572224163135218535th CentralOut of playoffs
SeasonGPWLOTLSOLGFGAPtsFinishPlayoffs
2005–0672243468175242624th CentralLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2006–0772333612199241693rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2007–0872412416244205893rd EastLost Eastern Conference semi-final
2008–0972422811258220863rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2009–1072373014231232793rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2010–1172264402181260546th EastOut of playoffs
2011–1272273726216272625th EastOut of playoffs
2012–1372362934206193793rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2013–1472382536248229852nd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2014–1572343314221245733rd EastLost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2015–1672243873189249585th EastOut of playoffs
2016–1772392346247239883rd EastLost Eastern Conference semi-final
2017–18724817522842131032nd EastWon championship
2018–1968115142135301286th EastOut of playoffs
2019–2063104823129298256th CentralCancelled

WHL Championship history

Updated July 7, 2020.

Team records

NHL alumni

Retired numbers:
The Swift Current Broncos have retired the jersey numbers of the four players who died in the aforementioned 1986 team bus accident.
  • 8 Trent Kresse
  • 9 Scott Krueger
  • 11 Brent Ruff
  • 22 Chris Mantyka

    Coaches

  • Graham James 1986–87 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 2008–09
  • Mark Lamb 2009–10 to 2015–16
  • Emanuel Viveiros 2016 to 2018
  • Dean Brockman 2018–present