Okotoks Bisons

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Okotoks Bisons
City Okotoks, Alberta, Canada
League Heritage Junior B Hockey League
Division South
Founded 1985 (1985)–86
Home arena Murray Arena
Colours Blue, Red, White
              
General manager Canada Jay McFarlane
Head coach Canada Mike Hannigan
Website www.okotoksbisons.com/
Franchise history
1985-Present Okotoks Bisons

The Okotoks Bisons are a Junior "B" Ice Hockey team based in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the South Division of the Heritage Junior B Hockey League (HJHL). They play their home games at Murray Arena.

History

Division titles won: 1996, 97, 2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
League Championships won: 1996, 97, 2001, 02, 03, 05, 06, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Alberta Provincial entries: 1996, 97, 2001, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 2011, 2012, 2013
Alberta Provincial titles: 2013
Keystone Cup titles: none

Founded in 1985, the Bisons were originally known as the Okotoks 85ers and played in the Southern Alberta Junior Hockey League. They moved to the Calgary Junior Hockey League in 1989 - changing to the Foothills Bisons one year later - before settling in the HJHL in 1991.

The Bisons have been the most successful franchise in HJHL history, capturing ten league championships, and representing the league in the Alberta Provincials eleven times, winning in 2013 and finishing as provincial runner-ups in 2001, 2002 and 2012. Recently, the Bisons have frequently battled the Blackfalds Wranglers for dominance in the HJHL.

The Bisons were at their all time high between 2011-2014. They made league history by being the first team to win four consecutive league titles in the HJHL, a feat they had come close to in 2001-2003 winning 3 consecutively.[1] In addition the record breaking team also won their division and advanced to the Alberta Provincial Junior B Hockey Championship in each of those four consecutive years. The 2012-2013 season was arguably their best season overall. They won provincials and took home the Russ Barnes Trophy[2] which advanced them to the Western Canadian Championships (AKA Keystone Cup) in which they eventually took home bronze.[3] In the 2014-2015 season they ended their championship streak by being knocked out early in the playoffs.[4] They failed to take the league championship and for the first time since 2010 did not advance to provincials. Over those 4 years the roster included many record breaking players. Phil Dillon, Matt Howatt, and Michael Savage are the only 3 players who were with the Bisons for all 4 championship seasons. Dillon ranks #1 in franchise records including the most all-time goals(98) and games played(147). He also ranks in the top 5 for other franchise records including all-time points(193), assists(95), points per game(1.313), points per season(64), and assists per season(37). Howatt ranks in the top 5 for franchise records including all-time assists(87) and games played(133).[5] Other notable players between 2011-2014 include Dillon Loomer and Jeremy Smith who each played 3 seasons. Loomer ranks #1 in franchise records including all-time points per game(2.056), points per season(77), and goals per season(34). Loomer also ranks in the top 5 for other franchise records including all-time points(148), goals(68), and assists per season(43). Smith ranks #1 for the franchise record of all-time assists per season(47) and ranks in the top 5 for other franchise records including all-time goals per season(29), points per season(76), points per game(1.656), assists(91), penalty minutes(260), goals(63), and points(154).[6]

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, PIM = Penalties in minutes

Season GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA PIM Finish Playoffs
1995–96 37 33 3 1 - 67 304 97 1st, Overall HJHL Champions
1996–97 36 30 6 - - 60 233 110 1st, Overall HJHL Champions
1997–98 37 25 12 0 - 50 224 154 4th, Overall Lost in Semifinals
1998–99 37 27 8 2 - 56 214 116 3rd, Overall Lost in Finals
1999–00 37 32 3 2 - 66 306 122 2nd, Overall Lost in Semifinals
2000–01 37 30 5 2 - 62 285 115 2nd, Overall HJHL Champions
2001–02 38 30 7 1 - 61 231 116 2nd, Overall HJHL Champions
2002–03 36 30 6 0 - 60 207 76 1st, South HJHL Champions
2003–04 36 33 2 1 0 67 241 75 1st, South Lost in Finals
2004–05 37 33 3 1 0 67 314 90 1st, South HJHL Champions
2005–06 38 36 1 0 1 73 352 74 1406 1st, South HJHL Champions, 2-0 (Vipers)
2006–07 36 30 4 1 1 62 210 112 1486 1st, South Lost in Round Robin Finals, 1-3 (Wranglers)
2007–08 36 21 10 1 4 47 166 132 1225 4th, South Lost in HJHL Semifinals, 3-4 (Generals)
2008–09 36 19 12 2 3 43 194 135 1122 3rd, South Lost in HJHL Semifinals, 3-4 (Generals)
2009–10 36 29 2 2 3 63 178 83 1100 1st, South Lost in HJHL Semifinals, 1-3 (Vipers)
2010–11 36 25 11 0 0 50 172 103 995 1st, South HJHL Champions, 2-1 (Wranglers)
2011–12 38 31 6 1 0 63 262 130  ? 1st, South HJHL Champions, ?-? (Thrashers)
Russ Barnes Trophy -Alberta Silver Medal
2012–13 38 33 2 2 1 69 223 95  ? 1st, South HJHL Champions, 3-0 (Vipers)
Russ Barnes Trophy -Alberta Champion
Keystone Cup - Bronze Medal
2013–14 36 26 9 x 1 53 165 116  ? 1st, South HJHL Champions, 3-2 (Wranglers)
Russ Barnes Trophy - eliminated pool round
2014–15 38 23 13 - 2 48 162 123  ? 3rd, South Won Division Qualifier, 0-2 (Academy Bears)
Won Division Semifinals, 4-0 (Generals)
tbd Division Finals, ?-? (Copperheads)

Awards and trophies

HJHL Championship

  • 1995-96, 1996–97, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.heritagejunior.com/leagues/custom_page.cfm?leagueID=3627&clientID=1749&pageID=13359
  2. ↑ http://www.westernwheel.com/article/20130410/WHE1101/304109990/bisons-win-it-for-hanny
  3. ↑ http://www.westernwheel.com/article/20130421/WHE1101/304219999/bisons-earn-bronze-at-keystone
  4. ↑ http://okotoksonline.com/local-sports/27553-bisons-eliminated-championship-streak-ends
  5. ↑ http://www.eliteprospects.com/team.php?team=5448
  6. ↑ http://www.eliteprospects.com/team.php?team=5448

External links


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