Calgary Centennials
Encyclopedia
Calgary Buffaloes redirects here. For the former Alberta Junior Hockey League
team of the same name, see Calgary Buffaloes (AJHL)
The Calgary Centennials were a junior ice hockey
team that played in the Western Canada Hockey League
from 1966–1977. They played in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
at the Stampede Corral
.
The franchise had a string of successful regular seasons in the early 1970s, winning three West division titles, however playoff success never followed. The Centennials only reached the WCHL finals once, falling in four straight to the Regina Pats
in 1974.
Following the 1976–77 season, the Centennials were sold and relocated to Billings, Montana
and became the Billings Bighorns
. The franchise today is known as the Tri-City Americans
, settling in Kennewick, Washington
, after stops as the Nanaimo Islanders
and New Westminster Bruins
. Calgarians would not have to wait long for another team, as the Winnipeg Monarchs were immediately sold and relocated to Calgary to become the Calgary Wranglers
.
Alberta Junior Hockey League
The Alberta Junior Hockey League is an Alberta-based Junior A hockey league that belongs to the Canadian Junior Hockey League . It was formed as a five-team league in 1964. There are currently 16 teams in the league. The regular season league champions receive the Dave Duchak Trophy...
team of the same name, see Calgary Buffaloes (AJHL)
Calgary Buffaloes (AJHL)
The Calgary Buffaloes were a Junior A ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League based out of Calgary, Alberta. They were one of the five founding members of the AJHL in 1963....
The Calgary Centennials were a junior ice hockey
Junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
team that played in the Western Canada Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
from 1966–1977. They played in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
at the Stampede Corral
Stampede Corral
The Stampede Corral is an ice hockey, rodeo, and Davis Cup tennis arena venue in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The arena was completed in 1950 at a cost of C$1.25 million to replace Victoria Arena as the home of the Calgary Stampeders Hockey Club...
.
History
A charter member of the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League in 1966, the franchise was known in its first season as the Calgary Buffaloes before becoming the Centennials in 1967–68.The franchise had a string of successful regular seasons in the early 1970s, winning three West division titles, however playoff success never followed. The Centennials only reached the WCHL finals once, falling in four straight to the Regina Pats
Regina Pats
The Regina Pats are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. The Pats are based out of Regina, Saskatchewan and the Brandt Centre is their home arena.-History:...
in 1974.
Following the 1976–77 season, the Centennials were sold and relocated to Billings, Montana
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
and became the Billings Bighorns
Billings Bighorns
The Billings Bighorns were a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League who played from 1977 to 1982. The team was originally the Calgary Centennials. They played at the MetraPark Arena in Billings, Montana. The team wore uniforms based upon those then used by the Washington Capitals...
. The franchise today is known as the Tri-City Americans
Tri-City Americans
The Tri-City Americans are a major junior ice hockey team of the Western Hockey League, based in Kennewick, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center...
, settling in Kennewick, Washington
Kennewick, Washington
Kennewick is a city in Benton County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Washington, near the Hanford nuclear site. It is the most populous of the three cities collectively referred to as the Tri-Cities...
, after stops as the Nanaimo Islanders
Nanaimo Islanders
The Nanaimo Islanders were a junior ice hockey team based in Nanaimo, British Columbia that played one season in the Western Hockey League in 1982–83. They played at Frank Crane Arena. The team relocated to New Westminster, British Columbia before settling in Kennewick, Washington as the Tri-City...
and New Westminster Bruins
New Westminster Bruins
The New Westminster Bruins were a junior ice hockey team from the Western Hockey League. There were two franchises that carried this name:* 1971–1981...
. Calgarians would not have to wait long for another team, as the Winnipeg Monarchs were immediately sold and relocated to Calgary to become the Calgary Wranglers
Calgary Wranglers
The Calgary Wranglers were a junior ice hockey team that played in the Western Hockey League from 1977 until 1987. The Wranglers played their home games in Calgary, Alberta, at the Stampede Corral.-Season-by-season Record:...
.
Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against| Season | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Points | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1966–67 | 56 | 4 | 47 | 5 | 178 | 426 | 13 | 7th Overall | Out of playoffs |
| 1967–68 | 60 | 14 | 40 | 5 | 218 | 318 | 35 | 10th Overall | Out of playoffs |
| 1968–69 | 60 | 31 | 28 | 1 | 253 | 236 | 63 | 2nd West | Lost semi-final |
| 1969–70 | 60 | 37 | 22 | 1 | 249 | 197 | 75 | 1st West | Lost semi-final |
| 1970–71 | 66 | 37 | 22 | 7 | 244 | 175 | 81 | 2nd West | Lost semi-final |
| 1971–72 | 68 | 49 | 16 | 3 | 296 | 169 | 101 | 1st West | Lost semi-final |
| 1972–73 | 68 | 35 | 22 | 11 | 302 | 224 | 81 | 3rd West | Lost quarter-final |
| 1973–74 | 68 | 41 | 18 | 9 | 328 | 236 | 91 | 1st West | Lost final |
| 1974–75 | 70 | 11 | 51 | 8 | 236 | 399 | 30 | 6th West | Out of playoffs |
| 1975–76 | 72 | 22 | 45 | 5 | 284 | 381 | 49 | 6th West | Out of playoffs |
| 1976–77 | 72 | 22 | 34 | 15 | 329 | 397 | 59 | 4th Central | Lost quarter-final |
NHL alumni
|
Danny Gare Daniel Mirl Gare is a retired National Hockey League player, most notably of the Buffalo Sabres. During a 14-year professional career, Gare also played for the Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers. He was a two-time All-Star right winger who twice scored 50 goals for the Buffalo Sabres,... Rick Hodgson Richard S. Hodgson is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman. He played 6 games for the Hartford Whalers.-External links:... Jerry Holland (ice hockey) Jerry Allan Holland is a Canadian retired ice hockey player who played 37 games in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers.... Ron Homenuke Ronald Wayne Homenuke is a former NHL player. He played in only one NHL game for the Vancouver Canucks, who had drafted him with the 51st pick in the 1972 Draft. He retired in 1976.-External links:... Doug Horbul Douglas George Horbul is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 4 games in the National Hockey League for the Kansas City Scouts.-External links:... Kevin Krook Kevin Bradley Krook is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played three games in the National Hockey League with the Colorado Rockies in the 1978–79 season.-External links:... Doug Lecuyer Douglas J. Lecuyer is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 126 games in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks, Winnipeg Jets, and Pittsburgh Penguins.-External links:... Craig Levie Craig Dean Levie is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played 183 games in the National Hockey League for the St. Louis Blues, Minnesota North Stars, Winnipeg Jets, and Vancouver Canucks.... |
Bob Liddington Robert Allen Liddington is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 11 games in the National Hockey League and 348 games in the World Hockey Association. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Cougars, Houston Aeros, Denver Spurs, Ottawa Civics, and Phoenix Roadrunners.-... Darryl Maggs Darryl John Maggs is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 135 games in the National Hockey League and 402 games in the World Hockey Association... Lanny McDonald Lanny King McDonald is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Rockies and Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He played over 1,100 games during a 16-year NHL career in which he scored 500 goals and over 1,000 points... Grant Mulvey Grant "Granny" Mulvey is a retired professional ice hockey player who played all but twelve games of his 586-game NHL career with the Chicago Black Hawks.... Bob Nyström Robert Thore Nystrom is a retired professional ice hockey right winger. He played for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League from 1972 to 1986. He is best remembered as having scored the winning goal at the 7:11 mark of overtime to give the New York Islanders the 1980 Stanley Cup... Harvie Pocza Harvie Dwight Pocza is a retired Canadian ice hockey player who briefly played in the National Hockey League with the Washington Capitals. Pocza was drafted by the Capitals in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft.... Gary Rissling Gary Daniel Rissling is a retired Canadian ice hockey player. Originally signed in 1978 as a free agent by the Washington Capitals, Rissling also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins. In 1983 and 1984 he was awarded the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Good Guy Award.-External links:And now owns... |
Randy Rota Randolph Frank Rota is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 212 games in the National Hockey League and 90 games in the World Hockey Association. He played for the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, Kansas City Scouts, Colorado Rockies, and Edmonton Oilers.-External links:... Rick Shinske Richard Charles Shinske is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 63 games in the National Hockey League for the Cleveland Barons and St. Louis Blues. Shinske played for the New Westminster Bruins 1978 Memorial Cup winning team... Roy Sommer Roy A. Sommer was a professional ice hockey player who played for the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL. He also served as an assistant coach of the San Jose Sharks. Since 1998, he has been the head coach of the Worcester Sharks, the American Hockey League affiliate of the San Jose Sharks. Currently, he... Brian Spencer Brian Roy "Spinner" Spencer was a Canadian Professional ice hockey player who played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Islanders and the Pittsburgh Penguins.-Career:Brian Spencer was drafted in the 5th Round, 55th overall by the... Mike Toal Michael James Toal is a former professional ice hockey centre. Selected in the fifth round in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, he played three games for the Oilers in the 1979–80 season... Perry Turnbull Perry Turnbull is a retired former National Hockey League player who played 608 career games for the St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets.Turnbull's son is Travis Turnbull, also a professional ice hockey player.... |
See also
- List of ice hockey teams in Alberta
- Ice hockey in CalgaryIce hockey in CalgaryThe history of ice hockey in Calgary extends back well over a century to the first recorded ice hockey game in Alberta in 1893. Imported from eastern Canada, the game's popularity rapidly grew in the city, with teams at every level playing for and capturing Canada's national championships...
- Billings BighornsBillings BighornsThe Billings Bighorns were a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League who played from 1977 to 1982. The team was originally the Calgary Centennials. They played at the MetraPark Arena in Billings, Montana. The team wore uniforms based upon those then used by the Washington Capitals...
- Calgary WranglersCalgary WranglersThe Calgary Wranglers were a junior ice hockey team that played in the Western Hockey League from 1977 until 1987. The Wranglers played their home games in Calgary, Alberta, at the Stampede Corral.-Season-by-season Record:...
- Calgary HitmenCalgary HitmenThe Calgary Hitmen are a major junior ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Hitmen play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League . They play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Bret "The Hitman" Hart, a local-born professional wrestler, was a founding owner...