The Drayton Valley Thunder is a junior ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). The Thunder are members of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and are eligible to compete for the Doyle Cup and National Junior A Championship.[1] They play in Drayton Valley, Alberta, Canada, at the Drayton Valley Omni-Plex.[2]
History
In 1998, The Drayton Valley Thunder were awarded as an expansion franchise in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL)[3] and began play in the South Division for the 1998–99 season. One year after finishing sixth in the South, ahead of only their fellow expansion team Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves, the Thunder improved in their second season and won the division. The addition of other expansion teams shifted the Thunder into the North Division in 2000–01, where they won another division title.
In 2002, the Thunder captured the Rogers Wireless Cup as AJHL champions.[4] The Thunder lost to the Chilliwack Chiefs of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) in the Doyle Cup Pacific Junior A Championship.[5]
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 62 | 20 | 36 | — | 6 | 46 | 181 | 284 | 6th South | Did not qualify |
| 1999–00 | 64 | 40 | 18 | — | 6 | 86 | 268 | 204 | 1st South | Won quarterfinals, 4–1 vs. Bow Valley Eagles Lost semifinals, 3–4 vs. Camrose Kodiaks |
| 2000–01 | 64 | 42 | 19 | 3 | — | 87 | 293 | 194 | 1st North | Won quarterfinals, 4–2 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons Won semifinals, 4–3 vs. Olds Grizzlys Lost finals, 1–4 vs. Camrose Kodiaks |
| 2001–02 | 64 | 44 | 17 | 3 | — | 91 | 300 | 198 | 2nd North | Won Preliminary series, 3–0 vs. Fort Saskatchewan Traders Won quarterfinals, 4–2 vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders Won semifinals, 4–0 vs. Olds Grizzlys Won AJHL Finals, 4–0 vs. Grande Prairie Storm Lost Doyle Cup, 2–4 vs. Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL) |
| 2002–03 | 64 | 37 | 20 | 7 | — | 81 | 240 | 199 | 3rd North | Lost preliminary series, 2–4 vs. Grande Prairie Storm |
| 2003–04 | 60 | 27 | 23 | 10 | — | 64 | 165 | 177 | 5th North | Won Preliminary series, 3–0 vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders Lost quarterfinals, 1–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons |
| 2004–05 | 64 | 39 | 19 | 6 | — | 84 | 198 | 146 | 3rd North | Won Preliminary series, 3–0 vs. Fort Saskatchewan Traders Won quarterfinals, 4–2 vs. Spruce Grove Saints Lost semifinals, 2–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons |
| 2005–06 | 60 | 38 | 16 | 6 | — | 82 | 203 | 158 | 2nd North | Won Preliminary series, 3–0 vs. Lloydminster Bobcats Lost quarterfinals, 3–4 vs. Spruce Grove Saints |
| 2006–07 | 60 | 30 | 26 | 4 | — | 64 | 199 | 211 | 4th North | Lost preliminary series, 1–3 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons |
| 2007–08 | 62 | 12 | 44 | 6 | — | 30 | 151 | 280 | 8th North | Did not qualify |
| 2008–09 | 62 | 7 | 50 | 5 | — | 19 | 122 | 318 | 8th North | Did not qualify |
| 2009–10 | 60 | 12 | 42 | 6 | — | 30 | 139 | 269 | 8th North | Did not qualify |
| 2010–11 | 60 | 13 | 39 | 8 | — | 34 | 164 | 250 | 8th North | Did not qualify |
| 2011–12 | 60 | 27 | 27 | 6 | — | 60 | 187 | 224 | 6th North | Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Lloydminster Bobcats Lost div. semi-finals, 0–4 vs. Spruce Grove Saints |
| 2012–13 | 60 | 30 | 23 | — | 7 | 67 | 178 | 177 | 6th North | Lost div. quarter-finals, 1–3 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs |
| 2013–14 | 60 | 22 | 33 | — | 5 | 49 | 148 | 205 | 7th North | Lost div. quarter-finals, 1–3 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons[6] |
| 2014–15 | 60 | 24 | 24 | — | 12 | 60 | 161 | 191 | 6th North | Lost div. quarter-finals, 0–3 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs |
| 2015–16 | 60 | 23 | 33 | — | 4 | 50 | 150 | 242 | 6th North | Lost div. quarter-finals, 0–3 vs. Lloydminster Bobcats |
| 2016–17 | 60 | 17 | 39 | — | 4 | 38 | 160 | 252 | 6th of 8, North 11th of 16, AJHL |
Lost div. quarter-finals, 0–3 vs. Spruce Grove Saints |
| 2017–18 | 60 | 17 | 40 | — | 3 | 37 | 178 | 298 | 8th of 8, North 16th of 16, AJHL |
Did not qualify |
| 2018–19 | 60 | 24 | 30 | 6 | — | 54 | 155 | 191 | 6th of 8, North 12th of 16, AJHL |
Lost div. quarter-finals, 1–3 vs. Spruce Grove Saints |
| 2019–20 | 58 | 26 | 25 | 7 | — | 59 | 172 | 189 | 5th of 8, North 9th of 15, AJHL |
Won Div. Quarterfinals, 4–2 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs Postseason cancelled |
| 2020–21 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | — | 16 | 51 | 50 | 4th of 8, North 8th of 15, AJHL |
No postseason held |
| 2021–22 | 60 | 33 | 17 | 10 | — | 76 | 203 | 188 | 4th of 8, North 6th of 16, AJHL |
Won Div. Quarterfinals, 4–1 vs. Lloydminster Bobcats Won Div. Semifinals, 4–2 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons Lost Div. Finals, 0–4 vs. Spruce Grove Saints |
| 2022–23 | 60 | 15 | 42 | 0 | 3 | 33 | 171 | 268 | 8th of 8, North 16th of 16, AJHL |
Did Not Qualify for Post Season |
| 2023–24 | 57 | 19 | 35 | 2 | 1 | 41 | 147 | 225 | 9th of 11, AJHL | Did Not Qualify for Post Season |
NHL alumni
See also
References
- ^ "Drayton Valley Thunder Home". Drayton Valley Thunder. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
- ^ "Omniplex - Town of Drayton Valley". DraytonValley.com. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
- ^ "Drayton Valley Thunder hockey team statistics and history". hockeydb.com. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
- ^ "Thunder sign new coach". Drayton Valley Western Review. June 2, 2009. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014.
- ^ British Columbia Hockey League (Design, Hosting, Registration & Administration tools by esportsdesk.com) Archived August 9, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Calgary Sun newspaper archives 1998–2014. http://www.calgarysun.com/
- ^ Legends of Hockey – NHL Player Search – Player – Clarke MacArthur
- ^ Legends of Hockey – NHL Player Search – Player – Darren Reid
- ^ Legends of Hockey – NHL Player Search – Player – Ben Scrivens
- ^ Legends of Hockey – NHL Player Search – Player – Nick Tarnasky
