The Steinbach Pistons are a
Junior "A" ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...
team from
Steinbach,
Manitoba
, image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg
, map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada
, Label_map = yes
, coordinates =
, capital = Winn ...
, Canada. They are members of the
Manitoba Junior Hockey League, which is a member of the
Canadian Junior Hockey League
The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) is an association of Canadian junior A ice hockey leagues and teams and was formed in November 1993, emerging from the Canada West Association of Junior 'A' Hockey. The champion of the Canadian Junior H ...
.
History
Southeast Thunderbirds/T-Birds/Blades
The MJHL granted an expansion team to the Southeast Tribal Council, a group of First Nation bands in southeastern Manitoba, to begin play in the 1988–89 season. The team was known as the Southeast Thunderbirds and played out of the Notre Dame Arena in
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749, ...
. The team was renamed the Southeast Blades in 1992. After taking a leave of absence for the 1996–97 season, the Blades moved northeast of Winnipeg to
Sagkeeng First Nation. The Blades played ten seasons in Sagkeeng, the most successful being the 2002–03 season when they advanced to the Turnbull Cup finals which they lost to the
OCN Blizzard
The Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN) Blizzard are a junior "A" ice hockey team from The Pas, Manitoba, Canada. They are members of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Hockey Canada. The team is owned ...
.
Beausejour Blades
The Beausejour Blades were formed in 2007 following the sale and relocation of the team to the
Sun Gro Centre
The Sun Gro Centre is a multi-purpose recreation complex located in the town of Beausejour, Manitoba. The complex features a 1,100 seat ice hockey arena, a curling club, an outdoor pool, and an indoor walking track.
The complex opened in 2002 a ...
in
Beausejour. The move did not improve the team's fortunes; the Blades managed to win only 13 games over the two seasons of their existence.
Steinbach Pistons
During the
2009 Allan Cup in
Steinbach, Manitoba
Steinbach () ( Plautdietsch: /ˈʃte̞nbah/ or /ˈʃte̞nbax/) is a city located about south-east of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Steinbach is the third-largest city in Manitoba, with a population of 17,806, and the largest community in the Eas ...
, the City of Steinbach, together with Blades management, announced that the team would be relocating to Steinbach for the
2009–10 MJHL season
The 2009–10 season was the Manitoba Junior Hockey League's (MJHL) 93rd season of operation.
The Dauphin Kings were the best team in both the regular season and playoffs. The Kings hosted the 2010 Royal Bank Cup in Dauphin and advanced to ...
. The team was renamed the Steinbach Pistons, in recognition of the city's reputation as "The Automobile City". Steinbach was previously home to a MJHL team called the
Hawks
Hawks are birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are widely distributed and are found on all continents except Antarctica.
* The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks and others. This subfamily ...
from 1985 to 1988.
Despite the team's improved record after the move to Steinbach, the Pistons failed to qualify for the playoffs in each of their first three seasons. The team's continued poor performance and strained financial position spurred a group of investors from the local business community to purchase the Pistons in 2012 and convert it to a community-owned organization. The next season, the Pistons ended the franchise's ten year playoff drought and captured their first Turnbull Cup.
The Pistons enjoyed their best season in
2017-2018 when the team won its second Turnbull Cup, defeated the
Nipawin Hawks
The Nipawin Hawks are a Canadian junior "A" team based in Nipawin, Saskatchewan. They are members of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). They play their home games at the Centennial Arena, which has a seating capacity of 1,500. The t ...
to win the
ANAVET Cup, and qualified for the
2018 Royal Bank Cup.
Season-by-season record
''Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against''
Playoffs
*1989 ''DNQ''
*1990 ''Lost Div Semi Final''
:
Kildonan North Stars
The Kildonan North Stars were a Canadian Junior ice hockey Team in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League from Winnipeg, Manitoba.
History
During the summer of 1967, community-minded sports group purchased the Winnipeg Warriors from Ben Hatskin, rena ...
defeated Southeast Thunderbirds ''4-games-to-none''
*1991 ''DNQ''
*1992 ''DNQ''
*1993 ''DNQ''
*1994 ''Lost Div Semi Final''
:
St. Boniface Saints defeated Southeast Blades ''4-games-to-1''
*1995 ''Lost Div Semi Final''
:
St. Boniface Saints defeated Southeast Blades ''4-games-to-none''
*1996 ''DNQ''
*1997 ''Did Not Participate''
*1998 ''DNQ''
*1999 ''DNQ''
*2000 ''DNQ''
*2001 ''DNQ''
*2002 ''DNQ''
*2003 ''Lost Final''
:Southeast Blades defeated
Winkler Flyers
The Winkler Flyers are a Manitoba Junior Hockey League team playing out of the Winkler Arena in Winkler, Manitoba, Canada. The Flyers entered the MJHL as an expansion team for the 1980-81 season and have won three Turnbull Cup Championships as ...
''4-games-to-3''
:Southeast Blades defeated
Winnipeg South Blues
The Winnipeg Blues are a Manitoba Junior Hockey League team based in Oak Bluff, a suburban area of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The team was founded in 1930 as the Winnipeg Monarchs and also formerly known as the Fort Garry Blues (1978-1984) an ...
''4-games-to-1''
:
OCN Blizzard
The Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN) Blizzard are a junior "A" ice hockey team from The Pas, Manitoba, Canada. They are members of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Hockey Canada. The team is owned ...
defeated Southeast Blades ''4-games-to-none''
*2004 ''DNQ''
*2005 ''DNQ''
*2006 ''DNQ''
*2007 ''DNQ''
*2008 ''DNQ''
*2009 ''DNQ''
*2010 ''DNQ''
*2011 ''DNQ''
*2012 ''DNQ''
*2013 ''Won League, Lost in 2013
Western Canada Cup
The Western Canada Cup (WCC); was the Junior 'A' ice hockey championship for western Canada from 2013 to 2017. The annual five-team event consisted of the host team and the champions from the four western leagues (Alberta Junior Hockey League, Bri ...
round robin''
:Steinbach Pistons defeated
Portage Terriers ''4-games-to-3''
:Steinbach Pistons defeated
Winnipeg Blues
The Winnipeg Blues are a Manitoba Junior Hockey League team based in Oak Bluff, a suburban area of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The team was founded in 1930 as the Winnipeg Monarchs and also formerly known as the Fort Garry Blues (1978-1984) and ...
''4-games-to-2''
:Steinbach Pistons defeated
Dauphin Kings ''4-games-to-2'' MJHL CHAMPIONS
:Fifth and eliminated from
2013 Western Canada Cup round robin (0-4)
*2014 ''Lost Division Final''
:Steinbach Pistons defeated
Portage Terriers ''4-games-to-3''
:
Winnipeg Blues
The Winnipeg Blues are a Manitoba Junior Hockey League team based in Oak Bluff, a suburban area of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The team was founded in 1930 as the Winnipeg Monarchs and also formerly known as the Fort Garry Blues (1978-1984) and ...
defeated Steinbach Pistons ''4-games-to-1''
*2015 ''Lost Final''
:Steinbach Pistons defeated
Selkirk Steelers
The Selkirk Steelers are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada. They are members of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Hockey Canada.
History
Junior "A" hockey in Selkirk ...
''4-games-to-0''
:Steinbach Pistons defeated
Winnipeg Blues
The Winnipeg Blues are a Manitoba Junior Hockey League team based in Oak Bluff, a suburban area of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The team was founded in 1930 as the Winnipeg Monarchs and also formerly known as the Fort Garry Blues (1978-1984) and ...
''4-games-to-1''
:
Portage Terriers defeated Steinbach Pistons ''4-games-to-0''
*2016 ''Lost Final''
:Steinbach Pistons defeated
Swan Valley Stampeders ''4-games-to-0''
:Steinbach Pistons defeated
Winkler Flyers
The Winkler Flyers are a Manitoba Junior Hockey League team playing out of the Winkler Arena in Winkler, Manitoba, Canada. The Flyers entered the MJHL as an expansion team for the 1980-81 season and have won three Turnbull Cup Championships as ...
''4-games-to-3''
:
Portage Terriers defeated Steinbach Pistons ''4-games-to-1''
*2017 ''Lost Semi-final''
:Steinbach Pistons defeated
Neepawa Natives
The Neepawa Titans are a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey team from Neepawa, Manitoba. They are members of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League, and play home games at the Yellowhead Centre.
Hist ...
''4-games-to-2''
:
Portage Terriers defeated Steinbach Pistons ''4-games-to-2''
*2018 ''Won League, Won
ANAVET Cup''
:Steinbach Pistons defeated
Swan Valley Stampeders ''4-games-to-0''
:Steinbach Pistons defeated
Winnipeg Blues
The Winnipeg Blues are a Manitoba Junior Hockey League team based in Oak Bluff, a suburban area of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The team was founded in 1930 as the Winnipeg Monarchs and also formerly known as the Fort Garry Blues (1978-1984) and ...
''4-games-to-2''
:Steinbach Pistons defeated
Virden Oil Capitals ''4-games-to-2'' MJHL CHAMPIONS
:Steinbach Pistons defeated
Nipawin Hawks
The Nipawin Hawks are a Canadian junior "A" team based in Nipawin, Saskatchewan. They are members of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). They play their home games at the Centennial Arena, which has a seating capacity of 1,500. The t ...
''4-games-to-2'' ANAVET CUP CHAMPIONS
:Fifth and eliminated from
2018 Royal Bank Cup round robin (0-2-2)
*2019 ''Lost Semi-final''
:Steinbach Pistons defeated
Winnipeg Blues
The Winnipeg Blues are a Manitoba Junior Hockey League team based in Oak Bluff, a suburban area of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The team was founded in 1930 as the Winnipeg Monarchs and also formerly known as the Fort Garry Blues (1978-1984) and ...
''4-games-to-2''
:
Swan Valley Stampeders defeated Steinbach Pistons ''4-games-to-2''
*2020 ''Won Quarter-final''
:Steinbach Pistons defeated
Winnipeg Blues
The Winnipeg Blues are a Manitoba Junior Hockey League team based in Oak Bluff, a suburban area of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The team was founded in 1930 as the Winnipeg Monarchs and also formerly known as the Fort Garry Blues (1978-1984) and ...
''4-games-to-0''
:''Remainder of season cancelled due to
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
''
*2021 ''Playoffs cancelled''
*2022
:Steinbach Pistons defeated
Selkirk Steelers
The Selkirk Steelers are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada. They are members of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and Hockey Canada.
History
Junior "A" hockey in Selkirk ...
''4-games-to-1''
:Steinbach Pistons defeated
Virden Oil Capitals ''4-games-to-2''
:
Dauphin Kings defeated Steinbach Pistons ''4-games-to-3''
Head coaches
The following is a list of the franchise's head coaches:
Gallery
Image:Beausejour Blades.jpg, Beausejour Blades logo 2007-2009
Image:Steinbach Pistons 2013.jpg, Steinbach Pistons logo 2012-2020
See also
*
List of ice hockey teams in Manitoba
The following is a list of ice hockey teams in Manitoba, past and present. It includes the league(s) they play for, and championships won.
Major Professional
National Hockey League
World Hockey Association
Minor Professional
Current teams
...
References
External links
Steinbach Pistons websiteSteinbach Pistons season statistics and recordsa
The Internet Hockey DatabaseSteinbach Pistons win over OCN
{{Manitoba Sports
Sport in Steinbach, Manitoba
Manitoba Junior Hockey League teams