The Lacombe Generals were a
Senior AAA 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
Lacombe Lacombe may refer to:
Places
* Lacombe, Alberta, Canada
* Lacombe County, Alberta, Canada
* Lacombe, Louisiana, United States
* Lacombe, Aude, France
People
* Albert Lacombe (1827–1916), oblate missionary to the Cree and Blackfoot
* Bernard Lac ...
,
Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
that played in the
Chinook Hockey League. The Generals are four-time national champions, having won the
Allan Cup
The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men's ice hockey champions of Canada. It was donated by Sir Montagu Allan of Ravenscrag, Montreal, and has been competed for since 1909. The current champions are the ...
in
2009 and
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses duri ...
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 ...
, and in
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
in
Red Deer, Alberta
Red Deer is a city in Alberta, Canada, located midway on the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor. Red Deer serves central Alberta, and key industries include health care, retail trade, construction, oil and gas, hospitality, manufacturing and education ...
and in
Lacombe, Alberta
Lacombe ( ) is a city in central Alberta, Canada. It is located approximately north of Red Deer, the nearest major city, and south of Edmonton, the nearest metropolitan area. The city is set in the rolling parkland of central Alberta, between t ...
2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
. The club was formerly known as the Bentley Generals from 1999–2016, and played out of the Bentley Arena in
Bentley, Alberta
Bentley is a town in central, Alberta, Canada within Lacombe County. It is located on Highway 12, approximately northwest of Red Deer.
History
The first settlers came from the U.S. in 1888-1890 and either walked or drove oxen from Lacombe, ...
, as well as the Red Deer Arena. The team folded in 2019 due to concerns with the organization of senior hockey in Canada.
History
The Bentley Generals hockey club was formed in 1999 and began play in the Chinook Hockey League. The team won its first provincial senior 'A' title in 2001. The following year, the Generals registered as an 'AAA' club and competed in the Allan Cup playdowns for the first time. Former NHLer
Kelly Buchberger
Kelly Michael Buchberger (born December 2, 1966) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He played for several National Hockey League teams from 1986 to 2004. As a coach, he has been an assistant for the New York Islanders ...
was a member of the Generals in 2005, while the team also attempted to play
Ryan Smyth
Ryan Alexander Borden Smyth (born February 21, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played most of his career for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was especially known for playing in the sty ...
during the
2004–05 NHL lockout, though Smyth was ruled ineligible to play.
The Generals, coached by former
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
player and coach
Brian Sutter
Brian Louis Allen Sutter (born October 7, 1956) is a Canadian former ice hockey forward and former head coach in the National Hockey League (NHL). Brian is the second oldest of the famous Sutter brothers and the oldest of the six that played ...
, qualified for the
Allan Cup
The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men's ice hockey champions of Canada. It was donated by Sir Montagu Allan of Ravenscrag, Montreal, and has been competed for since 1909. The current champions are the ...
for the first time in
2007.
In 2009, the Generals, once again coached by Sutter, won their first Allan Cup with a 4-3 win in double overtime over
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 ...
's
Southeast Prairie Thunder. In 2013, the Generals hosted the Allan Cup in
Red Deer, Alberta
Red Deer is a city in Alberta, Canada, located midway on the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor. Red Deer serves central Alberta, and key industries include health care, retail trade, construction, oil and gas, hospitality, manufacturing and education ...
and captured their second title by defeating
Newfoundland's
Clarenville Caribous
The Clarenville Caribous (also commonly known as the Clarenville Ford Caribous due to an ongoing sponsorship deal announced September 23, 2015) are a senior ice hockey team based in Clarenville, Newfoundland and Labrador and a member of the Centr ...
3-0 in the championship game. The Generals returned to Steinbach in 2016 and defeated the host Prairie Thunder again by a score of 4-3 in overtime to win their third Allan Cup. In 2019, the Generals won their fourth Allan Cup defeating the Innisfail Eagles 5-2 in the final game. The Generals have been Allan Cup finalist six other times:
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
,
2010,
2011,
2015,
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a s ...
, and
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
.
In December 2015 it was announced that the Generals were relocating to
Lacombe, Alberta
Lacombe ( ) is a city in central Alberta, Canada. It is located approximately north of Red Deer, the nearest major city, and south of Edmonton, the nearest metropolitan area. The city is set in the rolling parkland of central Alberta, between t ...
for the 2016–17 season, citing a drop in attendance as a reason for the move. The partnership with the City of Lacombe was made official in the summer of 2016.
The Generals played in the newly renovated Gary Moe Auto Group Sportsplex in the Can Pak Ice Complex, formerly known as the Barnett Arenas.
The move wasn't the only change the Generals would make for the 2016–17 season. In July 2016 it was announced head coach
Ryan Tobler
Ryan Tobler (born May 13, 1976) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey winger (ice hockey), winger who played four games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2001–02 NHL season, 2001–02 ...
would be stepping down to work as an assistant coach with the
ECHL's Colorado Eagles
The Colorado Eagles are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Loveland, Colorado. The Eagles play in the Pacific Division of the American Hockey League.
The Eagles were founded as an expansion franchise in 2003 in the Central Hoc ...
. In August 2016, it was announced longtime Generals player Curtis Austring would be Tobler's successor.
After hosting, and winning, the Allan Cup in
2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, the Generals announced they would cease operations. The reasons given cited concerns with the organization of
Allan Cup Hockey West
The Allan Cup Hockey West (ACHW) (formerly the Chinook League) is a multi-tier Canadian Senior ice hockey league based in Alberta, on hiatus as of 2021. The ACHW is one of two Allan Cup-eligible ice hockey leagues currently operating in Canada; t ...
, the league they belonged to: several teams had withdrawn recently making it difficult to sustain play.
Season-by-season record (Regular season)
''Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Allan Cup Championships = 4 (2009, 2013, 2016, 2019)
Allan Cup Finals = 10 (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
Allan Cup Appearances = 13 (2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
alumni
*
Travis Brigley
Travis Brigley (born June 16, 1977) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He has formerly played professionally for the Calgary Flames and Colorado Avalanche in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career
Brigley w ...
*
Jeremy Colliton
Jeremy Colliton (born January 13, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is currently serving as head coach of the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League (AHL). Colliton is a former head coach of the Chi ...
*
Trent Hunter
Trent Hunter (born June 5, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He played for the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career
Originally drafted in the sixth round, 150 ...
*
Brian Sutter
Brian Louis Allen Sutter (born October 7, 1956) is a Canadian former ice hockey forward and former head coach in the National Hockey League (NHL). Brian is the second oldest of the famous Sutter brothers and the oldest of the six that played ...
(Coach)
*
Peter Vandermeer
*
Darren Van Impe
Darren Cyril Van Impe (born May 18, 1973) is a Canadian former ice hockey defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, Columbus Blue J ...
*
Craig Weller
*
Ryan Tobler
Ryan Tobler (born May 13, 1976) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey winger (ice hockey), winger who played four games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2001–02 NHL season, 2001–02 ...
*
Drew Bagnall
*
Brennan Evans
Brennan Evans (born January 6, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played 13 years in the American Hockey League and with the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career
Evans spent four season ...
*
Evan Oberg
Evan Oberg (born February 16, 1988) is a Canadian retired ice hockey defenceman. He played 7 games in the National Hockey League with the Vancouver Canucks and Tampa Bay Lightning between 2010 and 2012. The rest of his career, which lasted from 2 ...
*
Terry Ryan
*
Jeff Deslauriers
Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers (born May 15, 1984) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks. Deslauriers was selected by the Oilers in t ...
*
Kyle Greentree
Kyle Greentree (born November 15, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. An undrafted player, he previously played two games each for the Philadelphia Flyers and Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing ca ...
*
Tyler Weiman
Tyler Ray Weiman (born June 5, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played one game in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Colorado Avalanche.
Playing career
Weiman was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He was d ...
References
External links
Official websiteChinook Hockey LeagueTeam Profile at Eliteprospects.com
{{Chinook Hockey League
2019 disestablishments in Alberta
Defunct ice hockey teams in Alberta
Lacombe, Alberta
Senior ice hockey teams
Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 2019
1999 establishments in Alberta
Ice hockey clubs established in 1999