The Lethbridge Broncos were a

junior ice hockey Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...

team in the

Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...

from

1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; f ...

until

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal ente ...

. They played at the Lethbridge Sportsplex. :Division titles won: 1977–78, 1981–82 :Regular season titles won: 1981–82 : WHL Championships won: 1982–83 :

Memorial Cup The Memorial Cup () is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League, a consortium of three major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tournament played between t ...

Titles: None

History

The Broncos started out as the

Swift Current Broncos The Swift Current Broncos are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. Founded during 1967 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, the Broncos played seven seasons before relocating to Lethbridge from 1974 to 1986 as the Lethbridge Broncos ...

Swift Current, Saskatchewan Swift Current is the fifth largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is situated along the Saskatchewan provincial highway 1, Trans Canada Highway west of Moose Jaw, and east of Medicine Hat ...

, but moved to Lethbridge in 1974. The team had been losing money in Swift Current and the new Lethbridge Sportsplex was beckoning for a team. The Broncos played in Lethbridge for twelve seasons, winning the

President's Cup The Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world minus Europe. Europe competes against the United States in a similar but considerably ...

in 1982–83. In the mid 1980s, the team came up for sale, and despite a large and loyal fanbase, the Broncos were bought by interests in Swift Current and moved back to their original home. Lethbridge was without WHL hockey for only one season however, as the

Calgary Wranglers The Calgary Wranglers are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, that began play in the 2022–23 American Hockey League (AHL) season. The team plays at the Scotiabank Saddledome, the home of their NHL affiliate team, the Calgary ...

moved to the city, becoming the

Lethbridge Hurricanes The Lethbridge Hurricanes are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team currently members of the Eastern Conference (Central Division) of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team is based in Lethbridge, Alberta, and play their home games at the E ...

in 1987.

Season-by-season record

''Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against''

NHL alumni

* Warren Babe * Dave Barr *

Mike Berger Michael D. Berger (born June 2, 1967) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in the NHL for the Minnesota North Stars. He also played in the Central Hockey League for the Tulsa Oilers The Tulsa Oilers are a prof ...

Rollie Boutin Roland David Boutin (born November 6, 1957) is a Canadian former ice hockey goaltender who played for the Washington Capitals. He was selected by the Capitals in the 1977 NHL Entry Draft. Career Boutin was born in Westlock, Alberta and raised i ...

Ron Delorme Ronald Elmer "Chief" Delorme (born September 3, 1955) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and the chief amateur scout for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Delorme played in the NHL for the Colorado Rockies ...

Gerald Diduck Gerald Mark Diduck ( ; born April 6, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He was drafted in the first round, 16th overall, by the Islanders in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. Diduck played 932 games in an NHL career that spann ...

Archie Henderson Archie Robert Henderson (born February 17, 1957) is a Canadian retired ice hockey player. He played 23 games in the National Hockey League for the Washington Capitals, Minnesota North Stars, and Hartford Whalers between 1980 and 1982. The rest of ...

Ian Herbers Ian Herbers (born July 18, 1967) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman, and former assistant coach for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League. Draft Herbers was drafted in the tenth round, 190th overall, by the Buffa ...

Matt Hervey Matthew W. Hervey (born May 16, 1966) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. Hervey grew up in Whittier, California and played 35 games in the National Hockey League with the Winnipeg Jets, Boston Bruins, and Tampa Bay Ligh ...

* Earl Ingarfield, Jr. * Trent Kaese *

Troy Loney Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in present-day Turkey, south-west of Çan ...

* Marc Magnan *

Ryan McGill Ryan Clifford McGill (born February 28, 1969) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, and current assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played in the 151 games in the NHL with the Chicag ...

Mike Moller Michael John Moller (born June 16, 1962, in Calgary, Alberta) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right wing. He was drafted in the second round, 41st overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft. He played in the National ...

Randy Moller Randall W. Moller (born August 23, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He was drafted in the first round, eleventh overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1981 National Hockey League (NHL) entry draft. The majority of his ca ...

* Jay More *

Doug Morrison Doug Morrison (born February 1, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 23 games in the National Hockey League with the Boston Bruins between 1980 and 1985. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1980 to 1992, was ...

Troy Murray Troy Norman Murray (born July 31, 1962) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played in the NHL. He is currently the color analyst on NBC Sports Chicago broadcasts of Chicago Blackhawks hockey games. Murray was born in Calgary, A ...

Steve Nemeth Steve Nemeth (born February 11, 1967) is a Canadian retired ice hockey player. He played 12 NHL games for the New York Rangers. He was part of the Canadian team that was disqualified from the 1987 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, 1987 World ...

* Bill Oleschuk *

Darcy Regier Darcy John Regier (born November 27, 1956) is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player. Regier was general manager of the Buffalo Sabres in the National Hockey League from 1997 until 2013. He was the longest-serving and winnin ...

Bob Rouse Robert John Rouse (born June 18, 1964) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, winning in back to back years with the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 and 1998. Playing career A prototypical stay- ...

Lindy Ruff Lindy Cameron Ruff (born February 17, 1960) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach who is the head coach for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). Ruff was previously the head coach of the Dallas Stars of the NHL, and al ...

* Rocky Saganiuk *

Joe Sakic Joseph Steven Sakic (; born July 7, 1969) is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player. He played his entire 21-year National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise. Named captain ...

* Darin Sceviour * Vern Smith *

Brent Sutter Brent Colin Sutter (born June 10, 1962) is a Canadian former National Hockey League (NHL) player and former head coach of the New Jersey Devils and Calgary Flames. Selected by the New York Islanders 17th overall at the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, Sut ...

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 in ...

Darryl Sutter Darryl John Sutter (born August 19, 1958) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current head coach of the Calgary Flames. He is one of seven Sutter brothers, six of whom made the NHL ( Brent, Brian, Darryl, Duane, Rich, and Ro ...

Duane Sutter Duane Calvin Sutter (born March 16, 1960) is a Canadian former National Hockey League player and head coach. He is one of the famed six Sutter brothers to play in the NHL. On May 21 2019, the Edmonton Oilers relieved Duane from his head of pro ...

Rich Sutter Richard G. Sutter (born December 2, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues, C ...

Ron Sutter Ronald T. Sutter (born December 2, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is currently the Player Development coach for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is the brother of Brian, Brent, Darryl, ...

* Steve Tambellini * Alex Tidey *

Mark Tinordi Mark Douglas Tinordi (born May 9, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 12 seasons between 1987–88 and 1998–99. Tinordi became the coach of the Washington Junior Na ...

Bryan Trottier Bryan John Trottier (born July 17, 1956) is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins. He won four Stanley Cups with the ...

Gord Williams Gordon James Williams (born April 10, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played in two NHL games with the Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Fl ...

Ken Wregget Kenneth Lee Wregget (born March 25, 1964) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. His professional hockey career spans nearly 20 years, and he suited up in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Phi ...

Head coaches

* Mike Shabaga 1970–71 *Stan Dunn: 1970–71 to 1973–74 * Earl Ingarfield 1974–75 to 1975–76 * Mike Sauter 1976–77 *

Howie Yanosik Howard George Yanosik (born January 26, 1933) is a Canadian retired professional hockey player who played 605 games for the Hershey Bears in the American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league base ...

1977–78 * Pat Ginnell 1978–79 *Mike Sauter 1979–80 * John Chapman 1980–81 to 1985–86 * Graham James 1985–86

References

* 2005–06 WHL Guide {{Defunct WHL Defunct ice hockey teams in Alberta Sport in Lethbridge Ice hockey clubs established in 1974 Defunct Western Hockey League teams 1974 establishments in Alberta 1986 disestablishments in Alberta Sports clubs disestablished in 1986

History

Season-by-season record

NHL alumni

Head coaches

See also

References