The Pembina Valley Twisters are a
junior 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 hock ...
team based in
Morris, Manitoba
Morris is a small town in the Pembina Valley region of Manitoba, Canada, located 51 km south of Winnipeg and 42 km north of Emerson. Morris is home to 1,885 people (2016). Named after Alexander Morris, the second Lieutenant Governor o ...
, Canada. A member of the
Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League
The Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League (MMJHL) is a junior ice hockey league in Manitoba, Canada. Founded in 1970, the league was operated as an independent league. MMJHL affiliated with Hockey Manitoba and Hockey Canada in the mid-1990s. Teams ...
(MMJHL), the Twisters play their home games a
Morris Multiplex
History
The Pembina Valley Twisters first skated into existence in September 2001, founded by Glenn Cordy and Kerry Lines. Glenn and Kerry coached the Sanford Sabers High School Hockey Team during the 2000–01 season. At the conclusion of an emotional season it was realized that the graduating players did not have a place to continue playing outside the "
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 M ...
" and a Junior B team in
St. Malo, Manitoba
St. Malo is a local urban district located in the Rural Municipality of De Salaberry, approximately 70 km south of The Forks, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Most of the community's residents are bilingual francophone of Métis or Québécois heritage ...
. Thus the founding of the team in 2001.
The first four years were played in
Oak Bluff. The first coach was
Danny McDonald.
The third and fourth years were led by
Rick Smith and his coaching staff. During both seasons, the Twisters competed and made the playoffs. Concluding the fourth season, as was the case with Danny McDonald, Rick Smith stepped down as head coach.
After their fourth season,
Glen Munford contacted
Kerry Lines inquiring about an expansion franchise for
Morris. That was not possible, as sharing the existing geographic area would not work. The other possibility was proposed, moving the Twisters to the Town of Morris. After several discussions and after partaking in the Stampede Parade, it was unanimously decided to move the franchise to Morris. The existing ownership group of Kerry, Don Boyd and
Doug Ushakas joined Glen Munford and
Dale Rempel to make up the new ownership group.
The Twisters entered their fifth year with Doug Ushakas behind the bench as head coach, after two previous seasons as an assistant to Rick Smith. After an off-season recruiting program, the Twisters were eliminated during the first round of playoffs.
League championships
Jack Mackenzie Trophy (playoffs)
* 2007-08, 2012-13, 2018-19
Art Moug Trophy (regular season)
* 2009-10
* 2018-19
Head Coaches
* Danny McDonald (2001–03)
*
Rick Smith (2003–05)
* Doug Ushakas (2005–07)
* Garth Shindle (2009–12)
* Derek Mohr (2012–16)
* Ryan Dyck (2016–2020)
* Matt Dyck (2020-2022)
* Braeden Beernaerts (2022-Present)
References
{{reflist
External links
@PVTwisters
Ice hockey teams in Manitoba