Red Deer Rustlers

The Red Deer Rustlers were a Junior A ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League based in Red Deer, Alberta. They captured the inaugural Centennial Trophy in 1971. Their eight AJHL championships remains the second most in league history, behind the Calgary Canucks nine championships.

:Division titles won: 1982–83, 83–84, 84–85, 88–89
:Regular season titles won: 1970–71, 73–74, 79–80, 84–85, 88–89
:League Championships won: 1970, 71, 72, 74, 80, 85, 87, 89
:Doyle Cup Titles: none (captured 3 AB/BC titles before the creation of the Doyle Cup)
: Centennial Trophy Titles: 1971, 80

History

The Rustlers joined the AJHL in 1967 on the orders of the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association, which blocked their attempt at joining the Western Canada Hockey League as an expansion team. The Rustlers would quickly rise to the top of the AJHL, capturing four league titles in five years between 1970 and 1974. In 1971, they captured the first Centennial Trophy as Canadian Junior A national champions. The Rustlers repeated that feat in 1980.

During this time, the Rustlers developed many players who would go on to play major-junior or college hockey, while 20 ultimately played in the National Hockey League. Among them were all six members of the Sutter family to play in the NHL: Brian, Darryl, Duane, Brent, Ron and Rich. Gary Sutter, the seventh, and only, brother not to play in the NHL turned down an invitation to play for the Rustlers in 1972.

In 1989, after winning their eighth league championship, the Rustlers were expelled from the league for violating its by-laws. The team remained suspended until 1992 when it officially folded, making room for the Red Deer Rebels, as the central Alberta city finally joined the WHL.

Season-by-season record

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

^†Team granted a one-year leave of absence in 1985-86. They would re-emerge in 1986-87 under new ownership.

Playoffs

*1971 ''Won League, Won Alta/BC Championship, Won Abbott Cup, Won 1971 Centennial Cup''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Mount Royal College ''4-games-to-1''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Lethbridge Sugar Kings ''4-games-to-1'' AJHL CHAMPIONS
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Penticton Broncos (BCJHL) ''4-games-to-3'' ALTA/BC CHAMPIONS
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated St. Boniface Saints (MJHL) ''4-games-to-none'' ABBOTT CUP CHAMPIONS
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Charlottetown Islanders (MJAHL) ''4-games-to-2'' CENTENNIAL CUP CHAMPIONS
*1972 ''Won League, Won Alta/BC Championship, Won Abbott Cup, Lost 1972 Centennial Cup''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Lethbridge Sugar Kings ''4-games-to-3''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Calgary Canucks ''4-games-to-1'' AJHL CHAMPIONS
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Vernon Essos (BCJHL) ''4-games-to-2'' ALTA/BC CHAMPIONS
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Humboldt Broncos (SJHL) ''4-games-to-1'' ABBOTT CUP CHAMPIONS
:Guelph CMC's ( SOJHL) defeated Red Deer Rustlers ''4-games-to-none''
*1973 ''Lost Final''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated The Pass Red Devils ''4-games-to-2''
:Calgary Canucks defeated Red Deer Rustlers ''4-games-to-3''
*1974 ''Won League, Lost Alta/BC Championship''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Edmonton Mets ''4-games-to-none''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated The Pass Red Devils ''4-games-to-1'' AJHL CHAMPIONS
:Kelowna Buckaroos (BCJHL) defeated Red Deer Rustlers ''4-games-to-1''
*1975 ''DNQ''
*1976 ''Lost Semi-final''
:Spruce Grove Mets defeated Red Deer Rustlers ''4-games-to-2''
*1977 ''Lost Semi-final round robin''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Fort Saskatchewan Traders ''4-games-to-2''
:Third in semi-final round robin (1-3) vs. Calgary Canucks and Taber Golden Suns
*1978 ''Lost Quarter-final''
: St. Albert Saints defeated Red Deer Rustlers ''4-games-to-3''
*1979 ''Lost Quarter-final''
:Calgary Canucks defeated Red Deer Rustlers ''4-games-to-none''
*1980 ''Won League, Won Alta/BC Championship, Won Abbott Cup, Won 1980 Centennial Cup''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Sherwood Park Crusaders ''3-games-to-none''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated St. Albert Saints ''4-games-to-1''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Calgary Canucks ''4-games-to-1'' AJHL CHAMPIONS
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Penticton Knights (BCJHL) ''4-games-to-none'' ALTA/BC CHAMPIONS
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Prince Albert Raiders (SJHL) ''4-games-to-2'' ABBOTT CUP CHAMPIONS
:First in 1980 Centennial Cup round robin (3-1)
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated North York Rangers (OPJHL) ''3-2'' in final CENTENNIAL CUP CHAMPIONS
*1981 ''Lost Quarter-final''
: St. Albert Saints defeated Red Deer Rustlers ''3-games-to-1''
*1982 ''Lost Semi-final''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Calgary Canucks ''4-games-to-none''
:Calgary Spurs defeated Red Deer Rustlers ''4-games-to-1''
*1983 ''Lost Semi-final''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Olds Grizzlys ''4-games-to-1''
:Calgary Canucks defeated Red Deer Rustlers ''4-games-to-2''
*1984 ''Lost Final''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Hobbema Hawks ''4-games-to-1''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Calgary Spurs ''4-games-to-1''
:Fort Saskatchewan Traders defeated Red Deer Rustlers ''4-games-to-none''
*1985 ''Won League, Lost Doyle Cup''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Olds Grizzlys ''4-games-to-none''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Calgary Spurs ''4-games-to-none''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Sherwood Park Crusaders ''4-games-to-2'' AJHL CHAMPIONS
:Penticton Knights (BCJHL) defeated Red Deer Rustlers ''4-games-to-1''
*1986 ''Did Not Participate''
*1987 ''Won League, Lost Doyle Cup''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Calgary Spurs ''4-games-to-3''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Calgary Canucks ''4-games-to-3''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated St. Albert Saints ''4-games-to-2'' AJHL CHAMPIONS
:Richmond Sockeyes (BCJHL) defeated Red Deer Rustlers ''4-games-to-3''
*1988 ''Lost Semi-final''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Olds Grizzlys ''4-games-to-2''
:Calgary Canucks defeated Red Deer Rustlers ''4-games-to-none''
*1989 ''Won League, Lost Doyle Cup''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Calgary Spurs ''4-games-to-1''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Olds Grizzlys ''4-games-to-1''
:Red Deer Rustlers defeated Fort Saskatchewan Traders ''4-games-to-1'' AJHL CHAMPIONS
:Vernon Lakers (BCJHL) defeated Red Deer Rustlers ''4-games-to-2''

NHL alumni

* Darrel Anholt
* Clayton Beddoes
*Rod Buskas
* Phil Crowe
* Glenn Johannesen
*Kelly Kisio
*Darryl Maggs
*Randy Moller
* Brian Ogilvie
*Ray Podloski
*Ron Shudra
*Brent Sutter
*Brian Sutter
*Darryl Sutter
*Duane Sutter
*Rich Sutter
*Ron Sutter
*Dixon Ward
* Blake Wesley
*Glen Wesley

See also

* List of ice hockey teams in Alberta

References

General
Alberta Junior Hockey League website
*AJHL Annual Guide & Record Book 2006–07

Footnotes

{{Defunct AJHL

Defunct Alberta Junior Hockey League teams
Defunct ice hockey teams in Alberta
Defunct junior ice hockey teams in Canada
Sport in Red Deer, Alberta
Ice hockey clubs established in 1967
Sports clubs disestablished in 1992
1967 establishments in Alberta
1989 disestablishments in Alberta