The Vancouver Nats were a
major junior ice hockey team based in
Vancouver, British Columbia
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. The ...
that played two seasons in the
Western Canada Hockey League
The Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL), founded in 1921, was a major professional ice hockey league originally based in the prairies of Canada. It was renamed the Western Hockey League (WHL) in 1925 and disbanded in 1926.
The WCHL's Victoria C ...
from 1971 to 1973. The team relocated in 1973 to
Kamloops to become the
Kamloops Chiefs
The Kamloops Chiefs were a junior ice hockey team based in Kamloops, British Columbia that played in the Western Canada Hockey League from 1973–77. They were founded in 1971 as the Vancouver Nats, and relocated to Seattle, Washington to become t ...
before settling in
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
as the Seattle Breakers (later
Thunderbirds) in 1977.
On the ice, the Nats finished last overall in the league both years, winning just 27 games in their two years. After their demise, it would be nearly thirty years before the WHL would return to the city of Vancouver, with the
Vancouver Giants
The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup (now known as the Ed Chynoweth Cup) in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in t ...
established as an expansion team in 2001.
Season-by-season record
''Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against''
NHL alumni
* Jim Atamanenko
*
Bruce Greig
*
Dale Lewis
*
Brian Ogilvie
*
Barry Smith
See also
*
List of ice hockey teams in British Columbia
The following is a list of ice hockey teams in British Columbia, past and present. It includes the league(s) they play for, and championships won.
Major Professional
National Hockey League
Pacific Coast Hockey Association
Western Canada Hoc ...
References
*2005–06 WHL Guide
hockeydb.com
Defunct ice hockey teams in British Columbia
Nats
Ice hockey clubs established in 1971
Defunct Western Hockey League teams
1971 establishments in British Columbia
1973 disestablishments in British Columbia
Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 1973
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