Spokane Braves

Ice hockey team in Spokane, Washington
       PresidentUnited States Bob TobiasonGeneral managerUnited States Bob TobiasonHead coachUnited States Mike BayCaptainVacantWebsitewww.spokanebraves.com/Franchise history1971-72Spokane Valley Kings (WKHL)1972-75Spokane Rockets (KIJHL)1975-85Spokane Flames (KIJHL)1985-presentSpokane Braves (KIJHL)

The Spokane Braves are a Junior 'A' Ice Hockey team based in Spokane, Washington, United States. They are members of the Neil Murdoch Division of the Kootenay Conference of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). They play their home games at Eagles Ice-A-Rena. The Braves are the only team in the KIJHL to play in the United States. They were forced to go on hiatus at the beginning of the 20/21 season due to the US/Canada border closure.

History

Despite their long history in the KIJHL, the Braves have never won the league championship.[when?] They won their division in 1978/79, 1983/84, and the 1991/92 season. The Spokane Braves primary focus is to move players up to the next level such as the WHL, Junior 'A', and College Hockey.[1]

The club was founded as the Spokane Rockets in 1972, finally becoming the Braves in 1985.[1]

The WHL Spokane Chiefs drafted their first player from the Braves in the bantam draft in 2003.[2]

Mike Bay coached the team for 13 years in the 2000s and 2010s, and returned as coach in 2018.[3]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions in travel the Spokane Braves did not participate in the KIJHL. The 2023–24 season marked not only the return to the KIJHL but the 50th anniversary of participation in the KIJHL. The Braves returned to a league that had just been given recognition as being a Junior 'A' level hockey league.

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, D = Defaults, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Season Results from 1971 to 2020 and COVID-19
Season GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA Finish Playoffs
1971-72 19 0 19 0 — 0 26 247 6th, WKHL
1972-73 30 20 10 0 — 40 213 121 2nd, East
1973-74 30 17 13 0 — 34 181 165 3rd, East
1974-75 34 6 28 0 — 12 142 320 4th, East
1975-76 34 8 26 0 — 16 146 231 4th, East
1976-77 44 17 25 2 — 36 210 264 5th, East
1977-78 42 29 13 0 — 58 288 192 2nd, East
1978-79 40 27 12 1 — 55 271 173 1st, East
1979-80 40 28 11 1 — 57 255 161 1st, East
1980-81 40 12 28 0 — 24 208 257 5th, East
1981-82 42 20 21 1 — 41 227 257 4th, East
1982-83 42 26 16 0 — 52 241 201 3rd, East
1983-84 40 34 6 0 — 68 300 145 1st, West
1984-85 40 20 20 0 — 40 221 224 3rd, West
1985-86 39 27 11 2 — 56 253 166 2nd, East
1986-87 42 31 11 0 — 66 307 206 2nd, East
1987-88 42 26 16 0 — 52 263 236 3rd, East
1988-89 42 17 25 0 — 34 170 220 4th, East
1989-90 40 16 24 0 — 32 208 188 3rd, East
1990–91* 39 17 22 0 — 34 200 255 2nd, East
1991-92 38 26 11 1 — 53 275 200 1st, East Lost in Finals (Leafs)
1992-93 42 31 10 1 — 63 302 203 2nd, West
1993-94 40 12 28 0 — 24 191 256 6th, West
1994-95 44 15 26 — 3 33 165 223 4th, West
1995-96 42 7 31 4 — 18 155 285 5th, West
1996-97 42 12 30 0 — 22 152 224 5th, Neil Murdoch
1997-98 50 18 29 3 — 39 189 232 4th, Neil Murdoch
1998-99 50 13 34 3 — 29 153 229 5th, Neil Murdoch
1999-00 46 21 22 3 — 45 237 214 5th, Neil Murdoch Did not qualify
2000-01 58 24 29 4 1 53 237 241 5th, Neil Murdoch Did not qualify
2001-02 50 16 28 5 1 38 156 209 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 0-4 (Nitehawks)
2002-03 50 21 23 4 1 47 187 185 3rd, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 2-4 (Leafs)
2003-04 50 28 16 4 2 62 211 184 2nd, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Finals, 0-4 (Nitehawks)
2004-05 50 23 21 4 2 52 171 166 3rd, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 1-4 (Rebels)
2005-06 50 21 21 5 3 50 177 177 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 0-4 (Nitehawks)
2006-07 52 29 19 4 0 62 231 205 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 0-4 (Leafs)
2007-08 52 19 27 6 0 44 158 210 4th, Neil Murdoch: East Did not qualify
2008-09 52 23 26 3 0 49 202 204 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 1-4 (Leafs)
2009-10 50 28 20 0 2 58 196 176 3rd, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Finals, 3–4 (Leafs)
2010-11 50 21 26 1 2 45 170 171 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 1-4 (Rebels)
2011-12 52 21 28 1 2 45 192 254 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 1-4 (Nitehawks)
2012-13 52 14 30 4 4 36 163 232 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 1-4 (Rebels)
2013-14 52 22 26 0 4 48 160 177 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 2-4 (Leafs)
2014-15 52 25 23 0 4 54 161 161 3rd, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 1-4 (Rebels)
2015-16 52 10 38 0 4 24 116 241 5th, Neil Murdoch Did not qualify
2016-17 47 8 38 0 1 17 129 250 5th, Neil Murdoch Division
19th of 20 - KIJHL		 Did not qualify
2017-18 47 15 28 2 2 34 137 201 5th, Neil Murdoch Division
18th of 20 - KIJHL		 Did not qualify
2018-19 49 19 26 0 4 42 130 176 4th, Neil Murdoch Division
13th of 20 - KIJHL		 Lost Division Semifinals, 3-4 (Leafs)
2019-20 49 20 23 2 4 46 137 185 3rd, Neil Murdoch Division
13th of 20 - KIJHL		 Lost Division Semifinals, 0-4 (Leafs)
Season Results from 2024 return to current season

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, D = Defaults, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Records as of March 3, 2024[4]

2023-24 44 11 32 1 0 23 133 247 5 of 5, Neil Murdoch Division
19th of 20 - KIJHL		 Did Not Qualify for Post Season
Notes
  1. Stats for the 1990–91 season are only thru February 17, 1991. May not be complete

Playoffs

Records as of March 29, 2020.[5][6][7]

Season 1st Round 2nd Round 3rd Round Finals
1999–00 Did not qualify
2000–01 Did not qualify
2001–02 L, 0-4, Beaver Valley — — —
2002–03 L, 2-4, Nelson — — —
2003–04 W, 4-3, Nelson L, 0-4, Beaver Valley — —
2004–05 L, 1-4, Castlegar — — —
2005–06 L, 0-4, Beaver Valley — — —
2006–07 L, 0-4, Nelson — — —
2007–08 Did not qualify
2008–09 L, 1-4, Nelson — — —
2009–10 W, 4-2, Castlegar L, 3-4, Nelson — —
2010-11 L, 1-4, Castlegar — — —
2011-12 L, 1-4, Beaver Valley — — —
2012–13 L, 1-4, Castlegar — — —
2013-14 L, 2-4, Nelson — — —
2014–15 L, 1-4, Castlegar — — —
2015–16 Did not qualify
2016-17 Did not qualify
2017–18 Did not qualify
2018–19 L, 3-4, Nelson — — —
2019–20 L, 0-4, Nelson — — —
2020-21 Playoffs cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic
2021-22 Did not participate
2022-23 Did not participate
2023-24 Did not qualify
Notes
  1. Prior to the 2001-02 KIJHL playoffs, there was only three playoff rounds (Division Semifinals, Division Finals and Finals), due to two Divisions (Eddie Mountain/West and Neil Murdoch/East) only.

NHL alumni

KIJHL Awards and trophies

Top Defenceman

  • Brian Piper: 1987–88
  • Bobby Tobiason: 1991–92
  • Chase Wharton: 2009–10
  • Skyler Smutek: 2007–08
  • Kyle Davis: 2013–14
  • Taylor Everhart: 2015–16

Rookie of the Year

  • Jesse Collins: 2009–10
  • Skyler Smutek: 2007–08
  • Jason Greenwell: 2004–05
  • Jon Manlow: 2013–14
  • Mason Jones: 2015–16

Most Valuable Player

  • Evan Witt: 2006–07
  • Justin Bonanno: 2013–14
  • Kurtis Redding: 2015–16

Top Scorer

  • Evan Witt: 2005–06
  • Kurtis Redding: 2015–16

KIJHL AWARDS

  • Chase Wharton: 2009-10 Neil Murdoch Division Top Defenseman
  • Jesse Collins: 2009-10 Neil Murdoch Rookie of the Year
  • Brycen Fisher: 2012-13 Neil Murdoch Division Top Defenseman
  • Jon Manlow: 2013-14 Neil Murdoch Division Goalie of the Year
  • Gary Redding: 2013-14 Neil Murdoch Division Coach of the Year
  • Trevor DiLauro: 2015-16 Neil Murdoch Division Goalie of the Year
  • Luke Gallagher: 2016-17 Neil Murdoch Division Rookie of The Year
  • Gary Redding: 2017-18 Neil Murdoch Division Coach of The Year
  • Bear Hughes: 2018-19 Neil Murdoch Division Top Scorer
  • Bear Hughes: 2018-19 Neil Murdoch Division MVP
  • Bear Hughes: 2018-19 Neil Murdoch Division Rookie of the Year
  • Bear Hughes: 2018-19 KIJHL Rookie of The Year
  • Matt Klenk: 2019-20 Neil Murdoch Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year [8]

References

  1. ^ a b Derrick, Chris (September 11, 2013). "Keeping it in the family". The Spokesman-Review.
  2. ^ "Chiefs choose three from region". May 2, 2003.
  3. ^ Nelson, Dan (January 23, 2020). "Brave Heart".
  4. ^ [1]
  5. ^ KIJHL.ca, Playoff Bracket 2011–2012. Archived 2012-05-05 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ KIJHL.ca – Playoff Records.
  7. ^ KIJHL.ca, Past KIJHL League Champions.
  8. ^ "2019/20 KIJHL Individual Awards".

External links

  • Official website