Central Division, Opinion

The Calgary Hitmen: earning Calgary’s support

Written by Jared Helinsky on

 

In 1995, the Calgary Hitmen joined the Western Hockey League and began to build an incredible reputation. The Hitmen became a WHL organization with investments from several private investors, including hockey legends Theo Fleury, Joe Sakic, and the team’s namesake, professional wrestler Bret “the Hitman” Hart.

Over the years, the Hitmen organization has seen an enormous amount of success. Highlights of the organization include being named WHL Champions in 1999 and 2010, as well as Eastern Division Champions in 1999, 2009, and 2010. In addition to team success, countless Hitmen alumni have gone on to have successful NHL careers.

The Hitmen organization has managed to impact the city of Calgary both on and off the ice. The Hitmen have recently finished their 25th season in the WHL. With that being said, now is a great time to highlight why the Hitmen organization has earned the community’s support.

The Corral Series

The Corral Series is one of the most incredible times to watch the Hitmen play. Unfortunately, the Hitmen could not put on the Corral Series in the 2021 season due to the covid-19 pandemic. But, in recent years, the Hitmen have played in a three-game series during the WHL regular season. This three-game stretch is played in the historic Stampede Corral located on Calgary Stampede grounds.

The three-game series is spectacular to watch. The series celebrates both the organization and Calgary hockey history. To make the series more entertaining, the three-game stretch is played in throwback uniforms. Uniforms represent former Calgary hockey teams such as the Wranglers, Cowboys, and Centennials. In addition, Hitmen supporters in the Calgary area cram into the Stampede Corral, a much smaller stadium than the Saddledome, to support the team and create a rowdy junior hockey atmosphere unlike any other.

Fans of the Hitmen have an opportunity to witness the Hitmen play in the historic Stampede Corral. In addition, the Corral Series keeps the play exciting as it is a nice change in the middle of a long season.

Two-Time WHL Champions

As previously mentioned, the Hitmen have seen tremendous amounts of success while playing in the WHL. The franchise didn’t take long to climb the WHL ranks, winning their first WHL championship in 1999, only four years after the Hitmen became a member of the WHL. The franchise won again in 2010 as the Hitmen defeated the Tri-City Americans in five games to win the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Thus, cementing their legacy in the WHL history books.

The Teddy Bear Toss

This might be the most well-known tradition of the Calgary Hitmen. The toss is a great way to give back to the community. The Teddy Bear Toss is an annual event that takes place during the regular season. Recently presented by The Brick, the Teddy Bear Toss occurs around Christmas time.

When the Hitmen score their first goal, fans flood the ice with stuffed teddy bears. In 2019, the most recent year of the Teddy Bear Toss, Hitmen fans threw 25,025 Bears onto the ice. The Teddy Bear Toss contributes to a good cause as the bears are given as donations to over 70 charities.

Along with the Teddy Bear Toss, the Hitmen make a constant effort to give back to the community. For example, the Calgary Hitmen Foundation was created to give back to the city of Calgary while partnering with other non-for-profits such as Camp Kindle and the Movember campaign.

Alumni Success

Ryan Getzlaf – Calgary Hitmen

Lastly, former members of the Calgary Hitmen have found immense success in the NHL. Famous Hitmen alumni include Ryan Getzlaf of the Anaheim Ducks, Martin Jones of the San Jose Sharks, and Travis Sanheim of the Philadelphia Flyers. While watching the NHL Hitmen, fans still have the opportunity to root for Hitmen members. 42 members of the Hitmen have gone on to play at least one game in the NHL and there were 12 on the ice in the 2020-21 regular season.