The Swift Current Broncos celebrated their third ever WHL title on Mother’s Day and will go onto take part in the Memorial Cup in Regina starting this weekend.
Back in 1989 and just a couple seasons removed from a bus crash that cost them four teammates, the 1989 team went on a historic run, never losing in the playoffs and winning in overtime over the host Saskatoon Blades in front of a huge crowd.
Just weeks removed from another tragic bus crash in Saskatchewan, the 2018 Broncos are in a position to put their names on the 100th Memorial Cup, again in Saskatchewan – this time in Regina.
Let’s take a look at all three Swift Current Broncos WHL-title winning teams.
1989 Swift Current Broncos
-General Manager/Head Coach Graham James
-Assistant Coach/Assistant GM Lorne Frey.
-55-16-1-111 points.
-25 more points than any other team. Scotty Munro Trophy.
-Tim Tisdale 51 goals-82 assists-139 points
-Peter Kasowski 58-73-131 points.
-Sheldon Kennedy 58-48-106 points.
-Acquired center Trevor Sim from Regina and defenseman Kevin Knopp from Seattle.
-Dan Lambert named WHL’s top defenseman.
-First round bye.
-Swept the Moose Jaw Warriors in the second round.
-Swept the Saskatoon Blades in the East Division final.
-Swept the Portland Winter Hawks in the WHL Championship.
-Tisdale (32 playoff points), Lambert (28) and Kennedy (24) led the way.
-Trevor Kruger had a 2.95 GAA and 0.908 save percentage in the playoffs.
-Beat Peterborough (OHL) 6-4 and Laval (QMJHL) 6-5 before losing in overtime to Saskatoon (host team).
-Beat Peterborough 6-2 in Semi-Final and Sasktoon 4-3 in overtime in the final.
-First and only Memorial Cup in franchise history. Over 11,000 in attendance for the final.
-Lambert, Tisdale and Sheldon Kennedy named to Memorial Cup All-star team.
-Lambert named MVP.
1993 Swift Current Broncos
-GM/Head Coach Graham James
-Assistant Coach Rob Daum
-49-21-2-100 points.
-Best record by seven points. Scotty Munro Trophy.
-Jason Krywulak 81-81-162 points (led the WHL).
-Rick Girard 71-70-141 points.
-Todd Holt 56-57-113 points.
-Acquired forward Dean McAmmond from Prince Albert; center Russ West, forward Bill Hooson and defenseman Fred Hettle from Moose Jaw; defenseman Ryan Brown from Seattle and defenseman Heath Weenk from Regina.
-Krywulak named MVP.
-Girard named Most Sportsmanlike.
-First round bye.
-Beat Medicine Hat 4-2 in second round.
-Swept Regina in the East Division final.
-Beat Portland in seven games in the WHL Championship.
-Andrew Schneider (39 points), Krywulak (37), Girard (26) and Tyler Wright (26) led the team in playoff scoring.
-Schneider named playoff MVP.
-Milan Hnilicka posted a 3.19 GAA and 0.911 save percentage in the playoffs.
-Beat Sault Ste. Marie (host) 5-3 and lost to Laval (QMJHK) 4-3 and Peterborough (OHL) 7-3 in round robin play.
-Lost to Laval (QMJHL) 4-3 in the tie-breaker.
2018 Swift Current Broncos
-Head Coach/Director of Player Personnel Manny Viveiros
-Associate Coach Ryan Smyth
-Assistant Coaches Jamie Heward and Andy Schneider.
-Director of Hockey Operations Jamie Porter
-Director of Player Development Jamie Heward
-48-17-5-2-103 points.
-Second in the East Division.
-Glenn Gawdin 56-69-125 points.
-Aleksi Heponiemi 28-90-118 points.
-Tyler Steenbergen 47-55-102 points.
-Gawdin wins plus-minus award with a plus-61.
-Gawdin and Heponiemi named to WHL Eastern Conference All-Star first-team.
-Colby Sissons and Steenbergen named to WHL Eastern Conference All-Star second-team.
-Acquired goalie Stuart Skinner, forward Tanner Nagel and forward Giorgio Estephan from Lethbridge; forwards Matteo Gennaro, Andrew Fyten and Beck Malenstyn from Calgary and defenseman Josh Anderson from Prince George.
-Beat Regina 4-3 in first round.
-Beat Moose Jaw 4-3 in second round.
-Beat Lethbridge 4-2 in Eastern Conference final.
-Beat Everett 4-2 in WHL Championship.
-Led in playoff scoring by Gawdin (32 points), Heponiemi (30 points) and Steenbergen (27).
-Skinner posted a 2.20 GAA and 0.932 save percentage in the playoffs.
-Gawdin was named playoff MVP.
-Memorial Cup: TBD.
