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UBC Thunderbirds men's ice hockey
UBC Thunderbirds men's ice hockey
University	University of British Columbia
Conference	Canada West
Head coach	Sven Butenschön; Since 2016–17 season
Assistant coaches	Matt Revel; Kevin Seibel; Noah Form
Arena	Thunderbird Sports Centre; Vancouver, British Columbia
Colors	Blue and Gold;
U Sports Tournament appearances
	1963, 1971, 1977, 2020, 2022, 2024
Conference Tournament championships
	1971, 2024
Conference regular season championships
	1963, 2024

The UBC Thunderbirds men's ice hockey team is an ice hockey team representing the UBC Thunderbirds athletics program of University of British Columbia. The team is a member of the Canada West Universities Athletic Association conference and compete in U Sports. The Thunderbirds play their home games at the Thunderbird Sports Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia.^[1]

History

As many Canadian college did in the early part of the 20th century, the UBC Thunderbirds began playing in a local senior league. By at last 1916, the Thunderbirds playing members of the Vancouver City Senior League (VCSL) though whether or not the team was officially sanctioned by the school at that time is uncertain. What is known is that UBC was a full member after World War I and won both the league and provincial senior championship in 1921. Normally, this would have given the team the ability to compete for the Allan Cup, the national senior championship, however, the provincial playoffs were held at the same time as the Allan Cup regionals (early March) and UBC's title came too late for them to qualify.

UBC continued to play senior hockey until the late 20s when the VCSL dissolved. They both resurfaced in 1931 for one final season before the league disbanded for good. UBC's ice hockey team played just one official season from 1932 until 1945, joining the short-lived Pacific Coast Intermediate Hockey League (PCIHL) for its inaugural season in 1938–39. It wasn't until after World War II that a concerted effort was made to revive the program. The team tried various ideas; playing as an independent outfit, joining senior leagues, etc... however, the team had yet to play an intercollegiate game. This was primarily due to remote locale of the Thunderbirds. At the time, the nearest fellow college that sponsored varsity ice hockey was Alberta, some 1,000 kilometers away. Despite the distance, the two schools agreed to start an annual competition in 1949 and award the Hamber Trophy to the champion. UBC won the inaugural series, however, Alberta took the next twelve titles. Despite UBC's inability to win a second championship, the Hamber series proved to be the most consistent competition for the team until the early 60s.

In 1961, UBC joined the Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union (WCIAU) a collection of colleges in Western Canada. At the time, the only other members were Alberta and Saskatchewan but joining the league still required a sizable financial investment in the program. After going winless in their first season of play, the league rebranded as the Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Association (WCIAA) and was one of four leagues to receive invitations to send their champion to the University Cup. Surprisingly, UBC rose to the challenge and won the league's inaugural championship. The Thunderbirds then won their national semifinal to appear in the first University Cup championship game, however, they fell 2–3 to McMaster.^[2]

Despite the team's success, the team was forced to leave the WCIAA in 1964 as travel expenses had ballooned. Two years later, UBC rejoined the league and appeared to have addressed the financial issues at least in the short term. The Thunderbirds won their second league championship in 1971 but lost to eventually champion Toronto in the University Cup semifinals. A year later, in order to cut down on travel expenses for all schools, the WCIAA was split into two conferences. UBC was one of four teams that were founding members of the Canada West Universities Athletic Association. Over the succeeding 30 years, UBC found it very difficult to make a name for itself in the conference. The Thunderbirds made just 6 playoff appearances from 1974 to 2004 Their lone trip to the national tournament in 1977 came as a result of being the league runner-up at the time Canada West possessed a rotating wild-card bid. Even after the team was able to get in on the playoff chase, UBC didn't make a single appearance in the finals until 2020. By then, the University Cup field had expanded to allow both league finalists entry and the program was able to end its 43-year drought. Unfortunately, the team's timing could not have been worse and the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the series befoere UBC had played a single game.^[3]

After the entire 2020–21 season was cancelled, UBC got a second chance to make its tournament return and made it appear that the program had turned a corner. The following season the team won 20 conference games for the first time in its history but were knocked out in the league semifinals. 2023–24 proved to be even better for the Thunderbirds as the team won its first regular season championship since 1963 and first ever Canada West title.

Season-by-season results

Senior and collegiate play

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points

Extra-League Champion	Extra-League Semifinalist	Conference regular season champions	Conference Division Champions	Conference Playoff Champions

Season	Conference	Regular Season											Conference Tournament Results	National Tournament Results
		Conference						Overall
		GP	W	L	T	Pts*	Finish	GP	W	L	T	%
Senior Hockey
1916–17	VCSL	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
1917–18	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
1918–19	VCSL	6	4	2	0	8	2nd	?	?	?	?	?
1919–20	VCSL	6	4	2	0	8	2nd	?	?	?	?	?	Lost Championship, 2–3 (Vancouver Nationals)
1920–21	VCSL	6	2	4	0	4	3rd	?	?	?	?	?	Won Semifinal, 1–0 (Vancouver Monarchs) Won Championship series, 6–5 (Vancouver Towers)	Won Provincial Championship series, 7–6 (Victoria Senators)
1921–22	VCSL	6	3	3	0	6	3rd	?	?	?	?	?	Lost Semifinal, ?
1922–23	VCSL	6	1	1	4	6	4th	?	?	?	?	?	Lost Championship, ?
1923–24	VCSL	4	2	2	0	6	2nd	?	?	?	?	?	Lost Semifinal, ?
1924–25	VCSL	4	1	3	0	2	3rd	?	?	?	?	?	Lost Semifinal, ?
1925–26	VCSL	4	0	4	0	0	3rd	?	?	?	?	?
1926–27	VCSL	3	1	1	1	3	3rd	?	?	?	?	?	Lost Semifinal, ?
1927–28	VCSL	4	1	3	0	2	2nd	?	?	?	?	?
Program suspended
1931–32	VCSL	6	2	3	1	5	3rd	?	?	?	?	?
Program suspended
1938–39	PCIHL	9	3	6	0	6	3rd	?	?	?	?	?
Program suspended
1945–46	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?		Lost Provincial Semifinal series 1–2 (New Westminster)
1946–47	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
1947–48	PCSBHL	14	5	9	0	10	4th	?	?	?	?	?	Lost Semifinal series, 1–2 (Nanaimo Clippers)
1948–49	PCSBHL	16	9	6	1	19	2nd	?	?	?	?	?	Won Semifinal series, 9–8 (Vancouver Indians) Lost Championship series, 2–4 (Nanaimo Clippers)
1949–50	Independent	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
1950–51	Independent	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?		Won Pacific Coast Championship series, 1–2 (Nanaimo Native Sons) Lost Provincial Semifinal, forfeit (ruled ineligible)
1951–52	Independent	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
1952–53	Independent	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
1953–54	Independent	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
1954–55	Independent	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
1955–56	Independent	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
1956–57	VIMHL	3	0	3	0	0	T–3rd	?	?	?	?	?
1957–58	Independent	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
1958–59	Independent	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
1959–60	Independent	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
1960–61	Independent	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
1961–62	WCIAU	8	0	8	0	0	3rd	?	?	?	?	?

Totals								GP	W	L	T	%	Championships
Regular Season								?	?	?	?	?
Conference Post-season								?	?	?	?	?	1 VCSL Championship
Regular Season and Postseason Record								?	?	?	?	?	1 British Columbia Senior Championship

Collegiate only

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, Pts = Points

U Sports Champion	U Sports Semifinalist	Conference regular season champions	Conference Division Champions	Conference Playoff Champions

Season	Conference	Regular Season													Conference Tournament Results	National Tournament Results
		Conference								Overall
		GP	W	L	T	OTL	SOL	Pts*	Finish	GP	W	L	T	%
1962–63	WCIAA	10	8	1	1	–	–	17	1st	12	9	2	1	.792		Won Semifinal, 6–2 (Sherbrooke) Lost Championship, 2–3 (McMaster)
1963–64	WCIAA	12	6	6	0	–	–	12	T–2nd	12	6	6	0	.500
1964–65	Independent	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
1965–66	Independent	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
1966–67	WCIAA	15	6	9	0	–	–	12	4th	15	6	9	0	.400
1967–68	WCIAA	16	7	9	0	–	–	14	4th	16	7	9	0	.438
1968–69	WCIAA	20	10	10	0	–	–	20	T–4th	20	10	10	0	.500
1969–70	WCIAA	14	8	6	0	–	–	22	2nd	16	8	8	0	.500	Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Calgary)
1970–71	WCIAA	20	15	5	0	–	–	30	2nd	27	20	7	0	.741	Won Semifinal series, 2–1 (Calgary) Won Championship series, 2–0 (Manitoba)	Lost Semifinal, 2–3 (Toronto) Won Consolation Semifinal, 6–4 (Loyola) Lost Consolation Final, 4–7 (Laurentian)
1971–72	WCIAA	20	14	6	0	–	–	28	3rd	20	14	6	0	.700
1972–73	Canada West	24	16	8	0	–	–	32	T–2nd	24	16	8	0	.667
1973–74	Canada West	18	9	9	0	–	–	18	3rd	18	9	9	0	.500
1974–75	Canada West	24	12	11	1	–	–	25	2nd	27	13	13	1	.500	Lost Championship series, 1–2 (Alberta)
1975–76	Canada West	24	12	12	0	–	–	24	3rd	24	12	12	0	.500
1976–77	Canada West	24	14	10	0	–	–	28	2nd	29	16	13	0	.552	Lost Championship series, 1–2 (Alberta)	Lost Semifinal series, 10–11 (Toronto)
1977–78	Canada West	24	14	10	0	–	–	28	2nd	27	15	12	0	.556	Lost Championship series, 1–2 (Alberta)
1978–79	Canada West	24	7	17	0	–	–	14	3rd	24	7	17	0	.292
1979–80	Canada West	29	12	17	0	–	–	24	4th	29	12	17	0	.414
1980–81	Canada West	24	5	19	0	–	–	10	4th	24	5	19	0	.208
1981–82	Canada West	24	6	18	0	–	–	12	4th	24	6	18	0	.250
1982–83	Canada West	24	9	15	0	–	–	18	4th	24	9	15	0	.375
1983–84	Canada West	24	3	21	0	–	–	6	4th	24	3	21	0	.125
1984–85	Canada West	24	12	12	0	–	–	24	3rd	24	12	12	0	.500
1985–86	Canada West	28	12	16	0	–	–	24	6th	28	12	16	0	.429
1986–87	Canada West	28	9	17	2	–	–	20	5th	28	9	17	2	.357
1987–88	Canada West	28	10	16	2	–	–	22	5th	28	10	16	2	.393
1988–89	Canada West	28	13	14	1	–	–	27	5th	28	13	14	1	.482
1989–90	Canada West	28	16	11	1	–	–	33	3rd	30	16	13	1	.550	Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Alberta)
1990–91	Canada West	28	8	15	5	–	–	21	6th	28	8	15	5	.375
1991–92	Canada West	28	11	14	3	–	–	25	7th	28	11	14	3	.446
1992–93	Canada West	28	7	19	2	–	–	16	7th	28	7	19	2	.286
1993–94	Canada West	28	7	17	4	–	–	18	6th	28	7	17	4	.321
1994–95	Canada West	28	10	13	5	–	–	25	6th	28	10	13	5	.446
1995–96	Canada West	28	9	17	2	–	–	20	7th	28	9	17	2	.357
1996–97	Canada West	26	7	16	3	–	–	17	6th	26	7	16	3	.327
1997–98	Canada West	28	9	15	4	–	–	22	6th	31	10	17	4	.387	Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Calgary)
1998–99	Canada West	28	7	18	3	–	–	17	7th	28	7	18	3	.304
1999–00	Canada West	28	5	19	4	–	–	14	7th	28	5	19	4	.250
2000–01	Canada West	28	6	19	3	–	–	15	7th	28	6	19	3	.268
2001–02	Canada West	28	5	19	4	–	–	14	7th	28	5	19	4	.250
2002–03	Canada West	28	5	23	0	–	–	10	7th	28	5	23	0	.179
2003–04	Canada West	28	7	19	2	–	–	16	6th	31	8	21	2	.290	Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Calgary)
2004–05	Canada West	28	5	17	6	–	–	16	6th	30	5	19	6	.267	Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Calgary)
2005–06	Canada West	28	12	15	1	–	–	25	5th	31	13	17	1	.435	Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Calgary)
2006–07	Canada West	28	14	13	–	1	–	29	T–4th	33	16	17	0	.485	Won Division Semifinal series, 2–1 (Lethbridge) Lost Division Final series, 0–2 (Alberta)
2007–08	Canada West	28	12	16	–	0	–	24	5th	30	12	18	0	.400	Won Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Manitoba)
2008–09	Canada West	28	11	14	–	1	2	25	5th	33	13	18	2	.424	Won Division Semifinal series, 2–1 (Lethbridge) Lost Division Final series, 0–2 (Saskatchewan)
2009–10	Canada West	28	8	19	–	0	1	17	7th	28	8	19	1	.304
2010–11	Canada West	28	11	12	–	4	1	27	6th	28	11	16	1	.411
2011–12	Canada West	28	12	12	–	1	3	28	5th	31	13	15	3	.468	Lost Semifinal series, 1–2 (Calgary)
2012–13	Canada West	28	14	11	–	1	2	31	5th	31	15	14	2	.516	Lost Semifinal series, 1–2 (Calgary)
2013–14	Canada West	28	11	15	–	2	0	24	T–6th	33	13	20	0	.394	Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Saskatchewan) Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Alberta)
2014–15	Canada West	28	13	10	–	5	0	31	4th	33	15	18	0	.455	Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Manitoba) Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Alberta)
2015–16	Canada West	28	11	13	–	4	0	26	6th	30	11	19	0	.367	Lost Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Mount Royal)
2016–17	Canada West	28	12	13	–	2	1	27	6th	30	12	17	1	.417	Lost Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Calgary)
2017–18	Canada West	28	16	10	–	2	0	34	4th	31	17	14	0	.548	Lost Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Calgary)
2018–19	Canada West	28	14	12	–	2	0	30	4th	30	14	16	0	.467	Lost Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Mount Royal)
2019–20	Canada West	28	9	14	–	4	1	23	5th	36	13	22	1	.375	Won Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Mount Royal) Won Semifinal series, 2–1 (Alberta) Lost Championship series, 0–2 (Saskatchewan)	No contest Quarterfinal, cancelled (New Brunswick)
2020–21	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22	Canada West	20	14	5	–	1	0	29	2nd	25	16	9	0	.640	Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (Mount Royal) Lost Championship series, 0–2 (Alberta)	Lost Quarterfinal, 1–2 (OT) (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
2022–23	Canada West	28	20	6	–	1	1	42	3rd	33	23	9	1	.712	Won Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Regina) Lost Semifinal series, 1–2 (Alberta)
2023–24	Canada West	28	22	4	–	1	1	46	1st	35	26	8	1	.757	Won Semifinal series, 2–1 (Alberta) Won Championship series, 2–1 (Calgary)	Lost Quarterfinal, 2–3 (McGill)

Totals										GP	W	L	T/SOL	%	Championships
Regular Season										1491	609	810	72	.433	1 WCIAA Championship, 1 Canada West Championship
Conference Post-season										89	34	55	0	.382	1 WCIAA Championship, 1 Canada West Championship
U Sports Postseason										9	3	6	0	.333	6 National tournament appearances
Regular Season and Postseason Record										1589	646	871	72	.429