Drayton Valley Thunder

Drayton Valley Thunder
CityDrayton Valley, Alberta, Canada
LeagueAJHL
DivisionNorth
Founded1998 (1998)
Home arenaDrayton Valley Omni-Plex
ColoursGreen, black and white
     
General managerGeoff Walker
Head coachGeoff Walker

The Drayton Valley Thunder is a junior ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). The Thunder are members of the Canadian Junior Hockey League and are eligible to compete for the Doyle Cup and National Junior A Championship.[1] They play in Drayton Valley, Alberta, Canada, at the Drayton Valley Omni-Plex.[2]

History

In 1998, The Drayton Valley Thunder were awarded as an expansion franchise in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL)[3] and began play in the South Division for the 1998–99 season. One year after finishing sixth in the South, ahead of only their fellow expansion team Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves, the Thunder improved in their second season and won the division. The addition of other expansion teams shifted the Thunder into the North Division in 2000–01, where they won another division title.

In 2002, the Thunder captured the Rogers Wireless Cup as AJHL champions.[4] The Thunder lost to the Chilliwack Chiefs of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) in the Doyle Cup Pacific Junior A Championship.[5]

Season-by-season record

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

Season GP W L T/OTL SOL Pts GF GA Finish Playoffs
1998–99 62 20 36 — 6 46 181 284 6th South Did not qualify
1999–00 64 40 18 — 6 86 268 204 1st South Won quarterfinals, 4–1 vs. Bow Valley Eagles
Lost semifinals, 3–4 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
2000–01 64 42 19 3 — 87 293 194 1st North Won quarterfinals, 4–2 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Won semifinals, 4–3 vs. Olds Grizzlys
Lost finals, 1–4 vs. Camrose Kodiaks
2001–02 64 44 17 3 — 91 300 198 2nd North Won Preliminary series, 3–0 vs. Fort Saskatchewan Traders
Won quarterfinals, 4–2 vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders
Won semifinals, 4–0 vs. Olds Grizzlys
Won AJHL Finals, 4–0 vs. Grande Prairie Storm
Lost Doyle Cup, 2–4 vs. Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL)
2002–03 64 37 20 7 — 81 240 199 3rd North Lost preliminary series, 2–4 vs. Grande Prairie Storm
2003–04 60 27 23 10 — 64 165 177 5th North Won Preliminary series, 3–0 vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders
Lost quarterfinals, 1–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
2004–05 64 39 19 6 — 84 198 146 3rd North Won Preliminary series, 3–0 vs. Fort Saskatchewan Traders
Won quarterfinals, 4–2 vs. Spruce Grove Saints
Lost semifinals, 2–4 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
2005–06 60 38 16 6 — 82 203 158 2nd North Won Preliminary series, 3–0 vs. Lloydminster Bobcats
Lost quarterfinals, 3–4 vs. Spruce Grove Saints
2006–07 60 30 26 4 — 64 199 211 4th North Lost preliminary series, 1–3 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
2007–08 62 12 44 6 — 30 151 280 8th North Did not qualify
2008–09 62 7 50 5 — 19 122 318 8th North Did not qualify
2009–10 60 12 42 6 — 30 139 269 8th North Did not qualify
2010–11 60 13 39 8 — 34 164 250 8th North Did not qualify
2011–12 60 27 27 6 — 60 187 224 6th North Won Div. Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Lloydminster Bobcats
Lost div. semi-finals, 0–4 vs. Spruce Grove Saints
2012–13 60 30 23 — 7 67 178 177 6th North Lost div. quarter-finals, 1–3 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
2013–14 60 22 33 — 5 49 148 205 7th North Lost div. quarter-finals, 1–3 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons[6]
2014–15 60 24 24 — 12 60 161 191 6th North Lost div. quarter-finals, 0–3 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
2015–16 60 23 33 — 4 50 150 242 6th North Lost div. quarter-finals, 0–3 vs. Lloydminster Bobcats
2016–17 60 17 39 — 4 38 160 252 6th of 8, North
11th of 16, AJHL		 Lost div. quarter-finals, 0–3 vs. Spruce Grove Saints
2017–18 60 17 40 — 3 37 178 298 8th of 8, North
16th of 16, AJHL		 Did not qualify
2018–19 60 24 30 6 — 54 155 191 6th of 8, North
12th of 16, AJHL		 Lost div. quarter-finals, 1–3 vs. Spruce Grove Saints
2019–20 58 26 25 7 — 59 172 189 5th of 8, North
9th of 15, AJHL		 Won Div. Quarterfinals, 4–2 vs. Bonnyville Pontiacs
Postseason cancelled
2020–21 16 8 8 0 — 16 51 50 4th of 8, North
8th of 15, AJHL		 No postseason held
2021–22 60 33 17 10 — 76 203 188 4th of 8, North
6th of 16, AJHL		 Won Div. Quarterfinals, 4–1 vs. Lloydminster Bobcats
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–2 vs. Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Lost Div. Finals, 0–4 vs. Spruce Grove Saints
2022–23 60 15 42 0 3 33 171 268 8th of 8, North
16th of 16, AJHL		 Did Not Qualify for Post Season
2023–24 57 19 35 2 1 41 147 225 9th of 11, AJHL Did Not Qualify for Post Season

NHL alumni

See also

References

  1. ^ "Drayton Valley Thunder Home". Drayton Valley Thunder. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  2. ^ "Omniplex - Town of Drayton Valley". DraytonValley.com. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  3. ^ "Drayton Valley Thunder hockey team statistics and history". hockeydb.com. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  4. ^ "Thunder sign new coach". Drayton Valley Western Review. June 2, 2009. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014.
  5. ^ British Columbia Hockey League (Design, Hosting, Registration & Administration tools by esportsdesk.com) Archived August 9, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Calgary Sun newspaper archives 1998–2014. http://www.calgarysun.com/
  7. ^ Legends of Hockey – NHL Player Search – Player – Clarke MacArthur
  8. ^ Legends of Hockey – NHL Player Search – Player – Darren Reid
  9. ^ Legends of Hockey – NHL Player Search – Player – Ben Scrivens
  10. ^ Legends of Hockey – NHL Player Search – Player – Nick Tarnasky