The Cranbrook Colts were a Junior "B" and a Junior "A" team in Cranbrook, British Columbia. They were formed in 1970 as a Junior "B" team in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. They were immediately successful, winning the league title in their first four years. The Colts jumped to the Junior "A" Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League in 1991, winning three league titles in their seven years in the league.

Cranbrook Colts
CityCranbrook, British Columbia, Canada
LeagueKootenay International Junior Hockey League
Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League
Operated1971 (1971)-1998
ColoursBlack and White

The Colts folded in 1998 and with that, the whole league (RMJHL) the year after folded, because of the forming of the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook, British Columbia, a major junior team in the Western Hockey League. The Ice relocated to Winnipeg, Manitoba after the 2018-19 WHL season, going back once again to junior "A" in the BCHL for the 2020-21 BCHL season, as the Cranbrook Bucks.

Championships

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History

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In 1971, the Cranbrook Colts joined the KIJHL with a partial schedule. After going undefeated in nineteen games, Colts went on to win the league playoff title. For much of the 1970s, the Colts were the elite of the KIJHL and amongst the best British Columbia Junior B hockey had to offer. The Colts went on to win KIJHL playoff titles in 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, and 1976, topping this off with Cyclone Taylor Cups as Provincial Champions in 1974 and 1975.

In the early 1980s, the Colts came back to their winning ways, taking league titles in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987. They completed this dynastic run by winning the Cyclone Taylor Cup a total of five times, first in 1982, then consecutively in 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987.

In 1991, the Colts joined the Peace-Cariboo Junior Hockey League with a group of other KIJHL teams to form the Kootenay Division of what was to now be known as the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League. The PCJHL had been a tiny Junior "A" league bridging the British Columbia-Alberta North-Central border since 1980. The Southern expansion into the Kootenays was an effort to increase the talent pool and to venture into an area that British Columbia Junior Hockey League had yet to claim. The Colts would continue to dominate, even as a Junior "A" team, winning league championships in 1995, 1997, and 1998.

In 1998, the Western Hockey League's Edmonton Ice was failing and was sold and moved to Cranbrook. The Colts folded to make way for the Major Junior team.

Season-by-season standings

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Season GP W L T OTL GF GA P Results Playoffs
1971-72 19 19 0 0 - 193 48 38 3rd WKHL Won League
1972-73 30 25 5 0 - 230 92 50 1st KIJHL-E Won League
1973-74 30 26 3 1 - 245 116 53 1st KIJHL-E Won League, won CTC
1974-75 34 32 2 0 - 237 111 64 1st KIJHL-E Won League, won CTC
1975-76 34 24 10 0 - 207 139 48 1st KIJHL-E Won League
1976-77 44 20 23 1 - 241 221 41 1st KIJHL-E
1977-78 42 17 25 0 - 209 229 34 3rd KIJHL-E
1978-79 40 26 13 1 - 264 205 53 2nd KIJHL-E
1979-80 40 21 16 3 - 217 178 45 3rd KIJHL-E
1980-81 40 36 3 1 - 293 141 73 1st KIJHL-E
1981-82 42 37 5 0 - 381 162 74 1st KIJHL-E Won League, won CTC
1982-83 42 36 6 0 - 331 154 72 1st KIJHL-E Won League
1983-84 42 29 12 1 - 318 221 59 2nd KIJHL-E Won League, won CTC
1984-85 42 34 8 0 - 303 187 68 1st KIJHL-E Won League, won CTC
1985-86 39 32 7 0 - 310 184 64 1st KIJHL-E Won League, won CTC
1986-87 42 33 8 1 - 303 171 67 1st KIJHL-E Won League, won CTC
1987-88 42 33 9 0 - 336 180 66 2nd KIJHL-E
1988-89 43 25 18 0 - 270 172 50 2nd KIJHL-E
1989-90 40 20 20 0 - 226 215 40 2nd KIJHL-E
1990-91 40 15 24 1 - 183 223 31 3rd KIJHL-E
1991-92 52 29 20 3 - 220 173 61 2nd RMJHL-K Lost semi-final
1992-93 52 31 20 - 1 262 194 63 3rd RMJHL-K Lost final
1993-94 52 34 17 - 1 295 239 69 2nd RMJHL-K Lost semi-final
1994-95 52 37 15 - 0 312 193 74 2nd RMJHL-K Won League
1995-96 58 37 21 - 0 295 197 74 1st RMJHL-K Lost quarter-final
1996-97 60 34 24 - 2 309 281 70 1st RMJHL Won League
1997-98 54 35 14 - 5 311 202 75 2nd RMJHL Won League

Playoffs

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  • 1992 Lost semi-final
Cranbrook Colts defeated Fernie Ghostriders 4-games-to-none
Trail Smoke Eaters defeated Cranbrook Colts 4-games-to-3
  • 1993 Lost final
Cranbrook Colts defeated Kimberley Dynamiters 4-games-to-2
Cranbrook Colts defeated Trail Smoke Eaters 4-games-to-2
Williams Lake Mustangs defeated Cranbrook Colts 3-games-to-2
  • 1994 Lost semi-final
Cranbrook Colts defeated Creston Valley Thunder 4-games-to-1
Kimberley Dynamiters defeated Cranbrook Colts 4-games-to-1
Cranbrook Colts defeated Kimberley Dynamiters 4-games-to-none
Cranbrook Colts defeated Creston Valley Thunder 4-games-to-none
Cranbrook Colts defeated Prince George Spruce Kings 4-games-to-2 RMJHL CHAMPIONS
Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL) defeated Cranbrook Colts 3-games-to-none
  • 1996 Lost quarter-final
Kimberley Dynamiters defeated Cranbrook Colts 4-games-to-2
Kimberley Dynamiters defeated Cranbrook Colts 4-games-to-3
Cranbrook Colts defeated Nelson Leafs 4-games-to-none
Cranbrook Colts defeated Fernie Ghostriders 4-games-to-none RMJHL CHAMPIONS
South Surrey Eagles (BCHL) defeated Cranbrook Colts 3-games-to-none
Cranbrook Colts defeated Fernie Ghostriders 4-games-to-1
Cranbrook Colts defeated Kimberley Dynamiters 4-games-to-3 RMJHL CHAMPIONS
South Surrey Eagles (BCHL) defeated Cranbrook Colts 3-games-to-none


Notable alumni

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