Nelson Leafs

Nelson Leafs
CityNelson, British Columbia
LeagueKootenay International Junior Hockey League
ConferenceKootenay
DivisionNeil Murdoch
Founded1968 (1968)–69 (KHL)
Home arenaNelson and District Community Complex
(capacity: 1472)
ColoursGreen and white
   
MascotBud the Bear
PresidentCorey Viala
General managerBriar McNaney
Head coachBriar McNaney
CaptainLeighton Partington
Websitewww.nelsonleafs.ca
Franchise history
1968-71Nelson JR. Maple Leafs (KHL/WKHL)
1971-86, 1988-94Nelson Maple Leafs (KIJHL)
1994-99Nelson Leafs (RMJHL)
1999-PresentNelson Leafs (KIJHL)


The Nelson Leafs are a Junior 'A' ice hockey team based in Nelson, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Neil Murdoch Division of the Kootenay Conference of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). They play their home games at Nelson and District Community Complex.

History

The team was originally known as the Nelson Maple Leafs but changed its name to the Leafs in 1994 when it joined the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League (RMJHL). The team returned to the KIJHL in 1999 but continued to be known as the Leafs.

The Leafs are the 1968-69, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1999-00, 2008–09 KIJHL champions.

In the 2006-07 season, the Leafs made it to the KIJHL finals, but lost to the Fernie Ghostriders 4-2. In the 2008-09 season, the Leafs won the KIJHL championship 4-0 over the Kamloops Storm. Then in the 2009-10 season, the Leafs went to the KIJHL finals, but lost 4-1 to the Revelstoke Grizzlies.

The Leafs hosted the Cyclone Taylor Cup, the Junior B provincial championship, in April 2014 but finished fourth.

Season-by-season record

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

Records as of February 17, 2024.[1][2]

Season GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA Finish Playoffs
1969–70 32 13 19 0 — 26 165 179 3rd, KHL
1970–71 28 11 17 0 — 22 — — 3rd, WKHL
1971–72 32 11 21 0 — 22 129 198 4th, WKHL
1972–73 30 6 22 2 — 14 109 251 3rd, West
1973–74* 16 0 16 0 — 0 39 163 4th, West Did not participate (withdrew)
1974–75 34 7 27 0 — 14 120 238 4th, West
1975–76 34 13 21 0 — 26 139 184 3rd, West
1976–77 44 21 22 1 — 43 190 213 4th, West
1977–78 42 14 28 0 — 28 166 240 4th, West
1978–79 40 11 28 1 — 23 151 227 5th, West
1979–80 40 19 21 0 — 38 200 272 3rd, West
1980–81 40 17 23 0 — 34 197 209 3rd, West
1981–82 42 27 15 0 — 54 279 218 2nd, West
1982–83 42 15 27 0 — 30 238 264 4th, West
1983–84 40 15 25 0 — 30 209 277 6th, West
1984–85 40 19 20 1 — 39 236 228 4th, West
1985–86* 34 3 30 1 — 7 161 324 6th, West Did not participate (withdrew)
1986–88* Did not participate (folded)
1988–89 45 40 4 1 — 81 373 163 1st, West Lost in finals (Rockies)
1989–90 40 36 3 1 — 73 298 122 1st, West Lost in finals (Rockies)
1990–91* 41 25 15 1 — 51 201 159 2nd, West
1991–92 38 30 6 2 — 62 250 107 1st, West KIJHL champions (Braves)
1992–93 42 27 14 1 — 55 293 139 3rd, West KIJHL champions (Rockies)
1993–94 40 27 12 1 — 55 279 181 2nd, West
Season GP W L T SOL Pts GF GA Finish Playoffs
1994–95 52 37 13 — 2 76 287 233 1st, Kootenay Lost in division semifinals, 0-4 (Thunder)
1995–96 58 33 23 — 2 68 234 236 2nd, Kootenay Lost in division semifinals, 0-4 (Ghostriders)
1996–97 60 31 23 — 6 68 271 273 2nd, RMJHL Lost in semifinals, 0-4 (Colts)
1997–98 54 20 31 — 3 43 258 272 5th, RMJHL Lost in semifinals, 0-4 (Dynamiters)
1998–99 45 20 25 — 0 40 190 195 3rd, RMJHL Lost in semifinals, 3-4 (Ghostriders)
Season GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA Finish Playoffs
1999–00 45 29 11 5 — 65 236 138 1st, Neil Murdoch KIJHL champions (Eagles)
2000–01 58 27 24 4 3 61 237 237 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in division semifinals, 0-4 (Nitehawks)
2001–02 50 19 22 5 4 47 172 199 3rd, Neil Murdoch Lost in division semifinals, 1-4 (Rebels)
2002–03 50 24 23 3 0 51 203 202 2nd, Neil Murdoch Lost in division finals, 3-4 (Nitehawks)
2003–04 50 25 21 3 1 54 228 208 3rd, Neil Murdoch Lost in division semifinals, 0-4 (Braves)
2004–05 50 18 26 4 2 42 167 194 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in division semifinals, 0-4 (Nitehawks)
2005–06 50 24 17 6 3 57 208 169 3rd, Neil Murdoch Lost in division finals, 0-4 (Nitehawks)
2006–07 52 40 10 2 0 82 253 163 1st, Neil Murdoch Lost in finals, 2–4 (Ghostriders)
2007–08 52 32 11 9 0 73 214 162 1st, Neil Murdoch: West Lost in division finals, 3-4 (Nitehawks)
2008–09 52 43 7 2 0 88 248 128 1st, Neil Murdoch KIJHL champions, 4-0 (Storm)
2009–10 50 36 10 2 2 76 247 128 1st, Neil Murdoch Lost in finals, 1–4 (Grizzlies)
2010–11 50 25 22 0 3 53 173 187 3rd, Neil Murdoch Lost in division semifinals, 3–4 (Nitehawks)
2011–12 52 30 17 0 5 65 259 167 3rd, Neil Murdoch Lost in division semifinals, 1-4 (Rebels)
2012–13 52 32 16 2 2 68 207 158 3rd, Neil Murdoch Lost in division semifinals, 2-4 (Nitehawks)
2013–14 52 38 9 1 4 81 247 161 1st, Neil Murdoch Lost in division finals, 2-4 (Nitehawks)
2014–15 52 23 23 2 4 52 173 145 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in division semifinals, 1-4 (Nitehawks)
2015–16 52 20 29 1 2 42 143 178 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in division semifinals, 0-4 (Nitehawks)
2016–17 47 21 21 1 4 47 148 160 3rd of 5 Neil Murdoch
11th of 20 - KIJHL		 Lost in Division Semifinals, 0-4 (Nitehawks)
2017–18 47 33 9 2 3 71 164 101 1st of 5 Neil Murdoch
3rd of 20 - KIJHL		 Lost in Conf. Finals, 2-4 (Dynamiters)
2018–19 49 35 11 2 1 72 200 130 1st of 5 Neil Murdoch
4th of 20 - KIJHL		 Lost Divisional Finals, 2-4 (Nitehawks)
2019–20 49 30 13 0 6 66 199 156 2nd of 5, Neil Murdoch
6 of 20 KIJHL		 Won Div Semifinals, 4-0, (Braves)
Incomplete Div Final 2-0 (Nitehawks)
Playoffs cancelled due to covid-19
2020–21 3 3 0 0 0 6 24 7 1st of 5, Neil Murdoch Rest of season cancelled due to covid-19
2021–22 42 31 10 0 1 63 171 93 1st of 5, Neil Murdoch
4th of 19 KIJHL 		Lost League Final, 1-4, (Grizzlies)
2022 - 23 44 24 15 - 5 53 150 137 2nd, Neil Murdoch Lost Div Semifinals, 2-4, (Nitehawks)
2023–24 44 24 17 3 — 51 167 159 3rd of 5, Neil Murdoch
10th of 20 KIJHL		 Lost Div Semifinals, 1-4, (Border Bruins)
Notes
  1. 1973-74 season: Nelson withdrew from play for balance of season
  2. 1985-86 season: Nelson withdrew on January 15, 1986
  3. 1986-87 and 1987-88 seasons: Nelson did not participate (folded)
  4. Stats for the 1990-91 season are only thru February 17, 1991. May not be complete

Playoffs

Records as of February 27, 2024.[3][4][5]

Season 1st round 2nd round 3rd Round Finals
1994–95 L, 0-4, Creston Valley — — —
1995–96 L, 0-4, Fernie — — —
1996–97 W, 4-3, Creston Valley L, 0-4, Cranbrook — —
1997–98 W, 2-0, Castlegar L, 0-4, Kimberley — —
1998–99 L, 3-4, Fernie — — —
1999–00 W, 4-2, Castlegar W, Beaver Valley — W, Sicamous
2000–01 L, 0-4, Beaver Valley — — —
2001–02 L, 1-4, Castlegar — — —
2002–03 W, 4-2, Spokane L, 3-4, Beaver Valley — —
2003–04 L, 3-4, Spokane — — —
2004–05 L, 0-4, Beaver Valley — — —
2005–06 W, 4-1, Castlegar L, 0-4, Beaver Valley — —
2006–07 W, 4-0, Spokane W, 4-2, Beaver Valley Bye L, 2-4, Fernie
2007–08 Bye L, 3-4, Beaver Valley — —
2008–09 W, 4-1, Spokane W, 4-0, Castlegar W, 3-0, Fernie W, 4-0, Kamloops
2009–10 W, 4-3, Beaver Valley W, 4-3 Spokane W, 4-1 Fernie L, 1-4 Revelstoke
2010–11 L, 3-4, Beaver Valley — — —
2011–12 L, 1-4, Castlegar — — —
2012–13 L, 1-4, Beaver Valley — — —
2013–14 W, 4-2, Spokane L, 2-4, Beaver Valley — —
2014–15 L, 1-4, Beaver Valley — — —
2015–16 L, 0-4, Beaver Valley — — —
2016–17 W, 4-2, Castlegar L, 0-4, Beaver Valley — —
2017–18 W, 4-1, Grand Forks W, 4-1, Castlegar L, 2-4, Kimberley —
2018–19 W, 4-3, Spokane L, 2-4, Beaver Valley — —
2019-20 W, 4-0 Spokane Incomplete, 2-0, Beaver Valley — —
2020-21 Playoffs cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic
2021-22 W, 4-3 Castelgar W, 4-2 Beaver Valley W, 4-2 Kimberley L, 1-4 Revelstoke
2022-23 L, 2-4, Beaver Valley — — —
2023-24 L, 1-4, Grand Forks — — —
Notes
  1. The RMJHL playoffs had three playoff rounds.
  2. The final 1998-99 RMJHL playoffs had two playoff rounds.

Cyclone Taylor Cup

Season Round Robin Semifinals Finals
1999–00 no round robin W, 2-1, CRS L, 0-2, ABB
2008–09 record unavailable
advance to championship game		 — L, 2-6, RIC
2013–14 Tournament host (0-2-1)
relegated to consolation game		 L, 0-3, VIC —

NHL alumni

Other notable alumni

Awards and trophies

References

  1. ^ KIJHL.ca, Regular season standings 2011–2012. Archived 2013-01-02 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ KIJHL.ca – KIJHL Final Standings.
  3. ^ KIJHL.ca, Playoff Bracket 2011–2012. Archived 2012-05-05 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "KIJHL.ca – Playoff Records". Archived from the original on 2012-09-16. Retrieved 2012-10-18.
  5. ^ KIJHL.ca, Past KIJHL League Champions.