Penticton Vees

Penticton Vees
CityPenticton, British Columbia
LeagueBritish Columbia Hockey League
DivisionInterior
Founded1961 (1961)
Home arenaSouth Okanagan Events Centre
ColoursBlack, blue, and white
     
General managerFred Harbinson
Head coachFred Harbinson
Franchise history
1961–1963Penticton Junior Vees
1964–1975Penticton Broncos
1975–1979Penticton Vees
1979–1990Penticton Knights
1990–2004Penticton Panthers
2004–presentPenticton Vees

The Penticton Vees are a junior "A" ice hockey team from Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League. The junior Vees were founded in 1961, sharing the name of the senior hockey team, the Penticton Vees, and since resuming full league play after Covid-19, have repeated as BCHL League Champions in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

History

The Junior Vees were one of the inaugural teams in the Okanagan-Mainline Junior Hockey League (OMJHL), launched in 1961. The league became the British Columbia Junior Hockey League (BCJHL) in 1967.

The Penticton Vees were named for the Veteren, Valiant, and Vidette varieties of peaches grown in the Okanagan Valley.[1]

The Vees were Mowat Cup champions in 1968, 1973, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, as well as in 1986, when they were also Centennial Cup champions. After 26 years since their last RBC Cup appearance, the Vees advanced to the championship game in the 2012 RBC Cup in Humboldt, Saskatchewan, defeating the Woodstock Slammers 4–3 on a goal by Joey Benik to win the Canadian National Junior A Championship.

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes

Season GP W L T OTL GF GA Pts Finish Playoffs
1961–62 27 9 18 0 — 93 149 18 3rd, OMJHL Lost in Semifinals, 1–3 (Rockets)
1962–63 31 1 30 0 — 61 300 2 4th, OMJHL Lost in Semifinals, 0–2 (default) (Rockets)
1963–64 Did not participate
1964–65 30 11 15 4 — 104 159 26 3rd, OJHL Lost in Semifinals, 1–4 (Kraft Kings)
1965–66 30 15 14 1 — 145 113 31 3rd, OJHL Lost in Semifinals, 1–4 (Buckaroos)
1966–67 40 33 7 0 — 66 1st, OJHL Fred Page Cup Champions, 4–1 (Buckaroos)
1967–68 40 30 8 2 — 218 123 62 1st Won finals
Won Mowat Cup
Won BC/AB Championship
Lost Abbott Cup
1968–69 40 23 14 3 — 209 157 49 2nd Lost in Finals
1969–70 48 19 23 6 — 188 202 44 5th Did not qualify
1970–71 60 36 19 5 — 275 203 77 2nd Did not compete in league playoffs
Lost Doyle Cup
1971–72 60 33 20 7 — 73 2nd Lost in Finals
1972–73 62 41 18 3 — 314 232 85 2nd Won finals
Won Mowat Cup
Won Doyle Cup
Lost Abbott Cup
1973–74 64 38 24 2 — 310 280 78 3rd Lost in Semi-finals
1974–75 66 35 29 2 — 379 334 72 2nd Lost in Quarter-finals
1975–76 66 27 36 3 — 302 337 57 6th Lost in Finals
1976–77 68 43 22 3 — 404 307 89 3rd Lost in Finals
1977–78 66 47 17 2 — 492 303 96 2nd Forfeited Finals
1978–79 62 23 37 2 — 263 310 48 10th Did not qualify
1979–80 60 41 18 1 — 350 240 83 2nd Won finals
Won Mowat Cup
Lost Doyle Cup
1980–81 56 35 20 1 — 267 227 71 2nd Won finals
Won Mowat Cup
Lost Doyle Cup
1981–82 48 43 5 0 — 364 130 86 1st Won finals
Won Mowat Cup
Lost Doyle Cup
1982–83 56 34 22 0 — 355 249 68 5th Lost in Semi-finals
1983–84 60 47 13 0 — 448 197 94 1st Lost in Finals
1984–85 52 47 5 0 — 498 193 94 1st Won finals
Won Mowat Cup
Won Doyle Cup
Won Abbott Cup
Lost Centennial Cup
1985–86 52 44 8 0 — 433 195 88 1st Won finals
Won Mowat Cup
Won Doyle Cup
Won Abbott Cup
Won Centennial Cup
1986–87 52 30 19 3 — 284 205 63 5th Lost in Quarter-finals
1987–88 52 26 26 0 — 268 252 52 6th Lost in Semi-finals
1988–89 60 16 42 2 — 260 351 34 10th Did not qualify
1989–90 27 6 21 0 — 107 174 12 10th Folded in season
1990–91 60 13 44 3 — 245 358 29 10th Did not qualify
1991–92 60 38 20 2 — 321 277 78 3rd Lost in Quarter-finals
1992–93 60 35 23 2 — 350 282 72 2nd Lost in Semi-finals
1993–94 60 40 17 3 — 341 261 83 3rd Lost in Quarter-finals
1994–95 60 42 16 2 — 321 250 86 1st in Interior Lost in Semi-finals
1995–96 60 32 26 2 — 269 248 66 2nd in Interior Lost in Quarter-finals
1996–97 60 31 27 2 — 285 236 64 3rd in Interior Lost in Quarter-finals
1997–98 60 45 12 3 — 296 177 93 1st in Interior Lost in Finals
1998–99 60 33 22 — 5 230 197 71 3rd in Interior Lost in Quarter-finals
1999–00 60 42 14 — 4 283 167 88 1st in Interior Lost in Quarter-finals
2000–01 60 48 10 — 2 280 166 98 1st in Interior Lost in Semi-finals
2001–02 60 32 21 — 7 222 209 71 2nd in Interior Lost in Semi-finals
2002–03 60 20 32 2 6 222 268 48 6th in Interior Lost in Preliminary
2003–04 60 22 28 1 9 178 237 54 7th of 8, Interior
15th of 17, BCHL		 Did not qualify
2004–05 60 25 26 2 7 180 193 59 6th of 8, Interior
11 of 17, BCHL		 Lost in Quarter-finals
2005–06 60 41 13 2 4 245 137 88 2nd of 8, Interior
4th of 17, BCHL		 Lost in Finals
2006–07 60 41 14 2 3 231 163 87 1st of 9, Interior
1st of 17, BCHL		 Lost in Semi-finals
2007–08 60 41 15 2 2 235 146 86 1st of 8, Interior
1st of 16, BCHL		 Won 1st round, 4-3 (Vipers)
Won semi-finals, 4-0 (Warriors)
Won finals, 4-0 (Clippers)
2008–09 60 36 17 0 7 220 159 79 4th of 8, Interior
4th of 16, BCHL		 Did not qualify
2009–10 60 48 8 0 4 284 143 100 2nd of 9, Interior
2nd of 17, BCHL		 Lost semi-finals
2010–11 60 38 17 3 2 217 171 81 2nd of 8, Interior
3rd of 16, BCHL		 Won 1st round, 4-0 (Millionaires)
Lost 2nd round, 4-1 (Silverbacks)
2011–12 60 54 4 0 2 334 133 110 1st of 8, Interior
1st of 16, BCHL		 Won 1st round, 4-2 (Chiefs)
Won semi-finals, 4-1 (Centennials)
Won finals, 4-0 (Kings)
Won Doyle Cup, 4-1 (Bandits)
Won Royal Bank Cup, 4-3 (Slammers)
2012–13 56 35 16 0 5 197 137 75 1st of 6, Interior
2nd of 16, BCHL		 Won 1st round, 4-0 (Silverbacks)
Won semi-finals, 4-1 (Warriors)
Lost finals, 4-2 (Eagles)
2013–14 58 36 16 2 4 199 137 78 1st of 6, Interior
3rd of 16, BCHL		 Won 1st round, 4-0 (Centennials)
Lost 2nd round, 4-3 (Vipers)
2014–15 58 44 9 3 2 216 115 93 1st of 6, Interior
1st of 16, BCHL		 Won 1st round, (Warriors)
Won 2nd round, 4-3 (Vipers)
Won final, 4-2 (Clippers)
Won Western Canada Cup, 4-1 (Terriers)
Lost Royal Bank Cup, 1-0 (Canadians)
2015–16 58 50 7 1 0 263 121 101 1st of 6, Interior
1st of 17, BCHL		 Won first round, 4-0 (Vipers)
Lost division finals, 4-2 (Warriors)
2016–17 58 41 13 3 1 189 129 86 1st of 6, Interior
3rd of 17, BCHL		 Won Div. Semi-finals 3–4 (Centennials)
Won Div. Finals 4–3 (Vipers)
Won League Finals, 4–3 (Chiefs)
2017–18 58 40 12 3 3 216 130 86 1st of 7, Interior
1st of 17, BCHL		 Won Div. Quarterfinals 4–0 (Express)
Lost div. semi-finals 3–4 (Smoke Eaters)
2018–19 58 37 16 — 5 200 143 79 1st of 7, Interior
3rd of 17, BCHL		 Lost First Round, 2–4 (Capitals)
2019–20 58 44 12 0 2 225 135 90 1st of 7, Interior
2nd of 17, BCHL		 Won First Round, 4–1 (Warriors)
Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 20 18 1 0 1 90 23 37 1st of 3, Penticton Pod
1st of 16, BCHL		 Covid-19 "pod season" - no playoffs
2021–22 54 43 8 1 2 256 123 89 1st of 9, Interior
1st of 18, BCHL		 Won Div Quarterfinal, 4–1 (Smoke Eaters)
Won Div. Semifinal, 4–0 (Spruce Kings)
Won Div. Finals, 4–0 (Warriors)
Won League Finals, 4–0 (Clippers)
2022–23 54 50 3 0 0 304 96 101 1st of 9, Interior
1st of 18, BCHL		 Won 1st round, 4-0 (Smoke Eaters)
Won 2nd round, 4-0 (Wild)
Won semi-finals, 4-1 (Silverbacks)
Won finals, 4-0 (Bulldogs)
2023–24 54 38 10 0 3 202 116 82 1st of 8, Interior
2nd of 17, BCHL		 Won 1st round, 4-0 (Spruce Kings)
Won 2nd round, 4-1 (Vipers)
Won semi-finals, 4-3 (Silverbacks)
Lost finals, 4-2 (Eagles)

Western Canada Cup

Western Canada Cup was the Western Canada Junior A Championship held from 2013 to 2017. The champions from the AJHL, BCHL, MJHL, SJHL, and a host team competed in round-robin tournament. After the round-robin, the first and second place team played for championship, the loser then played a runner-up g game against the winner of a third vs. fourth semifinal game. The champion and runners-up would then qualify to compete for the RBC Cup and the National Junior A Championship.

Year Round-robin Record Standing Semifinal Championship game Runner-up game
2015 W, Spruce Grove Saints 11–3
W, Fort McMurray Oil Barons 6–0
W, Melfort Mustangs 3–1
L, Portage Terriers 2–3		 3–1–0 1st of 5 — W, Portage Terriers 4–3
Champions		 —
2017
Host		 OTW, Battlefords North Stars 2–1
OTL, Brooks Bandits 1–2
L, Chilliwack Chiefs 2–4
W, Portage Terriers 5–3		 1–1–1–1 3rd of 5 W, Battlefords North Stars 4–0 — W, Chilliwack Chiefs 3–2

National Junior A Championship

The National Junior A Championship, formerly known as the Royal Bank Cup from 1996 to 2018, is the annual championship tournament for Hockey Canada's junior A hockey leagues. Depending on the year, various regional champions, qualifiers, and hosts participate in the championship tournament. The tournament usually consists of opening in a round-robin with the top four teams then advancing to a semifinal were the winners compete a championship game.

Year Round-robin Record Standing Semifinal Championship Game
2012 L, Soo Thunderbirds 1–2
OTL, Humboldt Broncos 2–3
W Woodstock Slammers 2–1
W, Portage Terriers 3–1		 2–1–1 3rd of 5 W, Soo Thunderbirds 3–0 W, Woodstock Slammers 3–2
National Champions
2015 L, Portage Terriers 2–3
W, Melfort Mustangs 4–0
W Carleton Place Canadians 4–3
W, Soo Thunderbirds 5–2		 3–1–0 2nd of 5 L, Carleton Place Canadians 1–2 (2OT) —
2017 OTL, Brooks Bandits 1–2
OTW, Cobourg Cougars 3–2
W, Trenton Golden Hawks 4–0
L, Terrebonne Cobras 1–3		 1–1–1–1 4th of 5 L, Cobourg Cougars 1–3 —

NHL alumni

Forty-three alumni of the junior Penticton team have moved on to play in the National Hockey League.

In the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Bradly Nadeau was drafted in the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes (# 30 overall) as the only first-round BCHL player selected and Aydar Suniev was selected #80 by Calgary Flames. 19 2022-23 players have committed to NCAA Hockey teams, including the two NHL draftees.

Penticton Broncos (1964–1975)[2]

Penticton Vees (1975–1979)[3]

Penticton Knights (1979–1990)[4]

Penticton Panthers (1990–2004)[5]

Penticton Vees (2004–present)

See also

References

  1. ^ "Cinderella Had Nothing On Penticton V's Club". Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. February 12, 1955. p. 21.Free access icon
  2. ^ Penticton Broncos alumni search from legendsofhockey.net
  3. ^ Penticton Vees (junior) alumni search from legendsofhockey.net
  4. ^ Penticton Knights alumni search from legendsofhockey.net
  5. ^ Penticton Panthers alumni search from legendsofhockey.net
Preceded by Centennial Cup Champions
1986 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Royal Bank Cup Champions
2012 		Succeeded by