Okotoks Bisons

Okotoks Bisons
CityOkotoks, Alberta, Canada
LeagueHeritage Junior B Hockey League
DivisionSouth
Founded1985 (1985)–86
Home arenaMurray Arena
ColoursNavy Blue, red, white
     
General managerCanada Ryan Rarick
Head coachCanada Brad Cobb
Websitewww.okotoksbisons.com/
Franchise history
1985–1990Okotoks 85ers
1990–2002Foothills Bisons
2002–presentOkotoks Bisons

The Okotoks Bisons are a junior "B" ice hockey team based in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the South Division of the Heritage Junior B Hockey League (HJHL). They play their home games at Murray Arena.

History

Division titles won: 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2022, 2023, 2024
League Championships won: 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2022, 2023, 2024
Alberta Provincial entries: 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2022, 2023, 2024
Alberta Provincial titles: 2013, 2024
Keystone Cup titles: none

Founded in 1985, the Bisons were originally known as the Okotoks 85ers and played in the Southern Alberta Junior Hockey League. They moved to the Calgary Junior Hockey League in 1989 – changing to the Foothills Bisons one year later – before settling in the Heritage Junior B Hockey League (HJHL) in 1991.

The Bison’s have been the most successful franchise in HJHL history, earning 20 League Final Appearances, 17 1st Place Finishes, 14 HJHL Playoff Championships, 10 Provincial Medals and 1 Western Canadian Championship Medal. The program is also seen as one of the best across Canada with recent national rankings of #1 in 2023-24, #2 2022-23 & #4 in 2021-22.

The Bison’s were at their all-time high between 2011 and 2014 where they made league history by being the first and only team since to win four consecutive league titles in the HJHL. A feat they had come close to in 2001–2003 winning three consecutively. Today, the Bison’s look to capture their fourth consecutive league championships as they have most recently been crowned League Champs in 2022, 2023 & 2024.


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 Pts GF GA PIM Finish Playoffs
1995–96 37 33 3 1 — 67 304 97 — 1st, Overall HJHL Champions
1996–97 36 30 6 — — 60 233 110 — 1st, Overall HJHL Champions
1997–98 37 25 12 0 — 50 224 154 — 4th, Overall Lost in Semifinals
1998–99 37 27 8 2 — 56 214 116 — 3rd, Overall Lost in Finals
1999–00 37 32 3 2 — 66 306 122 — 2nd, Overall Lost in Semifinals
2000–01 37 30 5 2 — 62 285 115 — 2nd, Overall HJHL Champions
2001–02 38 30 7 1 — 61 231 116 — 2nd, Overall HJHL Champions
2002–03 36 30 6 0 — 60 207 76 — 1st, South HJHL Champions
2003–04 36 33 2 1 0 67 241 75 — 1st, South Lost in Finals
2004–05 37 33 3 1 0 67 314 90 — 1st, South HJHL Champions
2005–06 38 36 1 0 1 73 352 74 1406 1st, South HJHL Champions, 2–0 (Vipers)
2006–07 36 30 4 1 1 62 210 112 1486 1st, South Lost Round Robin Finals, 1–3 (Wranglers)
2007–08 36 21 10 1 4 47 166 132 1225 4th, South Lost semifinals, 3–4 (Generals)
2008–09 36 19 12 2 3 43 194 135 1122 3rd, South Lost semifinals, 3–4 (Generals)
2009–10 36 29 2 2 3 63 178 83 1100 1st, South Lost semifinals, 1–3 (Vipers)
2010–11 36 25 11 0 0 50 172 103 995 1st, South HJHL Champions, 2–1 (Wranglers)
2011–12 38 31 6 1 0 63 262 130 — 1st, South HJHL Champions, vs. (Thrashers)
Russ Barnes Trophy
Alberta Silver Medal
2012–13 38 33 2 2 1 69 223 95 — 1st, South HJHL Champions, 3–0 (Vipers)
Russ Barnes Trophy – Alberta Champion
Keystone Cup – Bronze Medal
2013–14 36 26 9 — 1 53 165 116 — 1st, South HJHL Champions, 3–2 (Wranglers)
Russ Barnes Trophy
eliminated pool round
2014–15 38 23 13 — 2 48 162 123 ? 3rd, South Won Div. Qualifier, 0–2 (Academy Bears)
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–0 (Generals)
Lost Div. Finals, 0–4 (Copperheads)
2015–16 38 29 9 — 0 58 214 119 — 2nd, South Lost div. semi-finals, 2–4 (Copperheads)
2016–17 38 26 11 — 1 53 194 135 — 2nd of 7, South
4 of 14, HJHL		 Lost div. semi-finals, 3–4 (Copperheads)
2017–18 36 24 10 — 2 50 179 115 — 2nd of 7, South
3 of 13, HJHL		 Div. Quarterfinals — bye
Won Div. Semifinals, 3–0 (Generals)
Lost Div. Finals, 1–4 (Copperheads)
2018–19 38 27 7 — 4 38 171 93 — 2nd of 7, South
4 of 14, HJHL		 Lost div. semi-finals, 1–4 (Generals)
2019–20 38 35 2 — 1 71 232 84 — 1st of 7, South
1st of 14, HJHL		 Won Div. Semifinals, 4–0 (Flyers)
Incomplete Div. Finals, 2–1 (Generals)
2020–21 3 3 0 – 0 6 18 4 – Remaining season lost to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 36 33 2 — 1 67 248 67 — 1st of 7, South
1st of 14, HJHL		 Won Div. Semifinals, 4–1 (Wheat Kings)
Won Division Finals 4–2 (Cubs)
Won League Finals 3–0 (Generals)
HJBHL CHAMPIONS
Advance to Russ Barnes Championships
2022–23 38 35 3 — 0 70 188 76 — 1st of 6, South
1st of 14, HJHL		 Won Div. Semifinals, 4–0 (Wheat Kings)
Won Division Finals 4–0 (Cubs)
Won League Finals 3–0 (Wranglers)
HJBHL CHAMPIONS
Host Russ Barnes Championships
2023–24 38 34 3 — 1 69 185 68 — 1st of 6, South
1st of 13, HJHL		 Won Quarterfinals, 3-1 (Flyers)
Won Semifinals 3–0 (Rams)
Won League Finals 4-2 (Wranglers)
HJBHL CHAMPIONS
Advance to Russ Barnes Championships

Russ Barnes Trophy

Alberta Jr B Provincial Championships

Year Round Robin Record Standing Semifinal Bronze Medal Game Gold Medal Game
2003 W, St. Paul Canadiens 5–2
W, Calgary Royal Gold 3–1
W, Spruce Grove Regals 6–3		 3–0–0 n/a L, Fort St. John Huskies 1–3 W, Lloydminster Bandits 7–5
Bronze Medalists		 n/a
2005 L, North Peace Navigators 2–4
W, Calgary Bruins 7–0
T, Beverly Warriors 4–4 		1–1–1 n/a L, Calgary Stampeders 4–6 L, North Peace Navigators 1–3 n/a
2006 W, N Edmonton Red Wings 5–3
W, Calgary Stampeders 6–2
T, Grande Prairie Wheelers 6–6 		2–0–1 n/a L, Red Deer Vipers 2–3 W, N Edmonton Red Wings 5–4
Bronze Medalists		 n/a
2011 L, North Peace Navigators 6–8
L, Beaumont Chiefs 3–6
W, Calgary Blazers 4–2		 1–2–0 n/a Did not qualify n/a n/a
2012 L, Whitecourt Wolverines 3–4
W, Spruce Grove Regals 2–3
W, Killam 6–0 		1–2–0 n/a W, Edmonton Royals 5–2 n/a L, Whitecourt Wolverines 1–5
'Silver Medalists
2013 T, Wainwright Bisons, 2–2
W, Sherwood Park Knights, 6–2
W, Calgary Rangers, 7–1 		2–0–1 n/a W, Red Deer Vipers, 7–2 n/a W, Sherwood Park Knights, 8–4
GOLD MEDALIST
Advance to Keystone Cup
2022 W, Wainwright Bisons, 4–0
T, Sherwood Park Knights, 6–6
W, CBHA Rangers, 2–0 		2–0–1 1st of 4 Pool B L, Fort St. John Huskies 2–5 W, Sherwood Park Knights 5–2
Bronze Medalists		 n/a
2023
HOST		 W, Fort St. John Huskies, 5–4
W, Sylvan Lake Wranglers, 4–0
W, Sherwood Park Knights, 6–3
L, Wainwright Bisons 4–5 		3–1–1 1st of 6 no semi's n/a L, Wainwright Bisons 1–3
Silver Medalists
2024 W, St. Albert Merchants, 6-5
L, La Crete Lumber Barons, 1-5
W, North Peace Navigators, 5-3
W, Wainwright Bisons, 4-3
 3-1–0 2nd of 6 n/a n/a Won 6-3
La Crete Lumber Barons
Gold Medalists

Awards and trophies

HJHL Championship

  • 1995–96, 1996–97, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2021–22, 2022-23, 2023-24

ALBERTA Championship

  • 2013, 2024

See also

References