Seattle Thunderbirds
Encyclopedia
The Seattle Thunderbirds are a junior ice hockey
team based in Kent
, a suburb of Seattle
, Washington. They are part of the U.S. Division of the Western Hockey League
, and play in the ShoWare Center. The team is coached by Steve Konowalchuk
and the general manager is Russ Farwell
.
of the Western Canada Hockey League
(WCHL) but moved to Kamloops
, British Columbia
, to become the Kamloops Chiefs
in 1973.
, known to most local fans as the Mercer Arena, which had a seating capacity of 4,139. Through eight seasons, the Breakers finished with a record of 225-319-32 and playoff record of 11-21, although they twice played in the West Division Finals. http://www.seattlehockey.net/Seattle_Hockey_Homepage/Breakers.html
The 1986-1987 season saw the addition of Glen Goodall
, who would remain with the team through 1990. Goodall would go on to set the Western Hockey League
career records for most games played (399), goals scored (262), assists (311) and points (573).http://www.whl.ca/whlofficialguide He is still the Thunderbirds leader in goals, assists and points.http://www.seattlethunderbirds.com/page/pages-team-records His jersey, number 10, is the only one to be retired by the Thunderbirds.
The 1989-1990 season was the best regular season in Thunderbird history, and arguably the greatest team the franchise has ever iced. Seattle finished the season at 52-17-3, which included a 44-8-3 record in their final 55 and the #1 ranking in the final Canadian Hockey League Regular Season Top Ten poll. The team finished 33-2-1 at home tying a WHL record for most home wins. Goodall won the Most Valuable Player award finishing with 76 goals and 87 assists for 163 points, and Petr Nedved
won Rookie of the Year. Seattle placed 3 scorers in the top 6 in the league Glen Goodall 2nd with 163 points, Victor Gervais 3rd with 160 points and Petr Nedved 6th with 145 points. Peter Kasowski came over in a trade from Swift Current and finished 13th with 129 points. Goaltender Danny Lorenz finished his career with a WHL record most career saves and minutes played. The team was so popular that they began to play home games in the Seattle Center Coliseum, which could seat over 12,000 for hockey and was frequently sold out. The Thunderbirds defeated the Tri-City Americans 5 games to 2 in the division semifinals, before losing to the eventual Western Hockey League Champion Kamloops Blazers 5 games to 1 in the division finals.
In 1992 the Thunderbirds hosted the Canadian Hockey League
championship, the Memorial Cup
, but lost in the semi-finals.
The 1996-1997 team, led by Patrick Marleau
, finished the season with a record of 41-27-4. They won the Western Conference by beating the Prince George Cougars
4 games to 2. Seattle was beaten by Lethbridge
4 games to 0 in the WHL championship series.
The 2002-2003 season saw the team advance to the conference finals on the back of Brooks Laich
, who was named the Western Conference MVP with 41 goals and 94 points. After convincing wins in the early rounds of the playoffs, the Thunderbirds lost to the Kelowna Rockets
four games to one. http://www.seattlehockey.net/thunderbirds/thunderbirds.htm
). Unfortunately, the KeyArena was ill-suited for hockey, as the sight lines were designed for basketball and the ice surface was so far off center that the scoreboard hung over the Thunderbirds' offensive zone instead of center ice. In 2009, the team moved from the KeyArena in Seattle to the newly built ShoWare Center, 20 miles south in Kent, Washington
, where they became the anchor tenant. http://www.showarecenter.com/venue/venue_overview
carving of a thunderbird
with the word "Seattle" etched into it, framed by two hockey sticks. It is similar to the logo of the Seattle Seahawks
of the National Football League
. http://www.seattle-thunderbirds.com/news/news.php?id=236.
players started with the Thunderbirds:
Junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
team based in Kent
Kent, Washington
Kent is a city located in King County, Washington, United States, and is the third largest city in King County and the sixth largest in the state. An outlying suburb of Seattle, Kent is also the corporate home for companies such as REI and Oberto Sausage...
, a suburb of Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, Washington. They are part of the U.S. Division of the Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
, and play in the ShoWare Center. The team is coached by Steve Konowalchuk
Steve Konowalchuk
Steven Reed Konowalchuk is an American former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the NHL with the Washington Capitals and the Colorado Avalanche. He is currently the head coach for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League...
and the general manager is Russ Farwell
Russ Farwell
Russ Farwell is the owner, governor, and general manager of the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League. He is most well known for his stint as general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers from 1990 to 1994, during which he made a blockbuster trade with the Quebec Nordiques to acquire the...
.
Canadian founding
The team was founded in 1971 as the Vancouver NatsVancouver Nats
The Vancouver Nats were a junior ice hockey team based in Vancouver, British Columbia that played two seasons in the Western Canada Hockey League from 1971–73...
of the Western Canada Hockey League
Western Canada Hockey League
The Western Canada Hockey League , founded in 1921, was a major professional ice hockey league originally based in the prairies of Canada. It was renamed the Western Hockey League in 1925 and disbanded in 1926.-History:...
(WCHL) but moved to Kamloops
Kamloops, British Columbia
Kamloops is a city in south central British Columbia, at the confluence of the two branches of the Thompson River and near Kamloops Lake. It is the largest community in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District and the location of the regional district's offices. The surrounding region is more commonly...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, to become the Kamloops Chiefs
Kamloops Chiefs
The Kamloops Chiefs were a junior ice hockey team based in Kamloops, British Columbia that played in the Western Canada Hockey League from 1973–77...
in 1973.
Seattle Breakers
In 1977 the team moved to Seattle and was renamed the Seattle Breakers. The Breakers played in the Seattle Center Ice ArenaMercer Arena
Mercer Arena, previously known as the Exposition Building, the Civic Ice Arena and Seattle Center Arena, is a performing arts venue located at the corner of Mercer Street Fourth Avenue North in Seattle, Washington. It was built in 1912 next door to the Seattle Civic Auditorium , as part of the $1...
, known to most local fans as the Mercer Arena, which had a seating capacity of 4,139. Through eight seasons, the Breakers finished with a record of 225-319-32 and playoff record of 11-21, although they twice played in the West Division Finals. http://www.seattlehockey.net/Seattle_Hockey_Homepage/Breakers.html
The Modern Era
After the 1984-1985 season, the Breakers were sold to new owners and renamed the Seattle Thunderbirds.The 1986-1987 season saw the addition of Glen Goodall
Glen Goodall
Glen Goodall is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who spent the 2009-10 season playing for ERC Ingolstadt in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga . He was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the 10th round of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft.-Awards:*Four Broncos Memorial Trophy -External links:...
, who would remain with the team through 1990. Goodall would go on to set the Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
career records for most games played (399), goals scored (262), assists (311) and points (573).http://www.whl.ca/whlofficialguide He is still the Thunderbirds leader in goals, assists and points.http://www.seattlethunderbirds.com/page/pages-team-records His jersey, number 10, is the only one to be retired by the Thunderbirds.
The 1989-1990 season was the best regular season in Thunderbird history, and arguably the greatest team the franchise has ever iced. Seattle finished the season at 52-17-3, which included a 44-8-3 record in their final 55 and the #1 ranking in the final Canadian Hockey League Regular Season Top Ten poll. The team finished 33-2-1 at home tying a WHL record for most home wins. Goodall won the Most Valuable Player award finishing with 76 goals and 87 assists for 163 points, and Petr Nedved
Petr Nedved
Petr Nedvěd is a Czech Canadian professional ice hockey player who spent 15 seasons in the National Hockey League. He currently plays centre for HC Bílí Tygři Liberec of the Czech Extraliga.- Biography :...
won Rookie of the Year. Seattle placed 3 scorers in the top 6 in the league Glen Goodall 2nd with 163 points, Victor Gervais 3rd with 160 points and Petr Nedved 6th with 145 points. Peter Kasowski came over in a trade from Swift Current and finished 13th with 129 points. Goaltender Danny Lorenz finished his career with a WHL record most career saves and minutes played. The team was so popular that they began to play home games in the Seattle Center Coliseum, which could seat over 12,000 for hockey and was frequently sold out. The Thunderbirds defeated the Tri-City Americans 5 games to 2 in the division semifinals, before losing to the eventual Western Hockey League Champion Kamloops Blazers 5 games to 1 in the division finals.
In 1992 the Thunderbirds hosted the Canadian Hockey League
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canadian-based major junior ice hockey leagues for players 16 to 20 years of age. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey...
championship, the Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
, but lost in the semi-finals.
The 1996-1997 team, led by Patrick Marleau
Patrick Marleau
Patrick Denis Marleau is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League. He serves as the alternate captain for the Sharks during home games...
, finished the season with a record of 41-27-4. They won the Western Conference by beating the Prince George Cougars
Prince George Cougars
The Prince George Cougars are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. The team is based in Prince George, British Columbia, and plays its home games at the CN Centre...
4 games to 2. Seattle was beaten by Lethbridge
Lethbridge
Lethbridge is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada, and the largest city in southern Alberta. It is Alberta's fourth-largest city by population after Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer, and the third-largest by area after Calgary and Edmonton. The nearby Canadian Rockies contribute to the city's...
4 games to 0 in the WHL championship series.
The 2002-2003 season saw the team advance to the conference finals on the back of Brooks Laich
Brooks Laich
Evan Brooks Laich is a Canadian ice hockey player with the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League. Laich was originally drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, and was later traded to the Capitals as part of the package for Peter Bondra...
, who was named the Western Conference MVP with 41 goals and 94 points. After convincing wins in the early rounds of the playoffs, the Thunderbirds lost to the Kelowna Rockets
Kelowna Rockets
The Kelowna Rockets are a major junior ice hockey team based in Kelowna, British Columbia. The Rockets play in the Western Hockey League , out of the Canadian Hockey League . They play their home games at Prospera Place....
four games to one. http://www.seattlehockey.net/thunderbirds/thunderbirds.htm
Stadiums
The Thunderbirds originally played in the Mercer Arena before moving to the Seattle Center Coliseum (later renamed the KeyArenaKeyArena
KeyArena at Seattle Center , is a multipurpose arena, in Seattle, Washington. It is located north of downtown in the entertainment complex known as Seattle Center, the site of the 1962 World's Fair, the Century 21 Exposition...
). Unfortunately, the KeyArena was ill-suited for hockey, as the sight lines were designed for basketball and the ice surface was so far off center that the scoreboard hung over the Thunderbirds' offensive zone instead of center ice. In 2009, the team moved from the KeyArena in Seattle to the newly built ShoWare Center, 20 miles south in Kent, Washington
Kent, Washington
Kent is a city located in King County, Washington, United States, and is the third largest city in King County and the sixth largest in the state. An outlying suburb of Seattle, Kent is also the corporate home for companies such as REI and Oberto Sausage...
, where they became the anchor tenant. http://www.showarecenter.com/venue/venue_overview
Logo
The team's logo depicts a Native AmericanIndigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
carving of a thunderbird
Thunderbird (mythology)
The Thunderbird is a legendary creature in certain North American indigenous peoples' history and culture. It is considered a "supernatural" bird of power and strength...
with the word "Seattle" etched into it, framed by two hockey sticks. It is similar to the logo of the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. http://www.seattle-thunderbirds.com/news/news.php?id=236.
Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties OTL = Overtime losses Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals againstSeason | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Points | Finish | Playoffs |
1977–78 | 72 | 32 | 28 | 12 | – | 359 | 316 | 76 | 4th West | Out of playoffs |
1978–79 | 72 | 21 | 40 | 11 | – | 299 | 334 | 53 | 4th West | Out of playoffs |
1979–80 | 72 | 29 | 41 | 2 | – | 297 | 364 | 60 | 3rd West | Lost West Division final |
1980–81 | 72 | 26 | 46 | 0 | – | 318 | 393 | 52 | 3rd West | Lost West Division semi-final |
1981–82 | 72 | 36 | 34 | 2 | – | 339 | 310 | 74 | 3rd West | Lost West Division final |
1982–83 | 72 | 24 | 47 | 1 | – | 319 | 418 | 49 | 4th West | Lost West Division semi-final |
1983–84 | 72 | 32 | 39 | 1 | – | 350 | 379 | 65 | 4th West | Lost West Division semi-final |
1984–85 | 72 | 25 | 44 | 3 | – | 320 | 416 | 53 | 5th West | Out of playoffs |
1985–86 | 72 | 27 | 43 | 2 | – | 373 | 413 | 56 | 4th West | Lost West Division semi-final |
1986–87 | 72 | 21 | 47 | 4 | – | 328 | 430 | 46 | 5th West | Out of playoffs |
1987–88 | 72 | 25 | 46 | 2 | – | 313 | 436 | 52 | 5th West | Out of playoffs |
1988–89 | 72 | 33 | 35 | 4 | – | 315 | 276 | 70 | 5th West | Out of playoffs |
1989–90 | 72 | 52 | 17 | 3 | – | 444 | 295 | 107 | 2nd West | Lost West Division final |
1990–91 | 72 | 42 | 26 | 4 | – | 319 | 317 | 88 | 3rd West | Lost West Division semi-final |
1991–92 | 72 | 33 | 34 | 5 | – | 292 | 285 | 71 | 4th West | Lost West Division final |
1992–93 | 72 | 31 | 38 | 3 | – | 234 | 292 | 65 | 4th West | Lost West Division quarter-final |
1993–94 | 72 | 32 | 37 | 3 | – | 283 | 312 | 67 | 4th West | Lost West Division semi-final |
1994–95 | 72 | 42 | 28 | 2 | – | 319 | 282 | 86 | 3rd West | Eliminated in round-robin |
1995–96 | 72 | 29 | 36 | 7 | – | 255 | 281 | 65 | 5th West | Lost West Division quarter-final |
1996–97 | 72 | 41 | 27 | 4 | – | 311 | 249 | 86 | 2nd West | Lost final |
1997–98 | 72 | 31 | 35 | 6 | – | 286 | 278 | 68 | 6th West | Lost West Division quarter-final |
1998–99 | 72 | 37 | 24 | 11 | – | 279 | 236 | 85 | 3rd West | Lost West Division semi-final |
1999–00 | 72 | 34 | 27 | 8 | 3 | 250 | 221 | 79 | 3rd West | Lost West Division semi-final |
2000–01 | 72 | 30 | 33 | 8 | 1 | 262 | 299 | 69 | 6th West | Lost West Division semi-final |
2001–02 | 72 | 21 | 40 | 6 | 5 | 235 | 313 | 53 | 4th U.S. | Lost Western Conference semi-final |
2002–03 | 72 | 44 | 22 | 3 | 3 | 280 | 224 | 94 | 1st U.S. | Lost Western Conference final |
2003–04 | 72 | 24 | 31 | 8 | 9 | 192 | 198 | 65 | 5th U.S. | Out of playoffs |
2004–05 | 72 | 43 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 204 | 144 | 91 | 1st U.S. | Lost Western Conference semi-final |
2005–06 | 72 | 35 | 31 | 1 | 5 | 186 | 211 | 76 | 2nd U.S. | Lost Western Conference quarter-final |
2006–07 | 72 | 37 | 21 | 3 | 11 | 209 | 186 | 88 | 3rd U.S. | Lost Western Conference semi-final |
2007–08 2007–08 WHL season The 2007–08 WHL season was the 42nd season of the Western Hockey League . The regular season began on September 20, 2007, and ended on March 16, 2008. The WHL Playoffs began on March 21, 2008, and ended on May 7, 2008.... |
72 | 42 | 23 | 5 | 2 | 241 | 179 | 91 | 3rd U.S. | Lost Western Conference semi-final |
2008–09 2008–09 WHL season The 2008–09 WHL season was the 43rd season of the Western Hockey League . The regular season began on September 18, 2008, and ended on March 15, 2009. The WHL Playoffs commenced on March 20, 2009, and the 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge series, featuring Team WHL versus the Russian Selects, took... |
72 | 35 | 32 | 1 | 4 | 222 | 234 | 75 | 3rd U.S. | Lost Western Conference quarter-final |
2009–10 2009–10 WHL season The 2009–10 WHL season is the 44th season of the Western Hockey League . The regular season began on September 17, 2009 and ended on March 14, 2010... |
72 | 19 | 41 | 7 | 5 | 172 | 255 | 50 | 5th U.S. | Out of playoffs |
2010–11 2010–11 WHL season The 2010–11 WHL season is the 45th season of the Western Hockey League . The regular season began on September 24, 2010 and ended on March 20, 2011. The 2010 Subway Super Series, featuring Team WHL versus Team Russia, took place from November 17–18, 2010.... |
72 | 29 | 37 | 3 | 3 | 219 | 285 | 64 | 5th U.S. | Out of playoffs |
Team records
Team records for a single season | ||
Statistic | Total | Season |
---|---|---|
Most points | 107 | 1989–90 |
Most wins | 52 | 1989–90 |
Most goals for | 444 | 1989–90 |
Least goals for | 186 | 2005–06 |
Least goals against | 144 | 2004–05 |
Most goals against | 436 | 1987–88 |
Individual player records for a single season | |||
Statistic | Player | Total | Season |
---|---|---|---|
Most goals | Glen Goodall Glen Goodall Glen Goodall is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who spent the 2009-10 season playing for ERC Ingolstadt in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga . He was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the 10th round of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft.-Awards:*Four Broncos Memorial Trophy -External links:... |
76 | 1989–90 |
Most assists | Victor Gervais | 96 | 1989–90 |
Most points | Glen Goodall | 163 | 1989–90 |
Most points (rookie) | Petr Nedved Petr Nedved Petr Nedvěd is a Czech Canadian professional ice hockey player who spent 15 seasons in the National Hockey League. He currently plays centre for HC Bílí Tygři Liberec of the Czech Extraliga.- Biography :... |
145 | 1989–90 |
Most points (defenseman) | Craig Channell Craig Channell Craig Channell is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player.Following the 1989-90 season, Channell hung-up his skates to become the head amateur scout for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League.-External links:... |
88 | 1981–82 |
Most penalty minutes | Mitch Wilson Mitch Wilson Mitch Wilson is a retired ice hockey centre. He played in the NHL for the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins.-External links:... |
436 | 1981–82 |
Most shutouts (goalie) | Bryan Bridges Bryan Bridges Bryan Bridges is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender.-Playing career:Bridges played major junior hockey in the Western Hockey League for five seasons with the Kootenay Ice and Seattle Thunderbirds. While playing for the Ice 2001–02 he won the memorial cup... |
13 | 2004–05 |
Best GAA (goalie) | Bryan Bridges | 1.79 | 2004–05 |
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played |
Career records
- Most goals, individual: 262 – Glen GoodallGlen GoodallGlen Goodall is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who spent the 2009-10 season playing for ERC Ingolstadt in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga . He was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the 10th round of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft.-Awards:*Four Broncos Memorial Trophy -External links:...
, 1984–90 - Most assists, individual: 311 – Glen Goodall, 1984–90
- Most points, individual: 573 – Glen Goodall, 1984–90
- Most penalty minutes, individual: 929 – Phil Stanger, 1980–83
- Best goals against average, goaltender: 2.28 – Bryan BridgesBryan BridgesBryan Bridges is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender.-Playing career:Bridges played major junior hockey in the Western Hockey League for five seasons with the Kootenay Ice and Seattle Thunderbirds. While playing for the Ice 2001–02 he won the memorial cup...
, 2003–06 - Most shutouts, goaltender: 20 – Bryan Bridges, 2003–06
- Most saves, goaltender: 6958 – Danny LorenzDanny LorenzDanny Lorenz is a retired ice hockey goaltender. He played in eight NHL games for the New York Islanders. He is now a youth hockey director of the Kent Valley Hockey Association in Kent, Washington....
, 1986–89 - Most games played, Goaltender: 224 – Danny Lorenz, 1986–89
NHL alumni
Several National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
players started with the Thunderbirds:
- Totals include both the Seattle Thunderbirds and Seattle Breakers.
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