History

The Lethbridge Hurricanes compete in the Eastern Conference (Central Division) of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and play their home games at the ENMAX Centre.

The Hurricanes may be entering their 25th season in the Western Hockey League (WHL) but the 2011-2012 season will be the 44th for the franchise. The franchise began in Winnipeg in the 1967 season known as the Winnipeg Jets. The franchise stayed in Winnipeg until the conclusion of the 1976-1977 season. Prior to the 1973-1974 season, the team name changed to the Winnipeg Clubs. They were known as the Clubs until the 1976-1977 season, their last season in Winnipeg, until they changed their name to the Winnipeg Monarchs.

Following the 1976-1977 season, the franchise relocated to Calgary where they became the Calgary Wranglers. The franchise moved prior to the 1977-78 season to Calgary  to replace the Calgary Centennials who became the Billings Bighorns. The Wranglers played at the Stampede Corral for the next 10 seasons before relocating to their current home in Lethbridge as the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes’ first season in Lethbridge was in 1987-1988 season.

When the Lethbridge Broncos returned to their original home of Swift Current following the 1985-86 season, hockey fans in Lethbridge did not have to wait long for a new team. After only one year out of the league, Lethbridge returned to the WHL in 1987-88 when the Calgary Wranglers moved south to become the Hurricanes.

Although the Hurricanes missed the playoffs in their first season in Lethbridge, the ‘Canes managed their first playoff series win against the Prince Albert Raiders in the 1989 playoffs. They were eliminated by the Saskatoon Blades in the East Division Semi-Final.

The Hurricanes used their momentum from the playoffs the next season as they won their first division title in franchise history. The Hurricanes marched to the league championship series but were eliminated in the final by the Kamloops Blazers in the 1990 playoffs.

After winning the East Division for the second consecutive season, the Hurricanes once again stormed through the playoffs to the WHL championship series. Unfortunately, the end result of this series was much the same as the previous season as the ‘Canes were swept by the Spokane Chiefs.

The Hurricanes made the playoffs five of the next six seasons before making their first run at the Memorial Cup. The team's crowning achievement came in 1996-97, when the Hurricanes captured their first, and only, WHL Championship. The Hurricanes would finish as Memorial Cup runners-up when they lost the title game to the Hull Olympiques. That same year, the Hurricanes also won their division title (only done twice before, 1989-90 and 1990-91) and the regular season title.

It wasn't until the 2007-08 season, that the Hurricanes once again saw WHL playoff success as they advanced past the first round of the WHL Playoffs for the first time in 11 years. They then began a run that didn't stop until they had claimed the WHL Eastern Conference Championship banner before being swept in the WHL Championship by the Spokane Chiefs.

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against