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Prince George Cougars

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Prince George Cougars
CityPrince George, British Columbia
LeagueWestern Hockey League
ConferenceWestern
DivisionB.C.
Founded1971
Home arenaCN Centre
ColoursRed, bronze, white and black
       
General managerMark Lamb
Head coachMark Lamb
Websitechl.ca/whl-cougars
Franchise history
1971–1994Victoria Cougars
1994–presentPrince George Cougars
Current uniform

The Prince George Cougars are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Prince George, British Columbia. Founded in 1971 as the Victoria Cougars, the team was relocated to Prince George in 1994, where it became the northernmost team in the Canadian Hockey League. The Cougars are members of the B.C. Division of the Western Conference in the Western Hockey League (WHL) and hosts games at the CN Centre.

History

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The Cougars were a long-running junior club based in Victoria when the team joined the Western Canada Hockey League in 1971, one of three teams based in British Columbia added to the WCHL that year to give the league a presence in all four Western Canadian provinces.[1] The Cougars won one league title, in 1981, but in 1994, struggling with attendance and travel costs, were abruptly sold and moved to Prince George.[1] The move made the Cougars the most remote team in the entire Canadian Hockey League (CHL), requiring drives of more than seven hours to play road games.[2] The Prince George Cougars debuted in the 1994–95 season at the Prince George Coliseum until the construction of the team's own arena, the Multiplex, was completed in time for their second season.[3]

The Cougars missed the playoffs in their first two seasons, but made two runs to the Division finals over the following four seasons, first finding success under coach Stan Butler. However, the Cougars missed the playoffs altogether seven times between 2003 and 2014, and sagging attendance led to the team being put up for sale, threatening relocation.[4] In late 2013, owner Rick Brodsky initiated the sale process; local investor Greg Pocock sought the team, and partnered with former Cougars Dan Hamhuis and Eric Brewer to form an investors group committed to keeping the team in Prince George.[5] The sale was approved by the WHL on April 30, 2014.[6] The new ownership immediately sought to revitalize the team, renovating team facilities and seeking community partnerships.[2][4] On the ice, the team won its first B.C. Division regular season title in 2016–17.[2]

The team's most successful season came in 2023–24, with the Cougars setting franchise records with 49 wins and 102 points and entering the playoffs as the top-ranked team in the CHL, topping the WHL's Western Conference standings for the first time.[2][7] Forwards Zac Funk and Riley Heidt both surpassed the previous scoring record for the team, with Funk setting a new mark with 123 points, along with a record 67 goals, and Heidt posting a record 80 assists.[8] In the playoffs, the team advanced to the Western Conference final for the first time since 2007, where they faced the Portland Winterhawks. The Cougars lost the series in six games, with the sixth game ending in the second overtime period—the longest game in Cougars history.[7] After the season, coach and manager Mark Lamb was named the WHL's coach and executive of the year.[9]

Uniforms and logos

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The Cougars colours have traditionally been red, white, and black, and the logo has featured a variation on designs of a cougar. After the team was sold in 2014, the team unveiled a new logo featuring a cougar in the negative space of the letter C, and uniforms that introduced gold into the colour scheme.[10][11]

Like many junior teams, the Cougars have often adopted special-event or limited-edition jerseys. In 2024, they released an Indigenous-inspired jersey designed by local partners.[12]

  • Team logo timeline
  • 1994–96
    1994–96
  • 1996–2008
    1996–2008
  • 2008–2015
    2008–2015
  • Alternate c. 2008
    Alternate c. 2008

Season-by-season record

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The Cougars play their games at the CN Centre.
Jared Walker played for the Cougars between 2005 and 2007.

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

Season GP W L T OTL GF GA Points Finish Playoffs
1994–95 72 14 55 3 - 229 392 31 7th West Did not qualify
1995–96 72 17 53 2 - 219 340 36 7th West Did not qualify
1996–97 72 28 39 5 - 238 287 61 6th West Lost West Division final
1997–98 72 43 24 5 - 311 236 91 3rd West Lost West Division semifinal
1998–99 72 34 32 6 - 255 264 74 4th West Lost West Division quarterfinal
1999–2000 72 43 20 4 5 279 228 95 2nd West Lost West Division final
2000–01 72 31 33 4 4 242 266 70 5th West Lost West Division quarterfinal
2001–02 72 34 27 9 2 244 215 79 3rd B.C. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2002–03 72 26 41 3 2 257 317 57 5th B.C. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2003–04 72 30 34 7 1 214 236 68 5th B.C. Did not qualify
2004–05 72 26 41 3 2 158 223 57 5th B.C. Did not qualify
Season GP W L OTL SOL GF GA Points Finish Playoffs
2005–06 72 35 31 2 4 195 195 76 4th B.C. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2006–07 72 33 31 3 5 221 217 74 3rd B.C. Lost Western Conference final
2007–08 72 20 48 1 3 172 304 44 5th B.C. Did not qualify
2008–09 72 25 44 0 3 188 298 53 4th B.C. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2009–10 72 12 56 1 3 172 327 28 5th B.C. Did not qualify
2010–11 72 33 35 2 2 258 265 70 4th B.C. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2011–12 72 24 46 0 2 166 357 50 5th B.C. Did not qualify
2012–13 72 21 43 2 6 177 273 50 4th B.C. Did not qualify
2013–14 72 27 35 3 5 238 305 62 4th B.C. Did not qualify
2014–15 72 31 36 2 3 222 295 67 3rd B.C. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2015–16 72 36 31 3 2 240 225 77 4th B.C. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2016–17 72 45 21 3 3 253 201 96 1st B.C. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2017–18 72 24 38 5 5 217 295 58 5th B.C. Did not qualify
2018–19 68 19 41 5 3 152 237 46 5th B.C. Did not qualify
2019–20 62 20 34 4 4 144 205 48 5th B.C. Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 22 9 10 2 1 57 62 21 4th B.C. No playoffs held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 68 24 39 4 1 177 240 53 3rd B.C. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2022–23 68 37 24 6 1 290 241 81 2nd B.C. Lost Western Conference semifinal
2023–24 68 49 15 1 3 316 187 102 1st B.C. Lost Western Conference final

NHL alumni

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The following alumni of the Prince George Cougars have played in the National Hockey League.[citation needed]

Team records

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Team records for a single season[8]
Statistic Total Season
Most points 102 2023–24
Most wins 49 2023–24
Longest point streak 19 2023–24
Most goals for 316 2023–24
Fewest goals for 158 2004–05
Fewest goals against 187 2023–24
Most goals against 392 1994–95
Individual player records for a single season[8]
Statistic Player Total Season
Most goals Zac Funk 67 2023–24
Most assists Riley Heidt 80 2023–24
Most points Zac Funk 123 2023–24
Most points, rookie Terik Parascak 105 2023–24
Most points, defenceman Hudson Thornton 74 2023–24
Most shutouts (goalie) Josh Ravensbergen 6 2023–24
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played
Career records[8]
Statistic Player Total Career
Most goals Chase Witala 120 2011–2014
Most assists Riley Heidt 195 2020–2024
Most points Riley Heidt 280 2020–2024
Most points, defenceman Hudson Thornton 196 2020–2024
Most games played Greg Gardner 338 2003–2008

Awards

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Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (WHL player of the year)

Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy (WHL rookie of the year)

Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy (WHL top defenceman)

Brad Hornung Trophy (WHL most sportsmanship)

Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy (WHL coach of the year)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "WHL History". Western Hockey League. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d Kurjata, Andrew (March 29, 2024). "'Let's go Cougars!': Record-setting season has long-suffering Prince George hockey fans believing again". CBC News. Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  3. ^ Jordan, Kevin (September 27, 2023). "Prince George Cougars". WHL Arena Guide. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Johnson, Andrea (December 27, 2014). "New Cougars ownership year's biggest sports story". Prince George Citizen. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  5. ^ Clarke, Ted (May 14, 2014). "Behind the making of Cougars' deal". Prince George Citizen. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  6. ^ Johnson, Jeremy (April 30, 2024). "Cougars sale approved by WHL Governors". CKPG. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Clarke, Ted (May 7, 2024). "Prince George Cougars' remarkable season ends in double overtime". Prince George Citizen. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d Bain, Darin (March 23, 2024). "One final look back at the record-breaking PG Cougars regular season". My Prince George Now. Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  9. ^ Kierszenblat, Adam (May 1, 2024). "Prince George Cougars Mark Lamb Named 2024 WHL Coach And Executive Of The Year". The Hockey News. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  10. ^ O'Connor, Dan (June 3, 2015). "Cougars Release New Logo". Prince George Cougars (Press release). Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  11. ^ Creamer, Chris (June 6, 2015). "WHL Prince George Cougars Unveil New Logo". Sportslogos.net. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  12. ^ Bennison, Sam (January 9, 2024). "Cougars new Indigenous jersey as sharp as their claws". CKPG. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
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