Tri-City Americans

The Tri-City Americans are a major junior ice hockey team of the Western Hockey League, based in Kennewick, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center. Every game is broadcast locally on the Tri-City Americans flagship radio station 870 AM KFLD, and each game can also be heard streaming live at KFLD's UStream Channel, as well as from time-to-time being telecast on Saturday nights on KVEW 42.2. The Tri-City Americans have also been featured in the television series Z Nation episode "Day One".

Tri-City Americans
CityKennewick, Washington
LeagueWestern Hockey League
ConferenceWestern
DivisionU.S.
Founded1966
Home arenaToyota Center
ColorsNavy blue, red, silver, white
       
General managerBob Tory
Head coachKelly Buchberger[1]
Websitewww.amshockey.com
Franchise history
1966–1967Calgary Buffaloes
1967–1977Calgary Centennials
1977–1982Billings Bighorns
1982–1983Nanaimo Islanders
1983–1988New Westminster Bruins
1988–presentTri-City Americans

History

The Tri-City Americans franchise is an original franchise of the WHL. They began in 1966 as the Calgary Buffaloes before being renamed the Centennials after one season. The franchise was also known as the Billings Bighorns from 1977 to 1982 before relocating to Nanaimo, British Columbia as the Nanaimo Islanders. After only one season, they moved to New Westminster, British Columbia to become the second incarnation of the New Westminster Bruins. They moved to the Tri-Cities in 1988.

The Americans enjoyed local support until early 2000, the start of 4 owners in 4 years, all wanting to relocate the team to Canada. Between selling off team assets and one owner banning the local newspaper columnist from attending games, the attendance dropped considerably. The lack of any notable championships didn't help matters either. Although the ownership group represented by Darryl Porter had stated upon purchasing the team that they would create a local presence (the oft-heard criticism of the ownerships groups), Mr. Porter had still not moved to the Tri-Cities in his 3rd year of ownership. In 2004, Porter attempted to move the team to Chilliwack, British Columbia in Canada. However, the other Western Hockey League teams voted to prevent the move, including all four other American teams as well as 2 Canadian teams. Shortly after this failure, the team was sold to Tri-Cities natives, including Olaf Kolzig, the former goalie for the Washington Capitals, and Stu Barnes of the Dallas Stars, both former Americans players. Since the sale the team has doubled attendance figures and won the first division championship in team history. Porter and his investment group were later granted the Chilliwack Bruins as an expansion franchise.

On November 29, 1989 Americans goaltender Olaf Kolzig became the first goalie to register a WHL goal when he successfully shot on an empty net against the Seattle Thunderbirds.

The Americans annual series with the Highway 395 rival Spokane Chiefs is always intense and full of action, clearly their biggest rival year in and year out. The competitiveness of the two team is such that an annual tradition with the Americans is to play the Chiefs at home on New Year's Eve. The only time this tradition was broken was due to a one-day strike by the Americans over the training tactics of one of the coaches.

In the 2002–03 season, sixteen-year-old goaltender Shannon Szabados became the first female player to compete in the WHL when she played one game for the Americans. In 2010 Szabados won gold in Women's Ice Hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics playing for Canada.

During the 2007–08 WHL season, the Americans won the US Division regular season championship for the first time after a March 15, 2008 game against division rival Spokane Chiefs in Kennewick, Washington at the Toyota Center. The Americans won the Western Conference regular season championship, and the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for the best overall regular season record in the WHL. The 2009–10 Season marked the third straight year the Americans won the US Division.

At their annual New Year's Eve game against the Spokane Chiefs on December 31, 2008, the Americans set a record for attendance at a hockey game in the Toyota Center, with 6,042 attendees.[2] The Americans surpassed this number on March 13, 2010, in a game against Spokane, with an attendance of 6,053.[3]

The Americans won the Western Conference championship for the first time in the 2010 playoffs defeating the Chilliwack Bruins, Kelowna Rockets and Vancouver Giants in successive series before dropping the league championship to the Calgary Hitmen in 5 games.

Charitable work and events

The Americans are charitably-active in the Tri-Cities area. Years ago, the Americans were one of the first teams to do 'The Teddy Bear Toss', which was originally called 'Toy Trick'. This is where the fans would throw stuffed animals onto the rink on a selected night when the home team scores their first goal. The players collect the bears and hand them out to various organizations or the players take them along with them when they visit children in the local hospitals.

A definite first at the Tri-City rink was the Breast Cancer night. Brian Sandy, Senior VP of business operations and Chief Marketing Officer, dreamed up this event, where the ice is tinted pink and the players wear pink jerseys that are auctioned-off at the end of the night. The game on February 2, 2008, every jersey sold for the maximum donation of $500 each, with all proceeds supporting breast cancer research.

The Americans also were active in raising start-up funds for the establishment of a local chapter of The First Tee. Players visit schools and hospitals weekly and assist the young hockey players with their practices. Links are provided on their website to other organizations like the local Humane Society, and opportunities have been provided to the Children's Developmental Center to volunteer to aid in the seating at games for a $15,000 check at the season's conclusion.

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

SeasonGP W L T OTLGF GA PointsFinishPlayoffs
1988–897233345-300299714th WestLost West Division semi-final
1989–907239285-433354833rd WestLost West Division semi-final
1990–917236324-404386764th WestLost West Division semi-final
1991–927235352-363376722nd WestLost West Division quarter-final
1992–937228413-245312596th WestLost West Division quarter-final
1993–947219485-272373436th WestLost West Division quarter-final
1994–957236315-295279774th WestLost West Division final
1995–967245252-336255923rd WestLost West Division semi-final
1996–977222437-225288517th WestOut of playoffs
1997–987217496-264371407th WestOut of playoffs
1998–997243236-311219922nd WestLost West Division final
1999–0072243972231288576th WestLost West Division quarter-final
2000–0172213687217284577th WestOut of playoffs
2001–02723131100260271723rd U.S.Lost Western Conference quarter-final
2002–0372204435240335484th U.S.Out of playoffs
2003–04723127104205197763rd U.S.Lost Western Conference semi-final
2004–0572263484172196644th U.S.Lost Western Conference quarter-final
SeasonGP W L OTL SOLGF GA PointsFinishPlayoffs
2005–0672303543188221674th U.S.Lost Western Conference quarter-final
2006–0772472311240190962nd U.S.Lost Western Conference quarter-final
2007–08725216222621761081st U.S.Lost Western Conference final
2008–09724920032631841011st U.S.Lost Western Conference semi-final
2009–1072472212272193971st U.S.Lost final
2010–1172442422286223923rd U.S.Lost Western Conference semi-final
2011–12725018222811901041st U.S.Lost Western Conference final
2012–1372402723246227853rd U.S.Lost Western Conference quarter-final
2013–1472293346178224685th U.S.Lost Western Conference quarter-final
2014–1572313803190242655th U.S.Lost Western Conference quarter-final
2015–1672353421236253735th U.S.Out of playoffs
2016–1772412830272252853rd U.S.Lost Western Conference quarter-final
2017–1872382581255249854th U.S.Lost Western Conference final
2018–1968342851214230744th U.S.Lost Western Conference quarter-final
2019–2063174042157302405th U.S.Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic

WHL Championship history

Current roster

Updated December 17, 2020.[4]

# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Drafted
22 Parker Bell LW L 17 2018 Campbell River, British Columbia Eligible 2022
29 Paycen Bjorklund RW R 20 2015 Grand Prairie, Alberta Undrafted
19 Connor Bouchard (A) C L 19 2016 Cochrane, Alberta Undrafted
31 Talyn Boyko G R 18 2017 Drumheller, Alberta Eligible 2021
5 Mitchell Brown D R 19 2016 Salmon Arm, British Columbia Undrafted
– Donovan Buskey G L 21 2020 North Vancouver, British Columbia Undrafted
39 Booker Daniel LW L 19 2018 Vanderhoof, British Columbia Undrafted
30 Mason Dunsford G R 17 2018 New Westminster, British Columbia Eligible 2021
4 Ian Ferguson D L 18 2018 Chatham, Ontario Undrafted
– Andrej Golian D L 19 2020 Banska Bystrica, Slovakia Undrafted
23 Tyson Greenway C L 18 2018 St. Albert, Alberta Eligible 2021
12 Samuel Huo C R 19 2019 Richmond, British Columbia Undrafted
27 Wil Kushniryk LW L 21 2018 Chilliwack, British Columbia Undrafted
28 Marc Lajoie D L 17 2018 St. Albert, Alberta Eligible 2021
24 Edge Lambert RW R 19 2019 Grande Prairie, Alberta Undrafted
41 Aidan Lawson D L 19 2020 Providence, Utah Undrafted
37 John Little C L 18 2020 Parksville, British Columbia Eligible 2021
21 Bryan McAndrews D L 19 2016 Edmonton, Alberta Undrafted
34 Sasha Mutala (A) RW R 19 2016 Vancouver, British Columbia 2019, 140th Overall, COL
26 Landon Roberts LW L 18 2017 Souris, Manitoba Undrafted
18 Blake Stevenson RW R 20 2016 Calgary, Alberta Undrafted
7 Luke Zazula D L 20 2019 Langley, British Columbia Undrafted

Team records
Team records for a single season
StatisticTotalSeason
Most points1082007–08
Most wins522007–08
Most goals for4331989–90
Fewest goals for1722004–05
Fewest goals against1762007–08
Most goals against3861990–91
Individual player records for a single season
StatisticPlayerTotalSeason
Most goalsKyle Reeves891990–91
Most assistsBrian Sakic1221990–91
Most pointsBrian Sakic1621990–91
Most points, rookieBill Lindsay851989–90
Most points, defencemanSteve Jacques841989–90
Best GAA (goalie)Chet Pickard2.282008–09
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played

NHL alumni

Retired numbers

References
  1. "He won the Stanley Cup in the NHL. Now he's coaching the Tri-City Americans". Tri-City Herald. July 17, 2018.
  2. Tri-City Herald. January 1, 2009. "Ams ring in new year with victory Archived 2013-02-04 at Archive.today" by Annie Fowler. Retrieved January 6, 2009.
  3. WHL Scoresheet Spokane@Tri-City. March 13, 2010. "WHL Scoresheet Spokane@Tri-City" Retrieved March 23, 2010.
  4. WHL Network, Western Hockey League, retrieved December 17, 2020
  5. Tri-City Herald. September 21, 2012. "Tri-City Americans Celebrate 25 Years Archived 2012-10-05 at the Wayback Machine" by Annie Fowler. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
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