Wheat Kings enjoyed boon in late 1970s

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This article was published 19/02/2021 (1675 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Brandon Wheat Kings entered the Western Canadian Hockey League for the 1967-68 season, and it would take more than a decade and a change in the WCHL’s name for Brandon to become a champion.

Here is Part 2 of a year-by-year look at the team’s fortunes. If you missed Part 1, it appeared in Thursday’s edition.

1999-2000

• SEASON: (25-38-4-5, 59 points, 6th in East Division, 14th of 18 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Missed post-season.

• RECAP: After missing the post-season by six points, they reloaded in the subsequent WHL draft by selecting Eric Fehr third overall and Ryan Stone 23rd. The pair finished one-two in league scoring in 2004-05.

 

1998-99

• SEASON: (39-29-4, 82 points, 2nd in East Division, 6th of 18 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Lost to Red Deer 4-1.

• RECAP: The Wheat Kings ran into a Rebels team that scored 29 times in the five-game series and won all three games in Brandon. Jason Chimera had two goals and an assist in Brandon’s 4-3 win in Game 4. The second came short-handed into an empty net with 49 seconds remaining, but the Rebels sniped twice and nearly tied the game.

• LEADING SCORERS: Burke Henry and Brett McLean (7 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Ryan Robson, Andrei Lupandin, Brad Twordik.

• STARTING GOALIE: Jamie Hodson.

 

1997-98

• SEASON: (45-21-6, 96 points, 3rd in East Division, 4th of 18 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Beat Lethbridge 4-0, beat Regina 4-1, beat Calgary 4-1, lost 4-0 to Portland in league final.

• RECAP: Just a point out of a tie for the top spot, the Wheat Kings rode balanced playoff scoring in going 12-2 to earn a spot in the final. There they ran into a league-leading Portland team that boasted future NHLers Brendan Morrow, Marian Hossa and Andrew Ference. The Wheat Kings couldn’t shut down the potent Winter Hawks and were outscored 23-9 in four games. Hossa scored twice each in three games and had seven goals in the series.

• LEADING SCORER: Cory Cyrenne (24 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Kelly Smart, Burke Henry, Kirby Law.

• STARTING GOALIE: Jomar Cruz.

 

1996-97

• SEASON: (47-24-1, 95 points, 1st in East Division, 3rd of 18 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Lost 4-2 to Moose Jaw.

• RECAP: The East Division leaders were wary of the fourth-place Warriors, who had finished 16 points behind them in the regular season, and a sensational goaltending performance by Donovan Nunweiler combined with an injury to high-scoring forward Kelly Smart were too much to overcome. Nunweiler made 92 saves as the Warriors took a 2-0 series lead, and after Brandon rallied to tie, Dustin Paul and Ryan Tobler scored overtime goals in Games 5 and 6 in the upset.

• LEADING SCORER: Cory Cyrenne (6 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Stefan Cherneski, Justin Kurtz.

• STARTING GOALIE: Brian Elder.

 

1995-96

• SEASON: (52-19-1, 105 points, 1st in East Division, 1st of 17 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Beat Saskatoon 4-0, beat Red Deer 4-0, beat Prince Albert 4-2, beat Spokane 4-1 to become league champions. 

• RECAP: The Wheat Kings lost just three games in the playoffs as they bulldozed their way to a league title in dominating fashion. In the final, Mike Leclerc scored in overtime in Game 1 to put Brandon up, and former Wheat Kings defenceman Adam Magarrell’s goal stood as the winner for Spokane in a 1-0 decision in Game 2. Bobby Brown’s two goals led the Wheat Kings in an explosive 9-5 victory in Game 3 and then a pair of tight defensive battles that resulted in 2-1 and 3-0 victories gave Brandon its first title since 1979. The Wheat Kings went 2-1 at the Memorial Cup before losing a 4-3 heartbreaker to Peterborough in the semifinal in a game they led 2-0.

• LEADING SCORER: Bobby Brown (27 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Mike LeClerc, Peter Schaefer, Cory Cyrenne.

• STARTING GOALIE: Jody Lehman.

 

1994-95

• SEASON: (45-22-5, 95 points, 1st in East Division, 2nd of 16 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Earned a bye, beat Moose Jaw 4-1, beat Prince Albert 4-3, lost to Kamloops 4-2 in league final.

• RECAP: The East Division champs were paced by Marty Murray’s 128 points and Darren Ritchie’s 62 goals. The seven-game series with P.A. was an all-timer. In Game 7, Marty Murray scored twice and added a helper in a 5-1 win that vaulted Brandon into the Memorial Cup, because the Western Conference finalist was Kamloops, which was hosting the event. The defending WHL champion Blazers, led by Hnat Domenichelli, Darcy Tucker, Shane Doan and Jarome Iginla, lost the first two games at home to the Wheat Kings on the strength of some outstanding goaltending by Brian Elder, before winning Game 3. Kamloops forward Ivan Vologjaninov’s overtime goal in Game 4 evened the series and then Kamloops won it with a pair of 5-4 decisions, with the series winner coming in overtime off the stick of Ryan Huska on their 58th shot. Brandon opened the Memorial Cup with a 9-2 pasting of Hull before dropping their last three games, including the semifinal to Detroit.

• LEADING SCORER: Marty Murray (29 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Darren Ritchie, Wade Redden, Chris Dingman.

• STARTING GOALIE: Bryan Elder.

 

1993-94

• SEASON: (42-25-5, 89 points, 2nd in East Division, 4th of 16 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Beat Regina 3-1, beat Lethbridge 4-1, lost to Saskatoon 4-1.

• RECAP: The team was helped by the emergence of rookie defenceman Wade Redden. They lost in the conference final to a first-place Blades team that would appear in its second WHL final in three years. The Blades won the first three games and were leading 2-0 in Game 4 before Brandon rallied for a 6-3 victory. Saskatoon ended the series in Game 5 with a 2-1 decision.

• LEADING SCORER: Marty Murray (20 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Mike Maneluk, Darren Ritchie, Chris Johnston.

• STARTING GOALIE: Byron Penstock.

 

1992­-93

• SEASON: (43-25-4, 90 points, 2nd in East Division, 4th of 16 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Lost to Medicine Hat 3­-1.

• RECAP: After four years out of the playoffs, they met a veteran Tigers team led by Domenic Pittis that had underachieved in the regular season. After winning the opener 3-2 on the strength of two goals by Aris Brimanis and an overtime marker from Marty Murray, the Wheaties lost three straight games. Tigers goalie Sonny Mignacca was terrific and Stacy Roest scored the overtime dagger in Game 4 for a 4-3 victory that ousted Brandon.

• LEADING SCORERS: Bobby House and Marty Murray (4 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Mike Maneluk, Aris Brimanis, Mark Kolesar.

• STARTING GOALIE: Trevor Robins.

 

1991-92

• SEASON: (11-55-6, 28 points, 8th in East Division, 15th of 15 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Missed post-season.

• RECAP: Brandon bottomed out and missed the playoffs by 41 points. But longtime fans might remember that lost season as the year hope arrived in the form of 16-year-old rookie forward Marty Murray, who finished second in team scoring with 56 points.

 

1990-91

• SEASON: (19-51-2, 40 points, 8th in East Division, 12th of 14 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Missed post-season.

• RECAP: Brian Purdy (78 points) and Glen Gulutzan (74 points) led the Wheat Kings offence but the team surrendered 115 more goals than it scored.

 

1989-90

• SEASON: (28-38-6, 62 points, 7th in East Division, 11th of 14 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Missed post-season.

• RECAP: Trevor Kidd had an outstanding season, appearing in 63 games. His 4.15 goals-against average may seem high by current standards, but his .891 save percentage on a non-playoff club tells the story.

 

1988-89

• SEASON: (25-43-4, 54 points, 7th in East Division, 12th of 14 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Missed post-season.

• RECAP: Kelly McCrimmon joined the team in 1988-89, so better days lay ahead. Led by Jeff Odgers (277 penalty minutes) and Cam Brown (225 penalty minutes), the Wheat Kings certainly weren’t afraid of anyone. 

 

1987-88

• SEASON: (26-43-3, 55 points, 6th in East Division, 10th of 14 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Lost to Prince Albert 3­-1.

• RECAP: The Wheat Kings earned their first playoff berth in four years but entered the playoffs on a four-game losing streak against a team that had finished 36 points ahead of them. A 5-4 loss in double overtime in Game 2 that gave Prince Albert a 2-0 series lead may have been the difference-maker in the best-of-five series. The Wheat Kings lost forwards Dale Marquette, Terry Menard and Murray Rice to injury in a 6-4 win in Game 3 at home, and the absence of three of their four 100-point scorers was too much to overcome.

• LEADING SCORER: Troy Kennedy (11 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Terry Yake, Kevin Cheveldayoff, Jeff Odgers.

• STARTING GOALIE: George Maneluk.

 

1986-87

• SEASON: (19-49-4, 42 points, 8th in East Division, 13th of 14 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Missed post-season.

• RECAP: Terry Yake blossomed into a star with 102 points and newcomer Dale Marquette was terrific with 70 points but the losing continued.

 

1985-86

• SEASON: (24-46-2, 50 points, 7th in East Division, 12th of 14 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Missed post-season.

• RECAP: Byron Lomow scored 52 times but Brandon’s goaltenders were besieged, allowing 438 goals in a very different era of the game.

 

1984-85

• SEASON: (17-54-1, 35 points, 8th in East Division, 14th of 14 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Missed post-season.

• RECAP: You don’t win many games when you give up a franchise season-high of 481 goals, especially when you only score 264. Byron Lomow (112 points) and Derek Laxdal (102 points) led the offence.

 

1983-84

• SEASON: (44-26-2, 90 points, 3rd in East Division, 4th of 14 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Beat Lethbridge 4-1, went 0-4 in round-robin, lost 2-1 to Regina in division semifinal.

• RECAP: After splitting the first two games, the high-scoring Wheat Kings came alive against the Broncos. In the pivotal Game 3 with the series tied, Ray Ferraro broke open a tied game with two goals on the same shift. He added two goals in Game 4 and six assists in Game 5 as Brandon won its first playoff series since 1980. They weren’t nearly as sharp after that, losing six of their next seven games in the league’s oddball playoff format at the time.

• LEADING SCORER: Ray Ferraro (28 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Cam Plante, Byron Lomow, Kelly Glowa.

• STARTING GOALIE: Ron Hextall.

 

1982-83

• SEASON: (21-51-0, 42 points, 7th in East Division, 11th of 14 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Missed the playoffs.

• RECAP: The Wheat Kings missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years, finishing 33 points behind Medicine Hat for the last spot. It began a period when they missed the playoffs eight out of 10 years.

 

1981­-82

• SEASON: (34-38-0, 68 points, 5th in East Division, 8th of 13 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Lost to Regina 4­-0.

• RECAP: The Wheat Kings were quickly dispatched by a high-scoring Pats team that would lose in the league final. Brandon was outscored 44-17 in the four games, with its finest defensive effort coming in a 9-5 loss.

• LEADING SCORER: Tom McMurchy (10 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Kelly Glowa, Cam Plante, Carl Mokosak.

• STARTING GOALIE: Todd Lumbard.

 

1980-81

• SEASON: (29-40-3, 61 points, 6th in East Division, 8th of 13 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Lost to Regina 4-1.

• RECAP: Missing some of their top guys, the Wheat Kings lost to a team 39 points better than them during the regular season. The series started well in Game 1, with Dave Chartier tying a league record with five goals and setting a new one with eight points as the Wheat Kings blitzed the Pats 13-4. Regina turned the tables a night later with an 11-2 win and swept the rest of the series.

• LEADING SCORER: Dave Stewart (13 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Dave Chartier, Kelly Glowa and Don Dietrich.

• STARTING GOALIE: Ron Popplestone.

 

1979-80

• SEASON: (33-37-2, 68 points, 5th in East Division, 7th of 12 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Beat Calgary Wranglers 4-3, go 1-3 in the semifinal round-robin and was eliminated.

• RECAP: After graduating the heart of their championship team, the Wheat Kings finished fifth in the East Division. Following a seesaw series with Calgary, Kelly McCrimmon opened the scoring in Game 7 en route to a 10-3 victory. It didn’t go nearly as well in the round-robin, as Brandon went 1-3 with the single victory coming over the Regina Pats.

• LEADING SCORER: Dave Stewart (14 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Dave Chartier, Steve Patrick, Don Gillen.

• STARTING GOALIE: Ron Popplestone.

 

1978-79

• SEASON: (58-5-9, 125 points, 1st in East Division, 1st of 12 in WHL)

• PLAYOFFS: 7-1 in round-robin, beat Saskatoon 4-0, go 3-1 in semifinal round-robin, beat Portland 4-2 to win league title. Brandon goes 2-1-1 in Memorial Cup round-robin, loses 2-1 in overtime to Peterborough.

• RECAP: A loaded Wheat Kings team posted the greatest season in Canadian Hockey League history with 125 points. Eight Wheat Kings earned more than 20 points in the WHL playoffs despite the team losing important defenceman Mike Perovich near the end of the season. They also had a rookie forward named Steve Patrick, who would enjoy a fine NHL career and later have a son named Nolan. Brandon went 2-2 in the Memorial Cup round-robin and fell 2-1 to the Peterborough Petes in overtime in the final on May 13, 1979.

• LEADING SCORER: Brian Propp (38 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Ray Allison, Brad McCrimmon, Laurie Boschman.

• STARTING GOALIE: Rick Knickle.

 

1977-78

• SEASON: (46-12-14, 106 points, 1st in East Division, 1st of 12 in WCHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Brandon went 4-4 in the opening round-robin and was eliminated.

• RECAP: The new round-robin format didn’t agree with the talented young Wheat Kings. Brandon lost their first two games, and while they rebounded, the Flin Flon Bombers and Regina Pats also finished 4-4 and the Wheat Kings were ousted via countback. Brandon owner Bob Cornell responded to Flin Flon’s unexpectedly lopsided 10-4 loss that eliminated his team on April 10 by choking Bombers coach Mickey Keating in his dressing room.

• LEADING SCORER: Bill Derlago (22 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Ray Allison, Brian Propp, Brad McCrimmon.

• STARTING GOALIE: Rick Knickle.

 

1976-77

• SEASON: (54-10-8, 116 points, 1st in East Division, 1st of 12 in WCHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Beat Winnipeg Monarchs 5-2, beat Lethbridge 4-0, lost 4-1 to New Westminster in league final.

• RECAP: Brandon won its first East Division title with a record of 54-10-8, scoring a league-high 447 goals in Brian Propp’s rookie year. After dominating Winnipeg and Lethbridge, the Wheat Kings couldn’t get by an equally dominant Bruins club that went on to win the Memorial Cup. Following a 3-2 overtime loss in Game 1 and a 4-1 win in Game 2, the Bruins won three in a row on home ice by scores of 5-2, 6-4 and 4-1 to earn a third consecutive Memorial Cup appearance.

• LEADING SCORER: Bill Derlago (30 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Ray Allison, Brian Propp, Brad McCrimmon.

• STARTING GOALIE: Glen Hanlon.

 

1975-76

• SEASON: (34-30-8, 76 points, 2nd in East Division, 6th of 12 in WCHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Lost to New Westminster 5-0.

• RECAP: The Wheat Kings had their best finish in WHL history under rookie coach Dunc McCallum, but were swept by a Bruins squad that had dominated the West Division and went on to win the WHL. The Wheat Kings were outscored 33-15 and badly outshot in the five games, losing despite the heroics of Brandon netminder Glen Hanlon.

• LEADING SCORER: Dale McMullin, Bill Derlago (6 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Mike Bradbury, Dan Bonar, Wayne Ramsey.

• STARTING GOALIE: Glen Hanlon.

 

1974-75

• SEASON: (24-35-11, 59 points, 4th in East Division, 9th of 12 in WCHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Lost to Saskatoon 4-1.

• RECAP: Youngsters named Ray Allison, Tim Lockridge, Bill Derlago and Dave Semenko all auditioned on a team that lost in five to a league finalist. Brandon entered the playoffs on an eight-game winless streak but outshot the Blades 49-28 in a 4-1 victory in Game 1. After getting blown out 13-3 in Game 2, the Wheat Kings led 3-1 in Game 3 but fell 6-4. They lost by the same margin in Game 4 despite a three-goal comeback, and the final nail came in a 6-3 loss in Game 5.

• LEADING SCORER: Derek Spring (9 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Rick Blight, Dale McMullin, Dan Bonar.

• STARTING GOALIE: Glen Hanlon.

 

1973-74

• SEASON: (27-37-4, 58 points, 5th in East Division, 8th of 12 in WCHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Missed post-season.

• RECAP: The Wheat Kings were 11 points shy of the post-season, squandering the final season of team star Ron Chipperfield and a 19-year-old forward named John Paddock, who went on to a long career in hockey.

 

1972-73

• SEASON: (29-30-9, 67 points, 4th in East Division, 8th of 12 in WCHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Lost to Saskatoon 4-2.

• RECAP: Saskatoon won the opener 8-3 and then the teams traded shutouts. In Game 4, the Wheat Kings rallied for a 4-3 victory, but the Blades responded with 8-0 and 7-2 victories to move on. 

• LEADING SCORER: Ralph Krentz (6 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Ron Chipperfield, Robbie Neale, Rick Blight.

• STARTING GOALIE: Jim Rankin.

 

1971-72

• SEASON: (35-33-0, 70 points, 3rd in East Division, 7th of 12 in WCHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Beat Saskatoon 4-3-1, lost 4-2 to Regina in the league semifinals.

• RECAP: The Wheat Kings won their first-ever WHCL series in a wild one that saw them trailing 3-2 going Game 6, where they earned a 3-3 tie on Frank Taylor’s goal in the third period. They tied the series in Game 7, and in the deciding Game 8, Rick Blight tied the game late and Brian Coates won it in overtime. Brandon tied the Regina series after falling behind 2-0, but never scored again in the final two games, losing 3-0 and 6-0. 

• LEADING SCORER: Ron Chipperfield (19 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Robbie Neale, Dwayne Pentland, Gord Lane.

• STARTING GOALIE: Dave McLelland.

 

1970-71

• SEASON: (20-46-0, 40 points, 5th in East Division, 10th of 10 in WCHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Missed post-season.

• RECAP: The Wheat Kings missed the playoffs for the first time in their tenure in the WHL, finishing 18 points back as 16-year-old Ron Chipperfield made his debut.

 

1969-70

• SEASON: (23-34-3, 4th in East Division, 7th of 8 in WCHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Lost 4-0 to Flin Flon Bombers.

• RECAP: The league champions were from Manitoba but it was Flin Flon. The Bombers were led by league MVP Reggie Leach, and they never allowed the Wheat Kings to take a lead in any game. In Game 1, Brandon’s Butch Deadmarsh scored twice in the third period to tie it at 2-2, but the Bombers replied with two goals in the final four minutes for the series-defining win.

• LEADING SCORER: Butch Deadmarsh (8 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Bob Fitchner, Moe Brunel, Jack Mahon.

• STARTING GOALIE: Jack Gilroy.

 

1968-69

• SEASON: (18-40-2, 38 points, 4th in East Division, 7th of 8 in WCHL)

• PLAYOFFS: Lost to Estevan Bruins 4-1.

• RECAP: The Wheat Kings fell to the Bruins, who finished 42 points ahead of them in the standings. Brandon’s sole victory came in Game 4, with Estevan outscoring it 23-7 in the four losses. The series was contested under the old format, in which the winner had to earn eight points, with two points for wins and one each for a tie.

• LEADING SCORER: Bob Fitchner, Butch Deadmarsh, Auriel Beaudin (4 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Chuck Kelner, Jack Borotsik.

• STARTING GOALIE: Ted Temple.

 

1967-68

• SEASON: (21-33-6, 48 points, 8th of 11 in one WCHL division)

• PLAYOFFS: Lost 4-3-1 to Moose Jaw Canucks.

• RECAP: After managing just one goal in a pair of series-opening losses, Brandon responded with a 10-2 thrashing of Moose Jaw at home. After Wells scored with 23 seconds remaining to tie Game 4 at 4-4, the Wheat Kings won the next two to lead the series 3-2-1. Moose Jaw tied the series with a late goal in Game 7 and won a wild Game 8 by a score of 9-6.

• LEADING SCORER: Jack Wells/Jack Borotsik (11 pts).

• KEY PLAYERS INCLUDE: Cal Swenson, Ray Brownlee, Bill Mikkelson.

• STARTING GOALIE: Ted Temple.

 

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