Seattle Thunderbirds

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Seattle Thunderbirds
City: Seattle, Washington
League: Western Hockey League
Conference: Western
Division: U.S.
Founded: 1977-78
Home Arena: KeyArena
Colours: navy blue, green and silver
Head Coach: Rob Sumner
General Manager: Russ Farwell
Franchise history
1971-73: Vancouver Nats
1973-77: Kamloops Chiefs
1977-85: Seattle Breakers
1985-Present: Seattle Thunderbirds

The Seattle Thunderbirds are an ice hockey team in Seattle, Washington that belongs to the Western Hockey League. They play in KeyArena on the Seattle Center campus. The team's logo depicts a Native American carving of a thunderbird with the word "Seattle" etched into it, framed by two hockey sticks.

The team was founded in 1971 as the Vancouver Nats and also played in Kamloops, British Columbia as the Kamloops Chiefs before moving to Seattle in 1977. The team's original name was the Seattle Breakers but they were renamed to the Thunderbirds in 1985. The current coach is Rob Sumner, who replaced Dean Chynoweth in May 2004. The general manager Russ Farwell is best known for acquiring Eric Lindros from the Quebec Nordiques during his tenure as the GM for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Contents

[edit] Records and championships

  • Most shutouts in one season (13), tie with league record, Goaltender: Bryan Bridges (2004-05)
  • U.S. Division champions (2005)
  • U.S. Division champions (2003)
  • WHL Western Conference champions (1997)

[edit] 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

Season 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 83 3rd West Eliminated in round-robin
1995-96 72 29 36 7 - 255 281 65 5th West Loar 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 30 8 3 250 221 80 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
Season GP W L OTL SOL GF GA Points Finish Playoffs
2005-06 72 35 31 1 5 186 211 76 2nd U.S. Lost Western Conference quarter-final

[edit] NHL alumni

Totals include both the Seattle Thunderbirds and Seattle Breakers.

[edit] See also

[edit] External link

Western Hockey League
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