North Peace Hockey League

North Peace Hockey League

Most recent season or competition: 2013-2014
Sport	Senior ice hockey
Founded	c. 1950
No. of teams	10
Country
Most recent champion(s)	Spirit River Rangers (Lakeland Eagles)
Most titles	Spirit River Rangers
Official website	NPHL Website

The North Peace Hockey League (NPHL) is a Canadian men's Senior ice hockey league based in Northern Alberta and North Eastern British Columbia. It is not professional but the teams and players play at a high calibre. The NPHL draws several hundred fans to each game, with many games being sold out each night.

With a history that dates back to the early 1950s, the NPHL has the distinction of being the longest continually running senior hockey league currently in existence in western Canada. The league was down to two teams (Peace River Stampeders and High Prairie Regals) in the early 1970s, when it played an interlocking schedule with the South Peace Hockey League.

Prior to the start of the 2009-10 season, the league voted to disallow any team playing AAA hockey from competing in the NPHL playoffs. This change will affect teams making a try for the Allan Cup.^[1] Despite this decision, the Fort St. John Flyers hosted, competed at, and won the 2010 Allan Cup.

Despite its long-standing tradition, the NPHL and its teams have struggled to stay on the ice. The 2013-14 season saw the league lose two teams when the Hythe Mustangs folded near the end of the season and the Lakeland Eagles were removed from league play.^[2]

The 2014-15 saw the league lose two more teams when the Dawson Creek Sr. Canucks^[3] and High Prairie Regals^[4] opted out of the upcoming season. The result was a six team league.

Current Teams

North Peace Hockey League

• Falher Pirates
• Fort St. John Flyers
• Grande Prairie Athletics
• Grimshaw Huskies
• Manning Comets
• Spirit River Rangers

Defunct

• Beaverlodge 77s
• Dawson Creek Canucks
• Fairview Elks
• Fairview Monarchs
• Fairview Kings
• Fort Nelson Fury
• High Prairie Regals
• Horse Lake Thunder
• Horse Lake Chiefs
• Hythe Mustangs
• Lakeland Eagles (from McLennan)
• McLennan Red Wings
• Rycroft Flames
• Peace River Stampeders
• Valleyview Jets

Past Champions

• 2014-15 Spirit River Rangers
• 2013-14 Spirit River Rangers
• 2012-13 Spirit River Rangers
• 2011-12 Falher Pirates
• 2010-11 Spirit River Rangers
• 2009-10 Grande Prairie Athletics
• 2008-09 Fort St. John Flyers
• 2007-08 Spirit River Rangers
• 2006-07 Peace River Stampeders
• 2005-06 Spirit River Rangers
• 2004-05 Horse Lake Thunder
• 2003-04 Horse Lake Thunder

Notable players

• Former NHL superstar Theoren Fleury played a season with the Horse Lake Thunder in 2004. The 2004 Horse Lake roster also included former NHL tough guy Gino Odjick, bubble players Sasha Lakovic and Dody Wood. The Thunder had spent millions of dollars on a new arena, players and the team went on to win the championship that year, but in the 2005 Allan Cup the Thunder were defeated in the semi finals by the Thunder Bay Bombers who went on the win the Allan Cup.
• Former New York Rangers goalie and current St. Louis Blues president John Davidson played one season with the High Prairie Regals in the early 1970s.
• Reg Bentley, one of the famous Bentleys of NHL fame was a player/coach for the High Prairie Regals for a couple years in the early 1960s.
• Roger Bellerive, who later spent a few years with the Portland Buckaroos of the old Western Professional Hockey League played for the Falher Pirates in the late 1950s.
• Former American Hockey League star, Fred Hilts played a few seasons for the Spirit River Rangers, who were then in the old South Peace Hockey League in the early 1960s.
• Norm Skrudland, father of former NHL star Brian Skrudland, starred with the Grimshaw Huskies in the early 1960s.
• Former San Jose Sharks property Todd Holt also spent time in the NPHL.
• Former NHL and AHL player Wade Campbell played in Grimshaw before and after his professional career.
• Other NHL Payers to don an NPHL jersey include: Ed Beers and Howard Walker.

References