Estevan Bruins

The Estevan Bruins are a junior ice hockey team playing in the Junior "A" Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). The team is based in Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada, and plays at Affinity Place. They were founded in 1971, when a previous franchise called the Estevan Bruins, which played in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League from 1957 to 1966 and then the Major Junior Western Hockey League (WHL) from 1966 to 1971, relocated to New Westminster, British Columbia; that franchise is today known as the Kamloops Blazers.

The original Estevan Bruins (1957–1971)
In 1956, Scotty Munro made a presentation to the leaders of the booming oil town of Estevan. His plan was to move his Humboldt/Melfort Indians (playing in Humboldt and Melfort, Saskatchewan), which was a franchise in the original version of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (1948–1966), to Estevan. The concept of Major Junior hockey had not yet been created, so this original SJHL was playing at the top level of junior hockey in Saskatchewan; should the citizens of Estevan finance the building of a new arena, Munro would bring top-notch hockey entertainment and much-needed help for minor hockey in the town.

His pitch was successful and one year later his newly renamed "Bruins" arrived in Estevan to begin the 1957–58 season in the newly built Agricultural Auditorium. At the time, the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League had six teams. The Estevan Bruins, based near the border with the United States, were the southernmost team, located 800 km away from the northernmost team, the Flin Flon Bombers, and would make shorter trips to play the Prince Albert Minto's, Regina Pats, Saskatoon Quakers and Melville Millionaires. The league had grown to eight teams by its final season, 1965–66, then disbanded when five of its eight teams – including the Estevan Bruins – joined the newly formed Canadian Major Junior Hockey League (along with two Alberta-based teams) for the inaugural 1966–67 CMJHL season.

The CMJHL was renamed the Western Canada Junior Hockey League, expanding into Manitoba, for the 1967–68 WCHL season. The Bruins scored their greatest success in that 1967–68 season, finishing second in the regular season before winning the President's Cup as WCHL playoff champions. They advanced to face British Columbia's Mowat Cup champion, the Penticton Broncos, whom they defeated to take the Abbott Cup as champion of Western Canada. The Bruins then faced Ontario's Niagara Falls Flyers, winner of Eastern Canada's George Richardson Memorial Trophy (having defeated Quebec's Verdun Maple Leafs), in a best-of-7 series for the 1968 Memorial Cup national championship. The Bruins were defeated, in five games, as the Flyers won their second Memorial Cup.

The Bruins played in Estevan through to the completion of the 1970-71 WCHL season, then relocated to New Westminster, British Columbia, where they became the New Westminster Bruins.

Season-by-season results
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

The modern Estevan Bruins
With the departure of the major junior Bruins, a new Bruins team was founded in Estevan that same year, which has played in the SJHL ever since. The Estevan Bruins won the SJHL championship in 1985, 1999 and 2022.

Radio station CKSE-FM (Rock 106) broadcasts Bruins games. DiscoverEstevan.com covers the team on a daily basis. The team is also covered in print on a weekly basis by the Estevan Mercury and Estevan Lifestyles.

Season-by-season results
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Playoffs

 * 1972 Lost quarter-final
 * Humboldt Broncos defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to none


 * 1973 Lost final
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Regina Blues 4 games to 2
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Weyburn Red Wings 4 games to 1
 * Humboldt Broncos defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 2


 * 1974 Lost final
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Moose Jaw Canucks 4 games to none
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Weyburn Red Wings 4 games to 1
 * Prince Albert Raiders defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 1


 * 1975 Lost quarter-final
 * Weyburn Red Wings defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 3


 * 1976 Lost quarter-final
 * Melville Millionaires defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 3


 * 1977 DNQ
 * 1978 Lost quarter-final
 * Regina Blues defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 1


 * 1979 DNQ
 * 1980 Lost semi-final
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Regina Blues 4 games to none
 * Moose Jaw Canucks defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 2


 * 1981 Lost semi-final
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Yorkton Terriers 4 games to 3
 * Moose Jaw Canucks defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to none


 * 1982 DNQ
 * 1983 Lost quarter-final
 * Yorkton Terriers defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to none


 * 1984 Lost quarter-final
 * Melville Millionaires defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 1


 * 1985 Won League, won Anavet Cup, lost Abbott Cup
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Lloydminster Lancers 4 games to none
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Battlefords North Stars 4 games to 1
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Weyburn Red Wings 4 games to 3 SAJHL CHAMPIONS
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Selkirk Steelers (MJHL) 4 games to 1 ANAVET CUP CHAMPIONS
 * Penticton Knights (BCJHL) defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to none


 * 1986 Lost final
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Melville Millionaires 4 games to none
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Weyburn Red Wings 4 games to none
 * Humboldt Broncos defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 3


 * 1987 Lost quarter-final
 * Lloydminster Lancers defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 1


 * 1988 Lost quarter-final
 * Humboldt Broncos defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 1


 * 1989 Lost quarter-final
 * Humboldt Broncos defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to none


 * 1990 Lost quarter-final
 * Weyburn Red Wings defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 2


 * 1991 DNQ
 * 1992 Lost final
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Yorkton Terriers 4 games to none
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Melville Millionaires 4 games to 1
 * Melfort Mustangs defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 1


 * 1993 Lost semi-final
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Yorkton Terriers 4 games to 2
 * Melville Millionaires defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 1


 * 1994 Lost preliminary
 * Notre Dame Hounds defeated Estevan Bruins 3 games to 1


 * 1995 Lost quarter-final
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Melville Millionaires 2 games to none
 * Lebret Eagles defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 1


 * 1996 Lost semi-final
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Lebret Eagles 4 games to 2
 * Yorkton Terriers defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 3


 * 1997 Lost quarter-final
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Minot Top Guns 2 games to none
 * Weyburn Red Wings defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to none


 * 1998 Lost quarter-final
 * Weyburn Red Wings defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 1


 * 1999 Won League, won Anavet Cup, Eliminated from 1999 Royal Bank Cup round robin
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Melville Millionaires 4 games to none
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4 games to 1
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Humboldt Broncos 4 games to none SJHL CHAMPIONS
 * Estevan Bruins defeated OCN Blizzard (MJHL) 4 games to 2 ANAVET CUP CHAMPIONS
 * Fifth in 1999 Royal Bank Cup round robin (1-3)


 * 2000 Lost quarter-final
 * First in round robin (2-2) vs. Weyburn Red Wings and Yorkton Terriers
 * Melville Millionaires defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 1


 * 2001 DNQ
 * 2002 Lost quarter-final
 * Humboldt Broncos defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 1


 * 2003 DNQ
 * 2004 DNQ
 * 2005 Lost semi-final
 * Third in round robin (1-3) vs. Yorkton Terriers and Notre Dame Hounds
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Humboldt Broncos 4 games to none
 * Yorkton Terriers defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 3


 * 2006 DNQ
 * 2007 Lost quarter-final
 * Second in round robin (1-2-1) vs. Melville Millionaires and Yorkton Terriers
 * Yorkton Terriers defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 2


 * 2008 Lost preliminary
 * Yorkton Terriers defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 2


 * 2009 Lost preliminary
 * Kindersley Klippers defeated Estevan Bruins 3 games to 2


 * 2010 DNQ
 * 2011 Lost quarter-final
 * Estevan Bruins defeated Melville Millionaires 3 games to 2
 * Yorkton Terriers defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to none


 * 2012
 * Qualifying Round Estevan Bruins defeated Notre Dame Hounds 3 games to 0
 * Quarter-final Weyburn Red Wings defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to none


 * 2013
 * Qualifying Round Estevan Bruins defeated Kindersley Klippers 3 games to 1
 * Quarter-final Yorkton Terriers defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 1


 * 2014
 * Qualifying Round Estevan Bruins defeated Flin Flon Bombers 3 games to 2
 * Quarter-final Battlefords North Stars defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 1


 * 2015
 * Survivor Series Battlefords North Stars defeated Estevan Bruins 3 games to 2


 * 2016
 * Quarter-final Nipawin Hawks defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 2


 * 2017
 * Semi-final Estevan Bruins defeated Yorkton Terriers 4 games to 1
 * Quarter-final Battlefords North Stars defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 0


 * 2018
 * Quarter-final Estevan Bruins defeated Kindersley Klippers 4 games to 0
 * Semi-final Estevan Bruins defeated Battlefords North Stars 4 games to 1
 * Final Nipawin Hawks defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 3


 * 2019
 * Quarter-final Estevan Bruins defeated Humboldt Broncos 4 games to 3
 * Quarter-final Melfort Mustangs defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 2


 * 2020
 * Quarter-final Melfort Mustangs leading Estevan Bruins 3 games to 1
 * Playoffs cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic


 * 2021 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
 * 2022
 * Quarter-final Estevan Bruins defeated Notre Dame Hounds 4 games to 1
 * Semi-final Estevan Bruins defeated Yorkton Terriers 4 games to 0
 * Final Estevan Bruins defeated Flin Flon Bombers 4 games to 3 SJHL CHAMPIONS


 * 2023
 * Quarter-final Flin Flon Bombers defeated Estevan Bruins 4 games to 3

Western Canada Cup
Western Canada Championships ** BCHL — AJHL — SJHL — MJHL — Host ** Round-robin play with 1st vs 2nd – winner advance to National Championship and loser to runner-up game 3rd vs 4th in a second semifinal with winner to runner-up game. Runner-up game determines second representative to National Championship. Competition began 2013 season.

Centennial Cup - Revised format 2022
Canadian Jr. A National Championships Maritime Junior Hockey League, Quebec Junior Hockey League, Central Canada Hockey League, Ontario Junior Hockey League, Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League, Superior International Junior Hockey League, Manitoba Junior Hockey League, Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, Alberta Junior Hockey League, and Host. The BCHL declared itself an independent league and there is no BC representative. Round-robin play in two 5-team pools with top three in pool advancing to determine a Champion.