The Spokane Braves are a Junior 'A' Ice Hockey team based in Spokane, Washington, United States. They are members of the Neil Murdoch Division of the Kootenay Conference of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). They play their home games at Eagles Ice-A-Rena. The Braves are the only team in the KIJHL to play in the United States. They were forced to go on hiatus at the beginning of the 2020–21 season due to the Canada-US border closure.
History
Despite their long history in the KIJHL, the Braves have never won the league championship. They won their division in 1978/79, 1983/84, and the 1991/92 season. The Spokane Braves primary focus is to move players up to the next level such as the WHL, Junior 'A', and College Hockey.
The club was founded as the Spokane Valley Kings in 1971, finally becoming the Braves in 1985.
The WHL Spokane Chiefs drafted their first player from the Braves in the bantam draft in 2003.
Mike Bay coached the team for 13 years in the 2000s and 2010s, and returned as coach in 2018.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions in travel the Spokane Braves did not participate in the KIJHL. The 2023–24 season marked not only the return to the KIJHL but the 50th anniversary of participation in the KIJHL. The Braves returned to a league that had just been given recognition as being a Junior 'A' level hockey league.
Season-by-season record Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, D = Defaults, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against Season Results from 1971 to 2020 and COVID-19 Season GP W L OTL SOL Pts GF GA Finish Playoffs 1971-72 19 0 19 0 — 0 26 247 6th, WKHL 1972-73 30 20 10 0 — 40 213 121 2nd, East 1973-74 30 17 13 0 — 34 181 165 3rd, East 1974-75 34 6 28 0 — 12 142 320 4th, East 1975-76 34 8 26 0 — 16 146 231 4th, East 1976-77 44 17 25 2 — 36 210 264 5th, East 1977-78 42 29 13 0 — 58 288 192 2nd, East 1978-79 40 27 12 1 — 55 271 173 1st, East 1979-80 40 28 11 1 — 57 255 161 1st, East 1980-81 40 12 28 0 — 24 208 257 5th, East 1981-82 42 20 21 1 — 41 227 257 4th, East 1982-83 42 26 16 0 — 52 241 201 3rd, East 1983-84 40 34 6 0 — 68 300 145 1st, West 1984-85 40 20 20 0 — 40 221 224 3rd, West 1985-86 39 27 11 2 — 56 253 166 2nd, East 1986-87 42 31 11 0 — 66 307 206 2nd, East 1987-88 42 26 16 0 — 52 263 236 3rd, East 1988-89 42 17 25 0 — 34 170 220 4th, East 1989-90 40 16 24 0 — 32 208 188 3rd, East 1990–91* 39 17 22 0 — 34 200 255 2nd, East 1991-92 38 26 11 1 — 53 275 200 1st, East Lost in Finals (Leafs) 1992-93 42 31 10 1 — 63 302 203 2nd, West 1993-94 40 12 28 0 — 24 191 256 6th, West 1994-95 44 15 26 — 3 33 165 223 4th, West 1995-96 42 7 31 4 — 18 155 285 5th, West 1996-97 42 12 30 0 — 22 152 224 5th, Neil Murdoch 1997-98 50 18 29 3 — 39 189 232 4th, Neil Murdoch 1998-99 50 13 34 3 — 29 153 229 5th, Neil Murdoch 1999-00 46 21 22 3 — 45 237 214 5th, Neil Murdoch Did not qualify 2000-01 58 24 29 4 1 53 237 241 5th, Neil Murdoch Did not qualify 2001-02 50 16 28 5 1 38 156 209 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 0-4 (Nitehawks) 2002-03 50 21 23 4 1 47 187 185 3rd, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 2-4 (Leafs) 2003-04 50 28 16 4 2 62 211 184 2nd, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Finals, 0-4 (Nitehawks) 2004-05 50 23 21 4 2 52 171 166 3rd, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 1-4 (Rebels) 2005-06 50 21 21 5 3 50 177 177 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 0-4 (Nitehawks) 2006-07 52 29 19 4 0 62 231 205 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 0-4 (Leafs) 2007-08 52 19 27 6 0 44 158 210 4th, Neil Murdoch: East Did not qualify 2008-09 52 23 26 3 0 49 202 204 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 1-4 (Leafs) 2009-10 50 28 20 0 2 58 196 176 3rd, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Finals, 3–4 (Leafs) 2010-11 50 21 26 1 2 45 170 171 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 1-4 (Rebels) 2011-12 52 21 28 1 2 45 192 254 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 1-4 (Nitehawks) 2012-13 52 14 30 4 4 36 163 232 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 1-4 (Rebels) 2013-14 52 22 26 0 4 48 160 177 4th, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 2-4 (Leafs) 2014-15 52 25 23 0 4 54 161 161 3rd, Neil Murdoch Lost in Division Semifinals, 1-4 (Rebels) 2015-16 52 10 38 0 4 24 116 241 5th, Neil Murdoch Did not qualify 2016-17 47 8 38 0 1 17 129 250 5th, Neil Murdoch Division 19th of 20 - KIJHLDid not qualify 2017-18 47 15 28 2 2 34 137 201 5th, Neil Murdoch Division 18th of 20 - KIJHLDid not qualify 2018-19 49 19 26 0 4 42 130 176 4th, Neil Murdoch Division 13th of 20 - KIJHLLost Division Semifinals, 3-4 (Leafs) 2019-20 49 20 23 2 4 46 137 185 3rd, Neil Murdoch Division 13th of 20 - KIJHLLost Division Semifinals, 0-4 (Leafs)
Season Results from 2024 return to current season Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, D = Defaults, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Records as of March 3, 2024
Season GP W L OTL SOL Pts GF GA Finish Playoffs 2023-24 44 11 32 1 0 23 133 247 5 of 5,Neil Murdoch Division 10th of 10 - Kootenay Conf 19th of 20 - KIJHLDid Not Qualify for Post Season 2024-25 44 9 32 1 2 21 104 216 5 of 5,Neil Murdoch Division 10th of 10 - Kootenay Conf 21st of 21 - KIJHLDid Not Qualify for Post Season 2025-26 44 15 25 3 1 34 130 184 4 of 5,Neil Murdoch Division 8th of 12 - Kootenay Conf 15th of 21 - KIJHLLost Div Semifinal 0-4 (Nitehawks)Moving to Independent Western International Junior Hockey League
Notes
Stats for the 1990–91 season are only thru February 17, 1991. May not be complete
Playoffs
Records as of March 29, 2020.KIJHL.ca, Playoff Bracket 2011–2012. KIJHL.ca – Playoff Records.KIJHL.ca, Past KIJHL League Champions.
Season1st Round2nd Round3rd RoundFinals1999–00Did not qualify2000–01Did not qualify2001–02L, 0-4, Beaver Valley———2002–03L, 2-4, Nelson———2003–04W, 4-3, NelsonL, 0-4, Beaver Valley——2004–05L, 1-4, Castlegar———2005–06L, 0-4, Beaver Valley———2006–07L, 0-4, Nelson———2007–08Did not qualify2008–09L, 1-4, Nelson———2009–10W, 4-2, CastlegarL, 3-4, Nelson——2010-11L, 1-4, Castlegar———2011-12L, 1-4, Beaver Valley———2012–13L, 1-4, Castlegar———2013-14L, 2-4, Nelson———2014–15 L, 1-4, Castlegar———2015–16 Did not qualify2016-17 Did not qualify2017–18 Did not qualify2018–19 L, 3-4, Nelson———2019–20 L, 0-4, Nelson———2020-21Playoffs cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic2021-22Did not participate2022-23Did not participate2023-24Did not qualify2024-25Did not qualify
Notes
Prior to the 2001-02 KIJHL playoffs, there was only three playoff rounds (Division Semifinals, Division Finals and Finals), due to two Divisions (Eddie Mountain/West and Neil Murdoch/East) only.
NHL alumni
Dennis LaRue Sean Zimmerman Derek Ryan Scott Levins Mike McGeough Scott Parker
KIJHL Awards and trophies
Top Defenceman Brian Piper: 1987–88 Bobby Tobiason: 1991–92 Chase Wharton: 2009–10 Skyler Smutek: 2007–08 Kyle Davis: 2013–14 Taylor Everhart: 2015–16
Rookie of the Year Jesse Collins: 2009–10 Skyler Smutek: 2007–08 Jason Greenwell: 2004–05 Jon Manlow: 2013–14 Mason Jones: 2015–16
Most Valuable Player Evan Witt: 2006–07 Justin Bonanno: 2013–14 Kurtis Redding: 2015–16
Top Scorer Evan Witt: 2005–06 Kurtis Redding: 2015–16
KIJHL AWARDS Chase Wharton: 2009-10 Neil Murdoch Division Top Defenseman Jesse Collins: 2009-10 Neil Murdoch Rookie of the Year Brycen Fisher: 2012-13 Neil Murdoch Division Top Defenseman Jon Manlow: 2013-14 Neil Murdoch Division Goalie of the Year Gary Redding: 2013-14 Neil Murdoch Division Coach of the Year Trevor DiLauro: 2015-16 Neil Murdoch Division Goalie of the Year Luke Gallagher: 2016-17 Neil Murdoch Division Rookie of The Year Gary Redding: 2017-18 Neil Murdoch Division Coach of The Year Bear Hughes: 2018-19 Neil Murdoch Division Top Scorer Bear Hughes: 2018-19 Neil Murdoch Division MVP Bear Hughes: 2018-19 Neil Murdoch Division Rookie of the Year Bear Hughes: 2018-19 KIJHL Rookie of The Year Matt Klenk: 2019-20 Neil Murdoch Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year Zach Baumann: 2023-24 Neil Murdoch Top Scorer & Rookie Of The Year
References
External links Official website