The Okotoks Bisons are a junior "B" ice hockey team based in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the South Division of the Heritage Junior B Hockey League (HJHL). They play their home games at Murray Arena.

History Division titles won: 1996, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2022, 2023, 2024 League Championships won: 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2022, 2023, 2024 Alberta Provincial entries: 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2022, 2023, 2024 Alberta Provincial titles: 2013, 2024 Keystone Cup titles: none

Founded in 1985, the Bisons were originally known as the Okotoks 85ers and played in the Southern Alberta Junior Hockey League. They moved to the Calgary Junior Hockey League in 1989 – changing to the Foothills Bisons one year later – before settling in the Heritage Junior B Hockey League (HJHL) in 1991.

The Bisons have recorded significant success in HJHL competition, with 20 League Final appearances, 17 first-place finishes, 14 HJHL Playoff Championships, 10 Provincial Medals, and one Western Canadian Championship Medal. The program has also received high national rankings in recent seasons, including No. 1 in 2023–24, No. 2 in 2022–23, and No. 4 in 2021–22.

The Bisons were at their all-time high between 2011 and 2014 where they made league history by being the first and only team since to win four consecutive league titles in the HJHL. A feat they had come close to in 2001–2003 winning three consecutively. Today, the Bisons look to capture their fourth consecutive league championships as they have most recently been crowned League Champs in 2022, 2023 & 2024.

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, PIM = Penalties in minutes

Season GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA PIM Finish Playoffs 1995–96 37 33 3 1 — 67 304 97 — 1st, Overall HJHL Champions 1996–97 36 30 6 —— 60 233 110 — 1st, Overall HJHL Champions 1997–98 37 25 12 0 — 50 224 154 — 4th, Overall Lost in Semifinals 1998–99 37 27 8 2 — 56 214 116 — 3rd, Overall Lost in Finals 1999–00 37 32 3 2 — 66 306 122 — 2nd, Overall Lost in Semifinals 2000–01 37 30 5 2 — 62 285 115 — 2nd, Overall HJHL Champions 2001–02 38 30 7 1 — 61 231 116 — 2nd, Overall HJHL Champions 2002–03 36 30 6 0 — 60 207 76 — 1st, South HJHL Champions 2003–04 36 33 2 1 0 67 241 75 — 1st, South Lost in Finals 2004–05 37 33 3 1 0 67 314 90 — 1st, South HJHL Champions 2005–06 38 36 1 0 1 73 352 74 1406 1st, South HJHL Champions, 2–0 (Vipers) 2006–07 36 30 4 1 1 62 210 112 1486 1st, South Lost Round Robin Finals, 1–3 (Wranglers) 2007–08 36 21 10 1 4 47 166 132 1225 4th, South Lost semifinals, 3–4 (Generals) 2008–09 36 19 12 2 3 43 194 135 1122 3rd, South Lost semifinals, 3–4 (Generals) 2009–10 36 29 2 2 3 63 178 83 1100 1st, South Lost semifinals, 1–3 (Vipers) 2010–11 36 25 11 0 0 50 172 103 995 1st, South HJHL Champions, 2–1 (Wranglers) 2011–12 38 31 6 1 0 63 262 130 — 1st, South HJHL Champions, vs. (Thrashers)Russ Barnes Trophy Alberta Silver Medal 2012–13 38 33 2 2 1 69 223 95 — 1st, South HJHL Champions, 3–0 (Vipers)Russ Barnes Trophy – Alberta ChampionKeystone Cup – Bronze Medal 2013–14 36 26 9 — 1 53 165 116 — 1st, South HJHL Champions, 3–2 (Wranglers)Russ Barnes Trophy eliminated pool round 2014–15 38 23 13 — 2 48 162 123 ? 3rd, South Won Div. Qualifier, 0–2 (Academy Bears) Won Div. Semifinals, 4–0 (Generals)Lost Div. Finals, 0–4 (Copperheads) 2015–16 38 29 9 — 0 58 214 119 — 2nd, South Lost div. semi-finals, 2–4 (Copperheads) 2016–17 38 26 11 — 1 53 194 135 — 2nd of 7, South4 of 14, HJHL Lost div. semi-finals, 3–4 (Copperheads) 2017–18 36 24 10 — 2 50 179 115 — 2nd of 7, South3 of 13, HJHL Div. Quarterfinals — byeWon Div. Semifinals, 3–0 (Generals)Lost Div. Finals, 1–4 (Copperheads) 2018–19 38 27 7 — 4 38 171 93 — 2nd of 7, South4 of 14, HJHL Lost div. semi-finals, 1–4 (Generals) 2019–20 38 35 2 — 1 71 232 84 — 1st of 7, South1st of 14, HJHL Won Div. Semifinals, 4–0 (Flyers)Incomplete Div. Finals, 2–1 (Generals) 2020–21 3 3 0 – 0 6 18 4 – Remaining season lost to COVID-19 pandemic 2021–22 36 33 2 — 1 67 248 67 — 1st of 7, South1st of 14, HJHL Won Div. Semifinals, 4–1 (Wheat Kings)Won Division Finals 4–2 (Cubs)Won League Finals 3–0 (Generals)HJBHL CHAMPIONS Advance to Russ Barnes Championships 2022–23 38 35 3 — 0 70 188 76 — 1st of 6, South1st of 14, HJHL Won Div. Semifinals, 4–0 (Wheat Kings)Won Division Finals 4–0 (Cubs)Won League Finals 3–0 (Wranglers)HJBHL CHAMPIONS Host Russ Barnes Championships 2023–24 38 34 3 — 1 69 185 68 — 1st of 6, South1st of 13, HJHL Won Quarterfinals, 3-1 (Flyers) Won Semifinals 3–0 (Rams)Won League Finals 4-2 (Wranglers)HJBHL CHAMPIONS Advance to Russ Barnes Championships 2024–25 38 32 5 — 1 65 186 82 — 1st of 6, South2nd of 13, HJHL Won Quarterfinals, 3-1 (Generals) Won Semifinals 3–1 (Cubs)Lost League Finals 1-3 (Wranglers) 2025–26 36 18 16 — 2 38 153 117 — 5th of 6, South8th of 11, HJHL Won PlayIn , 2-0 (Copperheads) Lost Semifinals 2-3 (Cubs)

Russ Barnes Trophy Alberta Jr B Provincial Championships Year Round Robin Record Standing Semifinal Bronze Medal Game Gold Medal Game 2003 W, St. Paul Canadiens 5–2 W, Calgary Royal Gold 3–1W, Spruce Grove Regals 6–3 3–0–0 n/a L, Fort St. John Huskies 1–3 W, Lloydminster Bandits 7–5 Bronze Medalists n/a 2005 L, North Peace Navigators 2–4 W, Calgary Bruins 7–0T, Beverly Warriors 4–4 1–1–1 n/a L, Calgary Stampeders 4–6 L, North Peace Navigators 1–3 n/a 2006 W, N Edmonton Red Wings 5–3W, Calgary Stampeders 6–2T, Grande Prairie Wheelers 6–6 2–0–1 n/a L, Red Deer Vipers 2–3 W, N Edmonton Red Wings 5–4 Bronze Medalists n/a 2011 L, North Peace Navigators 6–8L, Beaumont Chiefs 3–6W, Calgary Blazers 4–2 1–2–0 n/a Did not qualify n/a n/a 2012 L, Whitecourt Wolverines 3–4W, Spruce Grove Regals 2–3W, Killam 6–0 1–2–0 n/a W, Edmonton Royals 5–2 n/a L, Whitecourt Wolverines 1–5Silver Medalists|- | 2013 || T, Wainwright Bisons, 2–2 W, Sherwood Park Knights, 6–2 W, Calgary Rangers, 7–1 || 2–0–1|| n/a || W, Red Deer Vipers, 7–2 || n/a || W, Sherwood Park Knights, 8–4GOLD MEDALISTAdvance to Keystone Cup |- | 2022 || W, Wainwright Bisons, 4–0 T, Sherwood Park Knights, 6–6 W, CBHA Rangers, 2–0 || 2–0–1|| 1st of 4 Pool B ||L, Fort St. John Huskies 2–5||W, Sherwood Park Knights 5–2 Bronze Medalists ||n/a |- | 2023HOST'' || W, Fort St. John Huskies, 5–4 W, Sylvan Lake Wranglers, 4–0 W, Sherwood Park Knights, 6–3L, Wainwright Bisons 4–5 || 3–1–1|| 1st of 6 ||no semi's||n/a||L, Wainwright Bisons 1–3 Silver Medalists|- | 2024 ||align=left| W, St. Albert Merchants, 6-5L, La Crete Lumber Barons, 1-5W, North Peace Navigators, 5-3W, Wainwright Bisons, 4-3 || 3-1–0|| 2nd of 6 ||n/a || n/a || Won 6-3La Crete Lumber BaronsGold Medalists'''

Awards and trophies HJHL Championship 1995–96, 1996–97, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2021–22, 2022-23, 2023-24 ALBERTA Championship 2013, 2024

See also List of ice hockey teams in Alberta

References

External links