The Drumheller Falcons were a Junior A ice hockey team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) based in Drumheller, Alberta.
The Falcons joined the AJHL in the 1971–72 season as the league's seventh team after acquiring the assets of the Ponoka Stampeders franchise that ceased operations after the 1969–70 season.
The Falcons had their best season in 1974-75. They finished second overall during the regular season, advanced through the post season to the AJHL finals, going the full seven games before losing the championship to the Spruce Grove Mets, who would go on to win that year's Centennial Cup as the best Junior A hockey team in Canada, with no other challenger good enough to take them to a full 7-game series.
The Falcons would struggle with attendance the following season, then took a three-year leave of absence.
The Falcons returned in 1979, however were consistently overmatched, winning just 29 games total between 1979 and 1983. The Falcons folded midway through the 1982-83 season having lost every game they played that year. The Falcons still hold the record for longest losing streak spanning two seasons at 35; a record stopped only by the team's demise.
Four Falcons alumni went on to play in the National Hockey League: Merlin Malinowski, Jim Nill, Bryan Maxwell and John Hilworth.
Drumheller would not get a second chance in the AJHL until 2003, when the Drumheller Dragons were founded as an expansion team.
Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Season GP W L T GF GA Points Finish Playoffs 1971-72 48 16 32 0 190 319 32 7th overall Out of playoffs 1972-73 60 29 29 2 331 350 58 3rd overall 1973-74 60 21 36 3 232 309 45 5th overall 1974-75 60 42 17 1 342 260 85 2nd overall Lost final 1975-76 60 19 40 1 289 425 39 5th overall 1976–77 leave of absence 1977–78 leave of absence 1978–79 leave of absence 1979-80 59 9 49 1 185 399 19 8th overall Out of playoffs 1980-81 60 10 50 0 227 415 20 4th South Out of playoffs 1981-82 60 10 50 0 230 427 20 5th South Out of playoffs 1982-83† 26 0 26 0 64 223 0 5th South Out of playoffs †Folded with a record of 0-24-0. The team forfeited two games following its demise.
Playoffs 1972 DNQ 1973 Lost semi-final Calgary Canucks defeated Drumheller Falcons 4-games-to-1 with 1 tie 1974 DNQ 1975 Lost final Drumheller Falcons defeated Taber Golden Suns 4-games-to-1 Spruce Grove Mets defeated Drumheller Falcons 4-games-to-3 1976 DNQ 1977-79 Did Not Participate 1980 DNQ 1981 Lost quarter-final Calgary Spurs defeated Drumheller Falcons 3-games-to-none 1982 DNQ 1983 Did Not Finish Season
See also List of ice hockey teams in Alberta
References Alberta Junior Hockey League website AJHL Annual Guide & Record Book 2006-07