The Thunder Bay Bandits are a Canadian junior B ice hockey team based in Thunder Bay, Ontario. They play in the Lakehead Junior Hockey League eligible to compete for the Central Canada Cup formerly the Keystone Cup for the Junior B championship of Western Canada.
History The Thunder Bay Stars joined the Thunder Bay Junior B Hockey League in 2009. The team was formed after the K&A Wolverines accepted an invitation to play Junior A in the Superior International Junior Hockey League.
In both 2010 and 2011, the Stars finished third in the regular season, but managed to upset the second place Nipigon Elks in the league semi-finals to earn entrance into the league finals. In both cases, the Stars were defeated by the Thunder Bay Northern Hawks.
At the end of the 2016–17 season, long-time Stars owners Dave and Scott Simpson sold the franchise to Derek Geddes. The team was rebranded as the Thunder Bay Fighting Walleye.
For the 2018 season British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan elected not to participate in the Keystone Cup. As a result, the tournament was reorganized to feature the LJHL and KJHL champion and runner-up. Although the Thunder Bay Northern Hawks won the LJHL championship, the new format allowed the Fighting Walleye make their first Keystone Cup tournament. They returned to the Keystone Cup the following season as well, and then were awarded hosting duties for the 2020 tournament. However, the 2020 tournament would be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to the 2020–21 season the team rebranded once again as the Kam River Pickerel, but was instead sold and rebranded again as Thunder Bay Bandits.
Season-by-season standings Season GP W L T OTLPts GF GA Results Playoffs2009-10 30 6 24 0 ---12 123 222 3rd of 3 Won Semifinals, 3-1 vs ElksLost Finals, 0-4 vs Northern Hawks2010-11 30 9 17 4 ---22 123 161 3rd of 4 Won Semifinals, 3-1 vs ElksLost Finals, 0-4 vs Northern Hawks2011-12 32 15 17 0 ---30 149 171 3rd of 5 Lost Semifinals, 2-3 vs Elks2012-13 32 14 17 1 ---29 140 143 3rd of 5 Lost Semifinals, 3-4 vs Elks2013-14 30 16 12 2 ---34 123 104 2nd of 4 Won Semifinals, 4-1 vs ElksLost Finals, 1-4 vs Northern Hawks2014-15 30 15 15 0 ---30 149 132 2nd of 4 Won Semifinals, 4-1 vs ElksLost Finals, 0-4 vs Northern Hawks2015-16 32 27 5 0 ---54 210 81 1st of 5Won Semifinals, 4-0 vs FalconsLost Finals, 2-4 vs Northern Hawks2016-17 30 4 22 4 ---12 114 231 3rd of 4 Lost Semifinals, 1-4 vs Elks2017-18 28 16 8 4 ---36 212 109 1st of 4Won Semifinals, 4-0 vs FalconsLost Finals, 1-4 vs Northern Hawks2018–19 30 17 10 4 ---38 187 96 2nd of 4 Won Semifinals, 4-0 vs ElksLost Finals, 1-4 vs Northern Hawks2019–202717811361431042nd of 4Playoffs cancelled due to COVID-192020–21 Cancelled due to COVID-192021–22 18 17 0 1 ---35 111 51 1st of 4 Won Semifinals, 4-2 vs (Elks)WON Finals, 4-1 (Northern Hawks)LJHL CHAMPIONS2022–23 24 5 17 2 ---12 57 97 5 of 5 Lost 1st Round, 0-2 vs (Elks)2023–24 24 7 14 1 2 17 92 129 4 of 5 Won 1st Round, 2-0 vs (Elks)Lost Semifinals 1-4 (Storm)2024–25 24 8 15 0 1 17 73 113 4 of 5 Lost Semifinals, 0-3 vs (Storm)2025–26 24 13 8 1 2 29 108 105 3 of 5 Lost Semifinals, 2-3 vs (Northern Hawks)
Keystone Cup history Central Canadian Jr. B Championships (Northern Ontario to Saskatchewan)
Year Round-robin Record Standing Gold medal game Bronze medal game 2018 W, 7–2 vs. Peguis JuniorsL, 1–3 vs. St. Malo WarriorsL, 3–9 vs. Thunder Bay Northern Hawks 1–2–0 3rd of 4 ---L, 3–6 vs Peguis Juniorsin semifinal - Bronze medalist 2019 L, 3–4 vs. Thunder Bay Northern HawksW, 6–2 vs. Cross Lake IslandersW, 6–0 vs. Peguis Juniors 2–1–0 2nd of 4 L, 2–4 vs Thunder Bay Northern HawksSilver medalist—
References