The Red Deer Vipers are a Junior "B" Ice Hockey team based in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the North Division of the Heritage Junior B Hockey League (HJHL). They played their home games at Red Deer Arena until 2016 when it was torn down to be rebuilt. The Vipers played home games out of Red Deer's Collicutt Centre which only sat about 500 with standing room for a season & a half. In January 2018, the Vipers returned to downtown Red Deer to play in the new Servus Arena which seats about 1,300.

History

The Red Deer Vipers are an original Heritage Junior B Hockey League team, named as the Red Deer Cowboys beginning in the 1987–88 HJHL season. Shortly after, the Red Deer Cowboys were renamed as the Red Deer Vipers. The Vipers are the 1989, 1999, 2004, 2017 & 2018 HJHL champions, the 2004 and 2006 Russ Barnes Trophy champions, and the 2006 Keystone Cup champions.

The Vipers historical rivals have been the Blackfalds Wranglers who reside a mere 10 minutes north of Red Deer. In recent years the Vipers have developed an intense rivalry with the Airdrie Thunder. The Vipers and Thunder have met in each of the last three post-seasons. In 2016 the Thunder beat the Vipers in seven games in the north semi-final. In 2017 the Vipers beat Airdrie in the north semi-final in six games. The Vipers beat Airdrie in six again in the 2018 north final.

Media Since the 2016 HJHL playoffs, the Red Deer Vipers have taken it upon themselves to broadcast road games via internet radio. The first ever Vipers play-by-play broadcast was game five of the 2016 HJHL north semi-final against the Airdrie Thunder. Red Deer native Brady Sim called the game using an iPhone with a wifi connection, Periscope & an Xbox gaming headset. The Vipers defeated Airdrie in game five 2–1, but ultimately lost the series to Airdrie 4 games to three.

The Vipers would arrange to have Sim broadcast that year's provincial championships which the Vipers hosted. The Vipers then began broadcasting games on Mixlr.com, where the broadcasts can still be found today.

The 2023-24seasonmarked the first season since the 2002-03 season (no records prior to 2003-04 season) that the Vipers failed to make the playoffs.

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 2003–04 36 24 12 0 0 48 225 96 – 2nd, Central no data 2004–05 40 32 4 1 3 68 302 79 1st, North no data 2005–06 38 37 0 0 1 75 281 67 1437 1st, North Lost in HJHL Semifinals, 0–2 (Bisons)Russ Barnes Trophy ChampionsKeystone Cup Champions 2006–07 36 24 7 3 2 53 192 88 978 2nd, North Lost in Division Finals, 0–4 (Wranglers) 2007–08 36 20 9 6 1 47 151 111 781 4th, North Lost in Division Finals, 1–3 (Wranglers) 2008–09 36 18 14 3 1 40 181 120 1111 4th, North Lost in Division Finals, 2–3 (Wranglers) 2009–10 36 24 9 1 2 51 216 114 1450 2nd, North Lost in Finals, 0–2 (Wranglers) 2010–11 36 25 9 2 0 52 220 111 950 2nd, North Lost in HJHL Semifinals, 1–3 (Bisons) 2011–12 38 26 9 0 3 55 183 106 1412 1st, North Lost in HJHL Quarter Finals, 1–4 (Colts) 2012–13 38 24 5 6 3 57 203 134 – 2nd, North Lost in HJHL Finals, 0–3 (Bisons) 2013–14 36 18 17 – 1 37 155 156 – 4th, North Lost in Elimination Round, 1–2 (Thrashers) 2014–15 38 18 18 – 2 38 176 164 – 4th, North Won Division Qualifier, 2–1 (Thrashers)Lost in Div. semi-finals, 0–4 (Wranglers) 2015–16 38 25 9 – 4 54 162 113 – 3rd, North Won Division Qualifier, 2–0 (Stampeders)Lost Div. semi-finals, 3–4 (Thunder) 2016–17 38 25 12 – 1 51 171 123 – 3rd of 7, North5 of 14, League Won Division Qualifier, 2–0 (Stampeders)Won Div. Semi-finals, 4–2 (Thunder)Won Div. Finals, 4–3 (Colts)Won League Finals, 3–1 (Generals)advance to RUSS BARNES TROPHY 2017–18 36 30 5 – 1 61 198 96 – 1st of 7, North1st of 13, League Won Div. Semi-finals, 3–1 (Colts)Won Div. Finals 4–2 (Thunder)Won League Finals, 2–1(Copperheads)advance to RUSS BARNES TROPHY2018–1938298–159185102–2nd of 7, North 3rd of 14, LeagueLost Div. Semi-finals, 4-3 (Colts) 2019–20 38 24 13 – 1 49 156 125 – 2nd of 7, North6th of 14, League Lost Div. Semi-finals, 3–4 (Wranglers) 2020–21 4 4 0 – 0 8 15 5 – Remaining season lost to COVID-19 pandemic Generals|Generals]])2022-233812242261282185th of 6, North 10th of 12, LeagueLost Division Qualifier 1-2 (Rams) 2023–24 38 12 26 – x 24 96 192 – 6th of 7, North12th of 13, League Did Not Qualify 2024–25 38 20 17 1 x 35 142 134 – 2nd of 7, North5th of 13, League Won Div Semifinals 3-1 (Colts)Lost Div Finals 0-3 (Wranglers) 2025–26 36 26 8 – 2 56 180 98 – 1st of 6, North1st of 12, League Wpn Div Semifinals 3-2 (Thunder)Won Div. Finals, 3-1 (Wranglers)Lost League Finals, 0-3 (Cubs)

Russ Barnes Trophy Alberta Jr B Provincial Championships Year Round Robin Record Standing SemiFinal Bronze Medal Game Gold Medal Game 2004 T, Edmonton Riv Kings 2–2 W, Calgary Stampederes 4–3W, Vermilion 14–1 2–0–1 1st of 4 Pool W, Okotos 3–2 n/a W, CalgaryRuss Barnes Champions 2006 T, Saddle Lake 5–5 L, Edmonton Royals 3–6W, Ft. St John 5–4 1–1–1 2 of 4 Pool W, Okotos 3–2 n/a W, Edmonton Royals 3–2Russ Barnes Champions 2010 T, North Peace 3–3L, Lloydminster 2–5?, Beverly ?-?-? ? of 4 Pool n/a n/a n/a 2013 W, Grand Prairie 6–4L, Cold Lake 4–5W, Wetaskiwin 5–3 2–1–0 2 of 4 Pool L, Okotos 2–7 L, Cold Lake 3–5 n/a 2016* L, North Peace 0–3W, North Edmonton 4–2W, Killam 2–1 2–1–0 2nd of 4 Pool L, Wainwright 1–3 L, Wetaskiwin 2–3 n/a 2017 W, St. Paul, 4–2 L, Wetaskiwin, 1–2 L, CBHA Rangers, 2–3 1–2–0 4th of 4 Pool did not qualify n/a n/a 2018 W, Calgary Royals Gold, 4–1 W, North Peace Navigators, 5–4 W, Beverly Warriors, 6–2 3–0–0 1st of 4 Pool A W, Wetaskiwin 3–1n/a L, Wainwright 1–5 2016 Hosts

Keystone Cup Western Canadian Jr. B Championships(Northern Ontario to British Columbia) Six teams in round robin play. 1st vs 2nd for gold/silver & 3rd vs. 4th for bronze. Year Round Robin Record Standing Bronze Medal Game Gold Medal Game 2004 L, Richmond 3–4W, Regina 4–3W, Norway House 5–4W, Aguasabon 10–1L, Thunder Bay 1–3 3–2–0 3 of 6 W, Thunder Bay 4–3Bronze Medal n/a 2006 W, Saskatoon 6–2L, Campbell River 1–2W, Delta 4–0W, Thunder Bay 6–0T, N Winnipeg 0–0 3–1–1 2 of 6 n/aOTW, Campbell River 3–2KEYSTONE CUP CHAMPIONS

NHL alumni

Brad Leeb Paul Manning Derek Morris

Awards and trophies Keystone Cup 2005–06

Russ Barnes Trophy 2003–04, 2005–06

HJHL Championship 1988–89, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2016–17, 2017–18

See also List of ice hockey teams in Alberta

References

External links Official website of the Red Deer Vipers Vipers Mixlr live page