The Winnipeg Blues are a Manitoba Junior Hockey League team based in Oak Bluff, a suburban area of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The team was founded in 1930 as the Winnipeg Monarchs and also formerly known as the Fort Garry Blues (1978-1984) and Winnipeg South Blues (1984-2010).
The Blues/Monarchs hockey club has won 17 Turnbull Cups as MJHL champions, two ANAVET Cups, and six Abbott Cups. The Monarchs were also three-time Memorial Cup champions before the reorganization of Canadian junior hockey in 1970. The 1995 Winnipeg South Blues have been inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame under the team category.
History
Winnipeg Monarchs (1930–1978)
The Winnipeg Monarchs won the Memorial Cup as Canadian junior hockey champions three times: in 1935, 1937 and 1946. In 1946, George Robertson scored the winning goal in the seventh game of the 1946 Memorial Cup Final before a sell out crowd at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario. The Monarchs were also finalists in 1932, losing to Sudbury Wolves in the final, and 1951, losing to the Barrie Flyers.
In addition to the three Memorial Cup titles, the Monarchs won ten Turnbull Cups as MJHL champions and five Abbott Cups as Western Canadian junior hockey champions.
Winnipeg Blues (1978–present) The Monarchs were sold and relocated to the Century Arena in Fort Garry in 1978 and adopted a new name, the Fort Garry Blues. The team rebranded itself as the Winnipeg South Blues in 1984. The Blues captured six league championships while playing out of Fort Garry.
The Blues moved into the new MTS Iceplex in 2010 and shortened their name to the Winnipeg Blues. The team won its 17th Turnbull Cup in 2014 and made their only Western Canada Cup appearance that year.
In April 2019, the MJHL Board of Governors approved the sale of the team to 50 Below Sports + Entertainment Inc, owners of the Western Hockey League's Winnipeg Ice. The Blues relocated to The Rink Training Centre in the Rural Municipality of Macdonald for the 2019–20 season. The Blues returned to the Iceplex, now called the hockey for all centre, in 2023, before returning back to The Rink Training Centre beginning in the 2025-26 season.
The Blues were the sole Junior "A" club based in the Winnipeg area after the Winnipeg Saints relocated to Virden in 2012. They were joined by the Winnipeg Freeze, also owned by 50 Below Sports + Entertainment Inc, for the 2020–21 season.
List of championships Championship Years won Turnbull Cup 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1995, 2006, 2014 ANAVET Cup 1986, 1995 Abbott Cup 1995 Memorial Cup
Season-by-season record Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against Season GP W L T OTL GF GA Points Finish Playoffs1978-79 44 10 32 2 - 175 281 22 9th MJHL1979-80 47 29 18 0 - 270 220 58 3rd MJHL1980-81 48 22 25 1 - 228 235 45 4th MJHL1981-82 48 38 9 1 - 310 167 77 1st MJHL Won League1982-83 48 31 16 1 - 255 199 63 3rd MJHL1983-84 48 33 15 0 - 242 176 66 3rd MJHL1984-85 48 37 10 1 - 292 174 75 1st MJHL1985-86 48 36 12 0 - 312 157 72 2nd MJHL Won League, won AC1986-87 48 27 20 1 - 318 232 55 4th MJHL1987-88 48 32 16 0 - 253 192 64 2nd MJHL Won League1988-89 48 34 8 6 - 286 178 74 1st MJHL Won League1989-90 52 36 16 0 - 348 202 72 2nd MJHL1990-91 48 30 17 1 - 246 212 61 3rd MJHL1991-92 48 17 29 0 2 219 246 36 7th MJHL1992-93 48 19 25 3 1 207 234 42 8th MJHL1993-94 55 33 21 1 0 -- -- 67 3rd MJHL1994-95 55 24 26 3 2 207 230 53 5th MJHL Won League, won AC, won AbC1995-96 56 21 28 4 3 246 267 49 8th MJHL1996-97 55 19 31 2 3 234 275 43 8th MJHL1997-98 62 30 30 2 0 247 259 62 4th MJHL1998-99 62 27 33 2 0 223 289 56 6th MJHL1999-00 64 38 20 - 6 281 239 82 2nd MJHL2000-01 64 29 27 - 8 221 252 66 7th MJHL2001-02 64 31 28 - 5 237 246 67 7th MJHL2002-03 64 30 29 - 5 234 277 65 8th MJHL2003-04 64 25 31 - 8 252 248 58 8th MJHL2004-05 63 32 23 - 8 251 217 72 4th MJHL2005-06 63 39 20 - 4 245 198 82 3rd MJHL Won League2006-07 63 40 16 - 7 251 171 87 3rd MJHL2007-08 62 38 17 - 7 260 228 83 4th MJHL2008-09 62 20 42 - 0 195 313 40 10th MJHL2009-10 62 27 27 - 8 211 242 62 8th MJHL Lost quarter-final2010-11 62 18 32 - 12 215 292 48 10th MJHL DNQ2011-12 62 38 19 - 5 252 204 81 3rd MJHL Lost semi-final2012-13 60 45 14 - 1 269 165 91 2nd MJHL Lost semi-final2013-14 60 31 23 - 6 199 175 68 6th MJHL Won League2014-15 60 38 15 - 7 231 181 83 3rd MJHL Lost semi-final2015-16 60 32 18 - 10 212 174 74 5th MJHL Lost semi-final2016-17 60 27 27 - 6 193 202 60 6th MJHL Lost quarter-final2017-18 60 31 22 - 7 215 220 69 6th MJHL Lost semi-final2018-19 60 31 22 - 7 195 182 69 6th MJHL Lost quarter-final2019-20 60 24 29 - 7 197 126 55 8th MJHL Lost quarter-final2020-21 6 5 0 - 1 30 10 11 2nd MJHL cancelled2021-22 54 29 22 - 3 174 173 61 6th MJHL Lost quarter-final2022-23 58 17 33 - 8 170 262 42 12th MJHL DNQ2023-24 58 9 44 4 1 117 297 23 6TH OF 7 East12th OF 13 MJHL DNQ2024-25 58 9 43 4 2 108 250 24 6TH OF 7 East12th OF 13 MJHL DNQ
Playoffs 1979 DNQ 1980 Lost quarter-final St. James Canadians defeated Fort Garry Blues 4-games-to-2 1981 Lost quarter-final St. James Canadians defeated Fort Garry Blues 4-games-to-1 1982 Won League, won Turnbull Cup, lost Anavet Cup Fort Garry Blues defeated Kenora Thistles 4-games-to-none Fort Garry Blues defeated St. Boniface Saints 4-games-to-none Fort Garry Blues defeated Dauphin Kings 4-games-to-none MJHL CHAMPIONS Fort Garry Blues defeated Flin Flon Bombers (NJHL) 3-games-to-none TURNBULL CUP CHAMPIONS Prince Albert Raiders (SJHL) defeated Fort Garry Blues 4-games-to-2 1983 Lost semi-final Fort Garry Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-none St. Boniface Saints defeated Fort Garry Blues 4-games-to-2 1984 Lost semi-final Fort Garry Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1 Kildonan North Stars defeated Fort Garry Blues 4-games-to-2 1985 Lost final Winnipeg South Blues defeated Kildonan North Stars 4-games-to-none Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1 Selkirk Steelers defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-1 1986 Won League, won Anavet Cup, lost Abbott Cup Winnipeg South Blues defeated Thunder Bay Hornets 4-games-to-none Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-none Winnipeg South Blues defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-none MJHL CHAMPIONS Winnipeg South Blues defeated Humboldt Broncos (SJHL) 4-games-to-3 ANAVET CUP CHAMPIONS Penticton Knights (BCJHL) defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-1 1987 Lost final Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-none Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. Boniface Saints 4-games-to-none Selkirk Steelers defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-3 1988 Won League, lost Anavet Cup Winnipeg South Blues defeated Kildonan North Stars 4-games-to-none Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-2 Winnipeg South Blues defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-none MJHL CHAMPIONS Notre Dame Hounds (SJHL) defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-none 1989 Won League, lost Anavet Cup Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1 Winnipeg South Blues defeated Kildonan North Stars 4-games-to-none Winnipeg South Blues defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-none MJHL CHAMPIONS Humboldt Broncos (SJHL) defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-1 1990 Lost quarter-final St. James Canadians defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-none 1991 Lost final Winnipeg South Blues defeated Neepawa Natives 4-games-to-none Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1 Winkler Flyers defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-none 1992 Lost semi-final Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. Boniface Saints 4-games-to-2 St. James Canadians defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-none 1993 Lost semi-final Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-2 St. Boniface Saints defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-1 1994 Lost quarter-final St. James Canadians defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-3 1995 Won League, won Anavet Cup, won Abbott Cup, lost 1995 Centennial Cup semi-final Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1 Winnipeg South Blues defeated Kildonan North Stars 4-games-to-none Winnipeg South Blues defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-none MJHL CHAMPIONS Winnipeg South Blues defeated Weyburn Red Wings (SJHL) 4-games-to-2 ANAVET CUP CHAMPIONS Third in 1995 Centennial Cup round robin (2-2) ABBOTT CUP CHAMPIONS Gloucester Rangers (CJHL) defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-1 in semi-final 1996 Lost semi-final Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. Boniface Saints 4-games-to-3 St. James Canadians defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-none 1997 Lost quarter-final St. James Canadians defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-1 1998 Lost semi-final Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. Boniface Saints 4-games-to-3 St. James Canadians defeated Winnipeg South Blues 1999 Lost final Winnipeg South Blues defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-1 Winnipeg South Blues defeated St. Boniface Saints 4-games-to-3 OCN Blizzard defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-none 2000 Lost final Winnipeg South Blues defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-2 Winnipeg South Blues defeated Winkler Flyers 4-games-to-1 OCN Blizzard defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-1 2001 Lost semi-final Winnipeg South Blues defeated Winnipeg Saints 4-games-to-3 Winkler Flyers defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-none 2002 Lost quarter-final St. James Canadians defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-3 2003 Lost semi-final Winnipeg South Blues defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-2 Southeast Blades defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-1 2004 Lost quarter-final Selkirk Steelers defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-3 2005 Lost semi-final Winnipeg South Blues defeated Winkler Flyers 4-games-to-1 Selkirk Steelers defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-3 2006 Won League, lost Anavet Cup Winnipeg South Blues defeated Winkler Flyers 4-games-to-1 Winnipeg South Blues defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-none Winnipeg South Blues defeated OCN Blizzard 4-games-to-1 MJHL CHAMPIONS Yorkton Terriers (SJHL) defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-1 2007 Lost quarter-final Winnipeg Saints defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-3 2008 Lost quarter-final Winnipeg Saints defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-1 2009 DNQ 2010 Lost quarter-final Winnipeg Saints defeated Winnipeg South Blues 4-games-to-none 2011 DNQ 2012 Lost semi-final Winnipeg Blues defeated Winkler Flyers 4-games-to-none Portage Terriers defeated Winnipeg Blues 4-games-to-2 2013 Lost semi-final Winnipeg Blues defeated Winkler Flyers 4-games-to-2 Steinbach Pistons defeated Winnipeg Blues 4-games-to-2 2014 Won League, Lost in 2014 Western Canada Cup round robin Winnipeg Blues defeated Winkler Flyers 2-games-to-0 Winnipeg Blues defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-1 Winnipeg Blues defeated Steinbach Pistons 4-games-to-1 Winnipeg Blues defeated Dauphin Kings 4-games-to-1 MJHL Champions Fifth and eliminated from Western Canada Cup round robin (1-3) 2015 Lost semi-final Winnipeg Blues defeated Swan Valley Stampeders 4-games-to-0 Steinbach Pistons defeated Winnipeg Blues 4-games-to-1 2016 Lost semi-final Winnipeg Blues defeated Virden Oil Capitals 4-games-to-3 Portage Terriers defeated Winnipeg Blues 4-games-to-0 2017 Lost quarter-final OCN Blizzard defeated Winnipeg Blues 4-games-1 2018 Lost semi-final Winnipeg Blues defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-2 Steinbach Pistons defeated Winnipeg Blues 4-games-to-2 2019 Lost quarter-final Steinbach Pistons defeated Winnipeg Blues 4-games-to-2 2020 Lost quarter-final Steinbach Pistons defeated Winnipeg Blues 4-games-to-0 2021 Playoffs cancelled 2022 Lost quarter-final Winkler Flyers defeated Winnipeg Blues 4-games-to-2 2023 DNQ
NHL alumni
Retired numbers 3 - Grant Ledyard
See also List of ice hockey teams in Manitoba
References
External links Winnipeg Blues Official Website 1995 Winnipeg South Blues at Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame