The St. Albert Saints were a junior ice hockey franchise based in St. Albert, Alberta, Canada, for twenty-seven seasons from 1977 to 2004. Before 1977, the team played in nearby Spruce Grove as the Spruce Grove Mets, and in 2004 the team again moved to Spruce Grove where they now play as the Spruce Grove Saints. In all its incarnations, the team has been a part of the junior 'A' Alberta Junior Hockey League.
History
The Saints began life as the Edmonton Western Movers, named for the team's sponsor, as one of the original franchises of the Alberta Junior Hockey League in 1963. Nine years later, the Movers merged with their cross-town rivals the Edmonton Maple Leafs (which took its name from the Toronto NHL club) to become the Edmonton Mets as of the 1972–73 season. The team moved to Spruce Grove, a suburb of Edmonton, to become the Spruce Grove Mets, starting with the 1974–75 season. The team moved to another Edmonton suburb, St. Albert, starting with the 1977–78 season, where they became the St. Albert Saints.
Before its arrival in St. Albert, the franchise's history included four AJHL championships, winning two Carling O'Keefe Cups as the Movers in 1967 and 1968 and adding another two consecutive championships as the Mets in 1975 and 1976; in addition, the 1975 team won the national Manitoba Centennial Trophy. After moving to St. Albert, the franchise won four AJHL championships, taking the 1981, 1982 and 1996 Carling O'Keefe Cups as well as the 1998 (renamed) Rogers Wireless Cup.
While the Spruce Grove Mets had two players reach the National Hockey League (NHL)Paul Messier and Dave Hoyda, the Saints saw 10 players reach the NHL: six-time Stanley Cup champion Mark Messier, who played one season with the Mets and one with the Saints; three-time Stanley Cup champion Ken Daneyko, who played two games with the Saints; Chicago Blackhawks player and later Blackhawks WGN-AM radio color analyst Troy Murray; Steven Reinprecht; Stu Barnes; Mike Comrie; Fernando Pisani; Steven Goertzen; René Bourque; and Jamie Lundmark.
The Saints were involved in one of the most tragic incidents in junior hockey history; during a February 1980 game, a clean hit by a Saints player on Sherwood Park Crusaders captain Trevor Elton resulted in the death of Elton. The Saints were also involved in one of the most violent incidents, a bench-clearing brawl on November 21, 1979, between the Saints and the Red Deer Rustlers. This brawl resulted in the suspension of several players, as well as Saints head coach Doug Messier and Rustlers' trainer Terry Sexsmith for getting a little too involved in the battle. Sexsmith was later banned from the AJHL for life. It is reported that Messier had four affiliated Junior B players dressed and hiding in the locker room who then joined the brawl, as planned, soon after it started.
Departure As the 21st century rolled around, complaints increasingly began to grow that the Saints' arena, Akinsdale Arena, was of a calibre too low to house a junior 'A' franchise. Various newer arenas seating over a thousand, such as the Sherwood Park Crusaders' Sherwood Park Arena, the 2,000-seat Jubilee Recreation Centre, home of the Fort Saskatchewan Traders, and then vacant 1,200-seat Grant Fuhr Arena in Spruce Grove - which was expected to receive a significant upgrade - are all within a short drive of St. Albert. Akinsdale Arena, by comparison, was relatively old and very small, seating only 611 with room for 200 standing, the smallest capacity in the league. The arena also suffered in terms of parking, amenities, and quality of view.
By the 2002-03 season, it was becoming clear that the Saints would be moved, with Barrhead or the oil town of Leduc frequently cited as potential locations. The team was even forced to play out its last games in Edmonton's Bill Hunter Arena, where it never drew crowds of less than double Akinsdale's maximum capacity.Saints give up on St. Albert, St. Albert Gazette, April 17, 2004.
Despite rumours that the St. Albert city council under mayor Richard Plain was to approve the construction of a new multi-use facility including a 1,700-seat arena (one that would eventually be approved for over $40 million in 2004), the Saints moved to Spruce Grove to start the 2004-05 AJHL campaign.
Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T/OTL = Ties and overtime losses, SOL = Shootout losses Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Season GP W L T/OTL SOL GF GA Pts Finish Playoffs1966-67 32 25 3 4 - 228 118 54 1st AJHL1969-70 50 19 27 4 - 160 227 42 5th AJHL1970-71 50 9 36 5 - 165 282 23 6th AJHL1971-72 48 16 30 2 - 187 239 34 6th AJHL1972-73 60 25 33 2 - 257 315 52 5th AJHL1973-74 60 30 27 3 - 280 254 63 3rd AJHL1974-75 60 44 16 0 - 368 220 88 1st AJHL1975-76 60 35 22 3 - 312 258 73 2nd AJHL1976-77 60 35 23 2 - 263 235 72 4th AJHL1977-78 60 38 21 1 - 318 264 77 2nd AJHL1978-79 60 39 20 1 - 311 250 79 3rd AJHL1979-80 59 34 23 2 - 313 237 70 3rd AJHL1980-81 60 33 24 3 - 285 250 69 2nd AJHL North1981-82 60 46 14 0 - 338 199 92 1st AJHL North1982-83 60 41 19 0 - 372 239 82 1st AJHL North1983-84 60 37 23 0 - 340 276 74 2nd AJHL North1984-85 60 36 20 4 - 333 260 76 2nd AJHL North1985-86 52 31 20 1 - 297 248 63 1st AJHL North1986-87 60 37 20 3 - 307 241 77 2nd AJHL North1987-88 60 42 18 0 - 320 206 84 1st AJHL North1988-89 60 28 29 3 - 264 262 59 3rd AJHL North1989-90 60 16 41 3 - 245 328 35 5th AJHL North1990-91 56 30 23 3 - 197 201 63 4th AJHL1991-92 60 37 20 - 3 278 254 77 4th AJHL1992-93 56 34 20 - 2 269 224 70 3rd AJHL1993-94 56 21 34 - 1 210 253 43 7th AJHL1994-95 56 29 23 - 4 232 235 62 4th AJHL1995-96 60 38 17 - 5 268 194 81 3rd AJHL1996-97 60 34 22 - 4 226 221 72 3rd AJHL1997-98 60 42 15 - 3 311 184 87 1st AJHL1998-99 62 43 19 - 0 286 202 86 1st AJHL North1999-00 64 19 43 - 2 209 315 40 6th AJHL North2000-01 64 37 21 6 - 227 190 80 3rd AJHL North2001-02 64 42 12 10 - 254 169 94 1st AJHL North2002-03 64 38 20 6 - 250 196 82 2nd AJHL North2003-04 60 36 22 2 - 210 187 74 2nd AJHL North
Playoffs 1971 DNQ 1972 DNQ 1973 DNQ 1974 Lost semi-final Red Deer Rustlers defeated Edmonton Mets 4-games-to-none 1975 Won League, won Alta/BC Championship, won Abbott Cup, won 1975 Centennial Cup Spruce Grove Mets defeated Calgary Canucks 4-games-to-1 Spruce Grove Mets defeated Drumheller Falcons 4-games-to-3 AJHL CHAMPIONS Spruce Grove Mets defeated Bellingham Blazers (BCJHL) 4-games-to-2 ALTA/BC CHAMPIONS Spruce Grove Mets defeated Selkirk Steelers (MJHL) 4-games-to-2 ABBOTT CUP CHAMPIONS Spruce Grove Mets defeated Guelph CMC's (SOJHL) 4-games-to-2 CENTENNIAL CUP CHAMPIONS 1976 Won League, won Alta/BC Championship, won Abbott Cup, lost 1976 Centennial Cup Spruce Grove Mets defeated Red Deer Rustlers 4-games-to-2 Spruce Grove Mets defeated Taber Golden Suns 4-games-to-none AJHL CHAMPIONS Spruce Grove Mets defeated Nor'Wes Caps (PJHL) 4-games-to-1 ALTA/BC CHAMPIONS Spruce Grove Mets defeated Prince Albert Raiders (SJHL) 4-games-to-1 ABBOTT CUP CHAMPIONS Rockland Nationals (CJHL) defeated Spruce Grove Mets 4-games-to-1 1977 Lost quarter-final Taber Golden Suns defeated Spruce Grove Mets 4-games-to-none 1978 Lost semi-final round robin St. Albert Saints defeated Red Deer Rustlers 4-games-to-3 Third in semi-final round robin (1-3) vs. Fort Saskatchewan Traders and Calgary Canucks 1979 Lost semi-final round robin St. Albert Saints defeated Taber Golden Suns 4-games-to-1 Third in semi-final round robin (2-2) vs. Calgary Canucks and Fort Saskatchewan Traders 1980 Lost semi-final St. Albert Saints defeated Fort Saskatchewan Traders 3-games-to-none Red Deer Rustlers defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-1 1981 Won League, won Atla/BC Championship, lost Abbott Cup St. Albert Saints defeated Red Deer Rustlers 3-games-to-1 St. Albert Saints defeated Sherwood Park Crusaders 4-games-to-2 St. Albert Saints defeated Taber Golden Suns 4-games-to-3 AJHL CHAMPIONS St. Albert Saints defeated Penticton Knights (BCJHL) 4-games-to-1 ALTA/BC CHAMPIONS Prince Albert Raiders (SJHL) defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-none 1982 Won League, won Atla/BC Championship, lost Abbott Cup St. Albert Saints defeated Hobbema Hawks 4-games-to-none St. Albert Saints defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-none St. Albert Saints defeated Calgary Spurs 4-games-to-3 AJHL CHAMPIONS St. Albert Saints defeated Penticton Knights (BCJHL) 4-games-to-3 ALTA/BC CHAMPIONS Prince Albert Raiders (SJHL) defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-1 1983 Lost semi-final St. Albert Saints defeated Sherwood Park Crusaders 4-games-to-none Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-1 1984 Lost semi-final St. Albert Saints defeated Sherwood Park Crusaders 4-games-to-3 Fort Saskatchewan Traders defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-3 1985 Lost quarter-final Fort Saskatchewan Traders defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-2 1986 Lost quarter-final Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-1 1987 Lost final St. Albert Saints defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-2 St. Albert Saints defeated Sherwood Park Crusaders 4-games-to-3 Red Deer Rustlers defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-2 1988 Lost final St. Albert Saints defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-2 St. Albert Saints defeated Hobbema Hawks 4-games-to-2 Calgary Canucks defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-1 1989 Lost quarter-final Sherwood Park Crusaders defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-2 1990 Lost quarter-final Calgary Canucks defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-3 1991 Lost quarter-final Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-none 1992 Lost quarter-final Fort Saskatchewan Traders defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-3 1993 Lost semi-final St. Albert Saints defeated Calgary Canucks 5-games-to-2 Fort Saskatchewan Traders defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-3 1994 Lost semi-final St. Albert Saints defeated Fort Saskatchewan Traders 4-games-to-3 Olds Grizzlys defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-none 1995 Lost quarter-final Sherwood Park Crusaders defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-1 1996 Won League, lost Doyle Cup St. Albert Saints defeated Sherwood Park Crusaders 4-games-to-3 St. Albert Saints defeated Olds Grizzlys 4-games-to-none St. Albert Saints defeated Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-games-to-3 AJHL CHAMPIONS Vernon Vipers (BCHL) defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-3 1997 Lost semi-final St. Albert Saints defeated Sherwood Park Crusaders 4-games-to-2 Fort McMurray Oil Barons defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-2 1998 Won League, lost Doyle Cup St. Albert Saints defeated Olds Grizzlys 4-games-to-2 St. Albert Saints defeated Calgary Canucks 4-games-to-3 St. Albert Saints defeated Fort Saskatchewan Traders 4-games-to-2 AJHL CHAMPIONS South Surrey Eagles (BCHL) defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-2 1999 Lost final St. Albert Saints defeated Grande Prairie Storm 4-games-to-1 St. Albert Saints defeated Lloydminster Blazers 4-games-to-3 Calgary Canucks defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-none 2000 Lost Preliminary Fort Saskatchewan Traders defeated St. Albert Saints 3-games-to-1 2001 Lost quarter-final St. Albert Saints defeated Sherwood Park Crusaders 3-games-to-none Grande Prairie Storm defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-1 2002 Lost quarter-final Grande Prairie Storm defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-2 2003 Lost final St. Albert Saints defeated Lloydminster Blazers 4-games-to-1 St. Albert Saints defeated Grande Prairie Storm 4-games-to-1 St. Albert Saints defeated Sherwood Park Crusaders 4-games-to-1 Camrose Kodiaks defeated St. Albert Saints 4-games-to-3 2004 Lost Preliminary Lloydminster Blazers defeated St. Albert Saints 3-games-to-1
Maple Leafs record Season GP W L T/OTL SOL GF GA Pts Finish Playoffs1966-67 32 11 15 6 - 128 146 28 4th AJHL1969-70 50 23 20 7 - 215 217 53 4th AJHL1970-71 50 24 21 5 - 241 222 53 4th AJHL1971-72 48 16 29 3 - 192 231 35 5th AJHL
Playoffs 1971 Lost semi-final