The Chilliwack Bruins are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League, based out of Chilliwack, British Columbia. The 2006–07 season marked the Bruins inaugural season in the WHL. The team plays at Prospera Centre, which was expanded to 5,410 seats for the arrival of the Bruins.

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History

In 2005, the city of Chilliwack was granted a WHL expansion team after an attempt by the owners of the Tri-City Americans (Brian Burke, Glen Sather and Darryl Porter) to move the Americans to Chilliwack was voted down by the WHL directors. As a result, Burke, Sather, and Porter sold their stake in the Americans and purchased the 21st franchise in the WHL. The arrival of the Bruins displaced the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL)'s Chilliwack Chiefs, who relocated to Langley to become the Langley Chiefs.

The Bruins opened their inaugural season in 2006–07 at Prospera Place on September 21, 2006, defeating the Kelowna Rockets by a score of 3–1. Keith Voytechek scored the first goal in franchise history, while Alex Archibald earned the first win by a Bruins goaltender. ^[1] A month later, on October 28, Archibald became the first Bruins goaltender to record a shutout with a 3–0 win over the Tri-City Americans, which also established the first Bruins road win. Forward Josh Aspenlind established another Bruins first later in the season with the franchise's first hat-trickon February 23, 2007 against the Kamloops Blazers. General Manager Darrell May and the team's first head coach, Jim Hiller, the Bruins posted an overall record of 25–40–5–2, the third best overall record for a WHL expansion team, and made it to the post-season. In the 2007 playoffs, the Bruins played the eventual Memorial Cup champion Vancouver Giants in the first round and lost the series 4–1.

Bruins forwards Mark Santorelli and Oscar Moller emerged in the team's second season in 2007–08, establishing team marks in all statistical categories. Santorelli set team marks with 74 assists and 101 points, earning the team's first major WHL trophy by leading the league in scoring, while Moller scored a franchise-high 39 goals. The Bruins finished in 7th place in the Western Conference and lost to the Giants in the first round. All games were decided by one goal.

After missing the playoffs in 2008–09, the Bruins fired head coach Jim Hiller. ^[2] On June 3, 2009, the team named Marc Habscheid as head coach and general manager.

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime losses, SOL = Shootout losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against''

Season	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	GF	GA	Points	Finish	Playoffs
2006–07	72	25	40	5	2	169	260	57	4th B.C.	Lost Western Conference quarter-final
2007–08	72	28	35	4	5	206	241	65	3rd B.C.	Lost Western Conference quarter-final
2008–09	72	19	46	2	5	154	267	45	5th B.C.	Out of playoffs

Team records

Team records for a single season
Statistic	Total	Season
Most points	65	2007–08
Most wins	28	2007–08
Most goals for	206	2007–08
Least goals for	169	2006–07
Least goals against	241	2007–08
Most goals against	260	2006–07

Individual player records for a single season
Statistic	Player	Total	Season
Most goals	Oscar Moller	39	2007–08
Most assists	Mark Santorelli	74	2007–08
Most points	Mark Santorelli	101	2007–08
Most points, rookie	Mark Santorelli	82	2006–07
Most points, defenceman	Nick Holden	60	2007–08
Best GAA (goalie)	Matt Esposito	2.97	2006–07
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played

Current roster

Goaltenders
#		align=left	Player	Born	Place of birth	Drafted
35		Matt Esposito	1989	Edmonton, Alberta	Eligible 2008
33		Mark Friesen	1990	Winkler, Manitoba	Eligible 2008

Defencemen
#		align=left	Player	Born	Place of birth	Drafted
3		Matt Strong	1990	Calgary, Alberta	Eligible 2008
4		Chris van Duynhoven	1989	Burnaby, British Columbia	Eligible 2008
5		Nick Holden	1987	St. Albert, Alberta	Undrafted
26		Scott Ramsay	1991	Abbotsford, British Columbia	Eligible 2009
29		Dylan Chapman	1987	Port Coquitlam, British Columbia	Undrafted
32		Brendon Manning	1990	Prince George, British Columbia	Eligible 2008
34		Jeff Einhorn	1990	Red Deer, Alberta	Eligible 2008

Forwards
#		align=left	Player	Position	Born	Place of birth	Drafted
8		Matt Meropoulis	RW	1989	Edmonton, Alberta	Eligible 2008
9		Kevin Sundher	C	1992	Surrey, British Columbia	Eligible 2010
12		Jadon Potter	C	1989	Hoey, Saskatchewan	Eligible 2008
15		Brandon Campos	LW	1987	Port Coquitlam, British Columbia	Undrafted
16		Randy McNaught	RW	1990	Nanaimo, British Columbia	Eligible 2008
17		Michael Proudley	LW	1989	Winnipeg, Manitoba	Eligible 2008
18		David Robinson	LW	1990	Vernon, British Columbia	Eligible 2008
19		Ryan Hankin	RW	1991	Surrey, British Columbia	Eligible 2010
21		Brayden Metz	C	1990	Regina, Saskatchewan	Eligible 2008
22		Ryan Howse	LW	1991	Prince George, British Columbia	CGY 2009
23		Cody Smuk	RW	1989	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan	Eligible 2008
25		Partik Bhungal	RW	1988	Langley, British Columbia	Undrafted
27		Liam Darragh	LW	1990	Quesnel, British Columbia	Eligible 2008

NHL draftees

• Oscar Moller (Drafted by Los Angeles Kings in 2007; second round, 52nd overall)
• Mark Santorelli (Drafted by Nashville Predators in 2007; fourth round, 119th overall)
• Ryan Howse (Drafted by Calgary Flames in 2009; third round, 74th overall)

NHL alumni

• Oscar Moller

Transactions

• Keith Voytechek traded to the Moose Jaw Warriors for Defenseman Dylan Chapman - October 8, 2006
• Stephen Lenoski traded to the Spokane Chiefs for Defenseman Matt McCue - December 28, 2006
• Myles Stoez traded to the Regina Pats for Forward Brayden Metz - January 10, 2007
• Bruins traded a 5th round 2007 Bantam Draft pick to the Brandon Wheat Kings for Forward Michael Proudley
• Bruins traded a 4th round 2007 Bantam Draft pick to the Everett Silvertips for Goaltender Matt Esposito
• Goaltender Alex Archibald and Bruins list player Tyler Halliday were traded to the Edmonton Oil Kings in lieu of Edmonton selecting a player from the Bruins unprotected list for their expansion draft pick

See also

• List of ice hockey teams in British Columbia

References

1. 2006-07 Regular Season Game-by-Game
2. Chilliwack Bruins fire head coach Hiller