North Peace Hockey League

The North Peace Hockey League (NPHL) is a Canadian men's Senior ice hockey league based in Northern Alberta and North Eastern British Columbia.

North Peace Hockey League

Current season, competition or edition: 2022-2023
Sport	Senior ice hockey
Founded	c. 1950
No. of teams	8
Country
Most recent champion(s)	Grande Prairie Athletics (Dawson Creek Canucks)
Most titles	Spirit River Rangers
Official website	NPHL Website

History

With a history that dates back to the early 1950s, the NPHL has the distinction of being the longest continually running senior hockey league currently in existence in western Canada. The league was down to two teams (Peace River Stampeders and High Prairie Regals) in the early 1970s, when it played an interlocking schedule with the South Peace Hockey League.

Prior to the start of the 2009-10 season, the league voted to disallow any team playing AAA hockey from competing in the NPHL playoffs. This change affects teams competing for the Allan Cup.^[1] Despite this decision, the Fort St. John Flyers hosted, competed at, and won the 2010 Allan Cup.

Despite its long-standing tradition, the NPHL and its teams have struggled to stay on the ice. The 2013-14 season saw the league lose two teams when the Hythe Mustangs folded near the end of the season and the Lakeland Eagles were removed from league play.^[2]

The 2014-15 saw the league lose two more teams when the Dawson Creek Sr. Canucks^[3] and High Prairie Regals^[4] opted out of the upcoming season. The result was a six team league.

For the first time in league history the 2015-2016 season saw the Grande Prairie Athletics take a leave of absence ^[5] due to a lack of players. Both the Dawson Creek Canucks and High Prairie Regals returned, making the league feature an East and West division once more.

The 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 seasons were cancelled due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.^[6] The NPHL returned for the 2022-2023 season, that saw the return of the Spirit River Ranger and the Valleyview Jets^[7]

Teams

North Peace Hockey League

Division	Team	City	Arena	Founded
West	Dawson Creek Canucks	Dawson Creek, British Columbia	Dawson Creek and District Memorial Arena^[8]
	Grande Prairie Athletics	Grande Prairie, Alberta	Coca Cola Centre	1960-1961
	Spirit River Rangers	Spirit River, Alberta	Maclean Rec Center^[9]	1954^[10]
	Fort St. John Flyers	Fort St. John, British Columbia	North Peace Arena^[11]
East	Falher Pirates	Falher, Alberta	Falher Regional Recreation Complex ^[12]
	Grimshaw Huskies	Grimshaw, Alberta	Mile Zero Regional Multiplex ^[13]
	Manning Comets	Manning, Alberta	Manning Arena ^[14]
	Valleyview Jets	Valleyview, Alberta	Polar Palace

Notes

1. An asterisk (*) denotes a franchise move. See the respective team articles for more information.

Defunct

• Beaverlodge 77s
• Fairview Elks
• Fairview Monarchs
• Fairview Kings
• Fort Nelson Fury
• High Prairie Regals
• Horse Lake Thunder
• Horse Lake Chiefs
• Hythe Mustangs
• Lakeland Eagles (from McLennan)
• McLennan Red Wings
• Rycroft Flames
• Peace River Stampeders
• Tumbler Ridge Panthers
• Tumbler Ridge Coal Kings

Past Champions

• 2018-19 Grande Prairie Athletics
• 2017-18 Fort St. John Flyers
• 2016-17 Spirit River Rangers
• 2015-16 Spirit River Rangers
• 2014-15 Spirit River Rangers
• 2013-14 Spirit River Rangers
• 2012-13 Spirit River Rangers
• 2011-12 Falher Pirates
• 2010-11 Spirit River Rangers
• 2009-10 Grande Prairie Athletics
• 2008-09 Fort St. John Flyers
• 2007-08 Spirit River Rangers
• 2006-07 Peace River Stampeders
• 2005-06 Spirit River Rangers
• 2004-05 Horse Lake Thunder
• 2003-04 Horse Lake Thunder

Notable players

• Former NHL superstar Theoren Fleury played a season with the Horse Lake Thunder in 2004. The 2004 Horse Lake roster also included former NHL tough guy Gino Odjick, bubble players Sasha Lakovic and Dody Wood. The Thunder had spent millions of dollars on a new arena, players and the team went on to win the championship that year, but in the 2005 Allan Cup the Thunder were defeated in the semi-finals by the Thunder Bay Bombers who went on to win the Allan Cup.
• Former New York Rangers goalie and current Columbus Blue Jackets president John Davidson played one season with the High Prairie Regals in the early 1970s.
• Reg Bentley, one of the famous Bentleys of NHL fame was a player/coach for the High Prairie Regals for a couple years in the early 1960s.
• Roger Bellerive, who later spent a few years with the Portland Buckaroos of the minor Western Professional Hockey League played for the Falher Pirates in the late 1950s.
• Former American Hockey League star, Fred Hilts played a few seasons for the Spirit River Rangers, who were then in the old South Peace Hockey League in the early 1960s.
• Norm Skrudland, father of former NHL star Brian Skrudland, starred with the Grimshaw Huskies in the early 1960s.
• Former San Jose Sharks property Todd Holt also spent time in the NPHL.
• AHL and KHL Alumni Jon Mirasty played for the Athletics during the 2018-2019 Championship Season.
• Former NHL and AHL player Wade Campbell played in Grimshaw before and after his professional career.
• Other NHL Players to don an NPHL jersey include: Ed Beers and Howard Walker.

References

1. http://www.prrecordgazette.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1753818^{[dead link]}
2. "Setbacks for Senior League as PLayoffs Start". Logan Clow. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
3. "Senior Canucks Bow Out". Byron Hackett. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
4. "High Prairie Regals Bow Out of NPHL Season". Chris Klegg. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
5. "A's take leave of absence from NPHL". Logan Clow. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
6. Shailynn Foster. "Fort St. John senior Flyers back after three year hiatus". Retrieved 2022-09-11.
7. Henson, Jeff. "Grande Prairie Athletics excited for return of the North Peace Hockey League". EverythingGP. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
8. "Dawson Creek BC - Dawson Creek and District Memorial Arena". discoverthepeacecountry.com. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
9. Lomosad, Beverly (2023-02-23). "Round 1 series tied at 3-3". Central Peace Signal. p. 6.
10. White, Ken (2023-02-13). "Spirit River Rangers: The first 10 years". Central Peace Signal. p. 6.
11. Prentice, Jordan (2023-01-11). "FSJ Flyers lose close game in shootout". Energeticcity.ca. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
12. "Falher Pirates". Travel Sport. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
13. "Grimshaw Huskies". Travel Sport. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
14. "Manning Comets". Travel Sport. Retrieved 7 January 2023.