| Team Name: | Lakehead Thunderwolves |
| Team Link: | |
| Athletics Name: | Lakehead Thunderwolves |
| University: | Lakehead University |
| Sex: | men |
| Font: | black |
| Conference: | Ontario University Athletics |
| Conference Short: | OUA |
| Division: | OUA West |
| Location: | Thunder Bay, Ontario |
| Coach: | Andrew Wilkins |
| Assistant Coaches: | Jeremy Adduono Kari Rikkonen |
| Coach Year: | Since 2018–19 |
| Arena: | Fort William Gardens |
| Color1: | Blue |
| Color2: | White |
| Color3: | Yellow |
| Hex1: | 002485 |
| Hex2: | FFFFFF |
| Hex3: | FFCD1F |
| Usportstourneys: | 1973, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2010 |
| Conference Tournament: | 2006 |
| Conference Season: | 1973, 2008 |
The Lakehead Thunderwolves men's ice hockey team (formerly the Lakehead Nor'Westers) is an active ice hockey program representing the Lakehead Thunderwolves athletic department of Lakehead University. The team has been continually active since returning to action in 2002 and is currently a member of the Ontario University Athletics conference under the authority of U Sports. The Thunderwolves play at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay, Ontario.[1]
After the merger of Lakehead Technical Institute and Lakehead College of Arts, Science, and Technology in 1965, Lakehead University was formed.[2] That first year, the college started its ice hockey team and began play as a founding member of the International Collegiate Hockey Association (ICHA), an NAIA conference composed mostly of American schools. The Nor'Westers shared a league championship in 1967 but were usually a middling team in the conference for much of their tenure. However, Lakehead did make the NAIA tournament in 1971, 1973 and 1975, finishing as runners-up twice.[3]
In 1972, the WCIAA split into two divisions, Canada West and the Great Plains Athletic Association (later renamed Great Plains Athletic Conference). The primary reason that Lakehead had joined an American conference rather than a Canadian one, was the cost of travel. With the formation of the GPAA, the financial burdens were greatly reduced, giving the Nor'Westers the opportunity to play in their first native league. However, this did not prevent the team from continuing on with the ICHA and Lakehead jointly played in both until 1977. During this time the Nor'Westers had the unique distinction of appearing in both an American and Canadian national tournament (in 1973), finishing as runners-up in the NAIA field and fifth in the University Cup.[4] In the early 1980's Lakehead had another flirtation with a second league when they joined the Thunder Bay Hockey League for two seasons. Unfortunately, by then, the rot was beginning to set in for the program.
After the halcyon days of the 70s, Lakehead tumbled to the bottom of the GPAC standings and finished in the bottom two each year after 1978. The conference itself wasn't on sound footing at the time and lost a member in 1984. The next season, Lakehead went winless in 26 games. After the worst season in program history, and with costs mounting, the school suspended the program.
Sixteen years passed before Lakehead returned to the ice.[5] In the interim, the school had joined Ontario University Athletics and changed its moniker to 'Thunderwolves'. The team wasted little time reacclimating itself to college hockey and in just two seasons received a bid to the University Cup. In the succeeding 10 years, Thunderwolves only produced winning seasons and finished as the national runners-up in 2006. However, since 2014, the program has declined and has only one winning record (as of 2024).
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, Pts = Points
| U Sports Champion | U Sports Semifinalist | Conference regular season champions | Conference Division Champions | Conference Playoff Champions |
| Season | Conference | Regular Season | Conference Tournament Results | National Tournament Results | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conference | Overall | ||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | OTL | SOL | Pts* | Finish | GP | W | L | T | % | |||||
| 1965–66 | ICHA | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | – | – | 2 | 3rd | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | ||||
| 1966–67 | ICHA | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 20 | T–1st | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| 1967–68 | ICHA | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | – | – | 18 | 3rd | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | ||||
| 1968–69 | ICHA | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | – | – | 17 | 3rd | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | ||||
| 1969–70 | ICHA | 12 | 4 | 8 | 0 | – | – | 8 | 3rd | 12 | 4 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| 1970–71 | ICHA | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | – | – | 15 | 2nd | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | Won Semifinal, 6–5 (Gustavus Adolphus) Lost Championship, 2–6 (Bemidji State) | |||
| 1971–72 | ICHA | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | – | – | 11 | T–2nd | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | ||||
| 1972–73 | ICHA | 12 | 4 | 8 | 0 | – | – | 8 | 3rd | 15 | 6 | 9 | 0 | Won First Round, 8–7 (Augsburg) Won Semifinal, 8–4 (Lake Superior State) Lost Championship, 2–3 (OT) (Bemidji State) | |||
| 1973–74 | ICHA | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | – | – | 13 | 3rd | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | ||||
| 1974–75 | ICHA | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 16 | 2nd | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | Lost First Round, 4–8 (St. Thomas) | |||
| 1975–76 | ICHA | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | – | – | 10 | 3rd | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | ||||
| 1976–77 | ICHA | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | – | – | 13 | T–2nd | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | ||||
| Totals | GP | W | L | T/SOL | % | Championships | |||||||||||
| Regular Season | 147 | 74 | 68 | 5 | 1 ICHA Championship | ||||||||||||
| Conference Post-season | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| NAIA Postseason | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 National Tournament appearances | ||||||||||||
| Regular Season and Postseason Record | 153 | 77 | 71 | 5 | |||||||||||||
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, Pts = Points
| U Sports Champion | U Sports Semifinalist | Conference regular season champions | Conference Division Champions | Conference Playoff Champions |
| Season | Conference | Regular Season | Conference Tournament Results | National Tournament Results | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conference | Overall | |||||||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | T | OTL | SOL | Pts* | Finish | GP | W | L | T | % | ||||||
| 1972–73 | GPAA | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 18 | 1st | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | Lost West Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Alberta) | ||||
| 1973–74 | GPAC | 18 | 6 | 12 | 0 | – | – | 12 | 4th | 18 | 6 | 12 | 0 | |||||
| 1974–75 | GPAC | 17 | 7 | 9 | 1 | – | – | 22 | 3rd | 17 | 7 | 9 | 1 | |||||
| 1975–76 | GPAC | 18 | 8 | 10 | 0 | – | – | 16 | 3rd | 18 | 8 | 10 | 0 | |||||
| 1976–77 | GPAC | 22 | 9 | 12 | 1 | – | – | 19 | T–3rd | 22 | 9 | 12 | 1 | |||||
| 1977–78 | GPAC | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | – | – | 26 | 2nd | 25 | 17 | 8 | 0 | Lost Championship series, 1–2 (Regina) | ||||
| 1978–79 | GPAC | 22 | 7 | 14 | 1 | – | – | 15 | 4th | 22 | 7 | 14 | 1 | |||||
| 1979–80 | GPAC | 20 | 5 | 15 | 0 | – | – | 10 | 4th | 20 | 5 | 15 | 0 | |||||
| 1980–81 | GPAC | 24 | 2 | 22 | 0 | – | – | 4 | 5th | 24 | 2 | 22 | 0 | |||||
| 1981–82 | GPAC | 24 | 7 | 15 | 2 | – | – | 16 | 4th | 24 | 7 | 15 | 2 | |||||
| 1982–83 | GPAC | 24 | 10 | 14 | 0 | – | – | 20 | 4th | 24 | 10 | 14 | 0 | |||||
| 1983–84 | GPAC | 24 | 9 | 14 | 1 | – | – | 19 | 4th | 24 | 9 | 14 | 1 | |||||
| 1984–85 | GPAC | 24 | 0 | 24 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 4th | 26 | 0 | 26 | 0 | Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (Regina) | ||||
| Program suspended | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–02 | OUA | 24 | 13 | 8 | 3 | – | – | 29 | 5th | 29 | 16 | 10 | 3 | Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Windsor) Lost Division Final series, 1–2 (Western Ontario) | ||||
| 2002–03 | OUA | 24 | 18 | 6 | 0 | – | – | 36 | 3rd | 32 | 23 | 9 | 0 | Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Windsor) Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Western Ontario) Lost Semifinal, 1–4 (York) Won Bronze Medal Game, 6–5 (Toronto) | Lost Pool B Round-Robin, 1–2 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières), 3–4 (New Brunswick) | |||
| 2003–04 | OUA | 24 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 0 | – | 38 | 2nd | 30 | 22 | 6 | 2 | Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Waterloo) Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Western Ontario) Lost Semifinal, 2–3 (York) | ||||
| 2004–05 | OUA | 24 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 0 | – | 31 | 4th | 31 | 20 | 10 | 1 | Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Guelph) Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (York) Lost Division Final series, 1–2 (Western Ontario) | ||||
| 2005–06 | OUA | 24 | 13 | 9 | 2 | 0 | – | 28 | 7th | 36 | 22 | 12 | 2 | bgcolor=ddffdd align="left" | Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (York) Won Division Semifinal series, 2–1 (Waterloo) Won Division Final series, 2–1 (Wilfrid Laurier) Won Championship, 4–0 (McGill) | bgcolor=D0E7FF align="left" | Won Pool B Round-robin, 4–3 (Acadia), 4–2 (Saskatchewan) Lost Championship, 2–3 (Alberta) | |
| 2006–07 | OUA | 28 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 2 | – | 31 | T–7th | 32 | 15 | 14 | 3 | Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (York) Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Wilfrid Laurier) | ||||
| 2007–08 | OUA | 28 | 23 | 4 | – | 0 | 1 | 47 | 1st | 34 | 26 | 7 | 1 | Won Division Semifinal series, 2–1 (Wilfrid Laurier) Lost Division Final series, 1–2 (Brock) | ||||
| 2008–09 | OUA | 28 | 18 | 8 | – | 1 | 1 | 31 | T–5th | 35 | 21 | 13 | 1 | Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Waterloo) Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Wilfrid Laurier) | Lost Pool A Round-Robin, 1–3 (Alberta), 1–2 (New Brunswick) | |||
| 2009–10 | OUA | 28 | 19 | 7 | – | 0 | 2 | 40 | 5th | 38 | 26 | 10 | 2 | Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (York) Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Guelph) Won Division Final series, 2–0 (Western Ontario) Lost Championship, 1–3 (McGill) | Lost Pool A Round-Robin, 7–2 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières), 3–5 (Alberta) | |||
| 2010–11 | OUA | 28 | 16 | 9 | – | 3 | 0 | 35 | 7th | 30 | 16 | 14 | 0 | Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Waterloo) | ||||
| 2011–12 | OUA | 28 | 19 | 9 | – | 0 | 0 | 38 | 4th | 34 | 22 | 12 | 0 | Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Guelph) Lost Division Semifinal series, 1–2 (Windsor) | ||||
| 2012–13 | OUA | 28 | 17 | 9 | – | 1 | 1 | 36 | T–6th | 30 | 17 | 12 | 1 | Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Waterloo) | ||||
| 2013–14 | OUA | 28 | 17 | 8 | – | 2 | 1 | 37 | 6th | 35 | 21 | 13 | 1 | Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (York) Won Division Semifinal series, 2–0 (Ryerson) Lost Division Final series, 0–2 (Windsor) Lost Third Place Game, 4–7 (Carleton) | ||||
| 2014–15 | OUA | 27 | 10 | 14 | – | 3 | 0 | 23 | 13th | 31 | 12 | 19 | 0 | Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–0 (Western Ontario) Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Windsor) | ||||
| 2015–16 | OUA | 28 | 8 | 16 | – | 3 | 1 | 19 | T–16th | 28 | 8 | 19 | 1 | |||||
| 2016–17 | OUA | 28 | 13 | 13 | – | 2 | 0 | 28 | T–13th | 30 | 13 | 17 | 0 | Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (York) | ||||
| 2017–18 | OUA | 28 | 11 | 12 | – | 3 | 2 | 27 | T–13th | 31 | 12 | 17 | 2 | Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (York) | ||||
| 2018–19 | OUA | 28 | 12 | 15 | – | 0 | 1 | 25 | T–16th | 28 | 12 | 15 | 1 | |||||
| 2019–20 | OUA | 28 | 13 | 12 | – | 3 | 0 | 29 | T–11th | 30 | 13 | 17 | 0 | Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Ryerson) | ||||
| 2020–21 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||||||||||||||||
| 2021–22 | OUA | 16 | 6 | 9 | – | 0 | 1 | 16th | 16 | 6 | 9 | 1 | ||||||
| 2022–23 | OUA | 27 | 18 | 6 | – | 2 | 1 | 39 | T–3rd | 34 | 21 | 12 | 1 | Won Division Semifinal series, 2–1 (Toronto) Lost Division Final series, 1–2 (Windsor) Lost Bronze Medal Game, 0–4 (Concordia) | ||||
| 2023–24 | OUA | 28 | 14 | 12 | – | 2 | 0 | 30 | 11th | 30 | 14 | 16 | 0 | Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Windsor) | ||||
| Totals | GP | W | L | T/SOL | % | Championships | ||||||||||||
| Regular Season | 853 | 419 | 405 | 29 | 1 GPAA Championship, 1 OUA Championship, 1 Far West Division Title, 1 West Division Title | |||||||||||||
| Conference Post-season | 98 | 52 | 46 | 0 | 1 OUA Championship | |||||||||||||
| U Sports Postseason | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 5 National Tournament appearances | |||||||||||||
| Regular Season and Postseason Record | 962 | 474 | 459 | 29 | ||||||||||||||