Okotoks Drillers Explained

Team:Okotoks Drillers
Logosize:220px
City:Okotoks, Alberta, Canada
League:Chinook Hockey League
Founded:2013
Operated:2013–2015
Arena:Scott Seaman Sports Rink
Colours:Blue, orange, white

The Okotoks Drillers were a AAA senior men's ice hockey team based in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada, that competed in the Chinook Hockey League. The club was founded in 2013 as an AA affiliate of the Chinook Hockey League and gained AAA affiliate status in 2014 after winning the 2014 Investors Group Hockey Alberta Provincial Senior AA Championship. The Drillers played their home games at the Scott Seaman Sports Rink.

History

The Drillers were formed in 2013 and joined the Chinook Hockey League (ChHL) as an expansion team for the 2013–14 season as an AA affiliate.[1] [2] [3] The team competed in two games of the Chinook Hockey League's pre-season showcase tournament winning their opening game against the Innisfail Eagles and losing the second game to the Bentley Generals.[4] The Drillers finished the regular season in fourth place, advancing to the 2014 Investors Group Hockey Alberta Provincials Senior AA/A tournament.[3] [5] The Drillers defeated the Morinville Kings in the quarterfinals of the tournament and advanced to the AA bracket semifinal against the Bonnyville Pontiacs.[3] After defeating the Pontiacs 10-2 the Drillers advanced to the AA bracket final where they defeated the Daysland Northstars to win the AA tournament and gained AAA affiliate status for the 2014–15 season.[3] The AAA status allowed the team to compete in the Chinook Hockey League's AAA playoffs and attempt to qualify for the Allan Cup tournament.[3]

The Drillers started the 2014–15 season with two games in the Chinook Hockey League's pre-season classic tournament with games against the Innisfail Eagles and Stony Plain Eagles.[4] The team improved on the previous year's ranking in the regular season finishing second in the standings behind the Bentley Generals.[6] The Drillers were drawn against the Innisfail Eagles in their opening round of the playoffs where they lost the series, winning only one of the five games.[7] In July 2015 the team announced that they were taking a one-year leave of absence from the ChHL due to financial issues however they are not expected to play in 2016–17 season either.[8]

Season by season results

width=75Seasonwidth=30width=30width=30width=30width=30width=30width=30width=50FinishPlayoffs
2013–14 24 7 16 1 15 76 128 4th Won 2014 Alberta Provincial Senior AA Championship defeated Daysland Northstars 4–1
2014–15 24 13 10 1 27 117 122 2nd Lost in Chinook Hockey League AAA Playoff semifinal series, 1–4 (Innisfail Eagles)

Roster

Updated 19 April 2015[9]

Name Age Acquired Birthplace
26 2014–15 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
61 (C) 2013–14 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
57 2014–15 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
8 2013–14 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
82 2014–15 Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada
31 2014–15 Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
31 2013–14 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
17 2014–15 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
18 2013–14 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
29 2014–15 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
34 2013–14 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
9 2014–15 Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
48 2013–14 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
14 2014–15 Cochrane, Alberta, Canada
4 2014–15 Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
12 2014–15 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
55 2014–15 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
15 2013–14 High River, Alberta, Canada
1 2014–15
11 2014–15 Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada
25 2014–15 Okotoks, Alberta, Canada
2 2013–14 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
7 2014–15 Christina Lake, British Columbia, Canada
96 2013–14 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
10 2013–14 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
5 2014–15 Strathmore, Alberta, Canada
79 2014–15 Calgary, Alberta, Canada
20 2014–15 Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada
6 2014–15 Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Notable alumni

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Okotoks Drillers . Chinook Hockey League . 2013-09-16 . 2015-04-18 .
  2. Web site: Okotoks Drillers no minor-league product . Calgary Sun . Wes . Gilbertson . 2015-01-22 . 2015-04-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150712050901/http://www.calgarysun.com/2015/01/22/okotoks-drillers-no-minor-league-product . 2015-07-12 . live.
  3. Web site: Drillers in a league of their own at provincials . Okotoks Western Wheel . Remy . Greer . 2014-04-02 . 2015-04-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141016181803/http://www.westernwheel.com/article/20140402/WHE1101/304029977/-1/whe1101/drillers-in-a-league-of-their-own-at-provincials . 2014-10-16 . live.
  4. Web site: Schedule . Chinook Hockey League . 2015-04-24 .
  5. Web site: Chinook HL Team Standings 2013-2014 . Elite Prospects . 2015-04-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150406092846/http://www.eliteprospects.com/standings.php?league=Chinook%20HL&startdate=2013 . 2015-04-06 . live.
  6. Web site: Chinook HL Team Standings 2014-2015 . Elite Prospects . 2015-04-24 .
  7. Web site: Chinook Hockey League 2015 AAA Playoffs Bracket . Chinook Hockey League . 2015-04-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160131054503/http://www.chinookhockeyleague.com/leagues/bracket.cfm?clientid=3293&leagueid=8735 . 2016-01-31 . live.
  8. Web site: 1 Year Leave of Absence . Okotoks Drillers . 2016-01-25 . https://www.webcitation.org/6enchPI1i?url=https://twitter.com/OkotoksDrillers/status/626229041255702528 . 2016-01-25 . live.
  9. Web site: Okotoks Drillers . Elite Prospects . 2015-04-19 .
  10. Web site: Adrian Foster Stats and News.
  11. Web site: Greer . Remy . 2014-11-26 . Drillers downed by league champs . Okotoks Western Wheel . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304193924/http://www.westernwheel.com/article/20141126/WHE1101/311269988/-1/whe/drillers-downed-by-league-champs . 2016-03-04.