Dawson Creek Canucks return to competition for the 2009-2010 season following a three season absence from the North Peace Hockey League. Canucks, founded in 1946, are continuing their proud traditions and are now in their 60th season of competition and their ninth season in the NPHL.

In recent years the Dawson Creek Canucks have won the North Peace Hockey League Playoff Championship two seasons in-a-row. Canucks defeated the Spirit River Rangers in Spirit River to take the Campbell Cup for 2002-2003 winning the championship series four games to one. Rangers and Canucks finished one-two respectively in the nine-team 28-game regular schedule that season.

Canucks previously captured the 2001-2002 NPHL Playoff Championship defeating the Lakeland Eagles in the playoff finals, after winning the league regular season title.

In the early years, Canucks competed in the Wheat Belt Hockey League (late'40's and early '50's), followed by the South Peace Hockey League (1954-88), and Central Peace Hockey League (1988-97). After a year's leave absence in the 1997-98 season, when they had no league in which to compete, the Canucks joined the NPHL for the 1998-99 season.

Over the years the Canucks have had some great teams, winning the South Peace Hockey League title 13 times, taking the playoff championship ten times, and capturing the All-Peace Championship on five occasions.

Some of the Canucks' outstanding players in the 1950's; and early 1960's included: George Bonner, Norm Mytron, Jimmy Thompson, Doyle McNabb, Duwayne Bell, Donn Shandro, Max Swanson, Don Switzer, Walt Hanson, Phil Sykes Sr., Joe Bodnar, Wayne Janowsky, Dave Leoppky, Dale Jenkins, Jim Kyle, Gordon Williams, the Joyal Brothers: Frank, Dave and Pete; Paul Roy, Harold Kjemhus and Don Wilkie, just to name a few.

Then came the late 1960's and 1970's with a whole new lineup of hockey stars including: Lloyd "Sam" Haddon, Ed Diachuk, Rick Dundas (five-time South Peace Hockey League scoring champion), Sid Boyer, Rea Chapman, Ron Millsap, Tom Gannon, Blaine Nicholson, Glen Jensen, Tony Fobert, Ed Scheck, Jerry Lafond, Ed Connelly, Ray Corkery, Earl Jensen, Dan Hoffman, Pat Kmet, Ed Armitage, Ron Collins, Wayne Switzer and Doug Moller, to name a few more.

In the 1980's the Canucks stars included: Ed Guise, Tim Roberts, Dennis Moore, Sean O'Brien, Shannon Anderson, George Richmond, Ron Vertz, Rick Smith, Steve Aylward, Dave Purcha, Darre Switzer, Gary Cooper, Rob Atkinson, Ted Cosens, Wayne Rattray, Scott Vipond, Darcy Friesen, Dave Reid and others.

The 1990's have produced such stars as: Dan Brennan, Gene Cooper, Marcel Capelle, Sean Armitage, Ken Casault, Craig Young, Brant Leer, Mike Cooper, Al Perdue, Tasman Ravelli, Daryl Becotte, Aaron Powell, Shawn Henrickson, Scott Rattray, Shawn Sullivan, Randy Muise, Scott Minifie, Jared Bumstead, Dean Walsh, Ernie Cyre, Ken Reitsma, Blair Lekstrom, Clint Switzer and others.

Then in the new decade of 2000 another group of talented hockey players emerged including: Kip Noble, Dustin Kersey, Daryl Reay, Derek Mettauer, Curtis Cardinal, T.J. Hinton, Scott Longstaff, Duncan Redfearn, Sean Fearon, Tom Norman, Matt Spencer, Mike Graff, Chad Norman, Aaron Bull, Scott Baker and others.

TOOK TO THE ROAD TWICE

Hockey fans packed the Memorial Arena in the '50's and 60's with near capacity attendance. However, Canucks have faced some tough times as well as the good. The Dawson Creek Memorial Arena was gutted in an early morning fire on December 24, 1956 and the Canucks played the balance of their home games that season out of the Hythe Arena. The following season they played at home, but without a roof over the arena.

Then in the 1973-74 season Canucks took to the road again after the Memorial Arena was condemned, and they had 56 outings before returning to their home arena in late December 1974. Canucks played their home games that season in Beaverlodge and Chetwynd.

Following the collapse of the memorial arena roof, back on January 8, 1997, Canucks played the balance of that season out of the next-door Kids Kin Arena. A renovated Dawson Creek & District Memorial Arena was officially reopened on October 3, 1998

Canucks capped off their 2003-2004 season by hosting the AAA Savage Cup B.C. Provincial Championship. The three-team championship tournament included the Dawson Creek Canucks, the Trail Smoke Eaters and the Powell River Regals, with the championship title going to the Smoke Eaters who defeated the Canucks in the final.

Much of the credit for keeping the Canucks Hockey Club in operation for so many years, must be given to the hard working executive members, as wwell as the team personnel; managers, coaches, trainers, support staff, the community minded business and of course the fans.

DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS

Over the years the team personnel and staff have played an important role in assisting the players at practices, and at all games. Ralph Shore, Albert Cohrs, Bill Farquhar, Johnny Girard, Tommy Hamilton and Elmer Farnquist have attended to the needs of players as trainers and equipment managers. Also helping out in recent years were Wally Musial, Dan and Vince Scheck, Troy Truax, Dale Calnen and Peter Daly. Stu Minifie was the longest serving president of the Canucks, serving for 10 seasons, retiring to Vernon, BC in November 2005.

By Day Roberts