Calgary Hitmen

The Hitmen play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League (WHL), hosting their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Bret "Hitman" Hart, a professional wrestler and Calgary native, was a founding owner and the inspiration for the team's name.

The Hitmen hold numerous WHL attendance records, and in 2004–05 became the first team in Canadian Hockey League history to average 10,000 fans per game.

Graham James left his position as coach and general manager of the Swift Current Broncos to found the Hitmen in 1994.

[1] He organized a group of eighteen investors in the club, including former Broncos and star National Hockey League players Theoren Fleury and Joe Sakic, along with Bret Hart, who made a career in the World Wrestling Federation.

[9] Two days later, the Calgary Police Service revealed that James was being investigated on allegations he sexually abused two former players while he was with the Swift Current Broncos.

The team improved to a 40–28–4 record and first-place finish in the Central Division, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

[13] They defeated the Saskatoon Blades and Swift Current Broncos to reach the Eastern Conference final before falling to the Brandon Wheat Kings.

[16] Calgary improved to 51–13–8 in 1998–99, finishing one point ahead of the Kamloops Blazers for the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for best regular season record.

[17] Led by Brad Moran, Pavel Brendl, and goaltender Alexandre Fomitchev, the Hitmen lost just five games in the playoffs en route to their first President's Cup.

[18] In the 1999 Memorial Cup, the Hitmen opened the tournament with a 5–3 victory over the Ontario Hockey League's Belleville Bulls, followed by a 4–3 loss to the host Ottawa 67's.

[20] The final was a back-and-forth affair with Ottawa holding 4–1 and 6–5 leads; Calgary tied the game late to send it to overtime.

[13] After sweeping the Moose Jaw Warriors and Saskatoon Blades, the Hitmen were upset by the Kootenay Ice in the Eastern Conference final, falling four games to one.

[26] Pogge's goaltending, along with the offensive leadership of forward Andrew Ladd, saw the Hitmen win their first playoff series in four years.

[33] The Hitmen entered the 2007–08 season with expectation of being contenders, voted the pre-season pick to finish atop the Eastern Conference by the league's coaches and general managers.

[36] In the playoffs, the Hitmen defeated the Moose Jaw Warriors and Swift Current Broncos in six games apiece, advancing to the Eastern Conference finals for the second consecutive season.

Instead, they captured the franchise's third Scotty Munro Trophy as the regular season champions, earning the top seed in the playoffs.

[38] The team tied or broke 21 franchise records during the regular season, including wins (59), points (122) and goals scored (330).

[47] Named the playoff MVP, Jones allowed only seven goals against in the final as the Hitmen defeated the Americans in five games to win their second Ed Chynoweth Cup in franchise history.

[49] Following the graduation of many of the team's top scorers, the Hitmen fell to last place the WHL in 2010–11, at one point tying a franchise record with 12 consecutive losses.

[56] However, the name and logo were subject to criticism from segments of the public and the business community, who panned both as negative stereotypes of violence within the sport.

[57] Among the chief critics of the new logo was the Flames organization, who received calls from concerned business people who shared that sentiment.

Red Deer, Alberta author Sigmund Brouwer has released numerous young adult-oriented mystery novels about the team and fictitious Hitmen players.

[68] His former Hitmen teammate, Ryan Getzlaf, won the Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007, and Johnny Boychuk has one as a member of the 2011 Boston Bruins.

Players on two teams, one in white and the other in dark blue, face off against each other while a referee prepares to begin play
2005 playoff game against the Lethbridge Hurricanes at the Saddledome.
An official wearing black and white stripes conducts a faceoff as several players from two teams anticipate the start of play.
The Hitmen face the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL's " Battle of Alberta ".
A mascot in the form of an anthropomorphic fox. It has brown "fur" with a white muzzle, oversized eyes and mouth.
Hitmen mascot, Farley the Fox.
About 30 people gather around a trophy in celebration, many of them raising a single finger.
The team celebrates its 2010 title.
Several hockey players in either white and blue or black and grey uniforms watch as one player shoots the puck into his opponent's net
Jaynen Rissling scored Calgary's first goal in the Hitmen's outdoor game; the Regina Pats ultimately won 3–2.
Two cartoon logos: The first is the upper body of a man wearing a mask with a menacing look clutching a hockey stick. The second is the word "Hitmen", written in stylized fashion in front of two crossed hockey sticks.
The original logo of the Hitmen (left) and the alternate they chose to use in their first season (right) after the original was deemed controversial.
Wide angle shot of a hockey rink. Fans on all sides are throwing stuffed animals onto the ice where several hundred are piling up.
2005 teddy bear toss at the Saddledome.
Upper body of a hockey player staring intently into the distance. He is in a white jersey with black, red and gold trim, with the word "DUCKS" scrawled across the chest.
Ryan Getzlaf played four seasons with the Hitmen between 2001 and 2005.
A large silver, metal display hanging high on a wall. It features winners of four awards and miniature replicas of two trophies.
Hitmen "Wall of Fame", hanging above section 104 at the Saddledome .
Two players in full hockey uniforms stand with a trophy between them.
Carson McMillan and Kyle Bortis accept the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as the 2008–09 regular season champions.