John Fisher, a Sherwood Park resident and former Alberta Oilers' player, became the first coach of the Crusaders.

At the conclusion of the 1998 season, the team was purchased from Art Cox by a group of local businessmen headed by Tom Maxwell.

The 2000–01 season had a new head coach in Doug Schum and qualified for the playoffs with a 20–29–6–2 record before losing to St. Albert Saints in three games.

The Crusaders lost only five players going into the 2001–02 season and replaced Schum with head coach Dan Auchenberg.

They then swept their first round playoff series against the Lloydminster Blazers before a losing to the Drayton Valley Thunder in six games.

In the 2003–04 season, the team lost several of their veteran players, but head coach Auchenberg and goaltender Szabados returned.

The team finished the season in fourth place in the North Division and were swept out of the playoffs in the first round by Drayton Valley.