Selkirk Steelers

Junior "A" hockey in Selkirk dates back to at least 1918, the founding of the MJHL. As one of the original members of the MJHL, the Selkirk Fishermen became the second ever Turnbull Cup, MJHL Champions by winning the 1920 playoffs. The Fishermen were crowned Western Junior "A" Champions and given the Abbott Cup. They moved on to the Memorial Cup for the National Championship, but were defeated by the Toronto Canoe Club Paddlers. The 1920 Selkirk Fishermen were inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in the team category. The 1973-74 season was the Steelers most successful season. The Steelers won the MJHL title, then defeated the Prince Albert Raiders 4-games-to-2 to win the Anavet Cup. They went on to compete for the Abbott Cup against the Kelowna Buckaroos of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League and defeated them 4-games-to-3. This moved the Steelers along to the National Championship against the Smiths Falls Bears of the Central Junior A Hockey League for the Manitoba Centennial Cup, the National Junior "A" Championship. The series went seven games, with the Steelers stealing Game 7 1-0 in overtime to clinch their first and, so far, only National Title. [1] The 1974 Selkirk Steelers were inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in the team category. The Steelers have 10 MJHL Turnbull Cup Championships: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1987, 2004, and 2007. Three of these championships have resulted in Anavet Cup Manitoba/Saskatchewan Junior "A" Championships: 1974, 1975 and 2007. In 1974 the Steelers won the Abbott Cup Western Canadian Junior ‘A’ Championship and a National Championship winning the Manitoba Centennial Cup. The Steelers are the 2006-07 MJHL Champions. They went on to face the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League for the Anavet Cup. The best-of-seven series went the distance and resulted in a Game 7 4-3 quadruple overtime victory for the Steelers. The Steelers represented their region at the Royal Bank Cup 2007 tournament. The Steelers battled hard and the scores were very close, but they failed to get beyond the round robin. Their first game of the tournament was against the Nation's top ranked teams - the Aurora Tigers of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League. The Steeler did well, but lost 4-2. Their second game was against the Nation's #2 ranked team, the Camrose Kodiaks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. The Steelers lost 3-1. The Steelers then took on the host Prince George Spruce Kings and held them scoreless through two period, but in the third the Spruce Kings squeezed out a 2-1 win. They last game was a "do or die" game against the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the Central Junior A Hockey League. Despite outshooting the Lumber Kings, Selkirk never led and never caught up to the Fred Page Cup Champions—final score: 4-2. With an 0-4 record, the Selkirk Steelers finished their season with the Turnbull Cup, the Anavet Cup, and the pride of having represented Western Canada at the Royal Bank Cup National Championship. List of Championships Championship Years Won Turnbull Cup 1968, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1987, 2004, & 2007 Anavet Cup 1974, 1975, 2007 Abbott Cup 1974 Royal Bank Cup 1974