Steinbach Pistons
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The Steinbach Pistons are a junior ice hockey franchise in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) based in Steinbach, Manitoba.
History
Southeast Thunderbirds/T-Birds/Blades
The MJHL granted an expansion team to the Southeast Tribal Council, a group of First Nation bands in southeastern Manitoba, to begin play in the 1988–89 season. The team was known as the Southeast Thunderbirds and played out of the Notre Dame Arena in Winnipeg. The team was renamed the Southeast Blades in 1992. After taking a leave of absence for the 1996–97 season, the Blades moved northeast of Winnipeg to Sagkeeng First Nation. The Blades played ten seasons in Sagkeeng, the most successful being the 2002–03 season when they advanced to the Turnbull Cup finals which they lost to the OCN Blizzard.
| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Points | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1988-89 | 48 | 1 | 47 | 0 | - | 177 | 449 | 2 | 9th MJHL | DNQ |
| 1989-90 | 52 | 20 | 31 | 1 | - | 282 | 342 | 41 | 8th MJHL | Lost Round 1 |
| 1990-91 | 48 | 8 | 38 | 2 | - | 216 | 347 | 18 | 9th MJHL | DNQ |
| 1991-92 | 48 | 2 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 106 | 453 | 4 | 9th MJHL | DNQ |
| 1992-93 | 48 | 16 | 29 | 3 | 0 | 224 | 307 | 35 | 9th MJHL | DNQ |
| 1993-94 | 56 | 10 | 34 | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | 22 | 9th MJHL | DNQ |
| 1994-95 | 55 | 21 | 30 | 1 | 3 | 196 | 271 | 46 | 8th MJHL | Lost Round 1 |
| 1995-96 | 56 | 5 | 49 | 2 | 0 | 144 | 404 | 12 | 9th MJHL | Lost Round 1 |
| 1996-97 | Did not participate | |||||||||
| 1997-98 | 62 | 20 | 38 | 2 | 2 | 231 | 300 | 44 | 10th MJHL | DNQ |
| 1998-99 | 61 | 21 | 38 | 2 | 0 | 234 | 265 | 44 | 8th MJHL | DNQ |
| 1999-00 | 64 | 29 | 26 | - | 9 | 282 | 285 | 67 | 8th MJHL | DNQ |
| 2000-01 | 64 | 7 | 55 | - | 2 | 160 | 405 | 16 | 12th MJHL | DNQ |
| 2001-02 | 64 | 23 | 36 | - | 5 | 202 | 286 | 51 | 10th MJHL | DNQ |
| 2002-03 | 63 | 40 | 18 | - | 5 | 265 | 210 | 85 | 5th MJHL | Lost final |
| 2003-04 | 64 | 12 | 50 | 0 | 2 | 184 | 389 | 26 | 11th MJHL | DNQ |
| 2004-05 | 63 | 7 | 50 | 2 | 4 | 165 | 331 | 20 | 11th MJHL | DNQ |
| 2005-06 | 63 | 18 | 34 | 5 | 6 | 198 | 293 | 47 | 9th MJHL | DNQ |
| 2006-07 | 63 | 9 | 46 | 5 | 3 | 181 | 356 | 26 | 11th MJHL | DNQ |
. hockeydb.com.
Beausejour Blades
The Beausejour Blades were formed in 2007 following the sale and relocation of the team to the Sun Gro Centre in Beausejour. The move did not improve the team's fortunes; the Blades managed to win only 13 games over the two seasons of their existence.
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | GF | GA | Pts | Season | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–08 | 62 | 7 | 50 | 1 | 4 | 165 | 400 | 19 | 5th in division 11th overall | Did not qualify |
| 2008–09 | 62 | 6 | 52 | 2 | 2 | 147 | 424 | 16 | 5th in diviion 11th overall | Did not qualify |
. hockeydb.com.
Steinbach Pistons
During the 2009 Allan Cup in Steinbach, Manitoba, the City of Steinbach, together with Blades management, announced that the team would be relocating to the T.G. Smith Centre in Steinbach for the 2009–10 MJHL season. The team was renamed the Steinbach Pistons, in recognition of the city's reputation as "The Automobile City". Steinbach was previously home to a MJHL team called the Hawks from 1985 to 1988.
Despite the team's improved record after the move to Steinbach, the Pistons failed to qualify for the playoffs in each of their first three seasons. The team's continued poor performance and strained financial position spurred a group of investors from the local business community to purchase the Pistons in 2012 and convert it to a community-owned organization. The next season, the Pistons ended the franchise's ten year playoff drought and captured their first Turnbull Cup.
The Pistons enjoyed their best seasons in 2017–18 and 2022–23, when the team won Turnbull Cups and advanced as far as the national championship. The team relocated to the Hylife Centre in nearby La Broquerie, Manitoba following the 2022–23 season to allow demolition of their home arena and construction of the Southeast Event Centre, which became their new home in March 2025.
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | GF | GA | Pts | Season | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | 62 | 13 | 43 | 5 | 1 | 185 | 308 | 32 | 5th in division 11th overall | Did not qualify |
| 2010–11 | 62 | 19 | 40 | 3 | - | 203 | 277 | 41 | 5th in division 11th overall | Did not qualify |
| 2011–12 | 62 | 15 | 41 | 3 | 3 | 188 | 319 | 36 | 6th in division 10th overall | Did not qualify |
| 2012–13 | 60 | 31 | 25 | - | 4 | 224 | 211 | 66 | 2nd in division 5th overall | Won quarterfinal against Portage (4:3) Won semifinal round against Winnipeg Blues (4:2) Won final against Dauphin (4:2) |
| 2013–14 | 60 | 42 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 216 | 147 | 86 | 2nd in division 2nd overall | Won quarterfinal round against Portage (4:3) Lost semifinal against Winnipeg Blues (4:1) |
| 2014–15 | 60 | 39 | 14 | 2 | 5 | 218 | 150 | 85 | 2nd overall | Won quarterfinal against Selkirk (4:0) Won semifinal against Winnipeg Blues (4:1) Lost final against Portage (4:0) |
| 2015–16 | 60 | 45 | 10 | - | 5 | 251 | 138 | 95 | 2nd overall | Won quarterfinal against Swan Valley (4:0) Won semifinal against Winkler (4:3) Lost final against Portage (4:1) |
| 2016–17 | 60 | 49 | 10 | 1 | - | 249 | 124 | 99 | 1st overall | Won quarterfinal against Neepawa Natives (4:2) Lost semifinal against Portage (4:2) |
| 2017–18 | 60 | 48 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 296 | 130 | 100 | 1st overall | Won quarterfinal against Swan Valley (4:0) Won semifinal against Winnipeg Blues (4:2) Won final against Virden (4:2) Won ANAVET Cup against Nipawin Hawks (4:2) |
| 2018–19 | 60 | 34 | 17 | 4 | - | 197 | 127 | 82 | 3rd overall | Won quarterfinal against Winnipeg Blues (4:2) Lost semifinal against Swan Valley (4:2) |
| 2019–20 | 60 | 42 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 219 | 138 | 92 | 1st overall | Playoffs cancelled |
| 2020–21 | 7 | 5 | 1 | - | 1 | 29 | 12 | 11 | 1st in division 3rd overall | Season cancelled |
| 2021–22 | 54 | 42 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 239 | 122 | 87 | 1st in division 1st overall | Won quarterfinal against Selkirk (4:1) Won semifinal against Virden Lost final against Dauphin (4:3) |
| 2022–23 | 58 | 42 | 15 | - | 1 | 227 | 139 | 85 | 2nd in division 2nd overall | Won quarterfinal against Winkler (4:3) Won semifinal against Swan Valley (4:2) Won final against Virden (4:1) |
| 2023–24 | 58 | 47 | 8 | 3 | - | 224 | 103 | 97 | 1st in division 1st overall | Won quarterfinal against Niverville (4:0) Won semifinal against OCN Blizzard (4:3) Lost final against Winkler (4:0) |
| 2024–25 | 58 | 42 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 261 | 138 | 89 | 2nd in division 2nd overall | Lost quarterfinal against Portage (4:2) |
| 2025–26 | 58 | 47 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 278 | 131 | 96 | 2nd in division 2nd overall | Won quarterfinal against Portage (4:1) |
Source: . hockeydb.com.
Head coaches
The following is a list of the franchise's head coaches:
- Wayne Babych, 1988-90
- Rick Buffie, 1990-91
- Bob Cook, 1991-92
- Gord Malinoski, 1992
- Don MacGillivray, 1992-93
- David Roulston, 1993-95
- Dan Gregovski, 1995
- Dan Bourbonnais, 1996
- Bruce Schmidt, 1997-99
- Heavy Evason, 1999-2000
- Kelly Zacharias, 2000
- Steve Brown, 2000-01
- Jamie Leach, 2001-03
- Troy Kennedy, 2003-04
- Lyle Loewen, 2004-05
- Ray Neufeld, 2005-07
- Jamie Watts, 2007
- Kurt Walsten, 2007-09
- Rich Gosselin, 2009-11
- Paul Dyck, 2011-present
Gallery
- Beausejour Blades logo 2007–2009
- Steinbach Pistons logo 2012–present
See also
Further reading
- Dankochik, Cassidy (8 May 2023). . The Carillon.
- Olifirowich, Lexi (25 February 2024). . SteinbachOnline.
- Dankochik, Cassidy (28 August 2023). . The Carillon.
- Dankochik, Cassidy (8 June 2023). . The Carillon.
- Gareau, Chris (22 February 2024). . The Carillon.
- Anthony, Dave (4 June 2024). . SteinbachOnline.
- Cash, Martin (10 January 2025). . Winnipeg Free Press.
- Halmarson, Daniel (18 March 2025). . CTVNews. Bell Media.
- . CBC News. CBC/Radio-Canada. 4 April 2025.
External links
- at