Victoria Royals

{{short description|Western Hockey League team in Victoria, British Columbia}}

{{Infobox hockey team

| team = Victoria Royals

| colour = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#182957 5px solid; border-bottom:#A0A9AD 5px solid;

| colour text = #000000

| logo = Victoria Royals logo.svg

| city = Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

| league = Western Hockey League

| conference = Western

| division = B.C.

| founded = 2006

| arena = Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre

| colours = Royal blue, silver, white, black
{{color box|#182957}} {{color box|#A0A9AD}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}} {{color box|#000000}}

| owner = Graham Lee (Chairman - GSL Group)

| GM = Jake Heisinger

| coach = James Patrick

| website = {{URL|https://chl.ca/whl-royals/}}

| reg_season_titles = 1 (2015–16)

| name1 = Chilliwack Bruins

| dates1 = 2006–2011

| name2 = Victoria Royals

| dates2 = 2011–present

| uniform_image=WHL-Uniform-VIC.png

}}

The Victoria Royals are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Victoria, British Columbia. The Royals play in the B.C. Division of the Western Conference in the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team began play during the 2011–12 season after the league announced the relocation of the Chilliwack Bruins to Victoria. It marked the return of the WHL to Vancouver Island, 17 years after the departure of the Victoria Cougars. The Royals play their home games at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.

History

Victoria was left without a WHL team when the Cougars franchise relocated to Prince George in 1994.{{cite news |last=Epp |first=Sharie |url=https://vancouversun.com/sports/Western+Hockey+League+Bruins+moving+Victoria+report/4539397/story.html |title=Western Hockey League's Bruins moving to Victoria: report |work=Victoria Times-Colonist |date=April 1, 2011 |access-date=April 20, 2011}} The city acquired a professional ECHL—the Victoria Salmon Kings—in 2004 when the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre was opened, but the city had made inquiries about returning the WHL to Vancouver Island in the past.

While two minority owners of the Chilliwack Bruins hoped to purchase the team and keep it in Chilliwack following the 2010–11 season, they were outvoted by the remaining partners who opted to sell the team to a group planning to relocate the franchise.{{cite news |last=Olsen |first=Tyler |url=https://theprovince.com/sports/Bruins+have+been+sold+according+part+owner+Moray+Keith/4538876/story.html?cid=megadrop_story |title=Keith confirms Bruins have been sold, confidentiality agreements now in place |work=The Province |date=April 1, 2011 |access-date=April 20, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303213002/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/phoenix-failure-felt-as-far-away-as-victoria/article1993030/ |archive-date=March 3, 2016 }} On April 20, 2011, the WHL announced the approval of the sale and the relocation of the Bruins to Victoria.{{cite news |last=Olsen |first=Tyler |url=https://vancouversun.com/sports/Chilliwack+Bruins+more+moving+Victoria/4649521/story.html |title=WHL's Chilliwack Bruins are no more, moving to Victoria |work=Vancouver Sun |date=April 20, 2011 |access-date=April 20, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021233723/http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Chilliwack+Bruins+more+moving+Victoria/4649521/story.html |archive-date=October 21, 2012 }} The relocation was brought about partially by the WHL's desire to protect the Victoria market, as the league feared that a potential summer relocation of the National Hockey League's Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg could result in the American Hockey League's Manitoba Moose moving to Victoria.{{cite news |last=Maki |first=Allan |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/phoenix-failure-felt-as-far-away-as-victoria/article613686/ |title=Phoenix failure felt as far away as Victoria |work=The Globe and Mail |date=April 20, 2011 |access-date=April 20, 2011}}

The Royals got off to a relatively strong start in Victoria, making the playoffs in each of the team's first eight seasons; the team was on track to make the playoffs for a ninth straight year in 2019–20 when the season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite news |last=Dheensaw |first=Cleve |date=2020-03-18 |title=Victoria Royals’ regular season abandoned |url=https://www.timescolonist.com/coronavirus-covid-19-local-news/victoria-royals-regular-season-abandoned-4679898 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240515025848/https://www.timescolonist.com/coronavirus-covid-19-local-news/victoria-royals-regular-season-abandoned-4679898 |archive-date=2024-05-15 |access-date=2024-05-15 |work=Times-Colonist}} The team's best season came in 2015–16. The Royals reached the 50-win mark for the first time and secured their first Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as the league's best team in the regular season.{{Cite news |last=Dheensaw |first=Cleve |date=2016-03-17 |title=One goal down, few more to go for Victoria Royals |url=https://www.timescolonist.com/sports/one-goal-down-few-more-to-go-for-victoria-royals-4634332 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240515023411/https://www.timescolonist.com/sports/one-goal-down-few-more-to-go-for-victoria-royals-4634332 |archive-date=2024-05-15 |access-date=2024-05-15 |work=The Times-Colonist}} They ultimately lost their second-round playoff series against the defending champion Kelowna Rockets; the Royals were leading in the seventh and deciding game when the Rockets tied the game with less than a second remaining in regulation, going on to win in overtime.{{Cite news |last=Dheensaw |first=Cleve |last2=Annicchiarico |first2=Mario |date=2016-04-19 |title=Rockets defeat Royals in OT after tying game in last second |url=https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/rockets-defeat-royals-in-ot-after-tying-game-in-last-second-4635478 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031151026/https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/rockets-defeat-royals-in-ot-after-tying-game-in-last-second-4635478 |archive-date=2022-10-31 |access-date=2024-05-15 |work=The Times-Colonist}}

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime losses, SOL = Shootout losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

class="wikitable"
style="text-align:center; background:#dddddd; border-top:#182957 5px solid; border-bottom:#A0A9AD 5px solid;" \| Season	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	GF	GA	Points	Finish	Playoffs
align="center" \| 2011–12	72	24	41	3	4	233	325	55	4th B.C.	Lost Western Conference quarter-final (0–4, KAM)
align="center" \| 2012–13	72	35	30	2	5	223	252	77	3rd B.C.	Lost Western Conference quarter-final (2–4, KAM)
align="center" \| 2013–14	72	48	20	1	3	238	181	100	2nd B.C.	Won Western Conference quarter-final (4–0, SPO) Lost Western Conference semi-final (1–4, POR)
align="center" \| 2014–15	72	39	29	3	1	244	219	82	2nd B.C.	Won Western Conference quarter-final (4–1, PRG) Lost Western Conference semi-final (1–4, KEL)
align="center" \| 2015–16	72	50	16	3	3	281	166	106	1st B.C. 1st WHL	Won Western Conference quarter-final (4–2, SPO) Lost Western Conference semi-final (3–4 KEL)
align="center" \| 2016–17	72	37	29	5	1	239	219	80	4th B.C.	Lost Western Conference quarter-final (2–4, EVT)
align="center" \| 2017–18	72	39	27	4	2	287	264	84	2nd B.C.	Won Western Conference quarter-final (4–3, VAN) Lost Western Conference semi-final (0–4, TRI)
align="center" \| 2018–19	68	34	30	2	2	199	227	72	2nd B.C.	Won Western Conference quarter-final (4–2, KAM) Lost Western Conference semi-final (0–4, VAN)
align="center" \| 2019–20	64	34	24	6	2	176	190	72	2nd B.C.	Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
align="center" \| 2020–21	22	3	17	1	1	48	96	8	5th B.C.	No playoffs due to COVID-19 pandemic
align="center" \| 2021–22	68	23	39	5	1	193	275	52	5th B.C.	Did not qualify
align="center" \| 2022–23	68	17	43	6	2	199	323	42	5th B.C.	Did not qualify
align="center" \| 2023–24	68	29	30	5	4	221	272	67	4th B.C.	Lost Western Conference quarter-final (0–4, POR)
align="center" \| 2024–25	68	40	19	4	7	272	218	91	1st B.C.	Won Western Conference quarterfinal (4–1, TRI) Lost Western Conference semifinal (2–4, SPO)

Players

=Team captains=

Hayden Rintoul, 2011–2012
Tyler Stahl, 2012–2013
Jordan Fransoo, 2013–2014
Joe Hicketts, 2014–2016
Ryan Gagnon, 2016–2017
Matthew Phillips, 2017–2018
Phillip Schultz, 2019–2020
Tarun Fizer, 2021–2022
Gannon Laroque, 2022–2023
Justin Kipkie, 2024–present

=NHL alumni=

The following is a list of players from the Victoria Royals who have played in the National Hockey League.

Head coaches

File:Dave Lowry.JPG coached the Royals for five seasons from 2012 to 2017.]]Marc Habscheid served as the first head coach and general manager of the Royals during the team's inaugural season; in June 2012, he announced that he was leaving both positions. The Royals named Cam Hope as their new general manager.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}} The Royals named Dave Lowry as head coach for the 2012–13 season.{{Cite web|url=http://www.victoriaroyals.com/article/royals-announce-dave-lowry-as-head-coach|title=ROYALS ANNOUNCE DAVE LOWRY AS HEAD COACH – Victoria Royals}} He coached the Royals for five seasons, leading the team to franchise highs in wins and points on the way to a Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as WHL regular season champions in 2015-16. He left the club in 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/kings/news/la-kings-bolster-staff-as-dave-lowry-is-named-assistant-coach/c-289674802|title = LA Kings Bolster Staff as Dave Lowry is Named Assistant Coach}} In 2017, the Royals promoted assistant coach Dan Price to the head coaching position. Price became the third head coach in franchise history.{{Cite web|url=http://victoriaroyals.com/article/royals-name-dan-price-as-head-coach|title=ROYALS NAME DAN PRICE AS HEAD COACH – Victoria Royals}}

On November 6, 2023, following a 6–3 loss to the Wenatchee Wild, the Royals dismissed Price and named former Winnipeg Ice head coach James Patrick the fifth head coach in franchise history.{{cite web|last1=Trozzo|first1=Tony|title=Royals Announce Change To Coaching Staff|url=https://chl.ca/whl-royals/article/royals-announce-change-to-coaching-staff/| website = chl.ca/whl-royals|access-date=November 8, 2023|date=November 6, 2023}}{{cite web|last1=Trozzo|first1=Tony|title=Royals Name James Patrick Head Coach|url=https://chl.ca/whl-royals/article/royals-name-james-patrick-head-coach/| website = chl.ca/whl-royals|access-date=November 8, 2023|date=November 6, 2023}}

=List of coaches=

class="wikitable"

style="border-top:#182957 5px solid; border-bottom:#A0A9AD 5px solid;

!Coach

!Years

!GC

|Marc Habscheid

|2011–2012

|72

|Dave Lowry

|2012–2017

|360

|Dan Price

|2017–2023

|James Patrick

|2023–present

Awards and honours

=Team=

Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy

WHL Regular Season Champion

2015–16

St. Clair Group Trophy

WHL Marketing/Business Award

2015–16

WHL Scholastic Team of the Year

2016–17

=Individual=

Brad Hornung Trophy

WHL Most Sportsmanlike Player

Tyler Soy: 2015–16

Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy

WHL Rookie of the Year

Matthew Phillips: 2015–16

Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy

WHL Coach of the Year

Dave Lowry (2): 2013–14, 2015–16
James Patrick: 2024–25{{cite web|last=Kepke|first=Cami|title=Royals Head Coach Patrick awarded Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy as 2024-25 WHL Coach of the Year|url=https://chl.ca/whl/video/royals-head-coach-patrick-awarded-dunc-mccallum-memorial-trophy-as-2024-25-whl-coach-of-the-year/|publisher=WHL.ca|date=April 29, 2025|access-date=April 30, 2025}}

Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy

WHL Executive of the Year

Cam Hope: 2013–14

WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team

WHL Western Conference Second All-Star Team

Joe Hicketts: 2014–15
Tyler Soy: 2015–16
Scott Walford: 2018–19
Justin Kipkie: 2024–25{{cite web|last=Kepke|first=Cami|title=WHL names Second All-Star Teams for 2024-25|url=https://chl.ca/whl/article/whl-names-second-all-star-teams-for-2024-25/|publisher=WHL.ca|date=April 1, 2025|access-date=April 29, 2025}}

WHL B.C. Division First All-Star Team