Trail Smoke Eaters
CityTrail, British Columbia, Canada
LeagueBritish Columbia Hockey League
DivisionInterior
Founded1926 (1926)
Home arenaCominco Arena
ColoursOrange, black and white
     
General managerTim Fragle
Head coachTim Fragle
Websitewww.trailsmokeeaters.com
Franchise history
1926–presentTrail Smoke Eaters

The Trail Smoke Eaters are a junior A ice hockey team from Trail, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League.

History

The Smoke Eaters (aka Smokies) have existed as both junior and senior teams since the 1920s. The senior Smoke Eaters won two Allan Cup championships, 1938 and 1962, and two Ice Hockey World Championships playing for Canada in 1939 and 1961. The senior Smokies were the last independent ice hockey club to represent Canada in international competition before the Canada men's national ice hockey team was established in 1963.

The junior Smoke Eaters have competed in British Columbia since 1926. Originally, the ice hockey usage of "junior" referred to a general, age-limited, non-professional hockey concept that was distinct from senior and intermediate divisions. Later, the junior divisions in Canada were divided into two levels, Junior A and Junior B. In 1970, Junior A was split again into Major Junior and Junior A. The junior Smoke Eaters have competed in various levels of junior hockey, including Junior A and Junior B divisions. They have also competed for the national Junior Championship Memorial Cup prior to its usage as the Major Junior championship.

In 1931–32, the junior Smoke Eaters won their first of 22 Mowat Cups over a run of 29 seasons. Throughout this run, the Mowat Cup was awarded as the highest level junior hockey championship for the province. During their 22 Mowat Cup winning years, the Smoke Eaters represented British Columbia in the Western Canadian Junior/Junior A Championship, the Abbott Cup. The Smoke Eaters won the Abbott Cup in 1944 and represented Western Canada in the national junior championship Memorial Cup competition, losing all four games to the Oshawa Generals.

By the 1970s, the Smoke Eaters played as a Junior B team in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). They joined the Junior A Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League (RMJHL) from the 1991–92 through 1994–95 seasons. In 1995, the Smoke Eaters bought the Bellingham Ice Hawks franchise in the Junior A British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), joining that league as the Trail Smoke Eaters for the 1995–96 season.

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

SeasonGPWLTOTLGFGAPointsFinishPlayoffs
1969–70322930—33586581st, KJHLKJHL Champions
1970–71282620—521st, WKHLWKHL Champions
1971–723221110—25696422nd, WKHL
1972–733017130—194165343rd, KIJHL
1973–743011190—184195226th, KIJHL
1974–753424100—270161482nd, KIJHL
1975–76342482—239178501st, KIJHL
1976–774431130—329188622nd, KIJHL
1977–78423381—225137671st, KIJHL
1978–79403730—245113741st, KIJHLKIJHL Champions
1979–804018220—219240369th, KIJHL
1980–81403190—323186622nd, KIJHLKIJHL Champions
1981–824228122—299187582nd, KIJHL
1982–83423390—291191662nd, KIJHL
1983–84407330—1722781412th, KIJHL
1984–854024142—250201504th, KIJHL
1985–86423480—288160681st, KIJHL
1986–874213290—239279266th, KIJHL
1987–884226160—287232524th, KIJHL
1988–894533111—288191673rd, KIJHL
1989–904030100—292181603rd, KIJHL
1990–914127140—227176542nd, KIJHLKIJHL Champions
1991–925231183—284219651st, KootenayWon Quarterfinals, 4–0 (Dynamiters)
Won Semifinals, 4–3 (Colts)
Lost Finals, 2–3 (Spruce Kings)
1992–93524011—1366227811st, KootenayWon Quarterfinals, 4–0 (Thunder)
Lost Semifinals, 2–4 (Colts)
1993–94521040—2207376225th, Kootenaydid not qualify
1994–95522131—0243289425th, Kootenaydid not qualify
1995–966016395—214323374th, Interiordid not qualify
1996–976039201—302241792nd, InteriorLost Semifinals, 1–4 (Vipers)
1997–986035232—222209723rd, InteriorLost Semifinals, 1–4 (Panthers)
1998–99601443—3166259316th, Interiordid not qualify
1999–0060847—5155353216th, Interiordid not qualify
2000–01601834—8199293446th, Interiordid not qualify
2001–02602924—7218210654th, InteriorLost Quarterfinals, 0–3 (Panthers)
2002–0360312432275255673rd, InteriorLost Semifinals, 0–4 (Vipers)
2003–0460262608242237605th, InteriorLost Quarterfinals, 2–3 (TimberWolves)
2004–0560302127220217694th, InteriorLost Preliminary, 0–4 (Vees)
2005–0660252717212229585th, InteriorLost Preliminary, 1–4 (Centennials)
2006–0760351906230200763rd, InteriorLost Quarterfinals, 1–4 (Vipers)
2007–0860233016169213535th, InteriorLost Preliminary, 0–3 (Vipers)
2008–0960253122188215546th, InteriorLost Div. Quarterfinals, 0–3 (Warriors)
2009–1060203217216271486th, InteriorLost Div. Quarterfinals, 1–4 (Warriors)
2010–1160312324198172685th, InteriorLost Div. Quarterfinals
2011–1260114216151295296th, Interiordid not qualify
2012–1356262802171229545th, Interiordid not qualify
2013–1458104224154274266th, Interiordid not qualify
2014–1558193306208249446th, Interiordid not qualify
2015–1658233320171251466th, Interiordid not qualify
2016–1758262651213204683rd of 6, Interior
8th of 17, BCHL		Won Div. Quarterfinals, 4–1 (Silverbacks)
Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–4 (Vipers)
2017–1858322141218203694th of 7, Interior
7th of 17, BCHL		Won Div. Quarterfinals, 4–0 (Warriors)
Won Div. Semifinals, 4–3 (Vees)
Lost Div. Finals, 1–4 (Wild)
2018–19582324—11184207577th of 7, Interior
13th of 17, BCHL		Won First Round, 4–1 (Centennials)
Lost Second Round, 3–4 (Vipers)
2019–2058361714222170772nd of 7, Interior
4th of 17, BCHL		Won First Round, 4–0 (Spruce Kings)
Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Chilliwack/Ladner/Bellingham franchise

To secure entry into the BCHL, the Trail Smoke Eaters bought the franchise rights of the Bellingham Ice Hawks of Bellingham, Washington. The Ice Hawks franchise had previously existed in the British Columbia communities of Chilliwack (twice), Langley and Ladner.

Chilliwack Colts 1978–1981
Langley Eagles 1981–1987
Chilliwack Eagles 1987–1989
Ladner Penguins 1989–90
Bellingham Ice Hawks 1990–1995

The Eagles played for six seasons in Langley. Their best season was 1983–84 with a record of 40–8–2, placing third in the league. In the playoffs they defeated the Abbotsford Flyers four games to one, the Nanaimo Clippers four games to two, and then swept the first place Penticton Knights in the league championships. They then won the 1984 Mowat Cup over the Peace Caribou Junior Hockey League champions, Prince George Spruce Kings, and then won the 1984 BC/Alta Championship over Fort Saskatchewan Traders. They lost Abbott Cup to the Weyburn Red Wings in a four-game sweep before the Red Wings went on to win the Centennial Cup.

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

SeasonGPWLTGFGAPointsFinishPlayoffs
1978–796228313284287594th, CoastalLost Div. Semifinals, 1–4 (Blazers)
1979–806635301326328713rd, CoastalLost Div. Semifinals, 3–4 (Clippers)
1980–813513408930228th, CoastalFolded mid-season
1981–82487410204405147th, Coastaldid not qualify
1982–835618371262317376th, Coastaldid not qualify
1983–84504082337192821st CoastalWon League, Mowat Cup, Doyle Cup
1984–855231210313301624th CoastalLost Quarterfinals
1985–865212400232373246th Coastaldid not qualify
1986–875231201272259632nd CoastalLost Quarterfinals
1987–885221310262360429th, BCJHLdid not qualify
1988–896018420297445369th, BCJHLdid not qualify
1989–905922343300395477th, BCJHLLost Preliminary
1990–916021345238315479th, BCJHLdid not qualify
1991–926030264310290645th, BCJHLLost Finals, 0–4 (Lakers)
1992–936022353258314478th, BCJHLLost Quarterfinals, 3–4 (Paper Kings)
1993–946018393250324399th, BCJHLdid not qualify
1994–956029283276284614th, MainlandLost in Preliminary, 0–2 (Lakers)

See also

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