# Victoria Cougars (WHL)

The Victoria Cougars were a major junior ice hockey team based in Victoria, British Columbia that played in the WCHL (Western Canadian Hockey League) a precursor to the Western Hockey League between 1971 and 1994. Prior to 1971, the Cougars were members of the Pacific Coast Junior Hockey League (1962–1967) and the British Columbia Junior Hockey League (1967–1971). The Cougars played their home games at the Victoria Memorial Arena, which was demolished in 2003.
They won the WHL championship in 1981. The team moved to Prince George, British Columbia in 1994 and are now the Prince George Cougars. The Cougars earned several WHL records during their time in Victoria, both for most wins (60 in 1980–81) and for fewest points (12 in 1989–90). Their five wins that season set a WHL record for futility within a 72-game season, which included a record setting 32 game losing streak (November 22, 1989 – February 11, 1990).

## Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
| Season | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Points | Finish | Playoffs |
| 1967–68 | 40 | 11 | 23 | 6 | 146 | 198 | 28 | 6th BCJHL | DNQ |
| 1968–69 | 40 | 22 | 12 | 6 | 223 | 150 | 50 | 1st BCJHL | Won League, won Mowat Cup |
| 1969–70 | 48 | 31 | 12 | 5 | 238 | 155 | 67 | 2nd BCJHL | Lost final |
| 1970–71 | 60 | 40 | 12 | 8 | 348 | 187 | 88 | 1st BCJHL | Lost quarter-final |
| 1971–72 | 68 | 18 | 48 | 2 | 215 | 321 | 38 | 5th West | Out of playoffs |
| 1972–73 | 68 | 13 | 51 | 4 | 231 | 390 | 30 | 5th West | Out of playoffs |
| 1973–74 | 68 | 22 | 40 | 6 | 259 | 336 | 50 | 5th West | Out of playoffs |
| 1974–75 | 70 | 47 | 18 | 5 | 416 | 257 | 99 | 1st West 1st WCHL | Lost semi-final |
| 1975–76 | 72 | 37 | 28 | 7 | 343 | 320 | 81 | 4th West | Lost semi-final |
| 1976–77 | 72 | 27 | 32 | 13 | 299 | 301 | 67 | 4th West | Lost quarter-final |
| 1977–78 | 72 | 34 | 29 | 9 | 365 | 333 | 77 | 2nd West | Lost West Division final |
| 1978–79 | 72 | 34 | 27 | 11 | 318 | 295 | 79 | 2nd West | Lost West Division final |
| 1979–80 | 72 | 51 | 21 | 0 | 349 | 226 | 102 | 2nd West | Lost final |
| 1980–81 | 72 | 60 | 11 | 1 | 462 | 217 | 121 | 1st West 1st WHL | Won championship |
| 1981–82 | 72 | 43 | 28 | 1 | 398 | 314 | 87 | 2nd West | Lost West Division semi-final |
| 1982–83 | 72 | 47 | 24 | 1 | 444 | 335 | 95 | 2nd West | Lost West Division final |
| 1983–84 | 72 | 32 | 40 | 0 | 340 | 338 | 64 | 5th West | Out of playoffs |
| 1984–85 | 72 | 24 | 43 | 4 | 314 | 385 | 52 | 6th West | Out of playoffs |
| 1985–86 | 72 | 22 | 49 | 1 | 346 | 439 | 45 | 6th West | Out of playoffs |
| 1986–87 | 72 | 30 | 41 | 1 | 334 | 412 | 61 | 4th West | Lost West Division semi-final |
| 1987–88 | 72 | 37 | 34 | 1 | 326 | 335 | 75 | 3rd West | Lost West Division semi-final |
| 1988–89 | 72 | 36 | 32 | 4 | 341 | 351 | 76 | 2nd West | Lost West Division semi-final |
| 1989–90 | 72 | 5 | 65 | 2 | 221 | 565 | 12 | 6th West | Out of playoffs |
| 1990–91 | 72 | 10 | 59 | 3 | 201 | 437 | 23 | 6th West | Out of playoffs |
| 1991–92 | 72 | 15 | 52 | 5 | 231 | 372 | 35 | 7th West | Out of playoffs |
| 1992–93 | 72 | 20 | 49 | 3 | 217 | 326 | 43 | 7th West | Out of playoffs |
| 1993–94 | 72 | 18 | 51 | 3 | 222 | 393 | 39 | 7th West | Out of playoffs |

## NHL alumni

There were 58 alumni of the Victoria Cougars who graduated from junior hockey to play in the National Hockey League. Source. Goaltender Grant Fuhr was inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
* Greg Adams
* Micah Aivazoff
* Jim Atamanenko
* Murray Bannerman
* Len Barrie
* Fred Berry
* Wayne Bianchin
* Alexandre Boikov
* Mel Bridgman
* Don Cairns
* Rich Chernomaz
* Kim Clackson
* Glen Cochrane
* Geoff Courtnall
* Russ Courtnall
* Bruce Cowick
* Paul Cyr
* Gary Donaldson
* Kevin Evans
* Tony Feltrin
* Wade Flaherty
* Curt Fraser
* Grant Fuhr
* Lorry Gloeckner
* Richard Hajdu
* Archie Henderson
* Matt Hervey
* Al Hill
* Garry Howatt
* Brent Hughes
* Stu Kulak
* Rick Lapointe
* Mike Leclerc
* Danny Lucas
* Gary Lupul
* David Mackey
* Tom Martin
* Chris Mason
* Jeff McDill
* Bob McGill
* Jack McIlhargey
* Jim McKenzie
* John Mokosak
* Mark Morrison
* John Newberry
* Brad Palmer
* Steve Passmore
* Barry Pederson
* George Pesut
* Ken Priestlay
* Gordie Roberts
* Geordie Robertson
* Torrie Robertson
* Joel Savage
* Greg Tebbutt
* Mike Toal
* Alexander Vasilevski
* Terry Virtue
* Simon Wheeldon
* Darryl Williams