# West Kent Steamers

The West Kent Steamers are a Junior A Ice Hockey team from Bouctouche, New Brunswick. They play their home games at the 1,100 seat J.K. Irving Regional Centre in Bouctouche, New Brunswick. The team is a member of the Maritime Hockey League and play in the Eastlink North Division.

## History

The Maritime Junior A Hockey League (MHL) had its origin in the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League, founded in 1967 as a Junior "B" level hockey league consisting of six teams, all of them based in Nova Scotia. In 1977, the Metro Valley League acquired Junior "A" status and in 1983 expanded to New Brunswick with the addition of the Moncton Hawks.
In 1991, two franchises from Prince Edward Island, based in Summerside and Charlottetown, joined the newly dubbed "Maritime Junior A Hockey League". The Summerside Western Capitals won the League's first ever National Title against South Surrey Eagles from British Columbia.
A tenth team, the Miramichi Timberwolves, was added for the 2000–2001 season. At the end of the 2001–02 season, the League approved the transfer of a team to Yarmouth. The Yarmouth Mariners began play in September 2002 and are now the biggest rival of the South Shore Lumberjacks . In early 2003, the league governors approved expansion into Woodstock, New Brunswick, with the Woodstock Slammers beginning play in the 2003–04 season.
The League got its second national Championship when the Halifax Oland Exports won the 2002 Royal Bank Cup on home ice. In the spring of 2004, the Weeks Hockey Organization bought the club, moved it to New Glasgow, and renamed it the Pictou County Weeks Crushers. On that same day, Halifax was granted an expansion franchise, the Halifax Wolverines.
In 2014 the League approved to add an expansion team in St. Stephen named the St. Stephen Aces. The League has hosted the Royal Bank Cup and Centennial Cup seven times, winning twice. MHL teams have also won seven Fred Page Cups as the Junior "A" Eastern Canadian Champions to earn the right to compete for the Royal Bank Cup.
The origin of the Lumberjacks goes back to April 15, 2008, when the owners of the Halifax Wolverines announced their plans to move to Bridgewater. Following a contest to come up with a name for the new team, the franchise was dubbed the "Bridgewater Lumberjacks." However, by 2014 the Lumberjacks were struggling, and in serious jeopardy of being dissolved or relocated. In November 2014, the MHL stepped in and temporarily took over the management of the team until a new owner was found. Larry Creaser, supported by an experienced group of hockey people and enthusiastic volunteers, assumed ownership and complete financial control of the Lumberjacks. The team was renamed the "South Shore Jr. A Lumberjacks" in an effort to expand the fan base of the team to nearby communities. Seats at the games were once again the "hottest ticket in town". The last home game of the season sold out with an attendance in excess of 1500 fans.
In 2023, the Maritime Hockey League Board of Governors approved the relocation of the team to Bouctouche New Brunswick, where they will begin play in the 2023-24 season.
In September 2024, the Steamers signed the first female player in franchise history, goaltender Rhyah Stewart.

## Season-by-season record

| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | P | Results | Playoffs |
| 2004-05 | 56 | 14 | 38 | 2 | 2 | 148 | 254 | 32 | 12th MJAHL | DNQ |
| 2005-06 | 56 | 16 | 34 | 0 | 6 | 192 | 255 | 38 | 11th MJAHL | DNQ |
| 2006-07 | 58 | 34 | 19 | 0 | 5 | 247 | 210 | 73 | 6th MJAHL | Lost Division Final |
| 2007-08 | 58 | 18 | 33 | - | 7 | 166 | 242 | 43 | 10th MJAHL | |
| 2008-09 | 53 | 18 | 26 | - | 9 | 164 | 202 | 45 | 9th MJAHL | Lost Division Mini Series |
| 2009-10 | 50 | 21 | 23 | - | 6 | 179 | 213 | 48 | 7th MJAHL | Lost Division Semi-final |
| 2010-11 | 52 | 24 | 26 | - | 2 | 219 | 237 | 50 | 8th MHL | Lost Division Semi-final |
| 2011-12 | 52 | 15 | 36 | - | 1 | 166 | 258 | 31 | 10th MHL | DNQ |
| 2012-13 | 52 | 10 | 39 | - | 0 | 144 | 255 | 23 | 9th MHL | Lost Division Mini Series |
| 2013-14 | 52 | 5 | 40 | - | 7 | 123 | 269 | 17 | 11th MHL | DNQ |
| 2014-15 | 48 | 16 | 29 | - | 3 | 144 | 169 | 35 | 10th MHL | DNQ |
| 2015-16 | 48 | 24 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 138 | 142 | 51 | 4th of 6 South 9th of 12 MHL | Won Div. Semifinals 4-3 (Bearcats) Lost Div. Finals 1-4 (Crushers) |
| 2016-17 | 50 | 17 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 171 | 122 | 37 | 5th of 6 South 10th of 12 MHL | DNQ |
| 2017-18 | 50 | 31 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 193 | 132 | 66 | 2nd of 6 South 4th of 12 MHL | Won Div. Semifinals 4-3 (Ramblers) Lost Div. Finals 1-4 (Jr. Mariners) |
| 2018-19 | 50 | 27 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 211 | 200 | 57 | 3rd of 6 South 6th of 12 MHL | Won Div. Semifinals 4-3 (Ramblers) Lost Div. Finals 2-4 (Jr. Mariners) |
| 2019-20 | 52 | 26 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 211 | 200 | 56 | 5th of 6 South 9th of 12 MHL | DNQ |
| 2020-21 | 34 | 6 | 26 | 0 | 2 | 79 | 142 | 14 | 7th of 7 South 12th of 12 MHL | DNQ |
| 2021-22 | 39 | 7 | 28 | 2 | 2 | 79 | 142 | 18 | 6th of 6 South 12th of 12 MHL | DNQ |
| 2022-23 | 52 | 10 | 39 | 2 | 1 | 130 | 250 | 23 | 6th of 6 South 12th of 12 MHL | DNQ |
| West Kent Steamers |||||||||||
| 2023-24 | 52 | 34 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 187 | 151 | 70 | 2nd of 6 North 3rd of 12 MHL | Lost Div. Semifinals 1-4 (Miramichi Timberwolves) |

### Franchise records

These are franchise records held by previous team rosters. Figures are updated after each completed MHL regular season.
Team Records for a single season :
| Statistic | Total | Season |
| Most Points | 73 | 2006-07 |
| Most Wins | 34 | 2006-07 |
| Most Goals For | 247 | 2006-07 |
| Fewest Goals For | 123 | 2013-14 |
| Fewest Goals Against | 202 | 2008-09 |
| Most Goals Against | 269 | 2013-14 |