The Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves were a Junior A team in the Alberta Junior Hockey League based out of Blairmore, Alberta. They were an expansion team that started in the 1998-99 season and played in Blairmore for 6 seasons. The franchise took a leave of absence for the 2004-05 season and then packed their bags for greener pastures (or a place that at least had a McDonald’s at the time) in Okotoks and became what we now know as the Okotoks Oilers. This wasn’t the first time someone placed a team in southwestern Alberta and failed. The Pass Red Devils of 1972-76. That team then moved to Pincher Creek and failed there too.
The franchises most notable players were Devin Setoguchi, Jeremy Coliton, and the late Rick Rypien. Former NHLer Kris Versteeg tried out for the Crowsnest Timberwolves and was cut. Versteeg claims he was told he was too small. LINK
The teams on ice record was complete garbage. They were only above 500 once and it was barely. The only reason the Timberwolves made the playoffs after the first 2 seasons they were around is a team entered the league that was even worse than them!!!! You may be shocked to learn that its the Brooks Bandits. But then again that was early 2000’s.
