WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes Mark 50th Anniversary of Arena, Junior Hockey in City With Special Jerseys

The Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League are marking a pair of anniversaries with special jerseys this weekend.

The Hurricanes will don the jerseys to mark both the 50th anniversary of their home rink — originally called the Canada Games Sportsplex, but now known as the VisitLethbridge.com Arena — and the 50th anniversary of junior hockey in Lethbridge when they host the Red Deer Rebels on Saturday, October 26.

The jerseys are predominantly black with red and gold striping on the sleeves. The front of the jersey features the Hurricanes’ primary logo recolored in black, red and gold. The left shoulder has the logo of the city’s first WHL franchise, the Lethbridge Broncos, who played in the city from 1974 to 1986, while the right shoulder has a Sportsplex 50 Years logo. Both shoulder logos are gold.

*Photos courtesy **Lethbridge Hurricanes** / Facebook*

The collar of the jersey is black, with a gold insert at the front. It doesn’t have any stripes around the waist. The numbers on the back and sleeves are white with gold outlines, while the name on the back is set in a white block font.

*Courtesy **Lethbridge Hurricanes** / Facebook*

Game-worn anniversary jerseys will be auctioned off after Saturday’s game, with proceeds benefitting minor hockey in Lethbridge.

The Sportsplex was originally built in advance of Lethbridge hosting the 1975 Canada Games. It has undergone several renovations over the years, and has hosted acts like Jerry Seinfeld and Elton John. It currently seats 5,479 people for hockey games.

One of the arena’s first tenants moved in when the Swift Current Broncos relocated to Lethbridge in 1974. The Broncos won the WHL President’s Cup in 1982-83, advancing to the Memorial Cup. In 1986, the team was sold and moved back to Swift Current. But Lethbridge only had one season without junior hockey, as the Calgary Wranglers moved to the city in 1987 and were renamed the Hurricanes.

Puck drop for the 50th anniversary game on Saturday is at 6 p.m. A pre-game ceremony will honor members of the original Lethbridge Broncos and Hurricanes teams, and fans will have the chance to meet alumni on the arena concourse. There will also be throwback pricing at the concession stands, with $1 hot dogs and 50¢ popcorn and pop while quantities last.