The Columbia Valley Rockies are a Junior 'A' ice hockey team based in Invermere, British Columbia, Canada. They are set to compete in the Kootenay Division in the British Columbia Hockey Conference (BCHC) beginning in the 2026–27 season after playing in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). They play their home games at Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena.
The Rockies joined the league in 1978 as an expansion team. In its KIJHL history, the team has won the Keystone Cup twice, in 1989 and 1990; the Cyclone Taylor Cup once, in 1989. The Rockies have won the KIJHL Championship three times, in 1988, 1989 and 1990. They won five division playoff titles as a member of the Eastern Division from 1978-1996 and three division playoff titles as a member of the Eddie Mountain Division from 1996-2012.
History
The team was founded by Eddie Mountain, of whom a KIJHL division was recently named. The team won three straight KIJHL Championships in the late 1980s and in 1989 took home the Cyclone Taylor Cup and the Keystone Cup under the direction of Tom Renney, who is currently an assistant coach of the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL.
On April 20, 2026, the Rockies were named as one of 22 teams joining the BCHC, leaving the KIJHL with the remaining 12 teams.
Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
Records as of February 17, 2024.KIJHL.ca, Final 2013-14 regular season standings.
Season GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA Finish Playoffs 1978–79 40 18 22 0 ― 36 211 246 4th, East 1979–80 40 18 22 0 ― 36 239 250 4th, East 1980-81 40 19 21 0 ― 38 228 236 4th, East 1981–82 42 25 16 1 ― 51 253 224 3rd, East 1982–83 42 28 13 1 ― 57 266 209 2nd, East 1983-84 42 34 8 0 ― 68 298 158 1st, East 1984-85 42 33 9 0 ― 66 309 196 2nd, East 1985-86 39 23 15 1 ― 47 258 233 3rd, East 1986-87 42 28 14 0 ― 56 308 165 3rd, East 1987-88 42 35 7 0 ― 70 315 165 1st, East KIJHL Champions (Smoke Eaters) 1988-89 44 38 5 1 ― 77 341 107 1st, East KIJHL Champions (Leafs)Cyclone Taylor Cup ChampionsKeystone Cup Champions (Tigers) 1989-90 40 35 4 1 ― 71 281 120 1st, East KIJHL Champions (Leafs)Keystone Cup Champions (Bruins) 1990-91 41 35 6 0 ― 70 299 120 1st, East Lost Finals (Smoke Eaters) 1991-92 38 14 22 2 ― 30 199 200 2nd, East 1992-93 42 22 30 0 ― 44 256 237 1st, East Lost Finals (Leafs) 1993-94 40 23 14 3 ― 49 239 173 2nd, East 1994-95 43 27 15 ― 1 55 232 209 3rd, East 1995-96 42 20 22 0 ― 40 221 253 4th, East 1996–97 41 23 17 1 ― 47 198 208 1st, Eddie Mountain Lost Finals (Nitehawks) 1997–98 50 36 14 0 ― 72 265 178 1st, Eddie Mountain 1998-99 52 22 30 0 ― 44 184 210 4th, Eddie Mountain 1999-00 46 32 13 1 ― 65 240 172 1st, Eddie Mountain 2000-01 54 19 34 1 0 39 193 306 4th, Eddie Mountain Lost Division Semifinals, 0-4 (Grizzlies) 2001-02 50 29 16 4 1 63 234 208 1st, Eddie Mountain Lost League Semifinals, 0-3 (Nitehawks) 2002–03 50 27 18 3 2 59 176 168 1st, Eddie Mountain Lost division finals, 2-4 (Dynamiters) 2003–04 50 32 11 6 1 71 228 164 1st, Eddie Mountain Lost League Semifinals Round-robin, 1-3 2004–05 50 27 13 4 6 64 194 161 2nd, Eddie Mountain Lost division finals, 3-4 (Dynamiters) 2005–06 50 26 20 0 4 56 200 174 3rd, Eddie Mountain Lost Division Semifinals, 2-4 (Dynamiters) 2006–07 52 22 26 ― 4 48 194 217 4th, Eddie Mountain Lost Division Semifinals, 0-4 (Ghostriders) 2007–08 52 15 33 ― 4 34 137 187 3rd, Eddie Mountain: East Lost Division Semifinals, 1-3 (Eagles) 2008–09 52 19 24 ― 9 47 178 215 5th, Eddie Mountain Did not qualify 2009–10 50 4 43 1 2 11 115 354 5th, Eddie Mountain Did not qualify 2010-11 50 11 35 0 4 26 134 243 5th, Eddie Mountain Did not qualify 2011–12 52 3 48 0 1 7 119 369 5th, Eddie Mountain Did not qualify 2012–13 52 21 25 0 6 48 160 202 4th, Eddie Mountain Lost Division Semifinals, 2-4 (Ghostriders) 2013–14 52 13 28 3 8 37 157 230 4th, Eddie Mountain Lost div semi-finals, 0-4 (Thunder Cats) 2014–15 52 12 34 0 6 30 142 245 5th, Eddie Mountain Did not qualify 2015–16 52 30 22 0 0 60 203 183 3rd, Eddie Mountain Lost div semi-finals, 0-4, (Thunder Cats) 2016–17 47 14 29 0 4 32 139 222 4th, Eddie Mountain Lost div semi-finals, 0-4, (Thunder Cats) 2017–18 47 19 21 3 4 45 167 188 3rd, Eddie Mountain Won Div Semifinals, 4-2, (Thunder Cats)Lost Div Final 1-4 (Dynamiters) 2018–19 49 22 21 2 4 50 159 182 3rd, Eddie Mountain Lost div semi-finals, 0-4, (Ghostriders) 2019–20 49 22 19 2 6 52 165 155 3rd, Eddie Mountain Won Div Semifinals, 4-0, (Ghostriders)Incomplete Div Final 0-2 (Dynamiters)Playoffs cancelled due to covid-19 2020–21 3 3 0 0 0 6 16 6 Remaining season cancelled due to COVID-19 2021–22 42 30 9 0 3 63 158 123 3rd, Eddie Mountain Won Div Semifinals, 4-2, (Ghostriders)Lost Div Final 2-4 (Dynamiters)2022-23 44 31 9 — 4 66 218 126 1st, Eddie Mountain Lost div semi-finals, 2-4 (Ghostriders)2023-24 44 25 14 3 2 55 149 122 3rd, Eddie Mountain Won div semi-finals, 4-1 (Dynamiters)Lost Div Finals, 2-4 (Ghostriders)2024-25 44 26 16 2 0 54 187 158 3rd of 5, Eddie Mountain5th of 10 Kootenay Conf8th of 21 KIJHL Won div semi-finals, 4-0 (Ghostriders)Lost Div Semifinal 1-4 (Dynamiters)
Playoffs
KIJHL.ca, Current playoff bracket. KIJHL.ca, League champions.
Season1st round2nd round3rd roundFinals2000–01L, 0-4, Revelstoke———2001–02W, 4-0, GoldenW, 4-2, KimberleyL, 0-3, Beaver Valley—2002–03W, 4-3, GoldenL, 2-4, Kimberley——2003–04W, 4-0, PrincetonW, 4-1, KimberleyL, 1-3, Round-robin(Nitehawks) and (Storm)—2004–05W, 4-2, Creston ValleyL, 3-4, Kimberley——2005–06L, 2-4, Kimberley———2006–07L, 0-4, Fernie———2007–08L, 1-3, Sicamous———2008–09Did not qualify2009–10Did not qualify2010-11Did not qualify2011-12Did not qualify2012–13L, 2-4, Fernie———2013-14L, 0-4, Creston Valley———2014–15Did not qualify2015-16L, 0-4, Creston Valley———2016-17L, 0-4, Creston Valley———2017-18W, 4-2, Creston ValleyL, 1-4, Kimberley——2018-19L, 0-4, Fernie———2019-200-2, KimberleyPlayoffs cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic2020-21Playoffs cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic2021-22W, 4-2, FernieL, 2-4, Kimberley——2022-23L, 2-4, Fernie———2023-24W, 4-1, KimberleyL, 2-4, Fernie——2024-25W, 4-0, FernieL, 1-4, Kimberley——
Cyclone Taylor Cup
Year Gold Medal Game Bronze Medal Game Champions Score Finalists Third Place Score Fourth Place 1989 Columbia Valley Rockies ― ― ― ― ―
Keystone Cup
Keystone Cup Champions Year Champions Runners-Up Consolation Champions Host City1989 Columbia Valley Rockies Kinistino Tigers Stony Plain Flyers Gimli, MB1990 Columbia Valley Rockies Calgary Bruins Invermere, BC
Alumni
Doug Barrault Taylor Dakers Wade Dubielewicz Cory Flett Marc Garthe Logan Koopmans Jeff Lank Riley Nelson Jason Marshall Tom Renney Craig Stahl
Awards and trophies Keystone Cup 1988-89 1989-90
Cyclone Taylor Cup 1988-89
KIJHL Championship 1987-88 1988-89 1989-90
Coach of the Year Matt Hughes: 2005-06 (Divisional)
Most Sportsmanlike Darryl Mcivor: 2003-04 (Divisional) Cody Steele: 2005-06 (Divisional) Cody Steele: 2006-07 (Divisional) Tyler Nypower: 2017-18 (Divisional)
Most Valuable Player Andrew Billinghurst: 2001-02 (Divisional) Jason Botterill: 2002-03 (Divisional And League) Reid Mitchell:2007-08, 2008-2009 (Team) Ryan Skytt: 2016-17 (Team)
Rookie of the Year Taylor Dakers: 2002-03 (Divisional) Trevor Bailey: 2005-06 (Divisional) Josh Antunes/Kale Hawryluk: 2017-18 (Team)
Top Goaltender Taylor Dakers: 2002-03 (Divisional) Tyler Bilton: 2003-04 (Divisional)
Playoff MVP Ben Kelsch/Ryan Skytt: 2017-18 (Team)Top Scorer Rocky Mix: 2002-03 (Divisional) Brett Bjorkman: 2007-08 (Divisional)
Heart and Hustle Brandt Black/Fraser McMann 2017-18: (Team)
Coaches Choice Brennan Nelson 2017-18: (Team)
Most Improved Hunter Beckett: 2017-18 (Team)
Community Involvement Brandt Black: 2017-18 (Team)
Top Defenceman Kale Hawryluk: 2017-18 (Team)
Top Defensive Forward Brennan Nelson: 2017-18 (Team)
Top Forward Mike Dyck 2016-17: (Team)
References
External links Official website of the Columbia Valley Rockies