The Tri-City Americans are a major junior ice hockey team based in Kennewick, Washington, playing in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Founded in 1966 as the Calgary Buffaloes, the team settled in Kennewick in 1988 after a number of relocations. Let's delve into the rich history of this team, from its humble beginnings to its current status in the WHL.
Early Years and Relocations
The Americans franchise began as a founding franchise of the league, beginning as the Calgary Buffaloes in 1966. After one season, the original team was renamed the "Centennials". The team was originally known as the Calgary Buffalos and later changed their name to the Calgary Centennials. The Centennials were active from 67 to 77 and were later relocated to Billings, Montana and became the Billings Bighorns. The original team was renamed the "Centennials" after one season.
In 1977, the franchise relocated to Montana and was known as the Billings Bighorns-part of an initial wave of American teams in the league. They played in Billings from 1977 to 1998 before being relocated to Nanaimo, British Columbia and were named the Nanaimo Islanders. In 1982, the team moved again, this time to Nanaimo, British Columbia, where the team played for one season as the Nanaimo Islanders. The Islanders played from 1982 to 1983 before they were moved to New Westminster, British Columbia and became the New Westminster Bruins.
The Islanders' tenure in Nanaimo lasted only one season, as low fan interest and an undersized arena prompted another relocation in 1983 to New Westminster, British Columbia, where the franchise revived the historic New Westminster Bruins moniker and returned to Queen's Park Arena. Ownership, led by Vancouver businessman Ron Dixon, cited the need for better facilities and a larger market to sustain operations. The Bruins played in New Westminster for five years, but persistent issues with the aging arena and financial instability led to further upheaval.
Move to Tri-Cities
In 1987, the team's owner, Ron Dixon, suggested moving the team to the Tri-Cities area. He said they would move if local people helped pay for a new arena. The idea was accepted, and the team moved to Kennewick in the fall of 1988. Many thought this move was risky because the Tri-Cities area did not have much hockey history. But it worked out!
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The team's new arena in Kennewick, the Tri-Cities Coliseum, was not ready in time for the start of the team's first season in Washington, forcing the team to seek practice ice in Walla Walla and to play its first seventeen games on the road. The Americans finally played their first game in their new arena on November 20, 1988. They beat the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-3 in overtime. The first hockey puck dropped in the desert on Nov. 20, 1988. The Seattle Thunderbirds were the first visitors to the Tri-Cities Coliseum, and the host Tri-City Americans came away with a 4-3 overtime win before a sold-out crowd of 6,004.
The team quickly became strong with star players like Stu Barnes and goalie Olaf Kolzig. They were often contenders for the playoffs. Led by stars Stu Barnes and goaltender Olaf Kolzig, the Americans were playoff contenders from the outset.
For their first two seasons in Kennewick, the team still wore the old New West Bruins' black and gold colors. With Dixon being tight with his money, the Americans wore the yellow and black uniforms of the New Westminster Bruins, albeit with a different logo, the first two years they played in Kennewick.
Toyota Center: Home of the Americans
The team plays its home games at Toyota Center, which was purpose-built for the team. The Toyota Center, located at 7000 West Grandridge Boulevard in Kennewick, Washington, has served as the home arena for the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League (WHL) since the team's relocation to the area in 1988. Originally opened as the Tri-Cities Coliseum on November 20, 1988, the multi-purpose venue was purpose-built to accommodate professional hockey, with its inaugural Americans game drawing a crowd for a 4-3 overtime victory against the Seattle Thunderbirds.
However, construction delays prevented the team from practicing at the facility upon arrival from training camp in Chilliwack, British Columbia, forcing players to commute over an hour to the smaller Ice Chalet in Walla Walla for sessions until the rink was ready on November 15, 1988; this setback contributed to the Americans playing their first 17 games of the 1988-89 season on the road.
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Designed primarily for hockey, the Toyota Center features a regulation-size ice surface and offers excellent sightlines from its seating bowl, with a capacity of 5,694 for WHL games. In 2022, the venue received a $4.1 million renovation that replaced the original orange seats with new ones in red, blue, and gray to match the team's colors, while also updating other infrastructure to enhance fan and player experiences. Beyond hockey, the Toyota Center functions as a key community hub in the Tri-Cities region, hosting the Tri-Cities Figure Skating Club, amateur hockey associations, concerts, and conventions through its attached event spaces, which broaden its role in local sports and entertainment.
The team faced some tough times in the early 2000s. Struggling on and off the ice, the team was nearly relocated to Chilliwack, British Columbia, in 2004. But a group of owners, including former players Kolzig and Barnes, bought the team. This kept the Americans in Kennewick.
Peak Performance and Achievements
The Americans had their best period between 2007-08 and 2011-12. Division four times. In the 2007-08 season, they won the regular season title. They had 52 wins and 108 points, led by goalie Chet Pickard and coach Don Nachbaur. They made it to the conference final but lost to Spokane in a very close seven-game series. On New Year's Eve 2008, the Americans set a new attendance record. Over 6,042 fans came to watch them play the Chiefs. In the 2009-10 season, the Americans won their third straight division title. They also reached the championship series for the first time ever.
The team's most successful playoff campaign occurred during the 2009-10 season, when they won the Western Conference championship by defeating the Vancouver Giants 4-2 in the conference final. Advancing to the WHL final for the first time in franchise history, the Americans fell to the Calgary Hitmen 1-4 in the Ed Chynoweth Cup series. Despite the loss, the run highlighted the team's potential, as they had posted three consecutive division titles leading into the postseason.
The Americans have made several other deep playoff runs, reaching the Western Conference finals in 1995 (lost to Kamloops Blazers 2-4), 1999 (lost to Kamloops Storm 0-4), 2008 (lost to Spokane Chiefs 3-4), and 2012 (lost to Portland Winterhawks 0-4). These appearances represent the franchise's closest approaches to another conference title, though they have not returned to the WHL final since 2010.
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The Tri-City Americans have earned several Western Hockey League (WHL) team trophies and individual honors throughout their history, recognizing excellence in regular-season performance, player achievements, and off-ice contributions.
Team Achievements
- Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy (Regular Season Champions): 2007-08 (League-best 52-16-2-2 record)
Notable Individual Awards
- Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (Player of the Year):
- Stu Barnes (1988-89): 144 points in 63 games
- Brendan Shinnimin (2011-12): 134 points in 69 games
- Del Wilson Trophy (Top Goaltender):
- Brian Boucher (1996-97): 2.34 GAA, .925 SV% in 64 games
- Carey Price (2006-07): 2.45 GAA, .917 SV% in 55 games
- Chet Pickard (2007-08): 2.08 GAA, .934 SV% in 59 games
- Bob Clarke Trophy (Top Scorer):
- Daymond Langkow (1994-95): 140 points in 72 games
- Brendan Shinnimin (2011-12): 134 points in 69 games
The Tri-City Americans have never qualified for the Memorial Cup, the Canadian Hockey League's (CHL) annual championship tournament, despite strong performances in the Western Hockey League (WHL) playoffs that positioned them as contenders. As a WHL member club, the Americans' eligibility for CHL-level competition, including the Memorial Cup, stems from success in their league's postseason, where the WHL champion advances as one of four tournament participants alongside representatives from the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, plus a host team. The franchise has not secured the Ed Chynoweth Cup, the WHL playoff trophy required for Memorial Cup entry, limiting their CHL footprint to preparatory and developmental events.
Notable Players and Alumni
Many players from the Tri-City Americans have gone on to play in the National Hockey League (NHL). Among the earliest and most accomplished alumni is Stu Barnes, selected fourth overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft. Scott Gomez stands out as the first Americans alumnus to win the Stanley Cup, achieving the feat with the New Jersey Devils in 2000 after being selected 27th overall in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. Carey Price, who joined the Americans in 2004-05 after a midseason trade from the Mississauga Steelheads and played parts of three seasons (2004-05 to 2006-07), appearing in 86 regular-season games, was selected fifth overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
More recently alumni include defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, who debuted with the Calgary Flames in 2021 after going undrafted and has since played over 100 NHL games, providing steady depth on the blue line with his physical play and shot-blocking ability.
The Americans have, however, contributed players to the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, an annual showcase highlighting top draft-eligible juniors scouted for the National Hockey League. Representative examples include defenseman Brandon Carlo, selected for the 2015 event, where he represented Team Red. In 2017, forward Michael Rasmussen and defenseman Juuso Välimäki both participated, with Rasmussen on Team Cherry and Välimäki on Team Orr. More recently, goaltender Lukas Matecha was named to Team White for the 2024 game.
Retired Numbers
The Americans have honored special players by retiring their jersey numbers. This means no other player on the team can wear that number again.
- Number 8: Retired on March 16, 1996, in recognition of Brian Sakic's tenure as captain and leader from 1988 to 1993.
- Number 14: Retired to honor both Stu Barnes and Todd Klassen, originally for Klassen in 1993 following his death.
- Number 33: Retired on October 15, 2011, for Olaf Kolzig, acknowledging his goaltending excellence from 1988 to 1990.
Todd Klassen was honored in 1993 after he passed away. Barnes, a standout forward who scored 141 points in his 1988-89 rookie season and later became co-owner in 2005, is celebrated for his NHL success-including over 1,100 games and his pivotal role in stabilizing the franchise amid relocation threats-and his on-ice dominance as WHL Player of the Year. Klassen, a defenseman who played 208 games from 1990 to 1993 as team captain, is remembered for his long service, defensive reliability (41 goals and 104 assists), and tragic death in a car accident shortly after being drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins; his initial honoring in 1993 evolved into this joint retirement, symbolizing enduring team loyalty.
Number 33 was retired on October 15, 2011, for Olaf Kolzig, acknowledging his goaltending excellence from 1988 to 1990-where he posted a 2.20 goals-against average and became the first WHL goalie to score a goal-and his critical off-ice efforts in saving the franchise around 2004 by co-purchasing it in 2005 with Barnes to prevent relocation to Canada.
Coaching History
The Tri-City Americans have employed 17 head coaches since relocating to Kennewick, Washington, in 1988 as a Western Hockey League (WHL) franchise. Early in the team's history, coaching stability was limited, with 14 different head coaches during the first 15 seasons (1988-2002), reflecting the challenges of establishing a new market and building a competitive roster. This high turnover averaged roughly one season per coach, often hindering consistent player development in the WHL's junior hockey context, where the emphasis is on nurturing talent for professional leagues like the NHL.
Community Involvement
Giving back The Americans as a team perform up to 2,500 hours of community service per season in the Tri-Cities. They participate in school reading programs, work with animal shelters, food banks and youth hockey teams. The team has helped raise more than $2 million for charities over the past seven years. They have helped raise more than $200,000 over the past 12 years for the Tri-Cities Cancer Center via their Breast Cancer Awareness Game.
Upcoming Games
Here's a look at the Tri-City Americans' upcoming games:
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (PST) | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, Dec 17, 2025 | Kamloops Blazers | Toyota Center - Kennewick, WA | 6:05 PM | Get Tickets |
| Sat, Jan 3, 2026 | Victoria Royals | Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena - Victoria, BC | 4:05 PM | Get Tickets |
| Sun, Jan 4, 2026 | Victoria Royals | Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena - Victoria, BC | 2:05 PM | Get Tickets |
| Wed, Jan 7, 2026 | Kelowna Rockets | Prospera Place - Kelowna, BC | 7:05 PM | Get Tickets |
| Fri, Jan 9, 2026 | Vancouver Giants | Vancouver | 7:00 PM | Get Tickets |