Kenora Muskies
# Kenora Muskies

The Kenora Muskies, known as the Kenora Thistles from 1975 to 1982, are a defunct Manitoba Junior Hockey League team that played in Kenora, Ontario between 1968 and 1982.

## History

The Kenora Muskies were granted expansion into the Memorial Cup-eligible Manitoba Junior Hockey League in 1968. Two season later, the league was relegated to Tier II Junior A and competed for the Manitoba Centennial Cup.

The Muskies best year in the league came in 1970-71 when they finished first place in the regular season but failed to win the Turnbull Cup as playoff champions.

In 1975, the Muskies were renamed to the traditional Kenora namesake, the Thistles. The original Kenora Thistles were 1906 Stanley Cup champions.

In 1982, the Thistles folded after three progressively worse losing seasons.

## Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

| Season | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Points | Finish |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1968-69 | 34 | 13 | 21 | 0 | - | 177 | 190 | 26 | 6th MJHL |
| 1969-70 | 34 | 20 | 13 | 1 | - | 192 | 148 | 41 | 2nd MJHL |
| 1970-71 | 48 | 29 | 16 | 3 | - | 228 | 179 | 61 | 1st MJHL |
| 1971-72 | 47 | 25 | 22 | 0 | - | 230 | 223 | 50 | 4th MJHL |
| 1972-73 | 48 | 21 | 26 | 1 | - | 288 | 296 | 43 | 6th MJHL |
| 1973-74 | 48 | 10 | 38 | 0 | - | 199 | 343 | 20 | 9th MJHL |
| 1974-75 | 48 | 15 | 33 | 0 | - | 243 | 331 | 30 | 8th MJHL |
| 1975-76 | 52 | 16 | 32 | 4 | - | 253 | 217 | 36 | 9th MJHL |
| 1976-77 | 52 | 28 | 24 | 0 | - | 258 | 244 | 56 | 4th MJHL |
| 1977-78 | 52 | 32 | 18 | 2 | - | 312 | 233 | 66 | 4th MJHL |
| 1978-79 | 45 | 24 | 20 | 1 | - | 299 | 274 | 49 | 5th MJHL |
| 1979-80 | 46 | 20 | 25 | 1 | - | 252 | 278 | 41 | 6th MJHL |
| 1980-81 | 47 | 13 | 31 | 3 | - | 238 | 327 | 29 | 7th MJHL |
| 1981-82 | 48 | 12 | 35 | 1 | - | 193 | 297 | 25 | 8th MJHL |

### Playoffs

* 1969 Lost semi-final

    Kenora Muskies defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-1
    Dauphin Kings defeated Kenora Muskies 4-games-to-2
* 1970 Lost semi-final

    Kenora Muskies defeated Portage Terriers 4-games-to-2
    Dauphin Kings defeated Kenora Muskies 4-games-to-1
* 1971 Lost final

    Kenora Muskies defeated Dauphin Kings 4-games-to-3
    Kenora Muskies defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-1
    St. Boniface Saints defeated Kenora Muskies 4-games-to-none
* 1972 Lost quarter-final

    Portage Terriers defeated Kenora Muskies 4-games-to-1
* 1973 Lost semi-final

    Kenora Muskies defeated Selkirk Steelers 4-games-to-2
    Portage Terriers defeated Kenora Muskies 4-games-to-none
* 1974 DNQ
* 1975 DNQ
* 1976 DNQ
* 1977 Lost semi-final

    Kenora Thistles defeated St. Boniface Saints 4-games-to-2
    Kildonan North Stars defeated Kenora Thistles 4-games-to-3
* 1978 Lost semi-final

    Kenora Thistles defeated St. James Canadians 4-games-to-1
    Kildonan North Stars defeated Kenora Thistles 4-games-to-2
* 1979 Lost quarter-final

    Kildonan North Stars defeated Kenora Thistles 4-games-to-3
* 1980 Lost quarter-final

    Selkirk Steelers defeated Kenora Thistles 4-games-to-none
* 1981 Lost quarter-final

    St. Boniface Saints defeated Kenora Thistles 4-games-to-none
* 1982 Lost quarter-final

    Fort Garry Blues defeated Kenora Thistles 4-games-to-none

## Notable alumni

Muskies

* Mitch Babin
* Charlie Luksa
* Charlie Simmer
* Rick St. Croix

Thistles

* Mike Allison
* Ted Nolan
