Thunder Cats Bring Back Former Bench Boss in Coaching Change

The Thunder Cats are pleased to announce the return of Brad Tobin as Head Coach and General Manager for the upcoming season. This hiring comes on the heels of Brandon Switzer’s departure for an assistant coaching gig with the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints. The Thunder Cats would like to thank Brandon Switzer for all the […]

Thunder Cats’ Hiltermann signs with MJHL Stampeders

  Blake Hiltermann credits the Creston Valley Thunder Cats for helping him develop on and off-the-ice over two seasons in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. In 31 games last season, the 5-11, 175 pound defenceman had 17 points. Hiltermann will play in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League for the Swan Valley Stampeders for the […]

Cats Dash into offseason with new Hockey Ops member

The Creston Valley Thunder Cats are excited to announce the hiring of Bryson Traptow as Director of Personnel and Head Scout. Coming from the Dash Training facility in Calgary, AB, Traptow has multiple years of experience in assessing, analyzing, and developing hockey players. He will continue his work for Dash Training in Calgary while keeping […]

Alumni enter Lions Athletics HoF

  In 2015-16, KIJHL alumni Riley Spraggs and Michael Hails helped the Lindenwood University Lions men’s ice hockey team win the 2016 American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division I National Championship with a 2-1 victory over Iowa State.  Hails, a freshman goalie, had such a strong performance that he was selected as the Most Valuable […]

Thunder Cats alum Gagnon signs with HC Caen

Marc-Antoine Gagnon, who played for the Creston Valley Thunder Cats in 2015-16, has signed to play for Drakkars De Caen in France’s top division. Drakkars added Gagnon to strengthen its defence, bringing in the 24-year-old Canadian right-hander after a season in Division 2 with Villard-de-Lans and in Slovakia with HK Martin after playing Division 1 […]

KIJHL alumni recognized with BCIHL awards

  The B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League announced its league award winners for the 2021-22 season on April 29. Several Kootenay International Junior Hockey League alumni were recognized.   Second Team All-Stars Finn Withey (Revelstoke Grizzlies) – UVic Vikes (11GP, 5G, 3A, 8 PTS)  Kyle Bergh (Princeton Posse, Creston Valley Thunder Cats, Castlegar Rebels) SFU (12GP, […]

Brandon Switzer Named Head Coach and General Manager

Creston. B.C. – Creston Valley Thunder Cats announced that Brandon Switzer has been named the General Manager and Head Coach for the upcoming season. Switzer spent the last season as the Assistant General Manager and Associate Coach to Bill Rotheisler. This announcement comes after the Thunder Cats and Rotheisler parted ways after two seasons. Thunder […]

KIJHL Overall Award Winners Announced

  The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League has announced its Overall Award winners for the 2021/22 season. Honours have been handed out in seven categories: Most Valuable Player, Top Scorer, Top Defenceman, Top Goaltender, Rookie of the Year, Most Sportsmanlike Player and Coach of the Year. The overall KIJHL winners were selected from the four […]

Thunder Cats alumnus named CCHA Defenceman of the Year

  Creston Valley Thunder Cats alumnus Jake Livingstone has been named the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Defenceman of the Year, as voted by league coaches. The league made the announcement today. Livingstone has racked up nine goals and 20 assists for 29 points and has played in all 39 games for the Mavericks this […]

KIJHL MSP Divisional Winners

Corbin Cockerill of the Creston Valley Thunder Cats, Tyson Lautard of the Nelson Leafs, Reid Stumpf of the 100 Mile House Wranglers and Matthew Johnston of the North Okanagan Knights received the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League Most Sportsmanlike Player award for their respective divisions.   Cockerill – Eddie Mountain Division – The Thunder Cats […]