Wikipedia - Regina Pats
The Regina Pats are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. The Pats are based out of Regina, Saskatchewan and Brandt Centre is their home arena. The Regina Pats are the oldest major junior hockey franchise in the world that have continuously operated from their original location and use the same name. They began operations in 1917. They were originally named the Regina Patricia Hockey Club, after Princess Patricia of Connaught, the granddaughter of Queen Victoria and daughter of the Governor General (the Duke of Connaught). The team name was also associated with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, named for the same Princess, to the point that Pats sweaters still bear the regimental badge and "PPCLI" flash as a shoulder patch. In 2017 the club celebrated its 100th anniversary. Games are broadcast on 620 CKRM radio.
History
In 1923, the team's name was shortened to the Pats. For the 1927–28 season the Pats merged with the Regina Falcons and called themselves the Regina Monarchs. The team went on to win the Memorial Cup that year and changed back to the Pats nickname in 1928–29. During the 1940s and 1950s the club was a farm team for the Montreal Canadiens.
The Pats played in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League from 1946 to 1948, the Western Canada Junior Hockey League (WCJHL) from 1948 to 1956, and then the revived Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) from 1956 to 1966. A charter member of the WCHL (currently called the WHL) in 1966, the Pats returned to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League in 1968 so that they could qualify for the Memorial Cup, winning the league title in their first year. They returned to the WCHL for good in 1970. In their place the Regina Blues were formed as their farm team in the SJHL. The Blues folded in 1982. In 1977, they moved from Regina Exhibition Stadium to the adjacent and brand-new Agridome, since renamed the Brandt Centre. The Regina Pats are now owned by Brandt owners Shaun and Gavin Semple.
The Regina Pats have a tradition of developing talented young players and have produced numerous NHL stars over the years. They have also had success in the WHL, winning multiple championships and consistently being a top contender in the league.
The team plays their home games at the Brandt Centre, a state-of-the-art arena that provides an exciting atmosphere for fans to watch the action on the ice. The Regina Pats are a beloved institution in the city of Regina and continue to be a source of pride for their dedicated supporters.