The Moose Jaw Warriors told shareholders at their annual general meeting on Tuesday morning that they lost $106,719 during the 2021-22 season.
“We still had lots of challenges getting through the pandemic last (season),” Chad Taylor, the franchise’s president and governor, said in a news release. “It affected our season-ticket sales, our walk-up ticket sales, so there were challenges and there are going to be challenges moving forward this (season) as well.”
The Warriors never did issue a news release stating their profit/loss for the 2020-21 season, but they reported losses of $391,299 for 2019-20 and $165,145 for 2018-19.
“The good news,” wrote Randy Palmer of moosejawtoday.com, “is the team’s bank balance is still healthy at $806,292, with $530,675 in outstanding loans for an overall net cash total of $275,617.”
(Palmer’s story is right here.)
The Warriors’ news release included this: “The loss came despite paying $166,450 in rent and $419,343 in a split of signage, suite and club seats and community rink profits with the Moose Jaw Events Centre and City of Moose Jaw.
“To date, the Warriors have also made eight of 10 payments in the organization’s multiplex pledge commitment, which totals $2.1-million.”
As well, the club reported that its education fund holds more than $150,000.
The Warriors (37-24-7) finished last season in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. According to numbers compiled by the WHL, their announced average attendance in the regular season was 2,665; Mosaic Place seats 4,500 for hockey.
The Warriors beat the fifth-place Saskatoon Blades, 4-1, in a first-round series before losing to the first-place Winnipeg Ice in five games. It all meant that the Warriors got to play five home playoff games.
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The Lethbridge Hurricanes held their AGM on Monday night and reported a profit of $248,000 to shareholders “mostly due to saving on expenses and (improved) advertising sales,” according to a news release.
A year ago, the club reported a profit of $72,250 for the 2020-21 season, after a loss of $1,030 for 2019-20. Prior to that season, however, the club reported profits of $282,168 (2018-19), $422,443 (2017-18), $737,710 (2016-17) and $197,000 (2015-16). All of that allowed the Hurricanes to dig out of a massive hole after the franchise lost more than $1.25 million from 2011-16.
The Hurricanes, who play in the 5,479-seat ENMAX Centre, had an announced average attendance in 2021-22 of 2,983, 12th-best in the 22-team league.
The Hurricanes (33-30-5) placed seventh in the Eastern Conference last season, then were swept from a first-round playoff series by the second-place Edmonton Oil Kings. The Hurricanes played host to two playoff games.
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The Prince Albert Raiders held their AGM on Sept. 14, and reported a profit of $152,191 for 2021-22 when their announced average attendance was 2,334 in the 2,580-seat Art Hauser Centre. The Raiders (28-35-5) finished eighth in the Eastern Conference and met Winnipeg in the opening round. The Raiders bowed out in five games, meaning that they played host to two games.
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Four of the WHL’s 22 teams are owned by shareholders in their respective communities and, as such, are required to present financial statements at annual general meetings.
The Swift Current Broncos, the fourth community-owned team, have scheduled their AGM for Oct. 4. The Broncos reported losses for each of the previous two seasons — $129,968 for 2020-21 and $791,000 for 2019-20. Prior to that, they had showed a profit in six straight seasons, including $561,500 for 2017-18.
Steve Konowalchuk, the head coach of the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels, was inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame on Monday night.
Konowalchuk, 49, is from Salt Lake City and was the first native of that city to play in the NHL.
He played two seasons (1990-92) with the Portland Winterhawks, putting up 196 points, including 94 goals, in 136 regular-season games and was a third-round pick by the Washington Capitals in the NHL’s 1991 draft.
Konowalchuk then went on to a pro career that included 790 NHL regular-season games over 14 seasons. He scored 171 goals and added 225 assists while playing with the Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche.
Konowalchuk returned to the WHL and spent six seasons (2011-17) as the head coach of the Seattle Thunderbirds. He now is into his second season as the Rebels’ head coach. He is second from left in the photo in the tweet below.
If you are interested in being a living kidney donor, more information is available here:
Living Kidney Donor Program
St. Paul’s Hospital
6A Providence Building
1081 Burrard Street
Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6
Tel: 604-806-9027
Toll free: 1-877-922-9822
Fax: 604-806-9873
Email: donornurse@providencehealth.bc.ca
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Vancouver General Hospital Living Donor Program – Kidney
Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre
Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street
Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9
604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182
kidneydonornurse@vch.ca
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Or, for more information, visit right here.