The Calgary Hitmen are a major junior hockey team based out of Calgary, Canada. The Hitmen play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League (WHL) against division rivals that include the Medicine Hat Tigers, Kootenay Ice, Red Deer Rebels, Lethbridge Hurricanes, and the Edmonton Oil Kings.http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/whl19792010.html

The Hitmen play in Pengrowth Saddledome under the tutelage of Head Coach Mike Williamson.http://www.hitmenhockey.com/page/hockey-operations-staff When the team celebrated their inaugural 1995-96 season, it was owned by 18 private investors, including former NHL player Theoren Fleury. In 1997, the Hitmen were purchased by the Calgary Flame. Since the team's first season, they have won the WHL Championship twice, once during the 1998-99 season, and again during the 2009-10 season, advancing to the Memorial Cup. Both times, the Memorial Cup has eluded them.http://www.hitmenhockey.com/page/club-history

Finishing off the 2009-10 season with a 52-17-1-2 record, the Calgary Hitmen ended the year atop the Central Division. In the playoffs, the Hitmen advanced all the way to the WHL Championship, where they beat the Tri-City Americans to move on to the Memorial Cup. The Hitmen lost to the host team, the Brandon Wheat Kings, in the Semi-finals five games to four.http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/whl19792010.html

Brandon Kozun led the Hitmen in points scored and assists, garnering 107 points on 75 assists. Kozun was second in goals scored with 32, finishing just behind Joel Broda, who had 39 goals. Defensemen Michael Stone was second on the team in assists with 44 and third in points with 65. In the net, Martin Jones had a 36-11-1 record in 48 games, ending with a 2.21 goals against average. Number two goaltender, Michael Snider, played in 24 games and ended with a 2.54 goals against average and a 15-5-2 record.http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0009942010.html

Since the franchise began during the 1995-96 season, the Hitmen have developed several players that have gone on to play in the National Hockey League (NHL). Because the Hitmen are a relatively new WHL team, many of these players are still participating in the NHL, including Darcy Hordichuk, Johnny Boychuk, Ryan Getzlaf, and Frederik Sjostrom, and Andrew Ladd. Former NHL players that played junior hockey with the Hitmen include Kris Beech, Stephen Peat, and Owen Fussey.http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayersByTeam.jsp?team=Calgary+Hitmen

The Calgary Hitmen had two players drafted in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Matt MacKenzie was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round, 83 overall, while Cody Beach was selected in the fifth round, 134 overall, by the St. Louis Blues.http://www.hockey-reference.com/draft/NHL_2010_entry.html