Chris Clegg
South Peace News
Interest in joining the NPHL for the coming season has surfaced from Peace River.
Chad Burns would like to resurrect the Peace River Stampeders franchise and is working on application for the NPHL’s spring meeting.
Burns contacted NPHL Fan Zone, operated by South Peace News editor Chris Clegg, who also serves as NPHL statistician, after it was posted the Nampa Devils may be interested in joining the league in 2026-27.
Burns, past president of the Grimshaw Huskies, says a team can be successful in Peace River and there is interest in supporting a team.
“There lots of guys playing from Peace River in the league,” he says.
“All over the league. They’d like to play (some home games) but not travel.”
Burns also has a potential coaching staff ready to guide the Stampeders but declined to disclose who.
Burns also alluded to the Devils in a round-about way. He says the rec hockey league based out of Nampa has several NPHL calibre players.
However, a major snag may be the availability of ice at the Baytex Energy Centre. The Town of Peace River holds its ice allocation meeting June 10 to consider the Stampeders’ request.
“They told us we were last on the list,” says Burns, referring to an informal discussion.
Stewart Burnett, communications coordinator for the Town of Peace River, provided comment.
“To date, we have not received any formal requests,” Burnett wrote in a March 6 email.
“Our ice allocation meeting is June 10, which is the day where any new requests would have to be brought forward.”
The NPHL tentatively meets in May to consider all applications for the coming season.
Burns has not yet contacted NPHL president Michael Mercredi to discuss the application and what is required to enter.
The NPHL accepted bids from the Fox Creek Knights and High Prairie Regals last season to swell the league ranks to nine teams. The Knights were accepted at the spring meeting, the Regals at the fall meeting after they submitted an excellent bid and persuaded the league’s board of governors to let them in.
Burns likes what he sees in the NPHL regarding recent expansion and is eager to become part of the league.
“It’s nice to see the league expanding,” he says. “It’s good hockey. It’s good to watch.
“The league is doing some good things,” he concludes.
The Grimshaw Huskies have also been active raising money and preparing to rejoin the league. Whether the region can provide players for two or more teams remains to be seen.
The Stampeders were part of the original four-team NPHL in 1953-54 along with Fairview, Falher adn McLennan. They played for 33 straight years until 1985-86. After three years off, the rejoined the league in 1989-90 for 10 more years before folding for the 1999-2000 season. After coming back for one year in 2001-02, they again folded for two years before rejoining the league in 2003-04. The Stampeders last played 15 years ago in 2009-10.
The Stampeders have won 11 league titles, fourth most in history, including a record seven straight from 1962-63 to 1968-69.
The Stampeders have also won 13 Lawrence Cup titles for placing first overall in the regular season, second to the High Prairie Regals’ 16.