Edmonton Chimos

Lore & Background

The Edmonton Chimos were founded in 1973 after advertisements sought women in the Edmonton area interested in playing hockey. By the 1980s, the team had become the dominant women's team in Alberta, winning every provincial championship except one from 1982 to 1997. They represented Alberta at the Esso Canadian national championships 16 times, capturing the national title four times: in 1984, 1985, 1992, and 1997.

In 2001, the Chimos were approached to join the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) alongside their provincial rival, the Calgary Oval X-Treme. They joined the NWHL in 2002, forming the Western Division with the Calgary Oval X-Treme and the Vancouver Griffins. The Griffins folded after one season, leaving only the two Alberta teams. Consistently overmatched by Calgary and lacking competition in the NWHL, the Alberta clubs broke away in 2004 to help form the five-team Western Women's Hockey League (WWHL). The two leagues attempted to reunite under the NWHL banner in 2006, but the merger was not consummated due to disagreements over a playoff schedule. With the collapse of the NWHL in summer 2007, the WWHL became independent again.

For the 2011–12 season, the Edmonton Chimos and the Strathmore Rockies combined to form Team Alberta in the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL). The new team played in different locations in Alberta, based out of both Calgary and Edmonton to accommodate western Canada's elite female players. Team Alberta later became the Calgary Inferno.

Reader's Guide

The Edmonton Chimos hold a significant place in the history of women's ice hockey in Canada, particularly in Alberta. Their 38-year existence, from 1973 to 2011–12, made them one of the longest-running women's hockey teams in the country. The team's dominance in Alberta provincial championships—winning all but one from 1982 to 1997—and their four national titles at the Esso Canadian championships underscore their competitive success. The Chimos were also central to the shifting landscape of women's hockey leagues in the early 2000s, moving from the NWHL to help form the WWHL and later merging with the Strathmore Rockies to create Team Alberta in the CWHL, which eventually became the Calgary Inferno. Their legacy is tied to the development of women's hockey in western Canada, providing a platform for elite players and contributing to the evolution of professional women's hockey leagues.

Did You Know?

• The Edmonton Chimos were founded in 1973 after ads sought women in Edmonton to play hockey.
• They won every Alberta provincial championship except one from 1982 to 1997.
• The Chimos captured the Esso Canadian national title four times: 1984, 1985, 1992, and 1997.
• For the 2011–12 season, the Chimos merged with the Strathmore Rockies to form Team Alberta in the CWHL.