Nanaimo Islanders
Shop retro Nanaimo Islanders tees and hoodies. The Islanders arrived from Billings for a single WHL season in 1982 to 1983, with future big leaguers Mark Lamb and Bob Rouse on the roster for about 30 games, before moving on to New Westminster. Celebrate Vancouver Island's one-year junior club by browsing all of our Islanders gear, then read the team history below. We're an American small business bringing the logos and stories of long-lost hockey teams back.
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Nanaimo Islanders History
The Nanaimo Islanders were a one-year wonder in the WHL for the 1982-83 season. The team moved from Billings, Montana, where they had spent five years as the Billings Bighorns. After a rough start to the 1982-83 season, the Islanders fired coach Les Calder in early December and also had trade demands from two players; Mark Lamb and Bob Rouse. Both moved on after only about 30 games with the club and would eventually spend many years in the NHL.ย
The Islanders didn't recover, as the team finished 20-51-1. They averaged around 1,000 fans per game at a time when the league average was in the 2-3,000 range. It's estimated the team lost $250,000 during their single season. After the season, the team would be sold and moved to New Westminster and become the second iteration of the Bruins.ย
