Spokane Comets

The Spokane Comets started play in the WHL in 1958-59, actually under the name of the Spokane Spokes. Spokane had been long-known as the Flyers in the WIHL, but the city made the jump up to the professional WHL in 1958 with the addition of the Spokes as the Flyers closed up after 1957-58. The Spokes won only 26 of 70 games, and rebranded to the Comets for their second season. In their first season as the Comets, they would actually play worse notching only 19 wins. Their third season, second as the Comets, in 1960-61 they improved to 33 wins and made the playoffs. That team also had a future big leaguer named Forbes Kennedy on the team, who would go on to play 603 NHL games. The team would have their best season in 1961-62 when they made the finals, falling to the Edmonton Flyers in seven games. In 1963, the team would be sold and moved to Denver where they became the Invaders.