Beausejour Blades
| Steinbach Pistons | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| City | Steinbach, Manitoba |
| League | Manitoba Junior Hockey League |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Home arena | T.G. Smith Centre |
| Colours |
Blue, White, Black |
| Owner(s) | Steinbach Pistons, Inc. |
| General manager |
 Paul Dyck
|
| Head coach |
Paul Dyck |
| Media |
www.SteinbachOnline.com AM Radio 1250 Mix 96.7 FM Country 107.7 FM |
| Website | www.steinbachpistons.ca |
| Franchise history | |
| 1988-1991 | Southeast Thunderbirds |
| 1991-1992 | Southeast T-Birds |
| 1992-2007 | Southeast Blades |
| 2007-2009 | Beausejour Blades |
| 2009-Present | Steinbach Pistons |
Blue, White, Black
The Steinbach Pistons are a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey team from Steinbach, Manitoba. They are members of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, which is a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League.
The MJHL granted an expansion team to the Southeast Tribal Council, a group of First Nation bands in southeastern Manitoba, to begin play in the 1988-89 season. The team was known as the Southeast Thunderbirds and played out of the Notre Dame Arena in Winnipeg. The team was renamed the Southeast Blades in 1992. After taking a leave of absence for the 1996-97 season, the Blades moved to Sagkeeng First Nation, northeast of Winnipeg. The Blades played ten seasons in Sagkeeng, with their best being in 2002-03 when they advanced to the Turnbull Cup finals, but lost to the OCN Blizzard.
The Beausejour Blades were formed in 2007 following the sale and relocation of the team to Beausejour. The team played two seasons at Beausejour's Sun Gro Centre, winning only 13 games during that span.
During the 2009 Allan Cup in Steinbach, Manitoba, the City of Steinbach announced that the Blades would be relocating to Steinbach for the 2009-10 season. Following a local contest, the team was renamed the Steinbach Pistons. Steinbach was previously home to the MJHL's Steinbach Hawks from 1985 to 1988. Despite the team's improved record after the move, the Pistons did not qualify for the playoffs during their first three seasons.
During the summer of 2012, the Pistons were purchased by a group from the local business community and turned into a community-owned organization. The Pistons ended the franchise's ten year playoff drought the following season and captured their first Turnbull Cup. Despite playing in one of the smallest arenas, attendance at the Pistons home games has consistently been among the best in the MJHL in recent years.
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