The Kamloops Blazers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team plays in the B.C. Division of the Western Conference, is based out of Kamloops, British Columbia, and play home games at Sandman Centre. The Blazers originated as the Estevan Bruins in 1966, became the New Westminster Bruins in 1971, and relocated to Kamloops in 1981 as the Kamloops Junior Oilers. The Blazers have won the Memorial Cup three times; in 1992, 1994, and 1995, and the Ed Chynoweth Cup six times. History The franchise was granted in 1966 as the Estevan Bruins in Estevan, Saskatchewan. In 1971, it moved to New Westminster, British Columbia, and was known as the New Westminster Bruins. It then moved to Kamloops in 1981 and was known as the Junior Oilers until 1984, when it was given its present name, the Kamloops Blazers. The team moved from the Kamloops Memorial Arena to the Riverside Coliseum, then renamed the "Interior Savings Centre", in 1992, and finally changed to the Sandman Centre in 2015, due to co-owner Tom Gaglardi also owning the Sandman hotels brand. The team has won the most Memorial Cups of any team in the WHL with five, two as New Westminster (1977 and 1978) and three as Kamloops (1992, 1994 and 1995). The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) record is seven, held by the Ontario Hockey League's Toronto Marlboros, now known as the Guelph Storm. The franchise began in 1946 as the Humboldt Indians of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and moved to Estevan to become the Bruins in 1957. The franchise has won the President's Cup a record 11 times, once in Estevan, four times in a row in New Westminster and six times since relocating to Kamloops. The Blazers hosted the 1995 Memorial Cup, also winning the WHL championship that year. The team was featured as a plot element in a book called Blazer Drive by Sigmund Brouwer. WHL finals appearances 1983–84: Win, 4–3 vs. Regina 1984–85: Loss, 0–4 vs. Prince Albert 1985–86: Win, 4–1 vs. Medicine Hat 1987–88: Loss, 2–4 vs. Medicine Hat 1989–90: Win, 4–1 vs. Lethbridge 1991–92: Win, 4–3 vs. Saskatoon 1993–94: Win, 4–3 vs. Saskatoon 1994–95: Win, 4–2 vs. Brandon 1998–99: Loss, 1–4 vs. Calgary Memorial Cup appearances 1984 Memorial Cup – Loss, 2–7 vs. Ottawa in semifinal (as Kamloops Junior Oilers) 1986 Memorial Cup – Loss, 3–9 vs. Hull