Editing Calgary Hitmen (section)

=== Turn of the century ===
[[File:Farleythefox.JPG|thumb|100px|left|Hitmen mascot, Farley the Fox.|alt=A mascot in the form of an anthropomorphic fox. It has brown "fur" with a white muzzle, oversized eyes and mouth.]]
The Hitmen went through a rebuilding period and finished third or fourth in the Central Division between 2001 and 2004, winning only one playoff series during that time.<ref>{{Cite book|editor1=Flett, Cory |editor2=Watts, Jessie |title=2007–08 WHL Guide|publisher=Western Hockey League|pages=150–153}}</ref>  The Hitmen acquired goaltender [[Justin Pogge]] from the [[Prince George Cougars]] during the [[2004–05 WHL season|2004–05 season]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=21348 |title=Justin Pogge profile |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame |access-date=2010-12-31}}</ref> Pogge's goaltending, along with the offensive leadership of forward [[Andrew Ladd]], saw the Hitmen win their first playoff series in four years.<ref name="teamrecords" /> They could not follow up on their victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes, losing their second round series against the Brandon Wheat Kings in seven games.<ref name="2004–05">{{Cite book|editor1=Flett, Cory |editor2=Watts, Jessie |title=2007–08 WHL Guide|publisher=Western Hockey League|page=149}}</ref>

The Hitmen were heavily marketed by the Flames during the NHL's [[2004–05 NHL lockout|2004–05]] [[Lockout (industry)|lock-out]]. As a result, the Hitmen averaged 10,062 fans per game and set a new league attendance record. The season total of 362,227 fans easily beat the old record by over 45,000.<ref>{{Cite book|editor1=Flett, Cory |editor2=Watts, Jessie |title=2009–10 WHL Guide|publisher=Western Hockey League|page=228}}</ref> The Hitmen became the first Canadian Hockey League team to average over 10,000 fans per game, having the highest average attendance of any hockey team—junior or professional—in North America that year.<ref>{{cite web |author=Francis |first=Eric |date=2005-03-19 |title=Kisio on the hot seat |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/Junior/2005/03/19/966358-sun.html |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717152252/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/Junior/2005/03/19/966358-sun.html |archive-date=July 17, 2012 |access-date=2008-04-08 |work=[[Calgary Sun]]}}</ref>

The [[2005–06 WHL season|2005–06]] Hitmen battled the [[Medicine Hat Tigers]] for the top spot in the Western Hockey League for most of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canoe.ca/WHLNews0506/0119.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120801232908/http://www.canoe.ca/WHLNews0506/0119.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=August 1, 2012|title=WHL This Week – News Edition (Issue #16)|author=Watts, Jesse|access-date=2008-04-10|date=2006-01-19|publisher=Western Hockey League}}</ref> Calgary finished with 101 points, their best total since 1999–2000, finishing two points behind Medicine Hat for the best record in the league.<ref name="2005–06">{{Cite book|editor1=Flett, Cory |editor2=Watts, Jessie |title=2007–08 WHL Guide|publisher=Western Hockey League|page=148}}</ref> The team disappointed in the playoffs, falling to the Moose Jaw Warriors in the Eastern Conference semi-final.<ref name="2005–06" /> Pogge's performance during the season earned him honours as both the WHL [[Four Broncos Memorial Trophy|player of the year]] and CHL [[CHL Goaltender of the Year Award|goaltender of the year]].<ref name="Awards">{{Cite book|editor1=Flett, Cory |editor2=Watts, Jessie |title=2007–08 WHL Guide|publisher=Western Hockey League|pages=189–193}}</ref> Calgary fell to third in the Central Division in [[2006–07 WHL season|2006–07]].<ref name="teamrecords" /> In the playoffs, they upset the [[Kootenay Ice]], who finished 19-points ahead of Calgary in the regular season. The Hitmen then defeated the East Division champion Brandon Wheat Kings to reach the Eastern Conference final for the fourth time in franchise history, where they were defeated by the Tigers.<ref name="2006–07">{{Cite book|editor1=Flett, Cory |editor2=Watts, Jessie |title=2007–08 WHL Guide|publisher=Western Hockey League|page=133}}</ref>

The Hitmen entered the [[2007–08 WHL season|2007–08 season]] with expectation of being contenders, voted the pre-season pick to finish atop the Eastern Conference by the league's coaches and general managers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whl.ca/article/2007-08-whl-eastern-conference-preview/75407|title=2007–08 WHL Eastern Conference Preview|access-date=2011-01-11|date=2007-09-20|publisher=Western Hockey League|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111165801/http://www.whl.ca/article/2007-08-whl-eastern-conference-preview/75407|archive-date=2012-01-11}}</ref> The team lived up to expectations, winning the Central Division, and finishing with the best record in the East for the first time since 2000.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Hitmen shutout clinches first pennants since 2000 |last=Down |first=John |date=2008-03-16 |work=Calgary Herald}}</ref> During a late season game, Calgary broke the league's single-game attendance record, as an announced crowd of 19,305 watched Calgary defeat Kootenay by a score of 6–1.<ref>{{Cite book|editor1=Flett, Cory |editor2=Watts, Jessie |title=2009–10 WHL Guide|publisher=Western Hockey League|page=230}}</ref>  In the playoffs, the Hitmen defeated the Moose Jaw Warriors and Swift Current Broncos in six games apiece, advancing to the Eastern Conference finals for the second consecutive season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hitmenhockey.com/cgi-bin/news/comments.cgi?type=newsroom&file_num=0000001429 |title=Hitmen double Broncos 8-4 to advance to Eastern Conference finals |access-date=2008-04-13 |date=2008-04-12 |publisher=Calgary Hitmen Hockey Club |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414164624/http://www.hitmenhockey.com/cgi-bin/news/comments.cgi?type=newsroom&file_num=0000001429 |archive-date=April 14, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>