Editing Calgary Hitmen (section)

=== Second championship ===
[[File:Hitmen 2010 WHL Champs.png|thumb|right|The team celebrates its 2010 title.|alt=About 30 people gather around a trophy in celebration, many of them raising a single finger.]]
Following the graduation of several players, including [[Karl Alzner]], who was named both WHL player of the year and CHL defenceman of the year, the [[2008–09 WHL season|2008–09]] Hitmen were expected to enter a rebuilding period. Instead, they captured the franchise's third Scotty Munro Trophy as the regular season champions, earning the top seed in the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.whl.ca/article/calgary-hitmen-clinch-scotty-munro-trophy/76821 |title=Calgary Hitmen clinch Scotty Munro Trophy |publisher=Western Hockey League |date=2009-03-15 |access-date=2011-01-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111170629/http://www.whl.ca/article/calgary-hitmen-clinch-scotty-munro-trophy/76821 |archive-date=2012-01-11 }}</ref> The team tied or broke 21 franchise records during the regular season, including wins (59), points (122) and goals scored (330). [[Joel Broda]] led the league with 53 goals, while [[Brandon Kozun]] and [[Brett Sonne]] finished second and third in league scoring with 108 and 100 points, respectively; it was only the second time in franchise history that two players topped the 100-point mark in the same season.<ref>{{cite news |last=Down |first=John |title=Hitmen rewrite record book |work=Calgary Herald |date=2009-03-16}}</ref> In the playoffs, the Hitmen won 12 straight games, sweeping the [[Edmonton Oil Kings]], Lethbridge Hurricanes, and Brandon Wheat Kings to reach the WHL finals for the first time since 1999. In the finals, they were stunned by the [[Kelowna Rockets]], losing the first three games of the series before winning the next two to extend the series to a sixth game.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/calgary-hitmen-force-game-6-in-whl-final-1.864480 |title=Calgary Hitmen force game 6 in WHL final |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=2009-05-08 |access-date=2009-09-19}}</ref> The Hitmen lost game six in overtime, and the series 4–2, to end their season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=454629 |title=Hitmen playoff run ends |publisher=Calgary Flames Hockey Club |date=2009-05-10 |access-date=2009-09-19}}</ref> Sonne was named WHL Player of the Year, while General Manager [[Kelly Kisio]] was named Executive of the Year for the second time in recognition of the Hitmen's season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.whl.ca/article/whl-announces-2008-09-awards-winners/76960 |title=WHL announces 2008–09 awards winners |publisher=Western Hockey League |date=2009-04-29 |access-date=2011-01-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111165820/http://www.whl.ca/article/whl-announces-2008-09-awards-winners/76960 |archive-date=2012-01-11 }}</ref>

[[File:022111 Hitmen vs Pats.png|thumb|left|Jaynen Rissling scored Calgary's first goal in the Hitmen's outdoor game; the Regina Pats ultimately won 3–2.|alt=Several hockey players in either white and blue or black and grey uniforms watch as one player shoots the puck into his opponent's net]]
The following season, Calgary again finished with the best record in the regular season with 107 points on the strength of Kozun's CHL-leading 107 points and the goaltending of [[Martin Jones (ice hockey)|Martin Jones]], who was named goaltender of the year in the WHL.<ref name="BobClarkeTrophy">{{cite web |last=Fisher |first=Scott |url=http://www.calgarysun.com/sports/hockey/2010/03/15/13229881.html |title=All four won scoring title |work=Calgary Sun |date=2010-03-15 |access-date=2010-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100317011811/http://www.calgarysun.com/sports/hockey/2010/03/15/13229881.html |archive-date=2010-03-17 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="DelWilsonTrophy">{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=April 28, 2010 |title=Seguin, Eberle top junior hockey players |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/seguin-eberle-top-junior-hockey-players-1.887350 |url-status=live |work=[[CBC Sports]] |location= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521073720/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/seguin-eberle-top-junior-hockey-players-1.887350 |archive-date=May 21, 2022 |access-date=November 19, 2024}}</ref> The Hitmen's playoffs nearly ended quickly as they lost three of the first four games in their opening round playoff series against the Warriors before winning three consecutive games to take the series in seven.<ref>{{cite news |last=Myers |first=Sean |title=Hitmen vanquish Warriors in game 7 |work=Calgary Herald |date=2010-03-30}}</ref> They then beat the Tigers and Wheat Kings in six and five games respectively to reach the WHL championship series for the second consecutive year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=526866 |title=Calgary Hitmen beat Brandon Wheat Kings 6-1 to advance to WHL final |publisher=National Hockey League |date=2010-04-24 |access-date=2010-05-08}}</ref> Entering the final against the [[Tri-City Americans]], the 11 players who returned from the 2009 finals loss vowed not to suffer a repeat of their disappointing finish to the previous season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=527607 |title=Hitmen motivated by last year's loss, want title to go with a winning season |publisher=National Hockey League |date=2010-04-29 |access-date=2010-05-08}}</ref> Named the playoff MVP, Jones allowed only seven goals against in the final as the Hitmen defeated the Americans in five games to win their second Ed Chynoweth Cup in franchise history.<ref>{{cite news |last=Myers |first=Sean |title=Jones wins MVP honours for rock-solid goaltending |work=Calgary Herald |date=2010-05-08}}</ref> The victory, in front of a home crowd of over 15,000 fans, earned the Hitmen a berth in the [[2010 Memorial Cup]] tournament. At the tournament, Calgary posted a 2–1 record in the round robin, defeating the QMJHL's [[Moncton Wildcats]] and the host Brandon Wheat Kings, but lost the semi-final in overtime, also against Brandon.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tsn.ca/chl/feature/?id=6606 |title=2010 Mastercard Memorial Cup |publisher=The Sports Network |access-date=2011-01-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130053334/http://tsn.ca/chl/feature/?id=6606 |archive-date=2010-11-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Following the graduation of many of the team's top scorers, the Hitmen fell to last place the WHL in [[2010–11 WHL season|2010–11]], at one point tying a franchise record with 12 consecutive losses.<ref>{{cite web |last=Fisher |first=Scott |date=2010-09-05 |title=Mem Cup star expected to help lead Hitmen |url=http://www.calgarysun.com/sports/hockey/2010/09/06/15257076.html |access-date=2011-01-11 |work=Calgary Sun |archive-date=September 9, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100909144850/http://www.calgarysun.com/sports/hockey/2010/09/06/15257076.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Odland |first=Kristen |url=http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/sports/story.html?id=42c7067d-eff9-4ed7-b28a-42f3de0bdd21 |title=Hitmen deal with future in mind |work=Calgary Herald |date=2011-01-11 |access-date=2011-01-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109204715/http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/sports/story.html?id=42c7067d-eff9-4ed7-b28a-42f3de0bdd21 |archive-date=2014-11-09 }}</ref> As part of the [[2011 Heritage Classic]], hosted by the Flames, the Hitmen hosted the [[Regina Pats]] in an [[List of outdoor ice hockey games|outdoor game]] at [[McMahon Stadium]] on February 21, 2011. Regina won 3–2 before 20,888 fans, setting new WHL and CHL attendance records.<ref>{{cite web |last=Odland |first=Kristen |url=http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/sports/story.html?id=f6a9a927-ede9-4196-a80c-aa620e452a21 |title=Hitmen clipped by Pats before record crowd |work=Calgary Herald |date=2011-02-21 |access-date=2011-02-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109203743/http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/sports/story.html?id=f6a9a927-ede9-4196-a80c-aa620e452a21 |archive-date=2014-11-09 }}</ref>

In 2019, the Hitmen hosted the Corral Series, a three-game series paying tribute to former teams that used to play in the Corral.<ref>{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Kevin |date=2018-10-10 |title=Calgary Hitmen to play 3 games in historic Stampede Corral |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4534988/calgary-hitmen-stampede-corral-games/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011024322/https://globalnews.ca/news/4534988/calgary-hitmen-stampede-corral-games/ |archive-date=2018-10-11 |website=[[Global News]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Saelhof |first=Todd |date=2019-02-08 |title=History lesson for Hitmen in Corral Series finale |url=https://calgarysun.com/sports/hockey/history-lesson-for-hitmen-in-corral-series-finale |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209153839/https://calgarysun.com/sports/hockey/history-lesson-for-hitmen-in-corral-series-finale |archive-date=2019-02-09 |website=Calgary Sun}}</ref>