Calgary Outlaws

From the Brink to the Blackbird Cup 

Just a season ago, the Calgary Outlaws were nearly gone for good. But with new leadership, hard work, and a group of players who fully bought into the vision, this resilient team rose from the edge of collapse to claim their first-ever championship title, the Blackbird Cup, in a true fairytale season.

——————————————————————————————————————————-

A Fairytale Season: The Calgary Outlaws Rise from the Brink to Capture the Blackbird Cup

Just one year ago, the Calgary Outlaws Pro Roller Hockey team was on the edge of collapse. A team once filled with promise and passion was facing an uncertain future – dwindling resources, limited support, and a league that seemed to be moving on without them. What unfolded over the next year would become one of the greatest comeback stories in Alberta roller hockey history.

When the team needed a lifeline, they found one in Nick Ruigrok – a lifelong coach, community builder, and hockey advocate. Convincing Ruigrok to take the reins as General Manager and Owner wasn’t easy, but the plea was personal. His son, Josh Ruigrok, had been the Outlaws’ starting goaltender since the team’s inception in 2018, and keeping the dream alive meant more than saving a roster – it meant preserving a family’s shared passion.

“I just wanted Josh and the rest of the guys to still have a place to play,” Nick admits. “But once we got started, it became about so much more.”

What followed was months of behind-the-scenes work: fundraising, rebuilding awareness, and creating the right support system to give the Outlaws a fighting chance. The Ruigrok family poured their hearts into the team, joined by veteran players like Julian Beardman who refused to let the flame die out.

Names like Mark Rassell, a former standout in the WHL, ECHL, and AHL (currently playing professionally in Germany with the Ravensburg Towerstars), brought elite-level experience and leadership to the room. Brad Forrest, now competing in the CEHL for Limburg in the Netherlands, added skill and professionalism, while longtime teammates Jordan Grover, Mitch Vevang, Cull Scott, Julian Beardman, and Cole Haberlack anchored the roster with grit, chemistry, and belief.

What made this group special went far beyond talent. These players showed remarkable determination and commitment while simultaneously building careers, raising families, and managing life far beyond the rink. Despite demanding schedules, the buy-in never wavered. From day one, the team trusted the system, trusted each other, and went to work. There were no egos and no shortcuts – just a shared belief in what they were building together.

That belief carried the Outlaws through a rollercoaster season in a six-team Alberta league long dominated by the Sherwood Park Archers – the only team to have their name etched on the Blackbird Cup since its creation. But this year, everything changed.

In a heart-stopping overtime victory, the Outlaws finally ended the Archers’ reign and captured the Blackbird Cup on ESPN8, earning the first championship in franchise history. Cheers echoed, helmets flew, and tears flowed – a moment years in the making.

For the Outlaws, this season wasn’t just about winning a championship. It was about resilience, family, and community. It was proof that with the right people, enough heart, and unwavering belief, even the unlikeliest story can have a fairytale ending.

photo credit: @tibyrica and @burkinsnaps

IMG_2597: Mark Rassel handing the cup to GM / Coach Nick Ruigrok 

IMG_2598: Nick Ruigrok with son Josh Ruigrok (goalie) and Cole Haberlack

IMG_2601: Josh Ruigrok (Goalie)

IMG_2602: Julian Beardman

IMG_2606: Ruigrok family with the cup