Edmonton Stingers

Lore & Background

On May 2, 2018, it was announced that Edmonton would be one of the six cities to participate in the Canadian Elite Basketball League, with the team expected to play its inaugural season beginning in May 2019. On June 22, 2018, it was announced that the team would be called the Edmonton Stingers. The Edmonton Stingers played their inaugural game on May 10, 2019 against the Niagara River Lions, winning 118-105. In their debut season, the Stingers were eliminated in the semifinals.

In the 2020 season, Edmonton won its first CEBL championship after beating the Fraser Valley Bandits in the final, 90–73. Xavier Moon, who scored 30 points, was named Most Valuable Player of the championship game. In the 2021 season, Edmonton won its second consecutive championship, making them the league's first back-to-back champions, 101-65 over the Niagara River Lions. On September 22, 2021, Edmonton announced that they would compete in the 2021–22 BCL Americas. In their debut, the Stingers defeated Real Estelí 84-81 in Managua, Nicaragua.

On April 3, 2024, it was announced that Manjit and Ravinder Minhas, the co-owners of Minhas Craft Brewery, have become partners of the team. Manjit Minhas, the Dragons' Den star, becomes the first female owner in CEBL history.

Reader's Guide

The Edmonton Stingers represent a significant chapter in Canadian professional basketball as a founding franchise of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). Their importance lies in their early dominance, becoming the league's first back-to-back champions in 2020 and 2021. The 2020 championship, a 90–73 victory over the Fraser Valley Bandits, featured Xavier Moon's 30-point performance earning him Final MVP honors. The following year, they repeated with a decisive 101-65 win over the Niagara River Lions. Beyond on-court success, the Stingers made history off the court in 2024 when Manjit Minhas became the first female owner in CEBL history. The team's identity is rooted in local military aviation, with their hornet mascot Buzz and logo inspired by the CF-18 fighter jet based in Cold Lake, Alberta. Their home venue, the HIVE arena at the Edmonton Expo Centre, provides a dedicated basketball environment. The Stingers also expanded their reach by competing in the 2021–22 BCL Americas, winning their debut game against Real Estelí in Nicaragua. As a CEBL original, the Stingers helped establish the league's credibility and competitive standard.

Did You Know?

• The Edmonton Stingers' mascot Buzz is a hornet inspired by the CF-18 fighter jet based in Cold Lake.
• The Stingers won the CEBL championship in 2020 and 2021, becoming the league's first back-to-back champions.
• Manjit Minhas, co-owner of Minhas Craft Brewery and Dragons' Den star, became the first female owner in CEBL history in 2024.
• In their first BCL Americas game, the Stingers defeated Real Estelí 84-81 in Managua, Nicaragua.

Origins & Identity

The Edmonton Stingers emerged as one of six founding franchises when the Canadian Elite Basketball League was announced on May 2, 2018, with the team slated to open play in May 2019. Six weeks later, on June 22, 2018, the organization confirmed the Stingers moniker, anchoring the brand in a distinctly Alberta identity. The team's visual language draws heavily from the province's aviation heritage: the logo features a CF-18 fighter jet threading through a capital letter E to form the body of a hornet, while the mascot Buzz is a hornet inspired by the CF-18 squadron based in Cold Lake. Home games are played at the HIVE arena, located within the Edmonton Expo Centre, giving the franchise a dedicated venue in the heart of the city. This blend of military aviation symbolism and insect imagery creates a distinctive visual identity that sets the Stingers apart within the broader CEBL landscape and connects the team to a proud regional tradition of flight.

Rise to Championship Glory

The Stingers' journey from inaugural season to back-to-back champions unfolded with remarkable speed. Their first game, played on May 10, 2019, against the Niagara River Lions ended in a 118-105 victory, setting an energetic tone for a debut campaign that ultimately ended in a semifinal elimination. The following year brought redemption on the grandest stage: in the 2020 CEBL Finals, Edmonton dismantled the Fraser Valley Bandits 90-73, with Xavier Moon scoring 30 points to earn Most Valuable Player honours in the championship game. The 2021 season cemented the franchise's dominance as the Stingers defeated the Niagara River Lions 101-65 to claim a second consecutive title, becoming the first team in league history to achieve back-to-back championships. This rapid ascent from a new expansion team to the league's standard-bearers established Edmonton as a force to be reckoned with in Canadian professional basketball.

International Ambition & Ownership Evolution

The Stingers' ambitions extended well beyond domestic competition. On September 22, 2021, the franchise announced it would enter the 2021-22 BCL Americas tournament, marking its first foray into international basketball. Their debut performance in Managua, Nicaragua, saw them edge out Real Estelí 84-81, a narrow victory that demonstrated the team's competitiveness on a broader stage. Back at home, the ownership structure underwent a historic shift on April 3, 2024, when Manjit and Ravinder Minhas, co-owners of Minhas Craft Brewery, became partners in the team. Manjit Minhas, already well known as a Dragons' Den star, made history by becoming the first female owner in CEBL history. This partnership brought a fresh entrepreneurial energy to the franchise and underscored the league's growing commitment to diverse ownership representation across Canadian professional basketball.

Honours & Notable Talent

The Stingers' trophy cabinet reflects a franchise that has quickly become one of the CEBL's most decorated. Team honours include CEBL championships, regular-season titles, and selections to both the First and Second All-Star Teams, as well as the All Canadian Team. Individual recognition spans a wide range of categories: Player of the Year, CEBL Final MVP, Canadian Player of the Year, U Sports Developmental Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, 6th Man of the Year, and the Community Ambassadors Award. The roster has featured a constellation of notable talent, including Murphy Burnatowski, Mikh McKinney, Trahson Burrell, Martynas Varnas, and Xavier Moon, whose 30-point championship performance in 2020 remains a defining moment for the franchise. This depth of both collective and individual accolades signals a program built not just on winning games but on sustained excellence across every facet of the league's competitive landscape.