Throwback videos from the Victoria Salmon Kings era are making the rounds online this week, and they are doing exactly what fans expected.
They are bringing back memories of packed crowds, big goals and loud nights at the Barn on Blanshard Street.
We have included a collection of those retro clips below, and for longtime Victoria hockey fans, watching them feels like stepping back into a chapter of local hockey history that still resonates today.
Now, the Victoria Royals are turning that nostalgia into a full game-night experience.
The Royals host Salmon Kings Night this Saturday at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, with puck drop set for 6:05 p.m., giving fans a chance to relive the era those videos capture so well. Grab your tickets here!
Before the Royals arrived in 2011, Victoria was home to the Salmon Kings, who played seven seasons in the ECHL from 2004 to 2011.
As the league’s first Canadian franchise, the Salmon Kings helped bring professional hockey back to downtown Victoria and quickly built a passionate following.
The videos making the rounds highlight exactly why that era remains so memorable.
They feature highlight-reel goals, physical play and the unmistakable atmosphere inside the building that was often called the Barn.
Other clips offer behind-the-scenes moments and player features that reflect the personality of those teams and their connection to the city.
Saturday’s game is designed to tap directly into that feeling.
The Royals will wear specialty replica Salmon Kings jerseys, which are currently available for auction through DASH. The auction runs until Sunday, February 1st at noon.
Fans can also expect a retro atmosphere inside the arena, including a Salmon Kings takeover on the jumbotron and throwback music throughout the night.
Several Salmon Kings alumni will be in attendance, including Kiel McLeod, Taylor Ellington, Cole Byers, Robin Gomez and Nate Forster who will be at the Phillips Bar at Gate 1 before the game for a casual meet-and-greet with fans.
The night will also include a shoot-to-win activation at Gate 1 with a live leaderboard. One participant will take home a Victoria Royals team-signed Salmon Kings replica jersey.
The nostalgia continues on Sunday, February 1st, when the Royals host a meet-and-greet with Marty and select players at the new team store location in Westshore Town Centre.
Fans can shop the new FFO apparel collection, challenge players in NHL 26 and get their gear signed. Anyone who spends $25 or more will be entered for a chance to win a suite night on March 17th.
On the ice, the Royals will face the Red Deer Rebels, but for many fans, Saturday is about more than the matchup.
Between the throwback jerseys, the in-arena experience and the collection of videos that have been sparking nostalgia all week, the night is shaping up as a reminder of just how much the Salmon Kings era still means to hockey fans in Victoria.
Without further ado, here are some epic videos highlighting the past era with the Salmon Kings and yes, it includes clips of everyone’s favourite mascot, Marty the Marmot:
