{{Infobox hockey team | team = Boxers de Bordeaux | bg_colour = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#000000 5px solid; border-bottom:#D5212A 5px solid; | text_colour = #000000 | logo = Boxers de Bordeaux logo.png | logo_size = 225px | city = Bordeaux, France | league = '''Ligue Magnus'''<br/><small>2015–present</small> | founded = 1998 | arena = Patinoire de Mériadeck | colors = {{color box|#000000}} {{color box|#D5212A}} | owners = Thierry Parienty<ref name="atyp-tpar24"/> | president = Thierry Parienty<ref name="atyp-tpar24"/> | gm = Stéphan Tartari | coach = Olivier Dimet | captain = Loïk Poudrier | website = {{URL|http://www.hockey-boxers-de-bordeaux.fr}} | name1 = Boxers de Bordeaux | dates1 = 1998–present }}
The '''Boxers de Bordeaux''' are a professional ice hockey team founded in 1998 and based in Bordeaux, Gironde, France. Since 2015, they have been playing at the highest level of the French hockey pyramid, the Ligue Magnus. A group of Canadian investors, which includes famed player and coach Patrick Roy, owns a minority stake in the team.
==History== ===Founding and lower divisions (1998–2015)=== The organization was established in October 1998 under the legal name Bordeaux Gironde Hockey 2000 to succeed a recently folded team known during most of its history as the Dogues de Bordeaux. Like its predecessor, the club named itself after a mastiff breed, the Boxer.<ref name="boxers-50">{{cite web | url =https://www.hockey-boxers-de-bordeaux.fr/news/dans-le-retro-50-ans-de-hockey-a-bordeaux/ | title =Dans le rétro : 50 ans de hockey à Bordeaux | last1 =Canellas | first1 =Claude | date =December 1, 2022| website =hockey-boxers-de-bordeaux.fr |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926053352/https://www.hockey-boxers-de-bordeaux.fr/news/dans-le-retro-50-ans-de-hockey-a-bordeaux/ |archive-date=September 26, 2023 | language=fr}}</ref> A few players from the Dogues opted to remain with the new team despite starting all the way back to the fourth tier. Among them was league veteran Stéphan Tartari, who would double as a player and assistant coach. He would graduate to the position of head coach, and later manager after the end of playing career.<ref name="sud-3apr24">{{cite web | url =https://www.sudouest.fr/sport/hockey-finale-de-ligue-magnus-stephan-tartari-une-vie-de-passion-pour-le-manager-des-boxers-de-bordeaux-19182811.php | title =Hockey. Finale de Ligue Magnus : Stéphan Tartari, une vie de passion pour le manager des Boxers de Bordeaux | last1 =Queuille | first1 =Marjorie | date =April 3, 2024 | work =Sud Ouest | language =fr | access-date =May 29, 2023|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
The Boxers immediately ascended to the third tier, and further gained promotion to the second tier in 2006, where it would remain for ten years. In 2014, the parent club spun off the men's team to a separate for-profit company to prepare for promotion to the country's highest level, the Ligue Magnus.<ref name="sud-16dec16">{{cite web | url =https://www.sudouest.fr/sport/hockey-sur-glace/hockey-les-boxers-de-bordeaux-veulent-jouer-les-premiers-roles-3554433.php | title =Hockey : les Boxers de Bordeaux veulent jouer 'les premiers rôles' | last1 =Goujon | first1 =Alain | date =December 16, 2016 | work =Sud Ouest | location=Bordeaux | language =fr |access-date =April 19, 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Thierry Parienty, managing director of battery store franchise Voltéo and former regional executive at Coca-Cola, came onboard as the team's majority shareholder at that time.<ref name="atyp-tpar24">{{cite web | url =https://atypicalbordeaux.fr/interview-thierry-parienty/ | title =L’Homme de Glace : Thierry Parienty | author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | date =27 November 2024 | website =atypicalbordeaux.fr | language =fr | access-date =3 April 2026}}</ref> The team reached second-tier finals in 2014 and 2015, losing to Lyon in the former before defeating southwest rivals Anglet—then coached by future Bordeaux skipper Olivier Dimet—thanks to a sudden death goal by Anglet-trained Thomas Decock in game four of the best-of-five series.<ref>{{cite AV media | people =Lataillade, E.; Joucia-Parker, B.; Robin, N. (reporters)| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs60cUEOmlA |title=Finale d'accession en ligue Magnus : le match de la victoire pour les Boxers de Bordeaux | type=TV report | date= April 3, 2015 | location=Bordeaux |publisher=France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine | language=fr |access-date=March 27, 2024 }}</ref> With the win, the city of Bordeaux returned to the national top flight after a 17-year absence.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.francebleu.fr/sports/tous-les-sports/17-ans-apres-la-ligue-magnus-est-de-retour-bordeaux-1443197597 | title =17 ans après, la Ligue Magnus est de retour à Bordeaux | last1 =Mathieu | first1 =Adrien | date =September 26, 2015 | website =francebleu.fr | access-date =May 29, 2023}}</ref>
===Ligue Magnus (2015–present)=== ====Underdog years==== Following an undistinguished first season, where it finished in 9th place and narrowly missed the playoffs, the team reached 4th place and the playoff semifinals in 2016–17 and 2017–18, equaling the historical best of the market's previous team, the Dogues. The 2018–19 campaign however, was both a sporting and financial disappointment, as the club was prematurely eliminated by Amiens in the quarterfinals, and assessed the first of two consecutive point penalties for overspending. As a result, the club had to par down its roster for several seasons to replenish its coffers.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.20minutes.fr/sport/2601423-20190913-ligue-magnus-boxers-bordeaux-voie-redressement-plan-financier-veulent-aller-chercher-titre | title =Ligue Magnus: Les Boxers de Bordeaux 'en voie de redressement' sur le plan financier veulent 'aller chercher un titre' | last1 =Carpentier | first1 =Clément | date =September 3, 2019 | work =20minutes.fr | language =fr | access-date =May 29, 2023}}</ref> Following the rebuild, the club returned to its status as a solid underdog in the Ligue Magnus behind the league's perennial big three of Rouen, Grenoble and Angers, with the city of Bordeaux considered perhaps the country's most hockey-friendly major agglomeration thanks to its affluent demographics.<ref name="sud-16dec16"/><ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.sudouest.fr/sport/hockey-sur-glace/boxers-bordeaux/on-sent-un-veritable-engouement-les-boxers-de-bordeaux-remplissent-la-patinoire-de-meriadeck-18345984.php | title ='On sent un véritable engouement' : les Boxers de Bordeaux remplissent la patinoire de Mériadeck | last1 =Laplume | first1 =Nicolas | date =February 1, 2024 | work =Sud Ouest | language =fr | access-date =May 29, 2023 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =https://actu.fr/nouvelle-aquitaine/bordeaux_33063/avec-les-boxers-la-passion-pour-le-hockey-grandit-a-bordeaux-on-a-ete-surpris-par-l-ambiance_60910081.html | title =Avec les Boxers, la passion pour le hockey grandit à Bordeaux : 'On a été surpris par l'ambiance' | last1 =Cardinale | first1 =Juliette | date =April 7, 2024 | website =actu.fr | language =fr | access-date =May 29, 2023}}</ref>
====Breakthrough and arrival of Canadian investors==== In January 2024, it was announced that a partnership of former NHL great Patrick Roy and fellow Canadians Jean Bédard, owner of sports bar chain La Cage, and Jacques Tanguay, former owner of the Quebec Remparts, had acquired a minority stake in the team. The trio's shares represent an 18.5 percent ownership.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.lequipe.fr/Hockey-sur-glace/Actualites/Patrick-roy-legende-de-la-nhl-devient-co-actionnaire-de-bordeaux-en-ligue-magnus/1443123 | title =Patrick Roy, légende de la NHL, devient co-actionnaire de Bordeaux en Ligue Magnus | author=O.P. | date =January 18, 2024 | website =lequipe.fr | language =fr | access-date =April 2, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.hockey-boxers-de-bordeaux.fr/2024/03/11/jean-bedard-cest-une-belle-aventure/ | title =Jean Bédard : 'C'est une belle aventure !' | last1 =Canellas | first1 =Claude | date =March 11, 2024 | website =hockey-boxers-de-bordeaux.fr | language =fr | access-date =May 29, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/2042769/boxers-bordeaux-hockey-ligue-magnus | title =Patrick Roy et Jacques Tanguay investissent dans un club de hockey de Bordeaux |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | date =January 18, 2024 | website =radio-canada.ca | language =fr | access-date =May 29, 2023}}</ref>
Although the early stretch of their 2023–24 season was hampered by injuries, the Boxers righted the ship to enter the playoffs with the fourth seed. They beat newcomers Marseille in the overtime of game seven, before upsetting the country's biggest-budget team Grenoble in a five-game semifinal to reach their first title series. The team won the first two games on the ice of title defenders Rouen, but lost the next four to finish the campaign as runner-up, its best result to date.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.sudouest.fr/sport/hockey-sur-glace-finale-de-la-ligue-magnus-le-reve-des-boxers-de-bordeaux-s-est-envole-mais-ils-n-ont-rien-a-regretter-19353649.php | title =Finale de la Ligue Magnus : le rêve des Boxers de Bordeaux s’est envolé, mais ils n’ont rien à regretter | last1 =Queuille | first1 =Marjorie | date =April 16, 2024 | work =Sud Ouest | location=Bordeaux | language =fr |access-date =April 19, 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> In the 2026 playoffs, the Boxers beat emerging rivals Marseille four games to one in the opening round, before sweeping Rouen in the semifinals to clinch their second championship appearance.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.sudouest.fr/sport/hockey-sur-glace/boxers-bordeaux/ligue-magnus-demi-finale-4-les-boxers-terminent-de-devorer-rouen-et-filent-en-finale-28531129.php | title =Ligue Magnus (demi-finale 4) : les Boxers terminent de dévorer Rouen et filent en finale | last1 =L’hostis | first1 =Julie | date =1 April 2026 | work =Sud Ouest | location=Bordeaux | language =fr |access-date =3 April 2026}}</ref>
==Honors== ===Champions=== {{gold1}} '''Ligue Magnus''' ''(1)'': 2025–26<br> {{gold1}} '''Division 1''' ''(1)'': 2014–15
===Runners-up=== {{silver2}} '''Ligue Magnus''' ''(1)'': 2023–24<br> {{silver2}} '''Division 1''' ''(1)'': 2013–14
==Retired numbers== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ style="background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#000000 5px solid; border-bottom:#D5212A 5px solid;" | Boxers de Bordeaux retired numbers |- ! width=40px |No ! width=150px |Player ! width=40px |Position ! width=175px |Career ! width=150px |Last match date for Boxers ! width=150px |Date No. retired |- | '''4'''|| Stéphan Tartari<ref name="sud-3apr24"/> || C || 1998–2008<br>{{small|1996–98 w/ Dogues de Bordeaux}} || April 12, 2008 || January 29, 2019<ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.hockeyhebdo.com/article-ligue-magnus---38eme-journee---bordeaux-vs-grenoble,11377.html | title =Si proches de l'exploit | last1 =Nadeau | first1 =Julien | date =January 31, 2019 | website =hockeyhebdo.com | language =fr | access-date =May 29, 2023}}</ref> |}
==Notable personnel== *François Bouchard *Jean-Philippe Côté *Tanner Glass *Ņikita Jevpalovs *Maxime Sauvé
== References == <references />
== External links == * [http://www.liguemagnus.com/ Ligue Magnus site] {{in lang|fr}} * [https://www.hockey-boxers-de-bordeaux.fr Official Website] {{in lang|fr}}
{{Ligue Magnus}}
Category:Ice hockey teams in France Category:Sport in Bordeaux Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 1974 Category:1999 establishments in France