Chippewa Steel

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Chippewa Steel
CityChippewa Falls, Wisconsin
LeagueNorth American Hockey League
DivisionMidwest
Founded2005
Home arenaChippewa Area Ice Arena
ColorsGreen, black, gray
     
Owner(s)Kelly Kasik
Geoffrey Stahl
General managerChris Ratzloff(Also Coach)
Head coachChris Ratzloff(Also General Manager)
AffiliateWisconsin Woodsmen (NA3HL)
Franchise history
2005–2010North Iowa Outlaws
2010–2018Coulee Region Chill
2018–presentChippewa Steel

The Chippewa Steel is a Tier II junior ice hockey team based in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, that plays in the North American Hockey League (NAHL).

History

The franchise began in 2005 as the North Iowa Outlaws based in Mason City, Iowa, where the team played for five seasons until moving to Onalaska, Wisconsin, in 2010 under owner Mark Motz as the Coulee Region Chill.[1] The team was then sold to Michelle Bryant in 2012 and the franchise was eventually moved in 2014 to nearby La Crosse, Wisconsin, with games at the Green Island Ice Arena.


After the 2017–18 season, Chill owner Michelle Bryant sold the franchise to Steve Black of JB Black Enterprise, LLC, the owner of the

La Crosse Freeze to Coulee Region Chill while continuing to play out of La Crosse.[2] Al Rooney was named the Steel's first head coach and general manager,[3] but was relieved of duties 23 games into his first season with a 5–16–1–1 record.[4] Assistant coach Carter Foguth was named the interim head coach for the remainder of the season before be given the role permanently at the end of the season.[5]


In March 2021, it was reported that Steve Black sold the Steel and the Tier III

New Ulm Steel to an ownership group led by Kelly Kasik.[6] The sale was confirmed on April 16 along with the announcement of new general manager and head coach Mike Janda.[7] However, Janda was then given a two-year suspension in August 2021 by USA Hockey for manipulating records to use non-eligible players when he held a previous coaching job on a youth team and was subsequently released by the Steel.[8] The Steel then hired Casey Mignone, the assistant coach of the St. Cloud Norsemen.[9]

After Casey Mignone left for a job at Alaska-Farianks, on July 8, 2023, owner Kelly Kasik and the Steel hired Chris Ratzloff ,who had previously coached for the Rochester Grizzlies(NA3HL) for the past 4 years. Chris Ratzloff is currently 22-17-5 through 44 games. The Steel also adopted a new slogan in 2023, which is currently "Rally the Valley!"

Current division opponents for the Steel are the

Minnesota Magicians
)

Season-by-season records

Season GP W L OTL PTS GF GA PIM Finish Playoffs
North Iowa Outlaws
2005–06 58 18 37 3 39 149 219 1439 5th, Central did not qualify
2006–07 62 27 29 6 60 174 198 1446 4th, Central Lost in 1st Round
2007–08 58 38 16 4 80 195 137 1209 1st, Central Lost in 1st Round
2008–09 58 35 18 5 75 229 171 1107 2nd, Central Eliminated in Robertson Cup Round Robin
2009–10 58 15 37 6 36 147 234 915 5th, Central did not qualify
Coulee Region Chill
2010–11 58 33 20 5 71 204 180 982 2nd(T), Central Lost in Div. Finals
2011–12 60 18 35 7 43 162 229 996 4th, MidWest Lost in Div. Semifinals
2012–13 60 16 39 5 37 157 224 849 6th, Central did not qualify
2013–14 60 31 28 1 63 181 181 1011 5th, Midwest did not qualify
2014–15 60 28 23 9 65 176 182 987 4th, Midwest Lost in 1st Round
2015–16 60 33 26 1 67 177 165 883 4th, Midwest Lost Div. Semifinal
2016–17 60 31 27 2 64 220 220 920 4th, Midwest Lost Div. Semifinal
2017–18 60 17 34 9 43 162 214 661 5th, Midwest did not qualify
Chippewa Steel
2018–19 60 19 38 3 41 149 220 1019 6th, Midwest did not qualify
2019–20 51 29 18 4 62 171 146 798 2nd, Midwest Season cancelled
2020–21 48 14 29 5 33 116 169 904 5th, Midwest did not qualify
2021–22 60 25 31 4 54 168 206 772 7th, Midwest
24 of 29 NAHL
did not qualify
2022–23 60 31 25 4 66 186 172 806 4th, Midwest
13 of 29 NAHL
lost Div. Semifinals 0-3 to the Wisconsin Windigo
2023-24 53 25 23 5 55 152 171 573 5th of 8th Midwest, 21 of 32 NAHL tbd

Playoffs

  • 2007
First Round - Fargo-Moorhead Jets defeated North Iowa Outlaws 3-games-to-2
  • 2008
First Round - Springfield Jr. Blues defeated North Iowa Outlaws 3-games-to-0
  • 2009
First Round -
Owatonna Express
defeated North Iowa Outlaws 3-games-to-1
North Iowa Outlaws advance to Robertson Cup round robin as HOST
Robertson Cup Round Robin - North Iowa Outlaws (1-3) - Eliminated (L, 3-4 vs.
Phantoms; L, 2-3 vs. Bobcats; W, 4-2 vs. Bandits
)
  • 2011
Division Semifinals - Coulee Region Chill defeated
Owatonna Express
3-games-to-1
Division Finals - Bismarck Bobcats defeated Coulee Region Chill 3-games-to-2
  • 2012
Division Semifinals - St. Louis Bandits defeated Coulee Region Chill 3-games-to-0
  • 2015
First Round - Minnesota Wilderness defeated Coulee Region Chill 3-games-to-2
  • 2016
Division Semifinals – Fairbanks Ice Dogs defeated Coulee Region Chill 3-games-to-1
  • 2017
Division Semifinals – Janesville Jets defeated Coulee Region Chill 3-games-to-0
  • 2023
Midwest Division Semifinals - Wisconsin Windigo defeated Chippewa Steel 3-games-to-0

References

  1. ^ "Coulee Region Chill sold, will move to Chippewa Falls". La Crosse Tribune. May 1, 2018.
  2. ^ "Coulee Region Chill sold and relocated to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin". NAHL. April 30, 2018.
  3. ^ "Chippewa Steel name Al Rooney as Head Coach/GM". NAHL. May 7, 2018.
  4. ^ "NAHL: Rooney relieved of coaching duties with Chippewa Steel, Foguth named interim head coach". Chippewa.com. November 20, 2018.
  5. ^ "NAHL: Chippewa Steel name Foguth head coach". Chippewa.com. April 9, 2019.
  6. ^ "New Ulm Steel have a new owner". The Journal. March 9, 2021.
  7. ^ "Steel Announce Ownership Transfer and Coaching Change". OurSports Central. April 16, 2021.
  8. ^ "NAHL: Janda relieved of coaching, director of hockey operations duties for Chippewa Steel". Chippewa.com. August 23, 2021.
  9. ^ "Steel Name Casey Mignone Head Coach". OurSports Central. August 27, 2021.

10.https://www.wqow.com/sports/steel-hire-chris-ratzloff-as-head-coach-gm/article_300c3aee-1db5-11ee-aca8-835283085342.html

External links