St. John's IceCaps
St. John's IceCaps | |
---|---|
Mile One Centre | |
Colours | (2011–2015) Polar night blue, aviator blue, silver, white (2015–2017) Red, white and blue |
Owner(s) |
|
Media | CJYQ |
Affiliates | Winnipeg Jets (NHL) Montreal Canadiens (NHL) |
Franchise history | |
First franchise | |
1994–1996 | Minnesota Moose |
1996–2011 | Manitoba Moose |
2011–2015 | St. John's IceCaps |
2015–present | Manitoba Moose |
Second franchise | |
1969–1971 1971–1984 | Montreal Voyageurs Nova Scotia Voyageurs |
1984–1990 1990–1999 | Sherbrooke Canadiens Fredericton Canadiens |
1999–2002 | Quebec Citadelles |
2002–2015 | Hamilton Bulldogs |
2015–2017 | St. John's IceCaps |
2017–present | Laval Rocket |
Championships | |
Regular season titles | 0 |
Division titles | 1 (2011–12) |
Conference titles | 1 (2013–14) |
The St. John's IceCaps were a professional ice hockey team based in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. They were members of the North Division of the Eastern Conference of the American Hockey League (AHL). The team was originally affiliated with the second incarnation of the Winnipeg Jets from 2011 to 2015. However, beginning in the 2015–16 AHL season, they became the top affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL) after the Jets relocated their franchise back to Manitoba and the Canadiens moved the former Hamilton Bulldogs franchise to St. John's. The IceCaps were the second AHL team to be located in St. John's, following the Toronto Maple Leafs' affiliate, the St. John's Maple Leafs from 1991 to 2005.
History
Winnipeg Jets franchise (2011–2015)
The franchise was founded in 1994 as the
In May 2011, True North Sports and Entertainment, owners of the Moose franchise, purchased the
Coincidentally, the nearby community of Conception Bay South had been awarded the Kraft Hockeyville exhibition game for 2011, which would have featured the Winnipeg Jets facing the Ottawa Senators. Because of the proximity of Conception Bay South to St. John's, the game between the Senators and the Jets was relocated to the Mile One Centre to accommodate larger crowds. This would be the first IceCaps-related game, as many of the Jets players were prospects who would be assigned to the IceCaps shortly after. The de facto home Jets defeated the Senators, 3–1.[8]
The IceCaps played their inaugural game on October 7, 2011, in Providence, Rhode Island against the Providence Bruins. Their first home game was on October 14, 2011, against the Hamilton Bulldogs. In their inaugural season, the IceCaps finished first in Atlantic division and reached the Eastern Conference Championship series, falling in four games to the eventual Calder Cup Champion Norfolk Admirals.
After missing the playoffs in the
Montreal Canadiens franchise (2015–2017)
In January 2014, True North Sports and Entertainment chairman Mark Chipman confirmed that the organization was exploring plans to relocate their AHL franchise to Thunder Bay, Ontario after the current lease with Danny Williams' group expired in 2015. Although the IceCaps were a financial success, the geographical location of St. John's has presented significant travel difficulties for Jets' personnel. Williams stated he would try to find another team to bring to Newfoundland should the IceCaps leave.[9]
In September 2014, True North and Williams' group agreed to extend their agreement through the
Team information
Name
Following the announcement of the team's relocation to St. John's, Williams stated that while he would prefer to hold a fan contest to name the team; however, with insufficient time before the start of the season, this task was brought to the team's advisory committee.[15] The "Moose" moniker, which the team had used until that time, was immediately ruled out. The high volume of vehicular accidents in Newfoundland and Labrador involving the animal was cited as one of the reasons behind not retaining the old name.[16] Several media outlets soon started reporting that the team would be known as the St. John's IceCaps, this after St. John's IceCaps Inc. was registered with Newfoundland and Labrador's registry of deeds and companies.[17] The official announcement was made on July 29, 2011.[15]
Logos and uniforms
The first St. John's IceCaps' franchise wore uniforms patterned after the Winnipeg Jets: aviator blue, white, polar night blue, and silver. The IceCaps' jerseys also included the Winnipeg Jets' primary logo on the shoulder. The second franchise had uniforms patterned after the Montreal Canadiens' traditional red, blue, and white.
The IceCaps logo was the same for both franchises, albeit with different colour schemes to match the uniforms. The logo is a registered trademark of the Danny Williams group and not the Jets or Canadiens; thus it could still be reused for a future team in St. John's.
Mascot
Buddy the Puffin was the mascot of the IceCaps. Buddy was previously the mascot of the St. John's Maple Leafs. Buddy's number is 92, which represents 1992, the year that he was introduced as the mascot of the St. John's Maple Leafs.[18]
Schedule
Season-by-season results
Calder Cup Champions | Conference Champions | Division Champions | League Leader |
Records as of April 28, 2017.[19]
Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Games | Won | Lost | OTL | SOL | Points | PCT | Goals for |
Goals against |
Standing | Year | 1st round |
2nd round |
3rd round |
Finals |
2011–12 | 76 | 43 | 25 | 5 | 3 | 94 | .618 | 240 | 216 | 1st, Atlantic | 2012 | W, 3–1, SYR | W, 4–3, WBS | L, 0–4, NOR | — |
2012–13 | 76 | 32 | 36 | 3 | 5 | 72 | .420 | 195 | 237 | 5th, Atlantic | 2013 | Did not qualify | |||
2013–14 | 76 | 46 | 23 | 2 | 5 | 99 | .651 | 258 | 207 | 2nd, Atlantic | 2014 | W, 3–1, ALB | W, 4–2, NOR | W, 4–2 WBS | L, 1–4 TEX |
2014–15 | 76 | 32 | 33 | 9 | 2 | 75 | .493 | 183 | 235 | 5th, Atlantic | 2015 | Did not qualify | |||
2015–16 | 76 | 32 | 33 | 8 | 3 | 75 | .493 | 208 | 239 | 4th, North | 2016 | Did not qualify | |||
2016–17 | 76 | 36 | 30 | 8 | 2 | 82 | .539 | 216 | 220 | 4th, North | 2017 | L, 1–3, SYR | — | — | — |
Totals | 456 | 221 | 180 | 35 | 20 | 497 | .545 | 1300 | 1354 | 3 Playoff Appearances |
Players
Team captains
- Jason Jaffray (2011–2015)
- Gabriel Dumont (2015–2016)
- Max Friberg (2016–2017)
Team records
Single season
- Goals: Chris Terry, 30, (2016–17)
- Assists: Jason Jaffray, 41, (2013–14)
- Points: Chris Terry, 68, (2016–17)
- Goals, Defense: Paul Postma, 13, (2011–12)
- Assists, Defense: Brenden Kichton (2013–14), Will O'Neill (2014–15), 38
- Points, Defense: Brenden Kichton (2013–14), Will O'Neill (2014–15), 48
- Penalty minutes: J.C. Lipon, 163, (2014–15)
- GAA: Michael Hutchinson, 2.30, (2013–14)
- SV%: Michael Hutchinson, .923, (2013–14)
Goaltender stats (min. 20 games played for the season)
Career
- Career goals: Eric O'Dell, 72, (2011–15)
- Career assists: Jason Jaffray, 105, (2011–15)
- Career points: Jason Jaffray, 167, (2011–15)
- Career playoff goals: Eric O'Dell, 9, (2011–14)
- Career playoff points: Andrew Gordon, 19, (2013–14)
- Career playoff assists: Zach Redmond, 15, (2011–17)
- Career penalty minutes: Patrice Cormier, 316, (2011–15)
- Career goaltending wins: Eddie Pasquale, 68, (2011–16)
- Career shutouts: Eddie Pasquale, 9, (2011–16)
- Career games: Carl Klingberg, 248, (2011–15)
References
- ^ "Canucks and Moose renew affiliate agreement". Vancouver Canucks. March 12, 2009. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
- ^ McGran, Kevin (May 28, 2011). "After Winnipeg, where does NHL go next?". The Hamilton Spectator. Archived from the original on June 1, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
- ^ Short, Roger (May 21, 2011). "Williams behind new AHL team for St. John's". The Telegram. Archived from the original on May 23, 2011. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
- ^ "AHL team closer to coming to St. John's". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. June 1, 2011. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
- ^ "Strictly a landlord with AHL team: St. John's". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. June 3, 2011. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
- ^ "AHL returning to St. John's". American Hockey League. June 10, 2011. Archived from the original on June 12, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "Pro hockey returning to St. John's". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. June 10, 2011. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
- ^ Mirtle, James (August 9, 2011). "NHL set to play preseason games all over world". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
- ^ "Jets Exploring Move of AHL Team from St. John's to Thunder Bay". TSN. January 21, 2014. Archived from the original on January 22, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
- ^ "Jets keeping AHL IceCaps team in St. John's". The Hamilton Spectator. September 3, 2014. Archived from the original on February 5, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
- ^ "Canadiens' AHL team moving from Hamilton to St. John's: reports". CBC.ca. March 7, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
- ^ "St. John's New Home for Montreal Canadiens' AHL Team". St. John's IceCaps. March 12, 2015. Archived from the original on March 13, 2015. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
- ^ "IceCaps Seek New Hockey Partner". OurSports Central. July 11, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
- ^ "Canadiens moving AHL affiliate to Laval in 17-18". American Hockey League. July 11, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
- ^ a b "IceCaps usher in new wave of hockey to St. John's". Winnipeg Jets. July 29, 2011. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
- ^ "Moose To Lose Name In St. John's Due To Animal's Deadly Past". TSN. The Canadian Press. June 10, 2011. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
- ^ "St. John's Ice Caps, anyone?". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. June 29, 2011. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
- ^ Short, Robin (October 22, 2011). "Game melts away for IceCaps". The Telegram. Archived from the original on March 8, 2012. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
- ^ "St. John's IceCaps season statistics and records". HockeyDB.