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Winnipeg Ice
Kootenay 2017 logo
City: Winnipeg, Manitoba
League: Western Hockey League
Conference: Eastern
Division: Eastern
Founded: 1998 (1998)–99
Home Arena: Cranbrook Recreational Complex (-2019)
Wayne Fleming Arena (2019-)
Colours: Blue, Black and Bronze
              
Head Coach: Luke Pierce
General Manager: Flag of Canada Jeff Chynoweth
Franchise history
1996–1998: Edmonton Ice
1998-2019: Kootenay Ice
2019-2023: Winnipeg Ice
2023-present: Wenatchee Wild

The Winnipeg Ice were a major junior ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba and competing in the Western Hockey League. The team played its home games at the Wayne Fleming Arena on the campus of the University of Manitoba which was expanded to 2,000 seats. The franchise, previously owned by the Chynoweth family since 1995, transferred ownership on April 27, 2017 to Winnipeg entrepreneur Greg Fettes and hockey executive Matt Cockell. The duo participated in their first WHL Draft on Thursday, May 4, 2017, where they acquired 10 new draft picks for the team. The new Kootenay Ice logo was released on Monday, May 1, 2017.[1] This fresh look signifies a fresh start for the Ice. Posted articles indicate that the team may possibly be relocated to Winnipeg, Manitoba over the next few years.[2]

The relocation to Winnipeg for the 2019-20 season was confirmed on January 29, 2019, at a press conference in Cranbrook. As part of the same press conference it was announced that the owner of the team has also purchased the Winnipeg Blues of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The move of the team will be part of a larger economic investment, a 4,500 seat arena, a hockey academy, and several partially cover outdoor rinks which can be used for outdoor minor hockey tournaments, will be the hockey related portion of a 20 acre sports, recreation, and commercial expansion located on the southwest side of the city of Winnipeg. It was announced that the current logo and nickname will be retained. [3]

A failure to construct a new arena for the team, a condition the league required in the move from Cranbrook, British Columbia, ultimately led to the team being sold and relocated to Wenatchee, Washington for the 2023–24 season.

History[]

The franchise was founded in 1996 as the Edmonton Ice and moved to Cranbrook in 1998. The Ice won the Memorial Cup in 2002 and also participated in 2000, after having won the league championship.

The move of the Ice to Cranbrook resulted in the folding of the local Junior A powerhouse Cranbrook Colts and possibly the entire troubled Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League that the Colts were the top team in. All of the remaining five RMJHL franchises from the Kootenays dropped to the Junior B Kootenay International Junior Hockey League within years of the Ice coming to the region.

On June 16, 2023, the team was sold to David White of the Shoot the Puck Foundation, and would relocate to Wenatchee, Washington for the 2023–24 WHL season, where they will be known as the Wenatchee Wild.[4]

previous team logo

Season-by-season record[]

Season GP W L T OL GF GA Pts Finish Playoffs
1996–97 72 14 56 2 - 231 295 30 5th Central Out of playoffs
1997–98 72 17 49 6 - 242 328 40 4th Central Out of playoffs
1998–99 72 30 35 7 - 245 276 67 4th Central Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
1999–00 72 44 14 11 3 275 200 102 2nd Central Won Championship; Lost Memorial Cup
2000–01 72 45 17 4 6 286 213 100 2nd Central Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
2001–02 72 38 27 7 0 276 223 83 2nd B.C. Won Championship and Memorial Cup
2002–03 72 36 25 6 5 234 202 83 3rd B.C. Lost Western Conference semi-final
2003–04 72 32 30 7 3 183 200 74 4th B.C. Lost Western Conference quarter-final
2004–05 72 47 15 7 3 218 137 104 1st B.C. Lost Western Conference final
2005–06 72 45 23 1 3 233 177 94 3rd B.C. Lost Western Conference quarter-final
2006–07 72 49 17 3 3 267 189 104 2nd Central Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2007–08 72 42 22 5 3 229 214 92 4th Central Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
2008–09 72 35 29 2 6 220 224 78 3rd Central Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2009–10 72 43 24 3 2 252 215 91 2nd Central Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2010–11 72 46 21 1 4 272 218 97 3rd Central Won Championship; Lost Memorial Cup semifinal
2011–12 72 36 26 6 4 222 201 82 4th Central Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2012–13 72 35 35 2 0 203 221 72 5th Central Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2013–14 72 39 28 2 3 235 209 83 4th Central Lost Eastern Conference semi-final
2014–15 72 37 31 1 3 245 248 78 4th Central Lost Eastern Conference quarter-final
2015–16 72 12 53 6 1 155 320 31 6th Central Did not qualify
2016–17 72 14 46 10 2 177 335 40 6th Central Did not qualify
2017–18 72 27 38 5 2 215 275 61 4th Central Did not qualify
2018–19 68 13 45 7 3 181 324 36 6th Central Did not qualify
2019–20 63 38 24 1 0 231 207 82 2nd East Playoffs Cancelled
2020-21 24 18 5 1 0 100 70 37 2nd Hub Playoffs cancelled
2021–22 68 53 10 3 2 317 152 111 1st East Lost Eastern Conference final
2022–23 68 57 10 1 0 325 177 115 1st East Lost Finals

NHL alumni[]

Team records[]

Team records for a single season
Statistic Total Season
Most points 104 2004–05; 2006–07
Most wins 49 2006–07
Most goals for 286 2000–01
Least goals for 183 2003–04
Least goals against 137 2004–05
Most goals against 276 1998–99
Individual player records for a single season
Statistic Player Total Season
Most goals Nigel Dawes 50 2004–05
Most assists Jarret Stoll 66 2000–01
Most points Jarret Stoll 106 2000–01
Most points, rookie Tomas Plihal 86 2001–02
Most points, defenceman Michael Busto 63 2006–07
Best GAA (goalie) Jeff Glass 1.76 2004–05
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played


See also[]

External links[]

References[]


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