Bismarck Bobcats

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Bismarck Bobcats
Bismarck Bobcats.svg
City Bismarck, North Dakota
League North American Hockey League
DivisionCentral
Founded1997 (In the AFHL)
Home arena V.F.W. Sports Center
ColorsBlack, white, Vegas gold
   
Owner(s)Thom Brigl
General managerNiko Kapetanovic
Head coachGarrett Roth (2024-25)
MediaBrandon Luisi [1]
KLXX-AM Super Talk 1270 (radio flagship)
Bismarck Tribune
KXMB-TV CBS 12
Franchise history
1997–presentBismarck Bobcats
Championships
Regular season titles2025
Division titles2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2025
Borne Cups2003, 2004
Robertson Cups2010, 2025

The Bismarck Bobcats are a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's (NAHL) Central Division, and play out of Bismarck, North Dakota, in the V.F.W. Sports Center. Originally a part of the American Frontier Hockey League (and later called the America West Hockey League), the Bobcats joined the NAHL in a merger of the two leagues in 2003. In 2005, the Bobcats hosted the Robertson Cup tournament.

Contents

The Bobcats won the 2010 Robertson Cup, winning their first national championship with a 3–0 victory over the Fairbanks Ice Dogs. They won their second title in 2025 with a 4-2 victory over the Lone Star Brahmas.

History

The Bismarck Bobcats came to Bismarck in 1997 as a member of the American Frontier Hockey League (AFWHL) and played their first season at the Bismarck Civic Center, but moved to the V.F.W. Sports Center the following year. The AFHL rebranded to the America West Hockey League (AWHL) in 1998. The Bobcats won back-to-back Borne Cup titles as champions of the AWHL in 2003 and 2004. Their 2004 title was the last Borne Cup to be awarded prior to the merger between the North American Hockey League (NAHL) and AWHL for the 2004–05 season.

Byron Pool served as head coach from 2008 to 2010 and was named the NAHL "Coach of the Year" in 2009. In addition to leading the team to its first Robertson Cup title in 2010, he led the Bobcats to the most successful regular season in history in the 2008–09 season. The Bobcats won 43 games and earned 88 points in the standings, which both set franchise records. The Bobcats won consecutive Central Division playoff titles under Pool in 2009 and 2010.

Layne Sedevie became head coach in 2010, promoted from assistant coach, following Byron Pool's decision to accept an associate head coach position with the Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League. Sedevie, a Bismarck native, was a goaltender at Bemidji State University and played professionally in the Central Hockey League before serving as assistant coach under Pool for the 2009–10 season. In his first season behind the bench, he led the Bobcats to their third straight Central Division playoff championship.

The Bobcats have had five head coaches in their tenure in Bismarck including: John Becanic; Chad Johnson, Dane Litke, Pool, Layne Sedevie, and Garrett Roth.

Currently, they are the second-oldest franchise in the NAHL behind the Springfield Jr. Blues.

Rivalries

The Bobcats have two primary rivals: the Aberdeen Wings and the Minot Minotauros.

The Bobcats-Wings rivalry is centered on the Titan Machinery Dakota Cup. The Bobcats, despite being the defending national champions in 2010–11, suffered multiple setbacks against the expansion Wings in front of capacity crowds at both teams' rinks before winning the trophy by a point total of 15–11. [2] The 2011–12 Dakota Cup was much more lopsided, as the Bobcats won the Cup 21–7, posting a 10–1–1 regular season record against the Wings. [3] In the 2012 playoffs, the Bobcats defeated the Wings in four games in the Central Division semifinals. [4]

The Bobcats and Tauros is a newer intrastate rivalry, and the proximity (roughly 100 miles along US-83) of the two teams that share North Dakota has already produced multiple fights. [5]

Former Bobcats rivals include the Alexandria Blizzard, North Iowa Outlaws, and Owatonna Express.

Season-by-season records

SeasonGPWLOTLPTSGFGAFinishPlayoffs
American Frontier Hockey League
1997–986027276602602694th of 7, AFHLInformation missing
America West Hockey League
1998–996031254662112125th of 6, AWHLInformation missing
1999–20005830226662402143rd of 8, AWHLInformation missing
2000–016032244682482285th of 9, AWHLInformation missing
2001–025630206662211665th of 9, AWHLInformation missing
2002–035637136802311592nd of 7, North
4th of 11, AWHL
Won Championship
North American Hockey League
2003–04 5630224641841843rd of 7, West
9th of 21, NAHL
Won Div. Semifinal series, 3–0 (Fargo-Moorhead Jets)
Won Div. Final series, 3–1 (Billings Bulls)
Won Round-Robin Semifinal, 3–2 (Springfield Jr. Blues), 3–2 (Fairbanks Ice Dogs), 3–8 (Texas Tornado)
Lost Robertson Cup Championship, 1–4 (Texas Tornado)
2004–05 5625229591651725th of 6, West
12th of 19, NAHL
Did not qualify
2005–06 5831234662041843rd of 5, Central
10th of 20, NAHL
Lost Div. Semifinal series, 1–3 (Fargo-Moorhead Jets)
2006–07 6226306581932215th of 6, Central
12th of 17, NAHL
Did not qualify
2007–08 5820326461482156th of 6, Central
15th of 18, NAHL
Did not qualify
2008–09 5843132882021211st of 6, Central
3rd of 19, NAHL
Won Div. Semifinal series, 3–1 (Alexandria Blizzard)
Won Div. Final series, 3–2 (Owatonna Express)
Lost Round-Robin Semifinal, 2–4 (Mahoning Valley Phantoms), 2–5 (St. Louis Bandits), 2–3 (Wenatchee Wild), 3–2 (2OT) (North Iowa Outlaws)
2009–10 5839118861951301st of 6, Central
4th of 19, NAHL
Won Div. Semifinal series, 3–0 (Albert Lea Thunder)
Won Div. Final series, 3–0 (Alexandria Blizzard)
Won Round-Robin Semifinal, 6–1 (Traverse City North Stars), 5–3 (St. Louis Bandits), 1–2 (Wenatchee Wild), 3–4 (Fairbanks Ice Dogs)
Won Robertson Cup Championship, 3–0 (Fairbanks Ice Dogs)
2010–11 5831225671791564th of 6, Central
14th of 26, NAHL
Won Div. Semifinal series, 3–2 (Alexandria Blizzard)
Won Div. Final series, 3–2 (Coulee Region Chill)
Lost Quarterfinal Play-in series, 0–2 (Michigan Warriors)
2011–12 6045132922371601st of 5, Central
2nd of 28, NAHL
Won Div. Semifinal series, 3–1 (Aberdeen Wings)
Won Div. Final series, 3–1 (Austin Bruins)
Lost Round-Robin Quarterfinal, 3–2 (St. Louis Bandits), 1–5 (Port Huron Fighting Falcons), 2–6 (Amarillo Bulls)
2012–13 6035169791831402nd of 6, Central
7th of 24, NAHL
Won Div. Semifinal series, 3–0 (Brookings Blizzard)
Won Div. Final series, 3–1 (Austin Bruins)
Lost Round-Robin Semifinal, 4–3 (Jamestown Ironmen), 1–2 (OT) (Amarillo Bulls), 3–2 (Wenatchee Wild)
2013–14 6031245671761573rd of 5, Central
11th of 24, NAHL
Won Div. Semifinal series, 3–0 (Aberdeen Wings)
Lost Div. Final series, 2–3 (Austin Bruins)
2014–15 6030264641851853rd of 5, Central
13th of 24, NAHL
Lost Div. Semifinal series, 0–3 (Minot Minotauros)
2015–16 6037194781851331st of 6, Central
4th of 22, NAHL
Won Div. Semifinal series, 3–1 (Brookings Blizzard)
Won Div. Final series, 3–2 (Austin Bruins)
Lost Robertson Cup Semifinal series, 0–2 (Wichita Falls Wildcats)
2016–17 6028302581872095th of 6, Central
19th of 24, NAHL
Did not qualify
2017–18 6024306541651845th of 6, Central
18th of 23, NAHL
Did not qualify
2018–19 6034215731821633rd of 6, Central
8th of 24, NAHL
Lost Div. Semifinal series, 0–3 (Minot Minotauros)
2019–20 5232128721781302nd of 6, Central
t-6th of 23, NAHL
Postseason cancelled
2020–21 5629216641731512nd of 6, Central
9th of 23, NAHL
Won Div. Semifinal series, 3–0 (Minnesota Wilderness)
Lost Div. Final series, 0–3 (Aberdeen Wings)
2021–22 6029274622102064th of 6, Central
19th of 29, NAHL
Lost Div. Semifinal series, 2–3 (St. Cloud Norsemen)
2022–23 6029256641971825th of 6, Central
18th of 29, NAHL
Did not qualify
2023–24 6040164842091452nd of 6 Central
4th of 32 NAHL
Won Div. Semifinal series, 3–2 (Aberdeen Wings)
Lost Div. Final series, 1–3 (Minot Minotauros)
2024–25 5947102962061031st of 8 Central
1st of 35 NAHL
Won Div. Semifinal series, 3–2 (Aberdeen Wings)
Won Div. Final series, 3–1 (Austin Bruins)
Won Robertson Cup Semifinal series, 2–1 (Rochester Jr. Americans)
Won Robertson Cup Championship, 4–2 (Lone Star Brahmas)

References

  1. Luisi, Brandon. "Brandon Luisi Named New Voice of the Bismarck Bobcats". bismarckbobcats.com.
  2. Paul Teeple (March 11, 2011). "Bobcats win Dakota Cup, clinch playoff berth". BismarckBobcats.com. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 9, 2011.
  3. Paul Teeple (March 31, 2012). "Playoff Atmosphere". BismarckBobcats.com. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
  4. Paul Teeple (April 14, 2012). "Advancing Charge". BismarckBobcats.com. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
  5. Paul Teeple (December 2, 2011). "Zawacki's hat trick, special teams pace Bobcats' 8-3 blowout at Minot". BismarckBobcats.com. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved December 9, 2011.