Fairbanks Ice Dogs

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Fairbanks Ice Dogs
Fairbanks Ice Dogs Logo.svg
City Fairbanks, Alaska
League North American Hockey League
DivisionMidwest
Founded1997 (In the WSHL)
Home arena Big Dipper Ice Arena
ColorsWhite, Grey, maroon, and sky blue
    
General managerRob Proffitt
Head coachRyan Theros 2023
Franchise history
1997–presentFairbanks Ice Dogs
Championships
Regular season titlesNAHL: 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–2019, 2021–2022
Division titlesWSHL Northern: 1997–98, 1998–99
NorPac: 2000–01
NAHL West: 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2014–15
NAHL Midwest: 2015–16
Playoff championshipsAlaska Airlines Club 49 Cup: 2021–22

Cascade Cup: 2000–01

Robertson Cup: 2010–11, 2013–14, 2015–16

The Fairbanks Ice Dogs are a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's Midwest Division. The Ice Dogs play home games at the 2,200-seat Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Contents

History

Originally started in 1997 in the Tier III Junior B Western States Hockey League (WSHL) as a hockey program to replace the Alaska Gold Kings and give Alaskan players a chance to play after they finished high school and/or midgets. The Ice Dogs won the Northern Division its inaugural season, but lost to the Southern champs the following year in exhibition games. In 1998–99 season, they again won the Northern Division but lost to the Southern Division champions, the Ventura Mariners.

In 2000, the Ice Dogs became a member of the Tier III Junior B Northern Pacific Hockey League (NorPac) and also played sixteen games [1] in the Tier III Junior A America West Hockey League (AWHL) to help fill out their schedule in the 2000–01 season. The team would go on to win the NorPac championship in that season before leaving for the higher level AWHL full-time for the 2001–02 season. [2]

The Ice Dogs were named the 2001–02 AWHL Organization of the Year in their first full Junior A season. The team moved to the NAHL in the AWHL-NAHL merger that took place in 2003. The Ice Dogs were upset in the West Division Finals in the 2008–09 season after winning the West Division regular season title. The Ice Dogs lost in the 2010 Robertson Cup final to the Bismarck Bobcats 3–0. The following season the Ice Dogs won the Robertson Cup for the first time in a come from behind win over the Michigan Warriors 4–2. In the 2013–14 season, the Ice Dogs once more won the West Division regular season title (fourth time in six years) and proceeded to win the Robertson Cup for the second time.

The Ice Dogs had continued success, leading their division in four of the next five seasons and winning a third Robertson Cup in 2016. They were again the division leaders when the 2019–20 season was cancelled midseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to travel restrictions in the state of Alaska and the rest of the United States during the pandemic, the Ice Dogs temporarily relocated to Marshall, Minnesota, for most of the 2020–21 season [3] before returning to Alaska in mid-April 2021. [4]

During the 2021–22 season, longtime head coach Trevor Stewert resigned to pursue an associate head coach position in the NCAA Division I and was replaced by former NHL player Dave Allison. [5]

25 year playoff streak

Starting from before the Ice Dogs joined the NAHL, when they were in the AWHL, the Ice Dogs were in the playoffs every year from 1997-2022. That included 3 Robinson Cup(the NAHL's version of the playoffs) Championships in 2010, 2013, and 2015. However, the Streak finally ended on April 8, 2023, when the Ice Dogs hosted the Chippewa Steel. All Chippewa needed was a win that weekend and they would be in. The Ice Dogs did take game 1 the night before(3-0), but they needed to keep winning to keep the playoff streak alive. Which did not happen as the Steel beat the Ice Dogs 4-1 to take the final remaining playoff spot and slam the door on not only the Ice Dogs playoff hopes, but their neighbor, the Anchorage Wolverines playoff hopes as well.

Season-by-season records

SeasonGPWLOTLPTSGFGAFinishPlayoffs
Western States Hockey League
1997–98362961592291191st of 4, North
3rd of 12, WSHL		Information missing
1998–9932310163216751st of 5, North
1st of 13, WSHL		Won Div. Semifinals series, 2–0 (Peninsula Chinooks)
Won Div. Final series, 2–0 (Sinbad Sailors)
Lost Championship, ? (Ventura Mariners)
1999–20005830226662402141st of 5, North
2nd of 12, WSHL		Won Div. Semifinals series, 3–0 (Peninsula Chinooks)
Won Div. Final series, 3–1 (Sinbad Sailors)
Lost Championship, ? (Ventura Mariners)
America West Hockey League
2000–01160160033899th of 9, AWHLInformation missing
2001–0256281711672161964th of 9, AWHLInformation missing
2002–035629198662472073rd of 7, North
5th of 11, AWHL		Information missing
North American Hockey League
2003–04 56311510721741402nd of 7, South
t-4th of 21, NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals series, 3–1 (Wichita Falls Wildcats)
Lost Div. Final series, 0–3 (Texas Tornado)
Lost Round-Robin Semifinal, 2–5 (Springfield Jr. Blues), 2–3 (Bismarck Bobcats), 1–2 (Texas Tornado)
Lost Third Place Game, 3–5 (Springfield Jr. Blues)
2004–05 5626246581641794th of 6, North
t-13th of 19, NAHL		Lost Div. Semifinals series, 0–3 (USNTDP)
2005–06 58301810701731752nd of 5, West
9th of 20, NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals series, 3–2 (Wasilla Spirit)
Lost Div. Final series, 1–4 (Bozeman IceDogs)
2006–07 6234244722232034th of 6, South
8th of 17, NAHL		Lost Div. Semifinals series, 0–3 (St. Louis Bandits)
2007–08 5839154821831292nd of 6, South
3rd of 18, NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals series, 3–1 (Wichita Falls Wildcats)
Lost Div. Final series, 2–3 (Topeka RoadRunners)
2008–09 5939128842261521st of 4, West
4th of 19, NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals series, 3–0 (Kenai River Brown Bears)
Lost Div. Final series, 1–3 (Wenatchee Wild)
2009–10 5832224682031823rd of 4, West
t-8th of 19, NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals series, 3–0 (Alaska Avalanche)
Lost Div. Final series, 0–3 (Wenatchee Wild)
Won Round-Robin Semifinal, 4–3 (Bismarck Bobcats), 1–2 (Traverse City North Stars), 4–3 (St. Louis Bandits), 3–2 (Wenatchee Wild)
Lost Robertson Cup Championship, 0–3 (Bismarck Bobcats)
2010–11 5840153832451671st of 6, West
3rd of 26, NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals series, 3–0 (Kenai River Brown Bears)
Won Div. Final series, 3–1 (Wenatchee Wild)
Won Round-Robin Semifinal, 4–3 (Topeka Roadrunners), 2–1 (Amarillo Bulls), 4–2 (Michigan Warriors)
Won Robertson Cup Championship, 4–2 (Michigan Warriors)
2011–12 6039138862251631st of 6, West
4th of 28, NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals series, 3–0 (Kenai River Brown Bears)
Won Div. Final series, 3–0 (Wenatchee Wild)
Won Round-Robin Quarterfinal, 1–3 (St. Louis Bandits), 4–3 (Port Huron Fighting Falcons), 3–1 (Amarillo Bulls)
Lost Robertson Cup Semifinal, 3–4 (OT) (Texas Tornado)
2012–13 6039174821921482nd of 4, West
6th of 24, NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals series, 3–2 (Kenai River Brown Bears)
Lost Div. Final series, 2–3 (Wenatchee Wild)
2013–14 6045141912151361st of 6, Midwest
1st of 24, NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals series, 3–2 (Kenai River Brown Bears)
Won Div. Final series, 3–2 (Wenatchee Wild)
Won Robertson Cup Semifinal series, 2–0 (Michigan Warriors)
Won Robertson Cup Championship series, 2–0 (Austin Bruins)
2014–15 604016484238167t-1st of 5, Midwest
t-4th of 24, NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals series, 3–0 (Minnesota Magicians)
Lost Div. Final series, 0–3 (Minnesota Wilderness)
2015–16 6049831012511161st of 6, Midwest
1st of 22, NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals series, 3–1 (Coulee Region Chill)
Won Div. Final series, 3–2 (Minnesota Wilderness)
Won Robertson Cup Semifinal series, 2–0 (Aston Rebels)
Won Robertson Cup Championship, 2–0 (Wichita Falls Wildcats)
2016–17 603324369185165t-2nd of 5, Midwest
t-10th of 24, NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals series, 3–0 (Minnesota Magicians)
Lost Div. Final series, 1–3 (Janesville Jets)
2017–18 604587972231251st of 6, Midwest
1st of 23, NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals series, 3–0 (Minnesota Magicians)
Won Div. Final series, 3–2 (Janesville Jets)
Lost Robertson Cup Semifinal series, 1–2 (Minot Minotauros)
2018–19 6037167812041381st of 6, Midwest
4th of 24, NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals series, 3–0 (Janesville Jets)
Lost Div. Final series, 3–0 (Minnesota Magicians)
Won Robertson Cup Semifinal series, 2–1 (Johnstown Tomahawks)
Lost Robertson Cup Championship, 1–2 (Aberdeen Wings)
2019–20 5238113791971111st of 6, Midwest
3rd of 26, NAHL		Postseason cancelled
2020–21 4825194541651632nd of 5, Midwest
12th of 23, NAHL		Lost Div. Semifinals series, 0–3 (Minnesota Magicians)
2021–22 6037203772381791st of 8, Midwest
6th of 29, NAHL		Lost Div. Semifinals series, 0–3 (Minnesota Wilderness)
2022–23 6028257631811966th of 8, Midwest
22nd of 29, NAHL		Did not qualify
2023–24 6022308521582116th of 8 Midwest
25 of 32, NAHL 		Did not qualify
2024–25 5937166802091502nd of 8, Midwest
7th of 35, NAHL		Lost Div. Semifinals series, 0–3 (Anchorage Wolverines)

References

  1. ↑ "2000-01 America West Hockey League Standings". HockeyDB. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Season Summaries". Fairbanks Ice Dogs. Archived from the original on November 4, 2015. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  3. ↑ "NAHL's Fairbanks Ice Dogs to temporarily relocate to Marshall for part of season". Marshall Independent. August 26, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Ice Dogs announce return to Alaska". NAHL. March 16, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Fairbanks announces coaching change". NAHL. January 10, 2022.
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