Lou and Josh Mervis, under a company named Blue Ox Hockey, originally owned the Danville Wings when they promoted that team from the Tier II North American Hockey League to the Tier I United States Hockey League. However, after one season, the Mervis family sold the franchise and it was relocated to become the Indiana Ice in 2004.[1] The Mervis family had purchased the dormant Rochester Mustangs franchise to use as a new USHL team on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign, Illinois, but Josh Mervis agreed to be the general manager of the Ice for the first season in Indiana. After less than one season as general manager of the Ice, Josh Mervis left the team in order to focus on starting the Champaign team.[2] However, the new proposed arena project never took off and the family began to look elsewhere such as La Crosse, Wisconsin, Battle Creek, Michigan, and Louisville, Kentucky.[3]
In February 2010, the USHL approved the Mervis family's plan to reactivate their dormant franchise in of Muskegon for the 2010–11 season.[3] At the time, there was a low-level minor professional hockey team playing in the International Hockey League named the Muskegon Lumberjacks. The Mervis family then acquired the Lumberjacks name and folded the professional team with the new USHL team taking on the Lumberjacks identity that had been used on and off since 1984. The Mervis family retained the former owners of the Lumberjacks, Stacey Patulskey, Jeff Patulskey and Tim Taylor, as the managerial team.
The Lumberjacks had a fairly successful inaugural season. On November 9, 2010, forward Matt Berry registered the first hat trick in team history in a 5–3 win over the Chicago Steel. The Lumberjacks clinched a Clark Cup Playoff berth with a victory over the Steel at the L. C. Walker Arena on April 8. Lumberjacks forwards Ryan Misiak and Matt Berry and defenseman Alexx Privitera were named to the CCM Eastern Conference All-Star team. Misiak led the Jacks in both points and assists with 58 and 43, respectively. Berry led the club with 25 goals.[4] In the playoffs, the fifth-seeded Lumberjacks swept Team USA in the first round best-of-three series, then lost a best-of-five series 1–3 to the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.[5][6]
In the 2011–12 season, Muskegon rebounded from an 0–3–0 start by winning six out of seven games from October 30 through November 18. The run put the Lumberjacks at 7–6–0 but a pair of losses to eventual Anderson Cup champion Green Bay Gamblers started a 2–9–2 slump, which led to the dismissal of head coach and general manager Kevin Patrick on January 13. Patrick was replaced by 15-year NHL veteran and 2003 Stanley Cup winner Jim McKenzie. The team would finish last in the Eastern Conference with a 17-35-8 record and miss the playoffs.
In late January 2012, the Lumberjacks hosted the inaugural USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at L.C. Walker Arena, featuring the league's best talent eligible for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Muskegon was represented by Matt DeBlouw, Mark Yanis and Czech winger Adam Chlapik. Team East beat Team West 5–3 in a game that set a record for event viewership on FastHockey.com;[citation needed] it was called by Lumberjacks' broadcaster Matt Gajtka and Youngstown Phantoms' play-by-play announcer Bart Logan.
The 2012 offseason began on a positive note as five players with Lumberjacks ties were taken in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Michigan State recruit Matt DeBlouw was the Lumberjacks' only active player to be drafted; he went to the Calgary Flames in the seventh round. Two Lumberjacks from the team's inaugural USHL season (Brendan Woods – Carolina, Jaycob Megna – Anaheim) and two of Muskegon's future prospects (Adam Gilmour – Minnesota, Doyle Somerby – New York Islanders) were also drafted.
In 2014–15, the Lumberjacks finished the regular season in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, earning Muskegon a berth in the Clark Cup playoffs. In the first round of the playoffs, Muskegon faced the regular season champion Youngstown Phantoms. Muskegon won game one of the five-game series by a final of 5–4 after Matheson Iacopelli's overtime goal.[8] The Lumberjacks would fall in game two 4–2, leveling the series at one game apiece. In game three, each team managed only one goal through regulation and overtime. Muskegon goaltender Eric Schierhorn, the Lumberjacks' career wins leader, stopped 44 shots in over 90 minutes and Will Graber scored the double-overtime winner for the 2–1 win and series lead. The Lumberjacks won game four and the series. In the Eastern Conference finals, the Lumberjacks faced the Dubuque Fighting Saints, who finished the regular season in third place in the East. The two teams alternated wins in the first four games, setting up a decisive game five at Dubuque. Max Humitz and the Lumberjacks took a 4–1 lead after two periods before giving up two goals to the Fighting Saints in the third to make the score 4–3 with 6:16 to play. However, Schierhorn and the Lumberacks held off Dubuque's comeback and advanced to the Clark Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history. The Lumberjacks were then swept in the finals by the Sioux Falls Stampede.
In the 2015–16 season, the team was able to tie with the Chicago Steel with 61 points each, landing them in seventh in the Eastern Conference and twelfth overall, but was not good enough to qualify for the playoffs. However, center Rem Pitlick was a bright spot for the team leading the league with 89 points (46 Goals and 43 Assists) in 56 games - a 1.59 points per game average. Pitlick was also the first Lumberjack to win an award as the USHL's 2015–16 Player of the Year and Forward of the Year, and being only the 22nd player to accept both. He was also named CCM Forward of the year, USA Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year, made the All-USHL first team, named to World Junior A Challenge U.S. Select Team.[10] He was drafted in the third round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators.
Following the 2015–16 season, head coach Todd Krygier was fired. On July 13, 2016, the Lumberjacks announced the hire of John LaFontaine [11] The older brother of Hockey Hall of Famer Pat LaFontaine, John was named the North American Hockey League Coach of the Year in 2015–16, leading the Wichita Falls Wildcats to the Robertson Cup Finals.
In 2016–17, the Lumberjacks used their tender to bring Andrei Svechnikov to Muskegon. Svechnikov, along with defenseman Bo Hanson, forward Collin Adams, and goaltenders Keith Petruzzelli and Adam Brizgala, helped the Lumberjacks to the best regular season in their history. Muskegon set team records in wins (37), points (79), goals scored (192) and goals allowed (157).[12] Svechnikov would be named USHL Rookie of the Year after scoring 29 goals and 58 points in 48 games. Petruzzelli would set single-season records for goals against average (2.40), and go on to be drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the third round of the 2017 NHL draft. Muskegon earned the third seed in the Eastern Conference, but fell to Dubuque in four games. In the playoff series, the Lumberjacks were without Svechnikov and Jachym Kondelik, who were representing their countries internationally. Mikael Hakkarainen and Casey Gilling also missed game four due to injury.
After two seasons as head coach, and the first to lead the Lumberjacks to back-to-back playoff appearances, the Lumberjacks parted with LaFontaine on April 23, 2018, after being eliminated in the first round of the 2018 Clark Cup playoffs.[13] LaFontaine was replaced by assistant coach Mike Hamilton.[14] General manager and part owner John Vanbiesbrouck was also hired by USA Hockey as the assistant executive director of hockey operations and would be involved with selecting players for the US national teams.[15] The Lumberjacks then hired the Chicago Steel's general manager Ryan Bennett for the same position.[16]
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference, and initially played their home games at Miami Arena before moving to the Amerant Bank Arena in 1998. Located in Sunrise, Florida, the Panthers are the southernmost team in the NHL. The team's local broadcasting rights have been held by Bally Sports Florida since 1996. The Panthers are primarily affiliated with two minor league teams: the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Florida Everblades of the ECHL.
The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders are a Tier I junior ice hockey team playing in the United States Hockey League (USHL). Before moving to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1999, the team was based in Mason City, where they were known as the North Iowa Huskies.
John Vanbiesbrouck, nicknamed "the Beezer" and "JVB", is an American professional ice hockey executive and former player. As a goaltender, he was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007. Vanbiesbrouck played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1981 to 2002 for the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils. He began his career playing major junior hockey for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Following a successful season with the Greyhounds, he was drafted by the New York Rangers in the fourth round, 72nd overall, in the 1981 NHL Draft. After his junior career ended, he played for the Rangers minor league affiliate, the Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League. Despite the team's near collapses due to financial concerns, Vanbiesbrouck led the Oilers to a league championship and shared the league's MVP honors.
The Sioux City Musketeers are a junior ice hockey team based in Sioux City, Iowa. The Musketeers play their home games at Tyson Events Center, and are members of the Western Conference of the United States Hockey League (USHL). The team was founded in 1972, and has won three Anderson Cups as the regular season champion, and four Clark Cups as the playoffs champion of the USHL.
The Waterloo Black Hawks are a Tier I junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Conference of the United States Hockey League (USHL) under president and general manager P.K. O'Handley. The Black Hawks' home ice is the Young Arena in Waterloo, Iowa.
The Sioux Falls Stampede are a Tier I junior ice hockey team based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Stampede are members of the Western Conference of the United States Hockey League (USHL). The team plays home games at the Denny Sanford Premier Center, the largest facility in capacity and size in the USHL. The team was established in 1999 and is owned by Sioux Falls Sports LLC.
The Tri-City Storm is a Tier I junior ice hockey team based in Kearney, Nebraska, that plays in the Western Conference of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Its name refers to the three central Nebraskan cities of Kearney, Hastings, and Grand Island.
Todd Andrew Krygier is an American former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Hartford Whalers, Washington Capitals, and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim between 1989 and 1997. Internationally Krygier played for the American national team at three World Championships. After finishing his playing career Krygier turned to coaching, and since 2019 has been an assistant coach for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League
James P. McKenzie is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks after being hired midway through the 2011/12 season.
John A. Stevens is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is an assistant coach of the Vegas Golden Knights. He is the former head coach of the Los Angeles Kings and the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Stevens was a defenceman for the Flyers and Hartford Whalers during his playing career. Stevens was born in Campbellton, New Brunswick, but grew up in Turkey Point in Norfolk County, Ontario.
The Youngstown Phantoms are a Tier I junior ice hockey team that plays in the Eastern Conference of the United States Hockey League (USHL). The team plays home games at the 5,200-seat Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio. The team was co-owned by Bruce J. Zoldan and Troy Loney along with his wife Aafke Loney. In the summer of 2018, the Loney's sold their interests to the Black Bear Sports Group led by CEO Murry Gunty.
Gordon M. Dineen is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman and coach who most recently served as an assistant coach with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League. He is a former head coach for the AHL's Toronto Marlies and a longtime assistant with several other teams.
The 2006–07 New York Islanders season was the 35th season in the franchise's history. They qualified for the playoffs in the last game of the regular season for the first time since 2004. They lost to the Buffalo Sabres in the first round, 4–1.
The 1995–96 Florida Panthers season was the 3rd season of the franchise that was established in 1993 and their most successful season ever. In only their third season in the National Hockey League, the Panthers qualified for the playoffs, and won three playoff series to become Eastern Conference champions. In the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals, Florida lost to the Colorado Avalanche in four games. The Panthers would not win another playoff series until 2022.
The Dubuque Fighting Saints are a Tier I junior ice hockey team playing in the United States Hockey League (USHL) and are based in the city of Dubuque, Iowa, on the banks of the Mississippi River at the intersection of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Home games are played at the ImOn Arena.
The 2010–11 USHL season is the 32nd season of the United States Hockey League as an all-junior league. The regular season began on October 1, 2010, and concluded on April 9, 2011, with the regular season champion winning the Anderson Cup. The 2010–11 season was the first to include the Dubuque Fighting Saints and Muskegon Lumberjacks, both of whom were resurrected franchises of the same name
Torey Krug is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League. Krug previously played for the Boston Bruins from 2012 to 2020.
The 2012–13 USHL season is the 34th season of the United States Hockey League as an all-junior league. The regular season began on September 28, 2012, and concluded on April 13, 2013, with the regular season champion winning the Anderson Cup.
Jaycob Megna is an American professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the 7th round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
Andrei Igorevich Svechnikov is a Russian professional ice hockey winger for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Hurricanes selected him second overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
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