The Chicago Steel are members of the United States Hockey League, joining the league in 2000. The Steel have played their home games at Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva, Illinois, since 2015; previously, the team played at Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville, Illinois, from 2000 to 2015.
| Chicago Steel | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Geneva, Illinois |
| League | USHL |
| Conference | Eastern |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Home arena | Fox Valley Ice Arena (capacity: 3,500) |
| Colors | Black, red, gray |
| Owner(s) | Wirtz Corporation |
| General manager | Mike Garman[1] |
| Head coach | Mike Garman |
| Website | chicagosteelhockeyteam |
| Franchise history | |
| 1996–2000 | Fargo-Moorhead Ice Sharks |
| 2000–present | Chicago Steel |
| Championships | |
| Regular season titles | 2 Anderson Cups (2019–20, 2020–21) |
| Playoff championships | 2 Clark Cups (2017, 2021) |
History edit
The Fargo-Moorhead Ice Sharks, founded in 1996,[2] moved to Bensenville, Illinois, and became the Chicago Steel in 2000. In May 2015, the majority ownership of the Steel was purchased by Larry Robbins while then current owners Bruce Liimatainen and Mike Greenberg remained involved as minority owners. The announcement for the change of ownership was accompanied by a change of leadership as Ryan Bennett and Dan Muse were hired as the new general manager and head coach, respectively.[3]
On May 22, 2017, the Steel defeated the Sioux City Musketeers 2–1 in overtime of game five, finishing a 3-games-to-2 series win to claim the franchise's first Clark Cup. Head coach Dan Muse would then be hired by the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators as an assistant coach and Mark Abalan would take over as head coach of the Steel.[4] On January 2, 2018, Abalan was let go and Ryan Cruthers was named interim head coach and assistant general manager of the Steel.[5] During the 2018 Clark Cup playoffs, the interim tag was removed and Cruthers was named the permanent head coach,[6] however, Cruthers would leave the team in May 2018 when the Steel hired Ryan Hardy as general manager.[7] Greg Moore was then hired as the head coach for the 2018–19 season after previously serving as an assistant with Team USA.[8] In 2019, Moore left to become head coach of the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League and Brock Sheahan was promoted to head coach.[9] The Steel then won the regular season championship, the Anderson Cup, in the pandemic-shortened 2019–20 season.[10] The Steel won a second-straight Anderson Cup in the shortened 2020–21 season[11] and subsequently won their second Clark Cup as playoff champions.
On August 1, 2023 Larry Robbins sold the team to the Wirtz Corporation, who also own the National Hockey League's Chicago Blackhawks franchise.[12]
Notable alumni edit
- Jake Chelios, played for the Detroit Red Wings, son of Chris Chelios
- Matt Clackson, former American Hockey League (AHL) player and son of Kim Clackson
- Dennis Gilbert, played for the Chicago Blackhawks
- Tom Gilbert, played for the Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, and Los Angeles Kings
- Drew LeBlanc, played two games for the Chicago Blackhawks
- Andrew Miller, played for the Edmonton Oilers
- John Moore, played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, Arizona Coyotes, New Jersey Devils, and Boston Bruins as well as an 2011 AHL All-Star
- Travis Morin, played for the Dallas Stars
- Jamie Oleksiak, plays for the Seattle Kraken
- Danny Richmond, played for the Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks
- Philip Samuelsson, played for Pittsburgh Penguins and Arizona Coyotes, son of Ulf Samuelsson
- Jaccob Slavin, plays for the Carolina Hurricanes
- Lee Sweatt, played for the Vancouver Canucks
- Owen Power, 1st overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, plays for the Buffalo Sabres
- Adam Fantilli, 3rd overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, signed to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Third ever freshmen to win the Hobey Baker Award
- Alex Cavallini, current member of the PWHPA, first woman ever to be drafted in the United States Hockey League
Team spirit edit
The team mascot is a dog named Rusty. Occasionally also seen at Steel home games is a puppy named Rascal.
Roster edit
As of December 24, 2022.[13]
| No. | S/P/C | Player | Pos | Ht | Wt | DoB | Hometown | Previous team | College commitment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
|
Jack Stark | G | 5' 10" | 158 lb | 2003-06-19 | Chaska, Minnesota | Sioux Falls Power U18 (Midget AAA) | Yale |
| 2 | 
|
Chris Able | D | 6' 1" | 199 lb | 2004-11-04 | Libertyville, Illinois | Chicago Mission U18 (Midget AAA) | Ohio State |
| 3 |
|
Hunter Hady | D | 6' 4" | 195 lb | 2004-08-02 | Rochester, Minnesota | Sioux Falls Power U18 (Midget AAA) | Boston University |
| 4 | 
|
Nolan Joyce | D | 6' 1" | 194 lb | 2003-09-25 | Dedham, Massachusetts | Saint Sebastian's (USHS–MA) | Boston College |
| 5 | 
|
Leo Eperješi | D | 6' 3" | 193 lb | 2005-02-27 | Košice, Slovakia | Košice (Slovak Extraliga U20) | Maine |
| 6 | 
|
Olivier Beaulieu | D | 5' 11" | 156 lb | 2005-01-07 | Terrebonne, Quebec | Northwood (USHS–NY) | Clarkson |
| 7 | 
|
Jake Livanavage | D | 5' 10" | 175 lb | 2004-05-06 | Gilbert, Arizona | Jr. Coyotes (Midget AAA) | North Dakota |
| 8 | 
|
Grayden Slipec | F | 5' 10" | 178 lb | 2005-03-06 | Surrey, British Columbia | Surrey (BCHL) | North Dakota |
| 9 | 
|
Nicholas Moldenhauer | F | 5' 10" | 170 lb | 2004-05-25 | Mississauga, Ontario | North Jersey Avalanche U18 (Midget AAA) | Michigan |
| 10 |
|
Christopher Delaney | F | 5' 6" | 148 lb | 2004-09-25 | Hopkinton, Massachusetts | Boston Junior Bruins (NCDC) | UMass |
| 11 | 
|
Michael Hagens | D | 5' 11" | 170 lb | 2005-02-18 | Hauppauge, New York | Mount Saint Charles U18 (Midget AAA) | Harvard |
| 12 | 
|
Jordan Brisson | F | 6' 1" | 183 lb | 2003-12-01 | Manhattan Beach, California | Shattuck-Saint Mary's Prep (Midget AAA) | Colorado College |
| 13 |
|
Jack Harvey | F | 5' 10" | 176 lb | 2003-03-31 | Stacy, Minnesota | Gentry Academy U18 (Midget AAA) | Boston University |
| 14 |
|
Mick Thompson | F | 5' 8" | 162 lb | 2004-03-01 | Toronto, Ontario | North Jersey Avalanche U18 (Midget AAA) | Harvard |
| 15 |
|
Brady Arneson | F | 5' 10" | 173 lb | 2005-02-11 | Red Wing, Minnesota | Sioux Falls Power U18 (Midget AAA) | Maine |
| 17 |
|
Mack Celebrini | F | 5' 11" | 189 lb | 2006-06-13 | Vancouver, British Columbia | Shattuck-Saint Mary's Prep (Midget AAA) | Boston University |
| 18 | 
|
Jayden Perron | F | 5' 9" | 163 lb | 2005-01-11 | Winnipeg, Manitoba | Sioux Falls Power U16 (Midget AAA) | North Dakota |
| 20 |
|
Charlie Major | F | 5' 10" | 168 lb | 2004-09-14 | Skaneateles, New York | Bishop Kearney Selects U18 (Midget AAA) | Cornell |
| 21 |
|
Cameron Johnson | F | 5' 8" | 159 lb | 2004-11-28 | Vancouver, British Columbia | Chilliwack (BCHL) | Harvard |
| 22 | 
|
Anthony Dowd | D | 5' 6" | 154 lb | 2003-04-25 | Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey | New Jersey Titans U18 (Midget AAA) | Arizona State |
| 23 | 
|
Jack Brandt | F | 5' 10" | 175 lb | 2004-06-14 | Columbus, Ohio | Tabor (USHS–MA) | None |
| 25 |
|
Thor Byfuglien | D | 5' 11" | 165 lb | 2003-07-14 | Roseau, Minnesota | Roseau (USHS–MN) | St. Cloud State |
| 26 |
|
Michael Emerson | F | 6' 1" | 197 lb | 2003-12-26 | Yorktown Heights, New York | North Jersey Avalanche U18 (Midget AAA) | North Dakota |
| 27 |
|
Zam Plante | F | 5' 10" | 168 lb | 2004-08-24 | Hermantown, Minnesota | Hermantown (USHS–MN) | Minnesota Duluth |
| 30 |
|
Miles Roberts | G | 6' 1" | 208 lb | 2005-02-04 | Orange, California | Anaheim Jr. Ducks U18 (Midget AAA) | None |
| 35 |
|
Christian Manz | G | 6' 0" | 184 lb | 2004-01-13 | Blaine, Minnesota | Philadelphia (NCDC) | Augustana |
References edit
- ^ "Mike Garman Named Steel General Manager; Noëlle Needham Elevated to Associate General Manager". OurSports Central. July 7, 2021.
- ^ "Fargo-Moorhead Ice Sharks Statistics and History". hockeyDB.com. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
- ^ "CHICAGO STEEL OF THE UNITED STATES HOCKEY LEAGUE ANNOUNCES OWNERSHIP CHANGE AND NEW LEADERSHIP". Junior Hockey News. May 21, 2015.
- ^ "Dan Muse Named Assistant Coach of Nashville Predators". United States Hockey League. July 21, 2017.
- ^ "Steel Announce Player Development Partnership with Belfry Hockey". 2 January 2018.
- ^ "Ryan Cruthers Named Head Coach of USHL's Chicago Steel". OurSportsCentral.com. April 25, 2018.
- ^ "Steel Name Ryan Hardy General Manager". OurSprtsCentral.com. May 30, 2018.
- ^ "Greg Moore Named Head Coach of Chicago Steel". OurSportsCentral.com. June 6, 2018.
- ^ Steel, Chicago (2019-12-01). "GREG MOORE NAMED HEAD COACH OF TORONTO MARLIES (AHL)". Chicago Steel. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
- ^ "Steel Named 2019-2020 Anderson Cup Champions". OurSports Central. April 1, 2020.
- ^ "Chicago Steel Named Anderson Cup Champions for Second-Straight Season". OurSports Central. April 18, 2021.
- ^ "USHL Chicago Steel announce ownership sale to Wirtz Corporation - TSN.ca". TSN. 2023-07-31. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
- ^ "Chicago Steel Roster". USHL. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
External links edit
- Chicago Steel Hockey Team Official site