Rockford Icehogs Tickets

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Rockford Icehogs
The Rockford IceHogs [Rockford, Illinois USA] play professional ice hockey. The team was a member of the United Hockey League [1999 to 2007], and they played home games at the MetroCentre. The name and logo were bought and applied to an American Hockey League team in 2007.

The IceHogs started playing in October of 1999. The team name, ?IceHogs', was chosen during a name the team contest. The IceHogs were owned by Tri Vision Sports, LLC prior to acquisition by the Rockford MetroCentre.

The IceHogs came into existence when Tri Vision Sports bought out the rights of the Thunder Bay Thunder Cats franchise. The team originally joined the Colonial Hockey League in 1991 as the Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks. During the 2006-2007 season, the IceHogs played in the UHL's Western Division with the Quad City Mallards, Chicago Hounds, Bloomington Prairie Thunder, and Fort Wayne Komets.

The IceHogs were coached by one of the winningest coaches in professional hockey, Steve Martinson. Martinson helped lead the IceHogs to their best season in franchise history in 2005-2006, his first behind the bench for the IceHogs.

The IceHogs have also been named the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 UHL Member Franchise of the Year for the club's success on and off the ice. The Icehogs won their first division championship in the 2005-2006 season. The Ice Hogs won their first (and last) Colonial Cup in a hard fought game 7 at home on Thursday, May 24th, 2007, by a score of 3 to 1 against the Kalamazoo Wings. The IceHogs and Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League signed an affiliation agreement on December 13, 2005.

The IceHogs supplied players to Nashville's primary affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League. Every year the team holds a Jersey Night during which the team wears a special, one-off alternate jersey and auctions them off for charity. In the past, the alternate jerseys have related to cultural icons such as Elvis Presley and St. Patrick's Day, or were autographed by Rockford-area celebrities such as Rick Nielsen.

The UHL IceHogs were replaced by a new team in the American Hockey League for the 2007-08 season. The MetroCentre purchased the IceHogs name and logo from the prior ownership group and appplied them to the new AHL franchise. The Rockford IceHogs introduced the Rock River Valley to professional hockey in 1999. The IceHogs, as members of the United Hockey League, played its first game on Oct. 15, 1999, against the Knoxville Speed at the Rockford MetroCentre.

The IceHogs won their first ever game 6-2 over the Speed led by Brant Blackned's hat-trick. Rockford was led by Head Coach Dale DeGray for its first two seasons. The team named was selected by Rockford residents as a part of a fan poll held in conjunction with the Rockford Register Star. IceHogs beat other finalists including Rhinos, Mighty Oaks, Roughnecks, Ice Rangers, Rockets and Ricochet. Rockford spent eight seasons in the UHL and won its first championship on May 24, 2007.

The IceHogs, led by Head Coach Steve Martinson, topped the Kalamazoo Wings in seven games with the series clincher at the MetroCentre. Rockford beat Kalamazoo 3-1 to take home the Colonial Cup in front of an IceHogs postseason record 6,236 fans. The game marked the final ever UHL contest. Prior to the 2007-08 season, the IceHogs made the jump to the American Hockey League as the top affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks. Beginning in '07-08, the IceHogs entered its first year of an unprecedented 10-year affiliation agreement with the Blackhawks. Mike Haviland was officially named the first head coach of the AHL IceHogs on July 5, 2007. Rockford's first AHL game was played on October 6 in Quad City, a 5-1 loss to the Flames.

The first player to use Rockford as a launching pad to the NHL is winger Raitis Ivanans. Ivanans played with the IceHogs during the 2002-03 season and for one-game in 2003-04. The rugged winger made his NHL debut with the Montreal Canadians in October 2006. The IceHogs organization has established itself as a staple in the Rockford community. As the longest running sports team in Rockford, the IceHogs pride themselves with its work in the community through the IceHogs Charitable Foundation and as the premiere choice for entertainment in the Forest City. An annual charity jersey auctions helps the IceHogs raise over $70,000 a year that benefits local non-profit charity organizations in the Rockford area. On Nov. 24, 2006, the IceHogs welcomed its one-millionth fan to the MetroCentre. The IceHogs have embedded themselves in the community with the development of the Jr. IceHogs Youth Hockey Program. Former IceHogs player and coach Scott Burfoot runs the program through the Rockford Park District.