Niagara IceDogs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Niagara IceDogs |
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| City | St. Catharines, Ontario |
| League | Ontario Hockey League |
| Conference | Eastern |
| Division | Central |
| Founded | 1998–99 |
| Home arena | Meridian Centre |
| Colours | Red, black, white |
| General manager | Frank Evola |
| Head coach | Krys Barch |
| Affiliate(s) | St. Catharines Falcons |
| Franchise history | |
| 1998–2007 | Mississauga IceDogs |
| 2007–present | Niagara IceDogs |
| Current uniform | |
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The Niagara IceDogs are a major junior ice hockey team. They play in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Their home city is St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. The team started as the Mississauga IceDogs in 1996. In 2007, the team moved to St. Catharines. They played their first season in the Niagara region during the 2007–08 OHL season. This was after nine seasons in Mississauga. In 2022, Darren DeDobbelaer became the main owner. Famous hockey player Wayne Gretzky also became a part-owner.
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Team History: The Niagara IceDogs Story
The Niagara IceDogs have an interesting history. They started in Mississauga before moving to St. Catharines.
Starting Out: The Mississauga IceDogs (1998-2007)
The team's first season as the Mississauga IceDogs was in 1998–99. They had a tough start, winning only 4 out of 68 games. In their first three seasons, they won only 16 games in total. Don Cherry, a well-known hockey personality, helped start the team. He also coached them for one season. In 2002, he and his partners sold the team to Joel Albin. During their nine years in Mississauga, the IceDogs won about 30% of their games. They won one Central Division and one Eastern Conference Championship.
Moving to St. Catharines
On July 12, 2006, Eugene Melnyk bought the Mississauga IceDogs. He also owned another team, the Toronto St. Michael's Majors. After the 2006–07 season, Melnyk sold the IceDogs. He then moved his other team, the Majors, to Mississauga. The IceDogs team then looked into moving to St. Catharines. They wanted to play at the Jack Gatecliff Arena. The City Council of St. Catharines approved a lease on April 23, 2007. The OHL Board of Governors gave their final approval on June 5, 2007.
Playing at Jack Gatecliff Arena
The Niagara IceDogs played their first seven seasons in St. Catharines at the Jack Gatecliff Arena. For six of those seven years, the IceDogs had the best attendance in the OHL based on how full the arena was. During this time, the IceDogs made the playoffs every year. They reached the Eastern Conference finals twice. Their most successful year was in 2011–12. They won both the Emms Trophy and Bobby Orr Trophy. These awards are for winning the Central Division and Eastern Conference. However, they lost in the finals to the London Knights in five games. Many future NHL players played for the IceDogs at the Jack Gatecliff Arena. These included top draft picks like Alex Pietrangelo, Mark Visentin, Ryan Strome, Dougie Hamilton, and Brendan Perlini. Other notable players were Stefan Legein, Luca Caputi, Andrew Agozzino, Brett Ritchie, Jamie Oleksiak, Freddie Hamilton, and Andrew Shaw. Andrew Shaw was the first IceDogs player to win the Stanley Cup.
New Home: The Meridian Centre Era
The IceDogs started a new chapter when they moved to the new Meridian Centre in St. Catharines. On October 16, 2014, the IceDogs won their first game there. They beat the Belleville Bulls 7–4. The first goal in the new arena was scored by Mikkel Aagaard from Denmark. In their first season at the Meridian Centre, the IceDogs lost in the second round of the playoffs. The Oshawa Generals, who later won the Memorial Cup, beat them.
The team went all in for the 2015–16 season. They added experienced players, including star goalie Alex Nedeljkovic. He was a second-round pick for the Carolina Hurricanes. The IceDogs fought their way back to the OHL Finals. They faced the London Knights again, just like in 2012. But they lost the series in four games. After this, the team decided to rebuild. They parted ways with their coach and general manager, Marty Williamson. He had been with the team for six successful seasons.
The next season, the IceDogs focused on developing younger players like Akil Thomas. Many older players had left or were traded for future draft picks. The team still made the playoffs but lost to the Peterborough Petes in the first round. In the 2017–2018 season, they became more competitive. They added more players to help them in the playoffs. They beat the Oshawa Generals in the first round. Then they faced a strong Hamilton Bulldogs team. Even though three games went to overtime, the IceDogs lost the series.
The 2018–2019 season was a big one for the team. They brought back experienced players and added new talent. These included Jason Robertson, who became the top scorer in the CHL. They also added Jack Studnicka and others. Young player Philip Tomasino also improved a lot. The team finished first in the OHL Central division, winning the Emms Trophy. In the playoffs, they beat the North Bay Battalion. In the second round, they faced the Oshawa Generals again. The IceDogs were up 2–0 but then lost four games in a row, ending their season. Stephen Dhillon became the winningest goalie in IceDogs history. He set a record for wins in a season (38) and total wins (98). The IceDogs scored the most goals in the league that season, and the most in their team's history (326).
In March 2019, the OHL looked into some issues with the IceDogs. The league found that the team had not followed rules about player agreements. The IceDogs faced penalties, including fines and the loss of draft picks. The team admitted they had not followed the rules.
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The 2019–2020 season was another rebuilding year. Many key players moved to the NHL or were too old to play in the league. The team traded their captain, Akil Thomas, and star player Philip Tomasino. This helped them get more draft picks for the future. Ivan Lodnia became the new captain. The team had a scary moment when young goalie Tucker Tynan was hurt during a game. He got a serious cut to his leg. This incident was widely reported in the hockey community. The COVID-19 pandemic then caused the rest of the season and playoffs to be cancelled. The team finished second to last. They picked Pano Fimis second overall in the 2020 OHL draft.
Recent Team Changes
After an investigation, OHL commissioner David Branch suspended the team's general manager, Joey Burke, and head coach, Billy Burke. This was due to issues with staff conduct. The team also received a fine. The Burke brothers, who were also part-owners, could apply to return to the league later.
Months after this, Bill and Denise Burke sold the team. Darren DeDobbelaer became the main owner, along with Wayne Gretzky.
Later, the IceDogs faced another investigation. This one was about concerns regarding the team environment. As a result, team captain Landon Cato and goalie Josh Rosenzweig faced serious consequences from the Canadian Hockey League. Team owner and general manager Darren DeDobbelaer also faced a suspension. The team was fined and lost a first-round draft pick for 2024.
In March 2025, OHL commissioner Bryan Crawford announced another review. This review would look at the team's overall environment. This followed more complaints about staff behavior.
Team Championships
The Niagara IceDogs have won several important trophies:
Emms Trophy This trophy is for winning the Central Division Championship.
- 2011–12
- 2018–19
Bobby Orr Trophy This trophy is for winning the Eastern Conference Championship.
- 2011–12
- 2015–16
J. Ross Robertson Cup This is the trophy for winning the Ontario Hockey League Championship.
- 2011–12: Lost to London Knights in the finals
- 2015–16: Lost to London Knights in the finals
Team Coaches
Mario Cicchillo was the first coach of the Niagara IceDogs in 2007. He had been an assistant coach for Mississauga. In August 2009, Cicchillo was fired. Assistant coach Mike McCourt became the interim head coach. In May 2010, the team decided not to renew McCourt's contract. Marty Williamson, a former coach for the Barrie Colts, became the new coach and general manager in May 2010. After six successful years, the IceDogs parted ways with Williamson in 2016. Dave Bell, an assistant, was promoted to head coach. In 2017, Bell left to join another league. Billy Burke served as head coach from 2017 until his suspension in April 2022. Daniel Fitzgerald was named head coach in July 2022.
Coaches Ben Boudreau, Dan Paille, and Marc Slawson were fired in May 2025 after a league review. The team then changed its front office. Frank Evola became the general manager. Krys Barch was named head coach in June 2025.
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IceDogs Players
Many talented players have played for the Niagara IceDogs. Some have even gone on to play in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Players Who Played in the NHL
- Andrew Agozzino
- Darren Archibald
- Cameron Butler
- Luca Caputi
- Matt Corrente
- Vince Dunn
- Alex Friesen
- Danil Gushchin
- Dougie Hamilton
- Freddie Hamilton
- Josh Ho-Sang
- Ben Jones
- Tom Kuhnhackl
- Alex Nedeljkovic
- Jamie Oleksiak
- Brendan Perlini
- Alex Pietrangelo
- Brett Ritchie
- Jason Robertson
- Andrew Shaw
- Jeremy Smith
- Ryan Strome
- Jack Studnicka
- Akil Thomas
- Philip Tomasino
- Carter Verhaeghe
- Mark Visentin
Top NHL Draft Picks
Here are some IceDogs players who were picked in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft:
- 2008 – Alex Pietrangelo, 4th overall by St. Louis
- 2010 – Mark Visentin, 27th overall by Phoenix
- 2011 – Ryan Strome, 5th overall by New York Islanders
- 2011 – Dougie Hamilton, 9th overall by Boston
- 2014 – Brendan Perlini, 12th overall by Arizona
- 2019 – Philip Tomasino, 24th overall by Nashville
Award-Winning Players
Several IceDogs players have won awards in the OHL and CHL.
Ontario Hockey League Awards
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Bobby Smith Trophy
Dave Pinkney Trophy
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy
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Ivan Tennant Memorial Award
Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy
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Max Kaminsky Trophy
Mickey Renaud Captain's Trophy
OHL Executive of the Year
OHL Goaltender of the Year
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Canadian Hockey League Awards
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CHL Defenceman of the Year
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CHL Scholastic Player of the Year
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CHL Top Scorer Award
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Season Results
Here's a quick look at how the IceDogs have done in their regular seasons and playoffs.
Regular Season Performance
The table below shows the IceDogs' regular season results. OTL means Overtime Loss, and SL means Shootout Loss.
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | OTL | SL | Points | Pct % | Goals For |
Goals Against |
Standing |
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| 2007–08 | 68 | 42 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 85 | 0.625 | 272 | 214 | 2nd Central |
| 2008–09 | 68 | 26 | 31 | 5 | 6 | 63 | 0.463 | 213 | 264 | 4th Central |
| 2009–10 | 68 | 26 | 34 | 2 | 6 | 60 | 0.441 | 191 | 233 | 4th Central |
| 2010–11 | 68 | 45 | 17 | 2 | 4 | 96 | 0.706 | 273 | 197 | 2nd Central |
| 2011–12 | 68 | 47 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 97 | 0.713 | 291 | 169 | 1st Central |
| 2012–13 | 68 | 30 | 34 | 2 | 2 | 64 | 0.471 | 227 | 250 | 4th Central |
| 2013–14 | 68 | 24 | 35 | 3 | 6 | 57 | 0.419 | 223 | 284 | 4th Central |
| 2014–15 | 68 | 37 | 27 | 2 | 2 | 78 | 0.574 | 274 | 237 | 3rd Central |
| 2015–16 | 68 | 35 | 26 | 4 | 3 | 77 | 0.566 | 213 | 198 | 3rd Central |
| 2016–17 | 68 | 23 | 35 | 6 | 4 | 56 | 0.412 | 207 | 274 | 3rd Central |
| 2017–18 | 68 | 35 | 23 | 7 | 3 | 80 | 0.588 | 240 | 235 | 2nd Central |
| 2018–19 | 68 | 44 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 95 | 0.699 | 326 | 209 | 1st Central |
| 2019–20 | 63 | 18 | 39 | 5 | 1 | 42 | 0.333 | 194 | 320 | 4th Central |
| 2020–21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | Season cancelled |
| 2021–22 | 68 | 22 | 42 | 3 | 1 | 48 | 0.353 | 218 | 316 | 5th Central |
| 2022–23 | 68 | 12 | 47 | 8 | 1 | 33 | 0.243 | 199 | 357 | 5th Central |
| 2023–24 | 68 | 17 | 43 | 6 | 2 | 42 | 0.309 | 193 | 323 | 5th Central |
| 2024–25 | 68 | 29 | 31 | 4 | 4 | 66 | 0.485 | 247 | 303 | 4th Central |
Playoff Results
| Season | 1st round | 2nd round | 3rd round | Finals |
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| 2007–08 | W, 4–0, Mississauga Majors | L, 2–4, Oshawa Generals | — | — |
| 2008–09 | W, 4–3, Ottawa 67s | L, 1–4, Belleville Bulls | — | — |
| 2009–10 | L, 1–4, Ottawa 67s | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | W, 4–0, Brampton Battalion | W, 4–1, Oshawa Generals | L, 1–4, Mississauga St. Michael's Majors | — |
| 2011–12 | W, 4–2, Oshawa Generals | W, 4–0, Brampton Battalion | W, 4–1, Ottawa 67s | L, 1–4, London Knights |
| 2012–13 | L, 1–4, Oshawa Generals | — | — | — |
| 2013–14 | L, 3–4, North Bay Battalion | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | W, 4–2, Ottawa 67's | L, 1–4, Oshawa Generals | — | — |
| 2015–16 | W, 4–1, Ottawa 67's | W, 4–0, Kingston Frontenacs | W, 4–0, Barrie Colts | L, 0–4, London Knights |
| 2016–17 | L, 0–4, Peterborough Petes | — | — | — |
| 2017–18 | W, 4–1, Oshawa Generals | L, 1–4, Hamilton Bulldogs | — | — |
| 2018–19 | W, 4–1, North Bay Battalion | L, 2–4, Oshawa Generals | — | — |
| 2019–20 | Playoffs cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in North America | |||
| 2020–21 | Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in North America | |||
| 2021–22 | Did not qualify | |||
| 2022–23 | Did not qualify | |||
| 2023–24 | Did not qualify | |||
| 2024–25 | L, 1–4, Barrie Colts | — | — | — |
Team Look: Uniforms and Logos
The IceDogs' team colors are red, black, and white. Their home jersey is black with red, black, and white sleeves. It has two crossed dog bones on each shoulder. The away jersey is white with similar sleeves and dog bones. The Niagara IceDogs logo features a Bull Terrier dog playing hockey. This dog is inspired by "Blue," the famous dog of former team owner Don Cherry. The team wears red and black CCM gloves and CCM helmets. The helmet color (black or white) matches their jersey.
Home Arenas
The IceDogs have played in a few different arenas.
Meridian Centre
The IceDogs moved into the Meridian Centre on October 16, 2014. This arena is located in St. Catharines. It has about 5,300 seats.
Jack Gatecliff Arena
The Garden City Arena Complex is a public facility in St. Catharines. It has two ice rinks. The IceDogs played in the Jack Gatecliff Arena, one of these rinks, for seven seasons. This arena can hold 3,145 people, including standing room. It is smaller than most arenas in the CHL. Its ice surface is also smaller than typical CHL rinks. Fans often call it 'the Jack'.
The original arena was built in 1932. It became the oldest arena used in the CHL after another team moved in 2008–09. Before the IceDogs, other teams like the St. Catharines Teepees and St. Catharines Black Hawks played there. It was renovated in 1996 and named after local sportswriter Jack Gatecliff.
Niagara Falls Memorial Arena
On March 1, 2009, the Niagara IceDogs played a home game at the Niagara Falls Memorial Arena. This arena is in nearby Niagara Falls, Ontario. It was set to close in 2010. This arena used to be home to the Niagara Falls Flyers and the Niagara Falls Thunder. The game was promoted as the last OHL game ever played in that arena. The crowd of 3,167 people was the largest home crowd for the IceDogs at that time.
See also
- List of ice hockey teams in Ontario
