St. John's IceCaps facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St. John's IceCaps
City	St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
League	American Hockey League
Founded	1994 (First franchise; as a member of the IHL) 1969 (Second franchise)
Operated	2011–2017
Home arena	Mile One Centre
Colours	Polar night blue, aviator blue, silver, white (2011–2015)                     Red, white, blue (2015–2017)
Owner(s)	Danny Williams (local operations of both incarnations, and IceCaps intellectual property) True North Sports & Entertainment (first franchise) Montreal Canadiens (Molson family et al.) (second franchise)
Media	CJYQ
Affiliates	Winnipeg Jets (NHL) Montreal Canadiens (NHL)
Franchise history
First franchise
1994–1996	Minnesota Moose
1996–2011	Manitoba Moose
2011–2015	St. John's IceCaps
2015–present	Manitoba Moose
Second franchise
1969–1971 1971–1984	Montreal Voyageurs Nova Scotia Voyageurs
1984–1990 1990–1999	Sherbrooke Canadiens Fredericton Canadiens
1999–2002	Quebec Citadelles
2002–2015	Hamilton Bulldogs
2015–2017	St. John's IceCaps
2017–present	Laval Rocket
Championships
Regular season titles	0
Division Championships	1 (2011–12)
Conference Championships	1 (2013–14)

The St. John's IceCaps were a professional ice hockey team. They played in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The team was part of the American Hockey League (AHL). The AHL is a league where players often develop before joining the National Hockey League (NHL).

The IceCaps had two different periods in St. John's. From 2011 to 2015, they were linked with the Winnipeg Jets NHL team. Then, from 2015 to 2017, they became the main team for the Montreal Canadiens NHL team. The IceCaps were the second AHL team to play in St. John's. The first was the St. John's Maple Leafs, who played from 1991 to 2005.

IceCaps History: A Look Back

The Winnipeg Jets Connection (2011–2015)

The IceCaps team started as the Minnesota Moose in 1994. They were part of the International Hockey League. After two seasons in Minnesota, the team moved to Winnipeg in 1996. This happened after the original Jets NHL team moved to Phoenix.

The team became the Manitoba Moose. They joined the AHL in 2001 when the IHL closed. The Moose were linked with the Vancouver Canucks NHL team. In 2009, the Moose reached the Calder Cup Finals. This is the championship series for the AHL. They lost to the Hershey Bears.

In May 2011, the owners of the Moose bought the Atlanta Thrashers NHL team. They moved this team to Winnipeg. This brought the NHL back to Winnipeg as the new Winnipeg Jets. Because of this, the Moose AHL team needed a new home.

A deal was made to move the AHL team to St. John's. This happened for the 2011–12 season. The AHL approved the move on June 20, 2011. The team was officially announced as the St. John's IceCaps. They became the top team for the new Winnipeg Jets.

A special event happened before their first season. The nearby town of Conception Bay South was chosen for a Kraft Hockeyville exhibition game. This game was between the Winnipeg Jets and the Ottawa Senators. It was moved to Mile One Centre in St. John's. Many Jets players in this game later played for the IceCaps. The Jets won the game 3–1.

The IceCaps played their first game on October 7, 2011. It was against the Providence Bruins. Their first home game was on October 14, 2011, against the Hamilton Bulldogs. In their first season, the IceCaps won their division. They made it to the Eastern Conference Championship. They lost to the Norfolk Admirals.

The IceCaps missed the playoffs in the 2012–13 season. But they came back strong in 2013–14. They finished second in their division. They won their first two playoff series. On June 3, 2014, they won the Eastern Conference Championship. This sent them to the Calder Cup Finals. It was the first time the IceCaps reached the finals. They lost the championship series to the Texas Stars in five games.

The Montreal Canadiens Era (2015–2017)

In 2014, the owners of the Jets thought about moving their AHL team. They considered moving it to Thunder Bay, Ontario. This was because traveling to St. John's was difficult for the Jets' staff. The IceCaps were doing well financially, but the location was a challenge.

In September 2014, the agreement to keep the IceCaps in St. John's was extended. However, a year later, a new deal was made. The Manitoba Moose team moved back to Winnipeg. The Montreal Canadiens moved their AHL team, the Hamilton Bulldogs, to St. John's.

This new team also used the "IceCaps" name. The IceCaps trademark belonged to the local group in St. John's. This move was planned to be temporary. The Canadiens wanted their AHL team closer to their NHL club. In July 2016, the Canadiens confirmed their AHL team would move again. It moved to Laval, Quebec, for the 2017–18 season. This team became the Laval Rocket.

After the IceCaps left, St. John's looked for another hockey team. In 2018, the ECHL league approved a new team. This team was the Newfoundland Growlers. They started playing in St. John's for the 2018–19 season. Today, the QMJHL's Newfoundland Regiment plays in St. John's.

Team Information and Fun Facts

What's in a Name?

When the team moved to St. John's, they needed a new name. The old name, "Moose," was not kept. This was partly because of the many car accidents involving moose in Newfoundland. The name St. John's IceCaps was chosen. It was officially announced on July 29, 2011.

Team Colors and Jerseys

The jerseys of the St. John's IceCaps, from 2011 to 2015 (when the team was linked to the Winnipeg Jets)

The first IceCaps team (2011–2015) wore uniforms like the Winnipeg Jets. Their colors were aviator blue, white, polar night blue, and silver. The Jets' logo was on their shoulder. The second IceCaps team (2015–2017) wore colors like the Montreal Canadiens. Their jerseys were red, white, and blue.

The IceCaps logo stayed the same for both teams. Only the colors changed to match the uniforms. The logo is a special symbol owned by the local group. This means it could be used again for a future team in St. John's.

Meet Buddy the Puffin!

Buddy the Puffin was the IceCaps' mascot. He was also the mascot for the St. John's Maple Leafs before. Buddy's jersey number is 92. This number stands for 1992, the year he first became a mascot.

Travel Challenges for the Team

Newfoundland is far east in Canada. This made travel difficult for hockey teams. Most flights to St. John's needed a stop in Montreal or Toronto. This made trips longer and more expensive. To help with costs, visiting teams usually played two games in a row in St. John's.

Season-by-Season Results

Records as of April 28, 2017.

Key Players and Team Records

Team Captains

• Jason Jaffray (2011–2015)
• Gabriel Dumont (2015–2016)
• Max Friberg (2016–2017)

Single Season Records

• Goals: Chris Terry, 30, (2016–17)
• Assists: Jason Jaffray, 41, (2013–14)
• Points: Chris Terry, 68, (2016–17)
• Goals, Defense: Paul Postma, 13, (2011–12)
• Assists, Defense: Brenden Kichton (2013–14), Will O'Neill (2014–15), 38
• Points, Defense: Brenden Kichton (2013–14), Will O'Neill (2014–15), 48
• Penalty minutes: J.C. Lipon, 163, (2014–15)
• GAA (Goals Against Average): Michael Hutchinson, 2.30, (2013–14)
• SV% (Save Percentage): Michael Hutchinson, .923, (2013–14)

Career Records

• Career goals: Eric O'Dell, 72, (2011–15)
• Career assists: Jason Jaffray, 105, (2011–15)
• Career points: Jason Jaffray, 167, (2011–15)
• Career playoff goals: Eric O'Dell, 9, (2011–14)
• Career playoff points: Andrew Gordon, 19, (2013–14)
• Career playoff assists: Zach Redmond, 15, (2011–17)
• Career penalty minutes: Patrice Cormier, 316, (2011–15)
• Career goaltending wins: Eddie Pasquale, 68, (2011–16)
• Career shutouts: Eddie Pasquale, 9, (2011–16)
• Career games: Carl Klingberg, 248, (2011–15)