Chippewa Steel
{{Redirect|Coulee Region Chill|North American 3 Hockey League|Coulee Region Chill (NA3HL)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox ice hockey team
|bg_color = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#2E8B57 5px solid; border-bottom:#000000 5px solid;
|text_color = #000000
| team = Chippewa Steel
| logo =Chippewa Steel Logo.png
| logosize = 250
| city = Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
| league = North American Hockey League
| division = Midwest
| founded = 2005
| arena = Chippewa Area Ice Arena
| colors = Green, black, gray
{{color box|#2E8B57}} {{color box|black}} {{color box|gray}}
| owner = Kelly Kasik
Geoffrey Stahl
| GM = Cory Hunt
| coach = Cory Hunt
| media =
| affiliates =
| name1 = North Iowa Outlaws
| dates1 = 2005–2010
| name2 = Coulee Region Chill
| dates2 = 2010–2018
| name3 = Chippewa Steel
| dates3 = 2018–present
}}
The Chippewa Steel is a Tier II junior ice hockey team based in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, that plays in the North American Hockey League (NAHL).
History
The franchise began in 2005 as the North Iowa Outlaws based in Mason City, Iowa, where the team played for five seasons until moving to Onalaska, Wisconsin, in 2010 under owner Mark Motz as the Coulee Region Chill.{{cite web |url=http://lacrossetribune.com/sports/local/chill/coulee-region-chill-sold-will-move-to-chippewa-falls/article_1288e7a0-3888-5f3b-86f6-b9634ba21ed0.html |title=Coulee Region Chill sold, will move to Chippewa Falls |work=La Crosse Tribune |date=May 1, 2018}} The team was then sold to Michelle Bryant in 2012 and the franchise was eventually moved in 2014 to nearby La Crosse, Wisconsin, with games at the Green Island Ice Arena.
After the 2017–18 season, Chill owner Michelle Bryant sold the franchise to Steve Black of JB Black Enterprise, LLC, the owner of the NA3HL's New Ulm Steel. Black relocated the Chill franchise to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, as the Chippewa Steel to play out of Chippewa Area Ice Arena. Bryant would then rename her NA3HL team from La Crosse Freeze to Coulee Region Chill while continuing to play out of La Crosse.{{cite web |url=http://www.nahl.com/news/story.cfm?id=24017 |title=Coulee Region Chill sold and relocated to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin |work=NAHL |date=April 30, 2018}} Al Rooney was named the Steel's first head coach and general manager,{{cite web |url=http://www.na3hl.com/news/story.cfm?id=24057 |title=Chippewa Steel name Al Rooney as Head Coach/GM |work=NAHL |date=May 7, 2018}} but was relieved of duties 23 games into his first season with a 5–16–1–1 record.{{cite web |url=https://chippewa.com/sports/high-school/nahl-rooney-relieved-of-coaching-duties-with-chippewa-steel-foguth/article_988e1e3e-8977-5229-9e82-77a991033dd0.html |title=NAHL: Rooney relieved of coaching duties with Chippewa Steel, Foguth named interim head coach |website=Chippewa.com |date=November 20, 2018}} Assistant coach Carter Foguth was named the interim head coach for the remainder of the season before be given the role permanently at the end of the season.{{cite web |url=https://chippewa.com/sports/local/nahl-chippewa-steel-name-foguth-head-coach/article_9d84df37-15df-50d4-8295-9e64f7263f10.html |title=NAHL: Chippewa Steel name Foguth head coach |website=Chippewa.com |date=April 9, 2019}}
In March 2021, it was reported that Steve Black sold the Steel and the Tier III New Ulm Steel to an ownership group led by Kelly Kasik.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nujournal.com/sports/local-sports/2021/03/09/new-ulm-steel-have-a-new-owner/ |title=New Ulm Steel have a new owner |website=The Journal |date=March 9, 2021}} The sale was confirmed on April 16 along with the announcement of new general manager and head coach Mike Janda.{{cite web |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/steel-announce-ownership-transfer-and-coaching-change/n-5681777 |title=Steel Announce Ownership Transfer and Coaching Change |website=OurSports Central |date=April 16, 2021}} However, Janda was then given a two-year suspension in August 2021 by USA Hockey for manipulating records to use non-eligible players when he held a previous coaching job on a youth team and was subsequently released by the Steel.{{Cite web |url=https://chippewa.com/sports/local/nahl-janda-relieved-of-coaching-director-of-hockey-operations-duties-for-chippewa-steel/article_9c1cbfaa-577a-589d-955e-9fda364e9f72.html |title=NAHL: Janda relieved of coaching, director of hockey operations duties for Chippewa Steel |website=Chippewa.com |date=August 23, 2021}} The Steel then hired Casey Mignone, the assistant coach of the St. Cloud Norsemen.{{Cite web |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/steel-name-casey-mignone-head-coach/n-5738726 |title=Steel Name Casey Mignone Head Coach |website=OurSports Central |date=August 27, 2021}}
After Casey Mignone left for a coaching job at Alaska-Farianks, on July 8, 2023, owner Kelly Kasik and the Steel hired Chris Ratzloff,{{Cite web |url=https://www.wqow.com/sports/steel-hire-chris-ratzloff-as-head-coach-gm/article_300c3aee-1db5-11ee-aca8-835283085342.html |title=Steel hire Chris Ratzloff as head coach & GM |website=18 wqow18.com |date=July 8, 2023}} who had previously coached for the Rochester Grizzlies(NA3HL) for the past 4 years. Chris Ratzloff went 29-25-6 in his first season as coach. The Steel also adopted a new slogan in 2023, which is currently "Rally the Valley!"
Current division opponents for the Steel are the Anchorage Wolverines, Fairbanks Ice Dogs, Janesville Jets, Kenai River Brown Bears, Minnesota Wilderness, Springfield Jr. Blues, and Wisconsin Windigo(previously Minnesota Magicians)
Season-by-season records
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||||||||||
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align="center"
|style="color:white; background:#144d24; {{box-shadow border|a|#040204|2px}}" colspan="11"|North Iowa Outlaws | ||||||||||
| 2005–06 | 58 | 18 | 37 | 3 | 39 | 149 | 219 | 1439 | 5th of 5, Central 19th of 20, NAHL | Did not qualify |
| bgcolor=f0f0f0
| 2006–07 | 62 | 27 | 29 | 6 | 60 | 174 | 198 | 1446 | 4th of 6, Central 12th of 17, NAHL | Lost Div. Semifinal series, 2–3 (Fargo-Moorhead Jets) |
| 2007–08 | 58 | 38 | 16 | 4 | 80 | 195 | 137 | 1209 | 1st of 8, Central 4th of 18, NAHL | Lost Div. Semifinal series, 0–3 (Springfield Jr. Blues) |
| bgcolor=f0f0f0
| 2008–09 | 58 | 35 | 18 | 5 | 75 | 229 | 171 | 1107 | 2nd of 5, Central t-7th of 19, NAHL | Lost Div. Semifinal series, 1–3 (Owatonna Express) |
| 2009–10 | 58 | 15 | 37 | 6 | 36 | 147 | 234 | 915 | 5th of 5, Central 18th of 19, NAHL | Did not qualify |
| align="center"
|style="color:black; background:#6baddf; {{box-shadow border|a|#000019|2px}}" colspan="11"|Coulee Region Chill | ||||||||||
| bgcolor=f0f0f0
| 2010–11 | 58 | 33 | 20 | 5 | 71 | 204 | 180 | 982 | t-2nd of 6, Central t-10th of 26, NAHL | Won Div. Semifinal series, 3–1 (Owatonna Express) Lost Div. Final series, 2–3 (Bismarck Bobcats) |
| 2011–12 | 60 | 18 | 35 | 7 | 43 | 162 | 229 | 996 | 4th of 5, MidWest t-23rd of 28, NAHL | Lost Div. Semifinal series, 0–3 (St. Louis Bandits) |
| bgcolor=f0f0f0
| 2012–13 | 60 | 16 | 39 | 5 | 37 | 157 | 224 | 849 | 6th of 6, Central 23rd of 24, NAHL | Did not qualify |
| 2013–14 | 60 | 31 | 28 | 1 | 63 | 181 | 181 | 1011 | 5th of 6, Midwest 15th of 24, NAHL | Did not qualify |
| bgcolor=f0f0f0
| 2014–15 | 60 | 28 | 23 | 9 | 65 | 176 | 182 | 987 | 3rd of 5, Midwest 12th of 24, NAHL | Lost Div. Semifinal series, 2–3 (Minnesota Wilderness) |
| 2015–16 | 60 | 33 | 26 | 1 | 67 | 177 | 165 | 883 | 4th of 6, Midwest t-11th of 22, NAHL | Lost Div. Semifinal series, 1–3 (Fairbanks Ice Dogs) |
| bgcolor=f0f0f0
| 2016–17 | 60 | 31 | 27 | 2 | 64 | 220 | 220 | 920 | 4th of 6, Midwest 16th of 24, NAHL | Lost Div. Semifinal series, 0–3 (Janesville Jets) |
| 2017–18 | 60 | 17 | 34 | 9 | 43 | 162 | 214 | 661 | 5th of 6, Midwest 21st of 23, NAHL | Did not qualify |
| align="center"
|style="color:white; background:#168454; {{box-shadow border|a|#020202|2px}}" colspan="11"|Chippewa Steel | ||||||||||
| bgcolor=f0f0f0
| 2018–19 | 60 | 19 | 38 | 3 | 41 | 149 | 220 | 1019 | 6th of 6, Midwest 22nd of 24, NAHL | Did not qualify |
| 2019–20 | 51 | 29 | 18 | 4 | 62 | 171 | 146 | 798 | 2nd of 6, Midwest 11th of 23, NAHL | Postseason cancelled |
| bgcolor=f0f0f0
| 2020–21 | 48 | 14 | 29 | 5 | 33 | 116 | 169 | 904 | 5th of 5, Midwest 22nd of 23, NAHL | Did not qualify |
| 2021–22 | 60 | 25 | 31 | 4 | 54 | 168 | 206 | 772 | 7th of 8, Midwest 24 of 29, NAHL | Did not qualify |
| bgcolor=f0f0f0
| 2022–23 | 60 | 31 | 25 | 4 | 66 | 186 | 172 | 806 | 4th of 8, Midwest 13 of 29, NAHL | Lost Div. Semifinal series, 0–3 (Wisconsin Windigo) |
| 2023–24 | 60 | 29 | 25 | 6 | 64 | 170 | 188 | 646 | 5th of 8, Midwest 20 of 32, NAHL | Did not qualify |
| bgcolor=f0f0f0
| 2024–25 | 59 | 30 | 23 | 6 | 66 | 182 | 186 | 4th of 8, Midwest 14 of 35, NAHL | Lost Div. Semifinal series, 1–3 (Wisconsin Windigo) |
Rivalry
The Chippewa Steel and Janesville Jets have one of the most fierce rivalries in the Midwest Division. The history of this rivalry dates back to 2018, when the Steel were "New" to the league, where the Jets and Steel fought for a milk can, which is called the Dairyland Milk Can Trophy,{{Cite web |url=https://chippewa.com/sports/local/north-american-hockey-league-chippewa-steel-janesville-jets-introduce-dairyland-milk-can-trophy-to-new/article_9c7701cd-e759-5dcc-bc2d-e15c5f4f5c30.html |title=Chippewa Steel, Janesville Jets introduce Dairyland Milk Can trophy to new rivalry |website= chippewa.com |date=May 30, 2018}} which was sponsored by Blain's Farm & Fleet. The battle for this milk jug ran from 2018-2022, but it was stopped in the 2023-24 season. The Steel had a 21-17-2 record in that time frame, and overall lead the series 26-21-3 at the moment. But just because the trophy was taken away doesn't mean the animosity was, as these teams are usually at each other's throats every minute or so. In fact, in a game on March 1, 2024, between the Jets and Steel in Chippewa Falls, 14 out of the 18 penalties served in that game between the two teams were either Roughing, Head Contact, Unsportsmanlike, Slashing, Boarding, or Checking from Behind(These are generally considered more "rougher" penalties), 8 of those being Roughing alone. The Jets ended up winning that game 5-0, off of a 4 goal first period.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://steel.nahlleague.hockeytech.com/ Chippewa Steel official website]
{{NAHL}}
{{Wisconsinsports}}
Category:North American Hockey League teams
Category:Amateur ice hockey teams in Wisconsin
Category:Chippewa County, Wisconsin