Edmonton Ice

{{Infobox hockey team

| team = Edmonton Ice

| logo = Kootenayice.png

| operated = {{Start date|1996}}–98

| colours = Blue, bronze, black, and white
{{color box|#236192}} {{color box|#8F654D}} {{color box|#010101}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}}

| name1 = Edmonton Ice

| dates1 = 1996–1998

| name2 = Kootenay Ice

| dates2 = 1998–2019

| name3 = Winnipeg Ice

| dates3 = 2019–2023

| name4 = Wenatchee Wild

| dates4 = 2023–present

}}

The Edmonton Ice were a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta. A Western Hockey League expansion team established in 1996, the team played only two seasons from 1996 to 1998 before relocating to Cranbrook, British Columbia, where the team became known as the Kootenay Ice.

History

The city of Edmonton had a rich history with the Western Hockey League (WHL), with Edmonton Oil Kings owner Bill Hunter serving as a driving force behind the establishment of the league in 1966.{{Cite web |title=WHL History |url=https://whl.ca/history |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731211503/https://whl.ca/history |archive-date=2023-07-31 |access-date=2023-07-31 |website=Western Hockey League}} The Oil Kings were a successful early franchise, but relocated to Portland in 1976 after the establishment of the professional Edmonton Oilers of the World Hockey Association.{{Cite web |title=WHL History |url=https://whl.ca/history |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731211503/https://whl.ca/history |archive-date=2023-07-31 |access-date=2023-07-31 |website=Western Hockey League}} The Oil Kings briefly returned to the league for the 1978–79 season, but when the team relocated again, Edmonton was left without top-level junior hockey. After nearly two decades, the WHL expanded to Edmonton in 1996, and the Ice began play at the Northlands Agricom.{{Cite web |last=Jordan |first=Kevin |date=2021-10-31 |title=Edmonton Ice |url=https://www.whlarenaguide.com/agricom.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607043801/https://www.whlarenaguide.com/agricom.htm |archive-date=2023-06-07 |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=WHL Arena Guide}}

On January 16, 1996, Dave Siciliano was announced as the first head coach for the Ice.{{cite news|title=Ice grabs ex-Pearn assistant|last=Cowley|first=Norm|date=January 16, 1996|newspaper=Edmonton Journal|location=Edmonton, Alberta|page=27|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83114829/siciliano-1996/}}{{free access}} Siciliano and team owner Ed Chynoweth were committed to building a relationship between the Ice and local minor ice hockey programs.{{cite news|title=Ice committed to minor ice hockey|last=Short|first=John|date=January 17, 1996|newspaper=Edmonton Journal|location=Edmonton, Alberta|page=28|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83114663/siciliano-1996/}}{{free access}} The Ice completed the 1996–97 season with 14 wins in 72 games, placing last overall in the league, and did not qualify for the playoffs.{{cite web|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/whl19791997.html|title=1996–97 Western Hockey League Standings|website=Hockey Database|access-date=August 12, 2021}}

When the team began the 1997–98 season with nine losses and one tie, Siciliano was fired on October 24, 1997, and replaced by assistant coach Ryan McGill.{{cite news|title=Coach Siciliano bumped off ice|last=Turchansky|first=Ray|date=October 25, 1997|newspaper=Edmonton Journal|location=Edmonton, Alberta|page=34|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83118800/siciliano-1997/}}{{free access}} During Siciliano's tenure, the Ice lost 31 games by a one-goal margin.{{cite news|title=Sports Digest: Ex-Ice coach gets new job|last=Moore|first=Steve|date=November 26, 1997|newspaper=Edmonton Journal|location=Edmonton, Alberta|page=36|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83208691/siciliano-1997/}}{{free access}} The team gained only three more wins and again missed the playoffs.

After two seasons, the team relocated to Cranbrook, British Columbia, and became the Kootenay Ice. The team has since been relocated twice more. In 2019, the team moved from Cranbrook to Winnipeg and was known as the Winnipeg Ice; then, in 2023, the team moved to Wenatchee, Washington, where they are known as the Wenatchee Wild.{{cite news |last=Greenslade |first=Brittany |last2=Dacey |first2=Elisha |date=2019-01-28 |title=WHL to announce Kootenay Ice moving to Winnipeg – on the coldest day of the year |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4898284/whl-to-announce-kootenay-ice-moving-to-winnipeg-on-the-coldest-day-of-the-year/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403212206/https://globalnews.ca/news/4898284/whl-to-announce-kootenay-ice-moving-to-winnipeg-on-the-coldest-day-of-the-year/ |archive-date=2023-04-03 |work=Global News}}{{cite web |date=2023-06-16 |title=Western Hockey League's Winnipeg Ice franchise moving to Wenatchee, Wash. |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/juniors/article/western-hockey-leagues-winnipeg-ice-franchise-moving-to-wenatchee-wash/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230616190842/https://www.sportsnet.ca/juniors/article/western-hockey-leagues-winnipeg-ice-franchise-moving-to-wenatchee-wash/ |archive-date=2023-06-16 |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Sportsnet |agency=The Canadian Press}} Edmonton gained a new WHL expansion franchise in 2007, which was named the Edmonton Oil Kings after the original Edmonton WHL club.{{Cite news |date=2006-03-17 |title=Edmonton joins WHL as 22nd franchise |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/edmonton-joins-whl-as-22nd-franchise/article704953/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240514204442/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/edmonton-joins-whl-as-22nd-franchise/article704953/ |archive-date=2024-05-14 |access-date=2024-05-14 |work=The Globe and Mail |agency=Canadian Press}}