The Niagara IceDogs are a
major
Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicato ...
junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...
team in the
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overa ...
based in
St. Catharines
St. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in the province of Ontario. As of 2016, it has an area of , 136,803 residents, and a metropolitan population of 406,074. It lies in Southern Ontari ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, Canada. The franchise was originally known as the
Mississauga IceDogs and founded in 1996. The team was relocated to St. Catharines and played its inaugural season in the
Niagara region during the
2007–08 OHL season after nine seasons in Mississauga. In 2022 the team was acquired by majority owner Darren DeDobbelaer and minority owner
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
.
History
Early years, 1998-2007
The
Mississauga IceDogs inaugural season began in 1998–99, and the team struggled, winning only 4 of 68 games. In their first three seasons, the IceDogs won a total of 16 games, in 204 games played.
The nine season tenure in Mississauga saw the IceDogs finish with a .301 win percentage in 612 regular season games and win one Central Division and Eastern Conference Championship.
Relocation
On July 12, 2006,
Eugene Melnyk
Eugene Melnyk (May 27, 1959 – March 28, 2022) was a Canadian businessman, philanthropist, and owner, governor, and chairman of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Ottawa Senators and the AHL's Belleville Senators. He was the founder, chairman, ...
, who owned the
Toronto St. Michael's Majors
The Toronto St. Michael's Majors were a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The most recent franchise was revived on August 15, 1996. In 2007, the team relocated to Mississauga, Ontario a ...
, bought the
Mississauga IceDogs. After the 2006–07 season, Melnyk sold the IceDogs, and moved the Majors to the
Hershey Centre
The Paramount Fine Foods Centre, formerly the Hershey Centre, is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment complex located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Its current name was adopted on July 1, 2018, following a new naming rights agreement with ...
in Mississauga. The team approached the City of
St. Catharines
St. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in the province of Ontario. As of 2016, it has an area of , 136,803 residents, and a metropolitan population of 406,074. It lies in Southern Ontari ...
about moving the team into
Jack Gatecliff Arena
The Garden City Arena Complex (formerly the "Gatorade Garden City Complex") is a sports complex in St. Catharines, Ontario. It was the main arena facility in that city from its construction in 1938 until the opening of the Meridian Centre in 2 ...
.
St. Catharines City Council voted on a leasing arrangement on April 23, 2007, which passed. The OHL Board of Governors approved the deal on June 5, 2007.
Jack Gatecliff Arena era
The Niagara IceDogs spent their first seven seasons in St. Catharines in the
Jack Gatecliff arena
The Garden City Arena Complex (formerly the "Gatorade Garden City Complex") is a sports complex in St. Catharines, Ontario. It was the main arena facility in that city from its construction in 1938 until the opening of the Meridian Centre in 2 ...
. In six of the seven years at the Jack Gatecliff arena, the IceDogs led the OHL as the best attended team based on capacity percentage. During this time, the IceDogs qualified for the playoffs in every year, making it to the Eastern Conference finals twice. The IceDogs most successful year was in 2011–12 when they won both the Emms Trophy and Bobby Orr Trophy as Central Division and Eastern Conference Champions. They would ultimately fall in the finals, however, to the London Knights in five games. While playing at the Jack Gatecliff arena, Niagara's line-ups featured a number of eventual high NHL draft picks and NHL alumni. First round draft picks included
Alex Pietrangelo,
Mark Visentin
Mark Visentin (born August 7, 1992) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was selected in the first round, 27th overall, by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
Visentin represented Canada at the 2011 World J ...
,
Ryan Strome
Ryan Edward Gaston Strome (born July 11, 1993) is a Canadian ice hockey centre for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected fifth overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders and began playing with ...
,
Dougie Hamilton and
Brendan Perlini
Brendan Perlini (born April 27, 1996) is an English-born Canadian professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL). He most recently played for the Bakersfield Condors of the Ameri ...
. Other notable players to play for the IceDogs at the Jack Gatecliff are
Stefan Legein,
Luca Caputi
Gianluca Caputi (born October 1, 1988) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current head coach with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League.
Playing career Junior hockey Mississauga/Niagara IceDogs (2004–2008)
C ...
,
Andrew Agozzino
Andrew Agozzino (born January 3, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left wing currently playing for the San Jose Barracuda in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NH ...
,
Brett Ritchie
Brett Ritchie (born July 1, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Dallas Stars, 44th overall, in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. ...
,
Jamie Oleksiak
Jamieson Oleksiak (born December 21, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed the "Big Rig", Oleksiak was selected 14th overall in the first ro ...
,
Freddie Hamilton
Frederick Hamilton (born January 1, 1992) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. He played six seasons, split between the San Jose Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames and Arizona Coyotes, and also played internationally for ...
and
Andrew Shaw Andrew Shaw may refer to:
* Andrew Shaw (businessman), president and CEO of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
* Andrew Shaw (golfer) (1898–1983), former professional golfer
*Andrew Shaw (ice hockey)
Andrew Shaw (born July 20, 1991) is a Canadian ...
, who was the first Niagara IceDogs alumnus to win the Stanley Cup.
Meridian Centre era
The IceDogs entered a new era when they relocated to the brand new
Meridian Centre
The Meridian Centre is a 5,300 seat arena in downtown St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, located at 1 David S. Howes Way. The arena is the home of the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League and the Niagara River Lions of the Canadian Elite Ba ...
in St. Catharines. On October 16, 2014, the IceDogs won their first game at the Meridian Centre by a score of 7–4 against the visiting Belleville Bulls. The first goal at the new Meridian Centre was scored by
Mikkel Aagaard
Mikkel Aagaard (born 18 October 1995) is a Danish professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing with MoDo Hockey of the HockeyAllsvenskan (Allsv).
Playing career
Undrafted, Aagaard played in his native Denmark with Frederikshavn Whit ...
from Denmark. While the arena's initial season saw the IceDogs go down in five games in the second round to the eventual Memorial Cup champions Oshawa Generals, the organization went all in during the 2015–16 season. While adding key veteran acquisitions as the season went on, including star goaltender
Alex Nedeljkovic
Alexander Nedeljkovic ( ', born January 7, 1996) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nedeljkovic was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round (37th over ...
, a second round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes, the IceDogs once again battled their way to the OHL Finals. Niagara went on to face the London Knights, a rematch of the 2012 OHL Finals, but once again came up short, losing the series in four games. With the organization facing a rebuild after a disappointing finish to the season, the IceDogs parted ways with head coach and general manager Marty Williamson, commencing a new era for the organization after six seasons that featured two conference championships, one division championship, and six consecutive years of playoffs.
The next season saw the IceDogs go into rebuild mode, with younger key future players beginning to make the jump, like
Akil Thomas
Akil Thomas (born January 2, 2000) is a Canadian-American professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the Ontario Reign in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Los Angeles Kings. Prior to the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Tho ...
, as most of the vets had moved on, aged out, or had been traded around the trade deadline for picks and prospects. They made the playoffs that year, and lost to the
Peterborough Petes in the first round in 4 games. The 2017–2018 season saw them become more competitive, and around the trade deadline added some depth pieces to ensure they could be more competitive than last season's playoffs. They beat the
Oshawa Generals
The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. In November 2016, th ...
in the first round in 5 games, and then faced off against a very good
Hamilton Bulldogs team. Despite taking 3 games to overtime, they lost in 5 games.
The 2018–2019 season saw the team go all in. Along with the returning vets from last season, they acquired the likes of (eventual
CHL Leading Scorer and
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy recipient)
Jay Robertson,
Jack Studnicka, and depth pieces like Ivan Lodnia, Jason Paquette, and Matt Brassard. The team also saw the rise of sophomore forward
Philip Tomasino
Philip Tomasino (born July 28, 2001) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 24th overall by the Predators in the first round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
Pl ...
. The team would finish first in the OHL Central division, winning the
Emms Trophy. In the playoffs, they beat the
North Bay Battalion in 5 games. In the second round, they faced the
Oshawa Generals
The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. In November 2016, th ...
. Despite going up 2–0, they proceeded to lose 4 straight ending their season. Stephen Dhillon became the winningest goalie in IceDogs history, setting a franchise record for wins in a season (38), and total wins for his time as an IceDog (98). The IceDogs finished the season with the most goals scored in the league, and in franchise history (326).
In March 2019, the OHL fined the IceDogs $250,000 and two first round draft picks for giving secret side deals to players to pay them above the OHL maximum allowed in the Standard Player Agreement. This was reduced via settlement to $150,000, its 2021 first round draft pick, and an admission that the IceDogs violated the league's player recruitment rules. The OHL had launched an investigation into the IceDogs after receiving complaints from a former player that $40,000 of orally agreed upon payments were not made by the team. Led by Toronto law firm, Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP, the report confirmed that the IceDogs made rulebreaking deals to two players and likely had more secret deals with its European players.
The 2019–2020 season saw the team go into rebuild mode once again, losing key players to the NHL or simply age out of the league. At the trade deadline they traded Captain and star forward Akil Thomas and other star forward Philip Tomasino for the purposes of restocking their draft cupboard, which had been depleted the season prior. They would then name Ivan Lodnia captain for the rest of the season. The team had a scary moment when rising young goalie Tucker Tynan was involved in a freak incident during a game against the
London Knights, taking a major cut to the thigh when a London Knights player drove into the net and crashed into him. The incident made headlines across Canada and the hockey community. The
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
would then hit and cause the subsequent cancellation of the rest of the CHL season and then playoffs. The team finished in second last place, and chose 2nd overall in the 2020 OHL draft, where they drafted forward Pano Fimis.
2022 OHL investigation
Following an investigation, OHL commissioner
David Branch suspended both the team's general manager Joey Burke and head coach Billy Burke indefinitely, after it was revealed the two made inappropriate comments about a female colleague via
WhatsApp
WhatsApp (also called WhatsApp Messenger) is an internationally available freeware, cross-platform, centralized instant messaging (IM) and voice-over-IP (VoIP) service owned by American company Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook). It allows use ...
. The brothers, along with the IceDogs organization were fined $150,000 CDN in regards to the incident. The brothers who also serve as minority owners are eligible to apply for reinstatement on June 1, 2024.
New ownership
In July 2022, Darren DeDobbelaer became the team's majority owner, alongside new minority owner, hockey great
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky ( ; born January 26, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. Nicknamed "the Great One ...
.
Championships
Emms TrophyCentral Division Championship
* ''2011–12''
* ''2018–19''
Bobby Orr Trophy
The Bobby Orr Trophy is awarded annually to the champion of the Eastern conference playoffs in the Ontario Hockey League. It was first awarded in 1999. The winning team competes for the J. Ross Robertson Cup in the OHL finals versus the Wayne Gret ...
Eastern Conference Championship
* ''2011–12''
* ''2015–16''
J. Ross Robertson CupOntario Hockey League Championship
* ''2011–12'' : ''Lost to
London Knights''
* ''2015–16'' : ''Lost to
London Knights''
Coaches
Mario Cicchillo was promoted from assistant coach in
2006–07 for Mississauga and became the first coach of the Niagara IceDogs after it was announced that head coach Mike Kelly resigned to accept a senior advisory position with the team. In August 2009, Cicchillo was fired and assistant coach Mike McCourt was named interim head coach. In early May 2010, the IceDogs announced that the team would not be renewing the contracts of McCourt and his assistants. Former Barrie Colts coach/general manager Marty Williamson was named coach and general manager of the IceDogs in late May 2010. With a rebuild about to begin, the IceDogs decided to part ways with Williamson in 2016 after six successful years and promoted assistant Dave Bell to head coach. In the summer of 2017, Bell left the organization after just one year as head coach to join the
Ontario Reign
The Ontario Reign are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that began play in the 2015–16 season. Based in Ontario, California, and affiliated with the National Hockey League's Los Angeles Kings, the team plays ...
of the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the lea ...
. Billy Burke served as the head coach from 2017, until his suspension in April 2022. Daniel Fitzgerald was named head coach in July 2022.
* 2007–2009 Mario Cicchillo
* 2009–2010 Mike McCourt (interim)
* 2010–2016 Marty Williamson
* 2016–2017 Dave Bell
* 2017–2022 Billy Burke
* 2022 Jody Hull (interim)
* 2022 Daniel Fitzgerald
* 2022 Jeff Angelidis (interim)
* 2022–present Ryan Kuwabara
Players
NHL alumni
*
Andrew Agozzino
Andrew Agozzino (born January 3, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left wing currently playing for the San Jose Barracuda in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NH ...
*
Darren Archibald
Darren Archibald (born February 9, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Grizzlys Wolfsburg in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He played major junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for ...
*
Luca Caputi
Gianluca Caputi (born October 1, 1988) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current head coach with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League.
Playing career Junior hockey Mississauga/Niagara IceDogs (2004–2008)
C ...
*
Matt Corrente
Matthew Corrente (born March 17, 1988) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenseman who last played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the New Jersey Devils. Corrente was born in Mississauga, Ontario.
Playing career
In 2004, ...
*
Vince Dunn
Vince Dunn (born October 29, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL).
A native of Mississauga, Ontario, Dunn began his minor hockey career with the Ce ...
*
Alex Friesen
*
Dougie Hamilton
*
Freddie Hamilton
Frederick Hamilton (born January 1, 1992) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. He played six seasons, split between the San Jose Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames and Arizona Coyotes, and also played internationally for ...
*
Josh Ho-Sang
Joshua Ho-Sang (born January 22, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He was selected by the New York Islanders in the first round, 28th overal ...
*
Ben Jones
*
Tom Kuhnhackl
*
Alex Nedeljkovic
Alexander Nedeljkovic ( ', born January 7, 1996) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nedeljkovic was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round (37th over ...
*
Jamie Oleksiak
Jamieson Oleksiak (born December 21, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed the "Big Rig", Oleksiak was selected 14th overall in the first ro ...
*
Brendan Perlini
Brendan Perlini (born April 27, 1996) is an English-born Canadian professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL). He most recently played for the Bakersfield Condors of the Ameri ...
*
Alex Pietrangelo
*
Brett Ritchie
Brett Ritchie (born July 1, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Dallas Stars, 44th overall, in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. ...
*
Jason Robertson
*
Andrew Shaw Andrew Shaw may refer to:
* Andrew Shaw (businessman), president and CEO of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
* Andrew Shaw (golfer) (1898–1983), former professional golfer
*Andrew Shaw (ice hockey)
Andrew Shaw (born July 20, 1991) is a Canadian ...
*
Jeremy Smith Jeremy Smith may refer to:
*Jeremy Theron Smith a man charged with aggravated assault for wounding three women in Koreatown Dallas on 17 May 2022
* Jeremy Smith (Royal Navy officer) (fl. 1660s), British sailor
* Jeremy C. Smith (born 1959), British ...
*
Ryan Strome
Ryan Edward Gaston Strome (born July 11, 1993) is a Canadian ice hockey centre for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected fifth overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders and began playing with ...
*
Jack Studnicka
*
Philip Tomasino
Philip Tomasino (born July 28, 2001) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 24th overall by the Predators in the first round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
Pl ...
*
Carter Verhaeghe
Carter Verhaeghe ( ; born August 14, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the third round, 82nd overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Ma ...
*
Mark Visentin
Mark Visentin (born August 7, 1992) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was selected in the first round, 27th overall, by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
Visentin represented Canada at the 2011 World J ...
First round NHL draft picks
List of first round NHL draft picks:
*
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
–
Alex Pietrangelo, 1st round (4th overall)
St. Louis
*
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
–
Mark Visentin
Mark Visentin (born August 7, 1992) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was selected in the first round, 27th overall, by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
Visentin represented Canada at the 2011 World J ...
, 1st round (27th overall)
Phoenix
*
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrates ...
–
Ryan Strome
Ryan Edward Gaston Strome (born July 11, 1993) is a Canadian ice hockey centre for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected fifth overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders and began playing with ...
, 1st round (5th overall)
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conferenc ...
*
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrates ...
–
Dougie Hamilton, 1st round (9th overall)
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
*
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wa ...
–
Brendan Perlini
Brendan Perlini (born April 27, 1996) is an English-born Canadian professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL). He most recently played for the Bakersfield Condors of the Ameri ...
, 1st round (12th overall)
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
*
2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
– Philip Tomasino, 1st round (24th overall)
Nashville
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and th ...
Award winners
Ontario Hockey League
Bobby Smith Trophy
Scholastic Player of the Year
*2010–11 –
Dougie Hamilton
Dave Pinkney Trophy
Lowest Team G.A.A.
*2011–12 –
Mark Visentin
Mark Visentin (born August 7, 1992) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was selected in the first round, 27th overall, by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
Visentin represented Canada at the 2011 World J ...
&
Christopher Festarini
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy
Top Scorer in OHL
*2018–19 – Jason Robertson
Ivan Tennant Memorial Award
The Ivan Tennant Memorial Award is awarded annually to the top academic high school player in the Ontario Hockey League. It is named in honour of the late Ivan Tennant, a former education consultant for the Kitchener Rangers who worked to develo ...
Top High School Academic Player
*2007–08 – Alex Friesen
*2008–09 –
Freddie Hamilton
Frederick Hamilton (born January 1, 1992) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. He played six seasons, split between the San Jose Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames and Arizona Coyotes, and also played internationally for ...
*2009–10 –
Dougie Hamilton
*2014–15 – Stephen Dhillon
Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy
The Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy is awarded each year to the best overage player in the Ontario Hockey League, as selected by the teams' general managers. The trophy was donated by the trainers of the league in memory of Leo Lalonde, former chief s ...
Overage Player of the Year
*2007–08 –
Michael Swift
*2011–12 –
Andrew Agozzino
Andrew Agozzino (born January 3, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left wing currently playing for the San Jose Barracuda in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NH ...
Max Kaminsky Trophy
Most Outstanding Defenceman
*2011–12 –
Dougie Hamilton
Mickey Renaud Captain's Trophy
The Mickey Renaud Captain's Trophy is an award in the Ontario Hockey League which is given to one team captain every year. The award was introduced on February 4, 2009, at the 2009 OHL All-Star Classic hosted at the WFCU Centre in Windsor. The a ...
Captain of the Year
*2011–12 – Andrew Agozzino
OHL Executive of the Year
*2007–08 – Denise Burke
OHL Goaltender of the Year
*2010–11 –
Mark Visentin
Mark Visentin (born August 7, 1992) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was selected in the first round, 27th overall, by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
Visentin represented Canada at the 2011 World J ...
Canadian Hockey League
CHL Defenceman of the Year
*2011–12 –
Dougie Hamilton
CHL Scholastic Player of the Year
*2010–11 –
Dougie Hamilton
CHL Top Scorer Award
The CHL Top Scorer Award is given out annually to the highest-scoring player in the Canadian Hockey League. It was first awarded in 1994. The winner of the CHL Top Scorer Award will be one of the recipients of the constituent league scoring champi ...
*2018–19 – Jason Robertson
Season-by-season results
Regular season
Legend: OTL = Overtime loss, SL = Shootout loss
Playoffs
Uniforms and logos
The IceDogs colours are red, black and white. The home jersey is black with red, black and white sleeves with two crossed dog bones on each shoulder. The away jersey is white with red, black and white sleeves with two crossed dog bones on each shoulder. The Niagara logo is a
Bull Terrier
The Bull Terrier is a breed of dog in the terrier family. There is also a miniature version of this breed which is officially known as the Miniature Bull Terrier.
Appearance
The Bull Terrier's most recognizable feature is its head, descri ...
(modelled after former team part-owner Don Cherry's famous dog, "Blue") playing hockey in hockey gear. The team wears red and black CCM gloves and CCM helmets (black or white, depending upon their jersey colour).
Arenas
Meridian Centre
The IceDogs moved into the Meridian Centre on October 16, 2014. Located at 1 David S. Howes Way in St. Catharines, the Meridian Centre features a combination of 5,300 permanent and retractable seats.
Jack Gatecliff Arena
The
Garden City Arena Complex
The Garden City Arena Complex (formerly the "Gatorade Garden City Complex") is a sports complex in St. Catharines, Ontario. It was the main arena facility in that city from its construction in 1938 until the opening of the Meridian Centre in 2 ...
(formerly known as the Gatorade Garden City Complex, Garden City Arena and the Jack Gatecliff Arena) is a publicly owned and operated facility in St. Catharines. It is located at 8 Gale Crescent and features two ice surfaces (the Rex Stimers Arena and the Jack Gatecliff Arena). The IceDogs played in the Jack Gatecliff Arena of the complex for 7 seasons. The arena's capacity is 3,145 including standing room, making it smaller than most CHL arenas. With an ice surface of 190 x 85 feet, its dimensions are also smaller than the typical CHL ice surface. It is commonly referred to by fans as 'the Jack'.
The original arena was built in 1932 and became the oldest arena currently used in the CHL following the Windsor Spitfires move to the WFCU Centre in 2008–09. It was previously used by the
St. Catharines Teepees
The St. Catharines Teepees were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1947 to 1962. The team was based in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.
History
The St. Catharines Teepees were born in 1947 when local businessman Geor ...
,
St. Catharines Black Hawks,
St. Catharines Fincups and the
St. Catharines Saints
The St. Catharines Saints was a minor league ice hockey team in St. Catharines, Ontario. It played in the American Hockey League from 1982 to 1986 as the farm team of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
History
The Moncton-based New Brunswick Hawks had bee ...
. Renovated in 1996, it was named after local sportswriter Jack Gatecliff.
Niagara Falls Memorial Arena
On March 1, 2009, the Niagara IceDogs hosted a home game at
Niagara Falls Memorial Arena
The Niagara Falls Memorial Arena is a former arena located in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Built in 1950, the arena was home to various ice hockey teams in the past, including the Niagara Falls Thunder and the Niagara Falls Flyers. It also ...
in nearby Niagara Falls, Ontario. The arena, slated to close in 2010, was the former home to both the
Niagara Falls Flyers
The Niagara Falls Flyers were two junior ice hockey franchises that played in the top tier in the Ontario Hockey Association. The first, a Junior "A" team existed from 1960 until 1972, and the second in Tier I Junior "A" from 1976 until 1982.
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and the
Niagara Falls Thunder. The game was billed as the last OHL game in the arena. The announced crowd of 3,167 was the largest home crowd in franchise history.
See also
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List of ice hockey teams in Ontario
The following is a list of ice hockey teams in Ontario, past and present. It includes the league(s) they play for, and championships won.
Major professional
National Hockey League
Current teams
Former teams
National Hockey Association
Wo ...
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Niagara Icedogs
Sport in St. Catharines
Ontario Hockey League teams
Ice hockey clubs established in 2007
2007 establishments in Ontario