The Chippewa Steel is a Tier II junior

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...

team based in

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin Chippewa Falls is a city located on the Chippewa River in Chippewa County in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 14,778 in the 2021 census. Incorporated as a city in 1869, it is the county seat of Chippewa Cou ...

, that plays in the

North American Hockey League The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is in its 48th season of operation in 2022–23. It is the only Tier II junior league sanctioned by USA Hockey, and acts as an alternati ...

(NAHL).

History

The franchise began in 2005 as the North Iowa Outlaws based in

Mason City, Iowa Mason City is a city and the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 27,338 in the 2020 census, a decline from 29,172 in the 2000 census. The Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Cerro Go ...

, where the team played for five seasons until moving to

Onalaska, Wisconsin Onalaska is a city in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 18,803 at the 2020 census. It borders the larger La Crosse, Wisconsin, and is a part of the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN Metropolitan Area. Onalaska is built on a ...

, in 2010 under owner Mark Motz as the Coulee Region Chill. The team was then sold to Michelle Bryant in 2012 and the franchise was eventually moved in 2014 to nearby

La Crosse, Wisconsin La Crosse is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of La Crosse County. Positioned alongside the Mississippi River, La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin's western border. La Crosse's population as of the 2020 census w ...

, 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 The Wisconsin Woodsmen are a Tier III junior ice hockey team based in Tomah, Wisconsin. They are members of the Central Division of the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL). History Founded in 2011 when the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3H ...

. Black relocated the Chill franchise to

, as the Chippewa Steel to play out of Chippewa Area Ice Arena. Bryant would then rename her NA3HL team from

La Crosse Freeze The Coulee Region Chill was a Tier III junior ice hockey team that played at the Green Island Ice Arena in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The team played in the North American 3 Hockey League. The franchise was previously known as the Flint Jr. Generals ...

to Coulee Region Chill while continuing to play out of La Crosse. Al Rooney was named the Steel's first head coach and general manager, but was relieved of duties 23 games into his first season with a 5–16–1–1 record. 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. In March 2021, it was reported that Steve Black sold the Steel and the Tier III

to an ownership group led by Kelly Kasik. The sale was confirmed on April 16 along with the announcement of new general manager and head coach Mike Janda. However, Janda was then given a two-year suspension in August 2021 by

USA Hockey USA Hockey is the national ice hockey organization in the United States. It is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee as the Sport governing body, governing body for organized ice ...

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. The Steel then hired Casey Mignone, the assistant coach of the St. Cloud Norsemen.

Season-by-season records

Playoffs

*2007 :First Round -

Fargo-Moorhead Jets The Fargo-Moorhead Jets were a Junior A ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's central division, and played out of John E. Carlson Coliseum in Fargo, North Dakota. Their inaugural season was 2003–2004 and they folded and were r ...

defeated North Iowa Outlaws ''3-games-to-2'' *2008 :First Round - Springfield Jr. Blues defeated North Iowa Outlaws ''3-games-to-0'' *2009 :First Round -

Owatonna Express The Odessa Jackalopes are a Tier II junior ice hockey team playing in the North American Hockey League (NAHL). The team is based in Odessa, Texas and plays their home games at Ector County Coliseum. History The franchise first played as the ...

defeated North Iowa Outlaws ''3-games-to-1'' ::North Iowa Outlaws advance to Robertson Cup round robin as ''HOST'' :Robertson Cup Round Robin - North Iowa Outlaws (1-3) - Eliminated ''(L, 3-4 vs.

Wild Wild, wild, wilds or wild may refer to: Common meanings * Wild animal * Wilderness, a wild natural environment * Wildness, the quality of being wild or untamed Art, media and entertainment Film and television * ''Wild'' (2014 film), a 2014 A ...

; L, 1-2 vs. Phantoms; L, 2-3 vs.

Bobcats The bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), also known as the red lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to North America. It ranges from southern Canada through most of the contiguous United States to Oaxaca in Mexico. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUC ...

; W, 4-2 vs.

Bandits Banditry is a type of organized crime committed by outlaws typically involving the threat or use of violence. A person who engages in banditry is known as a bandit and primarily commits crimes such as extortion, robbery, and murder, either as an ...

)'' *2011 :Division Semifinals - Coulee Region Chill defeated

''3-games-to-1'' :Division Finals -

Bismarck Bobcats The Bismarck Bobcats are a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's (NAHL) Central Division, and play out of Bismarck, North Dakota, in the V.F.W. Sports Center. Originally a part of the American Frontier Hockey Leag ...

defeated Coulee Region Chill ''3-games-to-2'' *2012 :Division Semifinals - St. Louis Bandits defeated Coulee Region Chill ''3-games-to-0'' *2015 :First Round -

Minnesota Wilderness The Minnesota Wilderness are a Tier II junior ice hockey team based in Cloquet, Minnesota, and play in the North American Hockey League (NAHL). The organization formerly fielded teams in the Canada-based Junior A Superior International Junior Ho ...

defeated Coulee Region Chill ''3-games-to-2'' *2016 :Division Semifinals –

Fairbanks Ice Dogs The Fairbanks Ice Dogs are a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's Midwest Division. The Ice Dogs play home games at the 2,200-seat Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks, Alaska. History Originally started in 1997 ...

defeated Coulee Region Chill ''3-games-to-1'' *2017 :Division Semifinals –

Janesville Jets The Janesville Jets are a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League. Based in Janesville, Wisconsin, their home games are played at the Janesville Ice Arena. History The Jets name was chosen by a name-the-team contest ...

defeated Coulee Region Chill ''3-games-to-0''

References

External links

Chippewa Steel official website
{{Wisconsinsports North American Hockey League Amateur ice hockey teams in Wisconsin Chippewa County, Wisconsin Ice hockey clubs established in 2018 2018 establishments in Wisconsin