The Iowa Chops
is a professional ice hockey team whose operations are currently involuntarily suspended by the American Hockey League. The club is based in Des Moines, Iowa at the Wells Fargo Arena.
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IOWA STARS TICKETS
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History
The Chops were founded by Howard Baldwin, of Hockey Holdings & Management Group, and Dallas businessman Bob Schlegel, who took the dormant
Louisville Panthers AHL franchise and resurrected it for the 2005–06 season as the
Iowa Stars
. They had a five year affiliation agreement with the
Dallas Stars and a one year agreement with the
Edmonton Oilers.
In their inaugural season, the Stars made it to the Calder Cup playoffs first round, where they were defeated by the
Milwaukee Admirals. The Stars won their first playoff series the following season, defeating the
Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights in six games.
In February 2008, the Dallas Stars announced they would be affiliating with the future
Texas Stars pending the 2009 completion of the
Cedar Park Entertainment Center in
Cedar Park, Texas. After the 2007-2008 season the Dallas Stars left the Iowa scene, and the
Anaheim Ducks announced an affiliation with the team.
On July 9, 2008, the team unveiled its new name and logo, featuring a "vicious boar’s head in the team colors of crimson, grey and black".
[1]
Portland Pirates' assistant
Gord Dineen was named Head Coach of the Iowa Chops on August 19, 2008.
On May 9, 2009, the Anaheim Ducks dropped their affiliation with the Iowa Chops, leaving Iowa to look for their third NHL affiliate in four seasons.
[2]
On July 7, 2009, the Iowa Chops franchise was involuntarily suspended by the AHL's Board of Governors for the
2009-10 AHL season for being "unable to remedy certain violations of the provisions of the league’s Constitution and By-Laws."
[3] While the AHL declined further comment on the reasons for the suspension, the
Des Moines Register reported in June, 2009, that the club "had used the franchise as collateral to obtain a loan in March, 2008, from a North Carolina branch of Wachovia Bank," that "records obtained from Polk County had disclosed the loan amounted to $1.99 million and was used to cover operating costs," and that AHL President Dave Andrews had said that "such loans are not permitted under league rules." The franchise began the 2008-09 season as an affiliate of the NHL’s
Anaheim Ducks which ended its agreement with the club in May, 2009, citing a lack of payment on the affiliation contract.
[4]
Season-by-season results
Regular season
| Season
| Games
| Won
| Lost
| OTL
| SOL
| Points
| Goals
for
| Goals
against
| Standing
|
| 2005–06
| 80
| 41
| 31
| 1
| 7
| 90
| 238
| 228
| 4th, West
|
| 2006–07
| 80
| 42
| 34
| 3
| 1
| 88
| 221
| 231
| 4th, West
|
| 2007–08
| 80
| 35
| 37
| 5
| 3
| 78
| 217
| 255
| 8th, West
|
| 2008–09
| 80
| 33
| 33
| 4
| 10
| 80
| 209
| 260
| 7th, West
|
Playoffs
| Season
| 1st round
| 2nd round
| 3rd round
| Finals
|
| 2005–06
| L, 3–4, Milwaukee
| —
| —
| —
|
| 2006–07
| W, 4–2, Omaha
| L, 2–4, Chicago
| —
| —
|
| 2007–08
| Did not qualify
.
|
| 2008–09
| Did not qualify
.
|
Team records
Single game
Goals:
4 Vojtech Polak (2006–07)
Single season
Goals:
35 Loui Eriksson (2005–06)
Assists:
47 Toby Petersen (2005–06)
Points:
73 Toby Petersen (2005–06)
Penalty Minutes:
189 Brennan Evans (2008–09)
GAA:
2.5 Mike Smith (2005–06)
SV%:
.917 Mike Smith (2005–06)
Career
Career Goals:
49 Toby Petersen (2005–08)
Career Assists:
83 Toby Petersen (2005–08)
Career Points:
132 Toby Petersen (2005–08)
Career Penalty Minutes:
129 Krys Barch (2005–06)
Career Goaltending Wins:
25 Mike Smith (2005–06)
Career Shutouts:
3 Mike Smith (2005–06)
Career Games:
132 Yared Hagos (2005–07)
Current Roster
As of April 23, 2009. Data taken from AHL website.
| GOALTENDERS
|
| #
|
| align=left
| Player
| Catches
| Date of birth
| Place of birth
|
| 31
|
| David LeNeveu
| L
| May 23, 1983
| Fernie, BC, Canada
|
| DEFENSEMEN
|
| #
|
| align=left
| Player
| Shoots
| Date of birth
| Place of birth
|
| 4
|
| Stu Bickel
| R
| October 2, 1986
| Chanhassen, MN, USA
|
| 12
|
| John de Gray
| L
| March 14, 1988
| Richmond Hill, ON, Canada
|
| 17
|
| Mike Stuart
| R
| February 16, 1987
| Rome, NY, USA
|
| 21
|
| Mark Mitera
| L
| October 22, 1987
| Royal Oak, MI, USA
|
| 25
|
| Adrian Veideman
| L
| April 13, 1983
| Sicamous, BC, Canada
|
| 29
|
| Eric Regan
| R
| May 20, 1988
| Ajax, ON, Canada
|
| 44
|
| Brennan Evans
| L
| January 16, 1982
| Camrose, AB, Canada
|
| FORWARDS
|
| #
|
| align=left
| Player
| Position
| Shoots
| Date of birth
| Place of birth
|
| 6
|
| Nicolas Deschamps
| LW
| L
| January 6, 1990
| Lasalle, QC, Canada
|
| 7
|
| MacGregor Sharp
| C
| L
| October 1, 1985
| Red Deer, AB, Canada
|
| 10
|
| Charlie Kronschnabel
| RW
| R
| February 8, 1983
| Mendota Heights, MN, USA
|
| 14
|
| Francis Wathier
| LW
| L
| December 7, 1984
| St. Isidore, ON, Canada
|
| 15
|
| Ryan Dingle
| LW
| L
| April 4, 1984
| Steamboat Springs, CO, USA
|
| 23
|
| Matt Caruana
| C
| R
| July 6, 1985
| Orono, ON, Canada
|
| 24
|
| T.J. Trevelyan
| LW
| L
| March 6, 1984
| Mississauga, ON, Canada
|
| 28
|
| Ryan Donally
| LW
| L
| February 4, 1985
| Tecumseh, ON, Canada
|
| 32
|
| Ajay Baines
| C
| L
| March 25, 1978
| Kamloops, BC, Canada
|
| 33
|
| Eric Boguniecki
| C
| R
| May 6, 1975
| New Haven, CT, USA
|
| Staff
|
| Title
| align=left
| STAFF MEMBER
|
| Head Coach
| Gord Dineen
|
| Assistant Coach
| Paul Jerrard
|
| Assistant Coach
| Matt Laatsch
|
| Athletic Trainer
| Joe Huff
|
References
- It is Official! AHL Hockey Team is: IOWA CHOPS
- Anaheim Ducks end affiliation with Iowa Chops
- "Chops franchise in suspension for 2009-10 season" AHL Press Release July 7, 2009
- "League suspends Iowa Chops from playing in 2009-10 season" The Des Moines Register, July 7, 2009