Idaho Jr. Steelheads
# Idaho Jr. Steelheads

The Idaho Jr. Steelheads, also called the Idaho IceCats, were a junior ice hockey team based in McCall, Idaho. The team played in the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) and home games were held at Manchester Ice & Event Centre in McCall. The team previously played some home games at Idaho Ice World and CenturyLink Arena in Boise, the latter being the home of the ECHL Idaho Steelheads. The team had been one of the most successful in the WSHL, winning five Thorne Cup championships over six seasons and appeared in seven straight between 2010 and 2017.

## History

The Idaho Junior Steelheads were founded by Idaho Hockey Foundation Inc. in 2009 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity. The Junior Steelheads, like their ECHL parent club the Idaho Steelheads, were named for a species of seagoing rainbow trout native to Idaho streams and rivers and popular with local anglers. The team was coached by former NHL Colorado Rockies draft pick and former Idaho Steelheads' head coach John Olver.

In the team's first season, the 2009–10 WSHL season, the Junior Steelheads finished second in the Western Division and clinched their first Thorne Cup playoff spot against the experienced Phoenix Polar Bears. The Junior Steelheads won the first game of the three game series 5–3, but Phoenix rallied winning the second game 3-2 in OT and the third game 2-1. During the season, the team received a four-day ban from the city of Boise after an incident at a practice when players missed a shot, they had to take off an article of equipment. An assistant coach told the AP the team was emulating a similar stunt done by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

On April 9, 2013, the Junior Steelheads defeated the Bay Area Seals 5–1 to win the first ever United Hockey Union junior ice hockey championship in a six-team tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada. Olver would leave the Jr. Steelheads to coach in the ECHL again with the Bakersfield Condors for the 2013–14 season and assistant Kyle Grabowski took over as head coach. Olver returned to the Jr. Steelheads after one season.

In 2017, the team changed its name to the Idaho IceCats after the ECHL Steelheads asked the organization to change their name to prevent confusion. The new logo is based on that of another previously Olver-coached team, the Tacoma Sabercats. After the 2017–18 season, Olver stepped down again, leading to the IceCats ceasing operations.

## Season-by-season records

| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2009–10 | 49 | 39 | 7 | 3 | 81 | 238 | 111 | 1168 | 2nd of 8, Western 3rd of 13, WSHL | Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Phoenix Polar Bears |
| 2010–11 | 46 | 39 | 5 | 2 | 80 | 257 | 84 | — | 1st of 8, Western 1st of 13, WSHL | Won Conf. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. San Diego Gulls Won Conf. Finals, 2–0 vs. Phoenix Polar Bears Won League Finals, 2–0 vs. El Paso Rhinos Thorne Cup Champions |
| 2011–12 | 46 | 42 | 2 | 2 | 88 | 264 | 92 | 911 | 1st of 5, Mountain 2nd of 13, WSHL | Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Ogden Mustangs Won Div. Finals, 2–1 vs. Boulder Bison 3–0 in Thorne Cup round-robin (W, 3–1 vs. Monsters; W, 9–6 vs. Rhinos; W, 3–2 vs. Ice Jets) Won Championship game, 6–5 vs. Dallas Ice Jets Thorne Cup Champions |
| 2012–13 | 46 | 44 | 1 | 1 | 89 | 256 | 100 | 1142 | 1st of 5, Northwest 1st of 22, WSHL | Won Div Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Seattle Totems Won Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. Southern Oregon Spartans 2–0 in Thorne Cup round-robin (W, 4–3 vs. Monsters; W, 10–1 vs. Spartans) Won Semifinal game, 3–1 vs. Southern Oregon Spartans Won Championship game, 4–2 vs. Bay Area Seals Thorne Cup Champions |
| 2013–14 | 46 | 39 | 5 | 2 | 80 | 218 | 93 | 1227 | 1st of 6, Northwest 2nd of 24, WSHL | Won Div. Semifinals, 2–1 vs. Missoula Maulers Lost Div. Finals, 0–2 vs. Ogden Mustangs 1–2 in Thorne Cup round-robin (as wild card) (L, 2–4 vs. Rhinos; OTL, 3–4 vs. Monsters; W, 7–2 vs. Mustangs) Won Semifinal game, 3–2 vs. Fresno Monsters Lost Championship game, 3–7 vs. El Paso Rhinos |
| 2014–15 | 46 | 42 | 2 | 2 | 86 | 290 | 74 | 822 | 1st of 7, Northwest 1st of 28, WSHL | Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Whitefish Wolverines Won Div. Finals, 2–1 vs. Missoula Maulers Won Thorne Cup Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Fresno Monsters Won Thorne Cup Finals, 3–1 vs. El Paso Rhinos Thorne Cup Champions |
| 2015–16 | 52 | 44 | 7 | 1 | 89 | 334 | 78 | 818 | 1st of 8, Northwest 2nd of 29, WSHL | Div. Quarterfinals, Bye Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Whitefish Wolverines Won Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. Missoula Maulers Won Thorne Cup Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Long Beach Bombers Won Thorne Cup Finals, 3–0 vs. Colorado Jr. Eagles Thorne Cup Champions |
| 2016–17 | 52 | 43 | 5 | 4 | 90 | 273 | 99 | 910 | 1st of 7, Northwest 2nd of 27, WSHL | Div. Quarterfinals, Bye Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Tahoe Icemen Won Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. Butte Cobras 1–2–0, 4th of 6, Thorne Cup round-robin (L, 2–3 vs. Mustangs; W, 3–1 vs. Flyers; L, 1–2 vs.Jr. Thunder) Won Thorne Cup Semifinal game, 3–1 vs. Valencia Flyers Lost Thorne Cup Championship game, 3–4 vs. Wichita Jr. Thunder |
| 2017–18 | 51 | 44 | 4 | 3 | 91 | 306 | 103 | 965 | 1st of 6, Northwest 2nd of 23, WSHL | Div. Quarterfinals, Bye Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. West Sound Warriors Won Div. Finals, 2–0 vs. Tahoe Icemen 2–1–0, 2nd of 6, Thorne Cup round-robin (W, 4–2 vs. Jr. Blazers; L, 1–4 vs. Outliers; W, 5–1 vs. Bombers) Lost Thorne Cup Semifinal game, 0–4 vs. El Paso Rhinos |

## United Hockey Union National Championship Tournament

AAU Sanctioned Junior A National Championship In 2013 and 2014, the Midwest Junior Hockey League (MWJHL), Northern States Hockey League (NSHL), and the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) advanced two teams each to the tournament. There was no UHU tournament held after the 2015 season.

| Year | Round Robin | Record Ranking | Semifinal Game | Championship Game |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 2013 | W, Tennyson Chevrolet (MWJHL) 4–3 W, Lake George Fighting Spirit (NSHL) 3–0 W, Hartland Hounds (MWJHL) 5–1 | 3–0–0 1st of 6 | W, Hartland Hounds (MWJHL) 6–2 | W, Bay Area Seals (WSHL) 5–1 National Champions |
| 2014 | W, Hartland Hounds (MWJHL) 3–0 SOW, El Paso Rhinos (WSHL) 3–2 OTL, AHI Fighting Spirit (NSHL) 5–6 | 2–0–1 1st of 6 | W, AHI Fighting Spirit (NSHL) 6–1 | L, El Paso Rhinos (WSHL) 3–6 |
