Draft:NAHL Midwest Division

• Comment: On Wikipedia, all stated facts should be supported by a citation to a reliable source. Currently, portions of this draft are unsourced - please add necessary citations before resubmitting. Thank you. ~Liance^talk 22:34, 13 May 2024 (UTC)

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NAHL Midwest

League	North American Hockey League
Sport	Ice Hockey (Tier II Jr. Hockey)
Founded	2013
No. of teams	8
Most recent champion(s)	Anchorage Wolverines (2024; 2nd title)
Most titles	Fairbanks Ice Dogs (4)

Wolverines

Steel

Ice
Dogs

Jets

Brown
Bears

Wilderness

Blues

Windigo

NAHL Midwest Division (the US)

The Midwest Division is one of the 4 divisions in the North American Hockey League, hosting 8 teams. 3 of those teams (Chippewa Steel, Janesville Jets, and Wisconsin Windigo) are located in Wisconsin. Another 3 teams (Anchorage Wolverines, Fairbanks Ice Dogs, and Kenai River Brown Bears) are located in Alaska. The Minnesota Wilderness are located in, well, Minnesota, and the Springfield Jr. Blues play in Illinois.

History

This Division officially started in 2013, although there was a Division that started in 2011 called the MidWest Division, but it only lasted that season. The Fairbanks Ice Dogs won the first division title, beating the Wenatchee Wild (junior A) 3 games to 2, walking it off two minutes and two seconds in OT in game 5, beating Wenatchee 3-2. They would go on to sweep the Austin Bruins in the championship series 2-games-to-0. Fairbanks has won the most championships as a part of this division with 2 (2013-14, 2015-16). The Minnesota Wilderness also won a championship in the 2014-15 season. Since then, the division has not had a team that has won a championship. The Anchorage Wolverines have come the closest, being defeated by the New Jersey Titans 3-0 in the Championship game.

Current members

• Anchorage Wolverines – Joined in 2021-22
• Chippewa Steel – Founding member; known as the Coulee Region Chill until 2018
• Fairbanks Ice Dogs – Founding member
• Janesville Jets – Founded in 2009, joined in 2015
• Kenai River Brown Bears – Founding member
• Minnesota Wilderness - Founding member, played in Central from 2016-21, rejoined in 2021-22
• Springfield Jr. Blues - Founded in 1993, Joined in 2015-2016
• Wisconsin Windigo - Founding member, formerly known as the Minnesota Magicians until 2022-23, played in Central during 2015-16 season

Division Results

2013-14

Place	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	GF	GA
Midwest
1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	60	45	14	1	91	215	136
2	Minnesota Wilderness	60	37	14	9	83	159	115
3	Wenatchee Wild	60	29	23	8	66	169	163
4	Kenai River Brown Bears	60	28	24	8	64	164	178
5	Coulee Region Chill	60	31	28	1	63	181	181
6	Minnesota Magicians	60	21	31	8	50	143	193

	Divison Semi-Finals					Division Finals
	1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	3
	4	Kenai River Brown Bears	2
						1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	3
						3	Wenatchee Wild	2
	2	Minnesota Wilderness	2
	3	Wenatchee Wild	3

Division Champion: Fairbanks Ice Dogs(1)

2014-15

Place	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	GF	GA
Midwest
1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	60	40	16	4	84	238	167
2	Minnesota Wilderness	60	39	15	6	84	209	152
3	Coulee Region Chill	60	28	23	9	65	176	182
4	Minnesota Magicians	60	21	35	4	46	160	221
5	Kenai River Brown Bears	60	16	42	2	34	132	244

	Divison Semi-Finals					Division Finals
	1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	3
	4	Minnesota Magicians	0
						1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	0
						2	Minnesota Wilderness	3
	2	Minnesota Wilderness	3
	3	Coulee Region Chill	2

Division Champion: Minnesota Wilderness(1)

2015-16

Place	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	GF	GA
Midwest
1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	60	49	8	3	101	251	116
2	Janesville Jets	60	35	18	7	77	181	150
3	Minnesota Wilderness	60	34	18	8	76	183	161
4	Coulee Region Chill	60	33	26	1	67	177	165
5	Springfield Jr. Blues	60	29	25	6	64	155	164
6	Kenai River Brown Bears	60	4	51	5	13	109	292

	Divison Semi-Finals					Division Finals
	1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	3
	4	Coulee Region Chill	1
						1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	3
						3	Minnesota Wilderness	2
	2	Janesville Jets	1
	3	Minnesota Wilderness	3

Division Champion: Fairbanks Ice Dogs(2)

2016-17

Place	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	GF	GA
Midwest
1	Janesville Jets	60	42	13	5	89	224	153
2	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	60	33	24	3	69	185	165
3	Minnesota Magicians	60	31	22	7	69	180	169
4	Coulee Region Chill	60	31	27	2	64	220	220
5	Springfield Jr. Blues	60	27	28	5	59	174	189
6	Kenai River Brown Bears	60	12	46	2	26	121	223

	Divison Semi-Finals					Division Finals
	1	Janesville Jets	3
	4	Coulee Region Chill	0
						1	Janesville Jets	3
						2	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	1
	2	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	3
	3	Minnesota Magicians	0

Division Champion: Janesville Jets(1)

2017-18

Place	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	GF	GA
Midwest
1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	60	45	8	7	97	223	125
2	Janesville Jets	60	38	13	9	86	181	140
3	Springfield Jr. Blues	60	33	21	6	72	169	166
4	Minnesota Magicians	60	28	24	8	64	164	183
5	Coulee Region Chill	60	17	34	9	43	162	214
6	Kenai River Brown Bears	60	18	38	4	40	153	238

	Divison Semi-Finals					Division Finals
	1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	3
	4	Minnesota Magicians	0
						1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	3
						2	Janesville Jets	2
	2	Janesville Jets	3
	3	Springfield Jr. Blues	0

Division Champion: Fairbanks Ice Dogs(3)

2018-19

Place	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	GF	GA
Midwest
1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	60	37	16	7	81	204	138
2	Minnesota Magicians	60	36	21	93	75	175	154
3	Springfield Jr. Blues	60	33	22	5	71	192	177
4	Janesville Jets	60	29	25	6	64	153	186
5	Kenai River Brown Bears	60	23	31	6	52	139	174
6	Chippewa Steel	60	19	38	3	41	149	220

	Divison Semi-Finals					Division Finals
	1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	3
	4	Janesville Jets	0
						1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	3
						2	Minnesota Magicians	0
	2	Minnesota Magicians	3
	3	Springfield Jr. Blues	1

Division Champion: Fairbanks Ice Dogs(4)

2019-20

Place	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	GF	GA
Midwest
1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	52	38	11	3	77	240	172
2	Chippewa Steel	51	29	18	4	62	171	146
3	Kenai River Brown Bears	52	27	19	6	60	197	182
4	Minnesota Magicians	53	21	23	9	53	143	173
5	Janesville Jets	52	24	26	2	50	149	181
6	Springfield Jr. Blues	54	19	38	3	41	149	220

	Divison Semi-Finals*					Division Finals*
	1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	3
	4	Minnesota Magicians	1
						1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	2
						3	Kenai River Brown Bears	3
	2	Chippewa Steel	1
	3	Kenai River Brown Bears	3

Division Champion: Kenai River Brown Bears(1)*
-*The Playoffs were played on NHL 19 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, so the legitimacy is up to you on this. I'm counting it because why not

2020-21

(Season shortened due to a late start due to the Covid-19 Pandemic)

Place	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	GF	GA
Midwest
1	Janesville Jets	48	31	13	4	66	183	144
2	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	48	25	19	4	54	165	163
3	Minnesota Magicians	48	24	21	3	51	144	153
4	Kenai River Brown Bears	48	22	24	2	46	155	168
5	Chippewa Steel	48	14	29	5	33	116	169

	Divison Semi-Finals*					Division Finals*
	1	Janesville Jets	1
	4	Kenai River Brown Bears	3
						4	Kenai River Brown Bears	2
						3	Minnesota Magicians	3
	2	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	0
	3	Minnesota Magicians	3

Division Champion: Wisconsin Windigo* (1)

• Minnesota Magicians at the time

2021-22

Place	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	GF	GA
Midwest
1	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	60	37	20	3	77	238	179
2	Springfield Jr. Blues	60	36	20	4	76	211	177
3	Anchorage Wolverines	60	33	19	8	74	208	166
4	Minnesota Wilderness	60	35	23	2	72	216	203
5	Janesville Jets	60	34	25	1	69	227	208
6	Minnesota Magicians	60	25	26	9	59	116	169
7	Chippewa Steel	60	25	31	4	54	168	206
8	Kenai River Brown Bears	60	14	41	5	33	147	256

	Divison Semi-Finals*					Division Finals*
	1	Fairbaks Ice Dogs	2
	4	Minnesota Wilderness	3
						4	Minnesota Wilderness	1
						3	Anchorage Wolverines	3
	2	Springfield Jr. Blues	0
	3	Anchorage Wolverines	3

Division Champion: Anchorage Wolverines (1)

2022-23

Place	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	GF	GA
Midwest
1	Wisconsin Windigo	60	39	18	3	81	210	147
2	Minnesota Wilderness	60	35	18	7	77	168	146
3	Kenai River Brown Bears	60	32	24	4	68	170	185
4	Chippewa Steel	60	31	25	4	66	186	172
5	Anchorage Wolverines	60	28	24	8	64	208	218
6	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	60	28	25	7	63	181	196
7	Springfield Jr. Blues	60	26	31	3	55	147	174
8	Janesville Jets	60	23	28	9	55	167	180

	Divison Semi-Finals*					Division Finals*
	1	Wisconsin Windigo	3
	4	Chippewa Steel	0
						1	Wisconsin Windigo	1
						2	Minnesota Wilderness	3
	2	Minnesota Wilderness	3
	3	Kenai River Brown Bears	0

Division Champion: Minnesota Wilderness(2)

2023-24

Place	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	GF	GA
Midwest
1	Anchorage Wolverines	60	39	14	7	85	233	169
2	Wisconsin Windigo	60	39	15	6	84	224	146
3	Janesville Jets	60	33	22	5	71	234	194
4	Minnesota Wilderness	60	30	25	5	65	157	170
5	Chippewa Steel	60	29	25	6	63	170	188
6	Fairbanks Ice Dogs	60	22	30	8	52	158	211
7	Springfield Jr. Blues	60	21	29	10	52	151	218
8	Kenai River Brown Bears	60	20	34	6	46	171	232

	Divison Semi-Finals*					Division Finals*
	1	Anchorage Wolverines	3
	4	Minnesota Wilderness	1
						1	Anchorage Wolverines	3
						2	Wisconsin Windigo	0
	2	Wisconsin Windigo	3
	3	Janesville Jets	0

Division Champion: Anchorage Wolverines(2)

Rivalries

Club 49

The Club 49 Rivalry is a competition between the Anchorage Wolverines, Fairbanks Ice Dogs, and Kenai River Brown Bears. The winner is decided by head-to-head competition between the three teams. The most recent champion is the 2023-24 Midwestern champion Anchorage Wolverines, going 17-3(34 points) against the two other teams. They have also won the most Club 49 championships, with 2(back-to-back in 2022-23 and 2023-24), since it started in 2021 when the Wolverines joined the league. The Ice Dogs also won it in 2021.

Janesville-Chippewa(Battle for the milk can)

The Chippewa Steel and Janesville Jets have one of the most fiercest rivalries in the Midwest Division, with fight galore in any game. The teams used to battle for a Milk Can, called the Blain's Farm & Fleet Milk Jug. It went from the 2018-19 season till the 2022-23 season. However, that has not stopped the rivalry, as the physicality is pretty much brought every game. Both of the teams will leave you wondering if you watched a hockey game or a 5-on-5 boxing match.

Teams

Anchorage Wolverines

The Anchorage Wolverines play at the Ben Boeke Ice Rink in Anchorage, Alaska. They started play in 2021. They currently have 2 division championships, once in 2021-22, beating the Minnesota Wilderness 3-games-to-1. They made the championship game, but lost to the New Jersey Titans 3-0. They finished in 5th in 2022-23, but won the division again, winning the regular season division as well. They won the division, beating the Wisconsin Windigo 3-games-to-0. The Wolverines have no Robertson Cup Championships(although that could change, at the time of writing this they are in the league semi-finals).

Chippewa Steel

The Chippewa Steel play at the Chippewa Area Ice Arena in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, in one of the smallest markets in the NAHL. The franchise started play in 2005 as the North Iowa Bandits, then moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin and became the Coulee Region Chill in 2010 before moving to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and becoming the Chippewa Steel. The Steel did not officially make the playoffs until 2022, when they ended Fairbanks's 25 year playoff streak and clinched the last playoff spot in the division. Unfortunately for them, they were swept by that year's division runner-ups, the Wisconsin Windigo. The Steel have no Robertson Cup Championships.

Fairbanks Ice Dogs

The Fairbanks Ice Dogs play at the Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks, Alaska. They started play in 1997, and moved to the NAHL along with the Bismarck Bobcats of the Central Division in 2003. They have the most division championships as a part of this division with 4. They also have 3 Robertson Cup Championships, 2 as a part of this Division. They had a 25 year playoff streak, starting in 1997 and lasting till 2022. It ended with a 4-1 loss to the Chippewa Steel on April 9, 2023. They missed the playoffs again the next year.

Janesville Jets

The Janesville Jets play at the Janesville Ice Arena in Janesville, Wisconsin. They started play in 2009, and joined the division six years later. They have 1 division championship, winning it in 2016-17. They have no Robertson Cup Championships, however. The Jets have not won a series since 2018, when they swept Springfield in 3 games.

Kenai River Brown Bears

The Kenai River Brown Bears play at the Soldotna Sports Center in Soldotna, Alaska. They started play in 2007, and were one of the founding members of the division in 2013. The Brown Bears have never been a great team in the Midwest, as they have 216 wins in 11 seasons(that's an average of less than 20 wins a year in a 60 game season). They have 1 Virtual Division Championship, but in real life they have no division championships. They played in Breezy Point, Minnesota during the 2020-21 season due to the Covid-19 Pandemic restrictions.

Minnesota Wilderness

The Minnesota Wilderness play at the Northwoods Credit Union Arena in Cloquet, Minnesota. They joined the league the same year the division was created in 2013. They were in the division from 2013-16. In 2016, however, they moved to the Central Division in exchange for the Minnesota Magicians. They rejoined the division again in 2021. They have 1 Robertson Cup Championship(2014-15) and 2 division titles(2014-15 and 2022-23).

Springfield Jr. Blues

The Springfield Jr. Blues play at the Nelson Center in Springfield, Illinois. They are one of the oldest franchises in the NAHL that is still around today, starting in 1993. There is only one franchise that is older that is still around today, in the Johnstown Tomahawks, who started in 1990. They are, however, not one of the founding members of the division, joining in 2015-16. They have no division championships, and both Robertson Cup Championship victories came before they joined the Midwest Division, in 1996-97 and in 1997-98.

Wisconsin Windigo

The Wisconsin Windigo play at the Eagle River Stadium in Eagle River, Wisconsin. They joined the division in its inception, however, they joined as the Minnesota Magicians. They were originally the New Mexico Mustangs, when they first got in the league in 2010. However, they stopped play there after two years of placing last in the division. They went one a one-year hiatus before returning when the Midwest Division was created, becoming the Minnesota Magicians. The Magicians took a little while finding success, winning one playoff series over the Springfield Jr. Blues in 2019. But in 2021 they made an improbable run to the final four. They placed third in the division that year, but they swept normally dominant Fairbanks and then edged out #4 seed Kenai River 3 games to 2. Their run ended after being swept in 2 games by the Aberdeen Wings. The next season ended in a 6th place finish before being sold and moved to Eagle River, Wisconsin to become the Wisconsin Windigo. They have found success in the Midwest, finishing 1st in the regular season in 2022-23. They then swept the Chippewa Steel in 3 games to have their first series win as the Windigo. The Wilderness, however, beat them in 4 games to end that run early. The next year, they finished in 2nd just a point behind the Anchorage Wolverines. They swept the Janesville Jets before being swept by Anchorage.