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48-669: The Tri-City Storm is a Tier I junior ice hockey team based in Kearney, Nebraska , that plays in the Western Conference of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Its name refers to the three central Nebraskan cities of Kearney, Hastings , and Grand Island . On May 15, 1999, the USHL unanimously voted to allow then Omaha Lancers ' owner, Ted Baer, to place a new team in Kearney, Nebraska , for

96-514: A .950 save percentage and also had a 1.64 goals against average. Bill Muckalt became the fifth head coach in the Tier I history of the USHL to deliver a championship in his first season. In the following 2016–17 season , the Storm finished last in the conference with a 21–31–6–2 record. The Storm started the season with points in three straight games (2–0–0–1) and was 7–5–1–2 a quarter of the way through

144-608: A director with the Czech Ice Hockey Association , felt that Junior-aged players were enticed to play in North America before maturation, with a negative effect on the development of the player and the European system. He stated that of the 527 Czech Republic players who went to North American Junior hockey, only 22 of them played more than 400 NHL games. He sought to establish a European system that

192-593: A draft pick and a player to be named later) and starting goaltender Dayton Rasmussen (for D Tyler Borsch). After the trades, the Storm went 6–12–1–0. Tri-City sent a league-high five players to the 2017 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game and forward Paul Washe was named Team West MVP (two goals) in Sioux Falls. Washe became the second straight Storm player to win Team West MVP after Wade Allison in 2016. Three Storm players (Alex Limoges, Paul Washe, Dayton Rasmussen) won

240-500: A fourth place finish in the division. It qualified for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, narrowly beating out Sioux City for the final spot in the division. The Storm lost in the opening round playoff series three-games-to-two against the Sioux Falls Stampede . On May 3, 2006, owner Ted Baer sold the Storm to Joel Wiens after seven years. The Storm finished the 2006–07 regular season with 78 points, giving

288-720: A professional team, and are used by professional teams to develop their own prospects. One example of this is the J20 SuperElit league in Sweden or the Minor Hockey League in Russia . The lack of an amateur draft in Europe means that the onus is on the teams to sign the most talented young players they can get, and the presence of an affiliated junior team provides a place for young players who are not yet ready for

336-531: A record of 43–12–5 and 91 points. The team featured future National Hockey League players Bill Thomas , Mark Van Guilder , and Peter Mannino . The Storm made its first Clark Cup final, but was eliminated in four games by the Waterloo Black Hawks . Tri-City was named "Organization of the Year" by the USHL for the second time. Tri-City made the division finals again in the following season despite

384-653: A significant concentration of teams in the central and southwestern parts of the United States, although the league began to expand to east coast as of 2015. In October 2016, the Tier III United States Premier Hockey League , a league predominately located on the east coast, applied to USA Hockey for approval of a Tier II league to begin in the 2017–18 season, however, the league was denied that December and decided to operate its Tier II league independently. The NAHL, like

432-766: Is currently the only Tier I league in the country, consisting of teams in the central and midwestern United States. The USHL provides an alternative to the Canadian Hockey League, which pays its major junior hockey players a stipend, for players who wish to maintain NCAA eligibility for later in their career. While playing in the USHL, all player expenses are paid for by the team; no membership or equipment fees are charged. Unlike major junior teams, free-college stipend does not exist. Historically, professional leagues have drafted less directly from USHL teams, although this trend has shifted in recent years, coinciding with

480-616: The Clarence Schmalz Cup which was first awarded in 1938. The Ontario Junior C playoffs are played for between six of the Province's seven different regional leagues. In Quebec and West of Manitoba, Junior C hockey tends to be an extension of the local minor hockey system and is sometimes called Juvenile or House League. In Ontario, Manitoba, and the Maritimes, Junior C is run independently of minor hockey systems, though with

528-823: The Coupe Dodge in Quebec , the Don Johnson Cup in the Atlantic Provinces , and the Keystone Cup that represents all of Western Canada, from British Columbia to Northwestern Ontario . Junior C (Junior A in Québec ) generally consists of local competitions, but is considered competitive in some regions, and serve as seeding or farm-teams for Junior B teams. Ontario Junior C Hockey has six rounds of best-of-seven playoffs (up to 42 games per team) for

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576-694: The Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League has operated as an independent league in Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta. The league widely recruits players from outside of North America. In late 2016, the United States Premier Hockey League , an organization composed of several USA Hockey Tier III Junior as well as many youth hockey leagues, applied for a Tier II league. The Tier II status was denied in December 2016 but

624-757: The Memorial Cup in a round-robin tournament to determine a national champion. Major Junior players were historically deemed ineligible to play college hockey in the United States , because they were considered to be professionals by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Major Junior players retain their eligibility for Canadian universities however, and all three leagues have scholarship programs for players. The NCAA changed its position and decided that CHL players were no longer ineligible as of

672-505: The North American 3 Hockey League Some Junior ice hockey leagues operate outside the framework of governing bodies such as Hockey Canada and USA Hockey , typically due to disagreements with governing bodies over player recruitment policies and finances. These leagues are sometimes referred to as 'unsanctioned', 'rogue' or 'outlaw' leagues due to their lack of sanctioning or oversight from an outside governing body. Since 2006,

720-485: The Omaha Lancers . Assistant coach Tom Rudrud was promoted to head coach. The Storm then had their worst season to date, winning just 11 out of 60 games that included a franchise-worst 19-game losing streak. In April 2009, Wiens sold the arena and team to Las Vegas businessman Kirk Brooks. Brooks announced that Drew Schoneck had replaced Tom Rudrud as head coach. In the 2009–10 season , forward Jaden Schwartz led

768-619: The US . In 2023, the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) withdrew from the Hockey Canada framework, and thus became an independent league. In response, BC Hockey announced plans to restructure its Junior framework, which included an opportunity for some Junior B teams (styled "Junior A Tier 2" by BC Hockey) to be promoted to Junior A (styled "Junior A Tier 1" by BC Hockey) and eventually seek membership with

816-483: The 2000–01 season. In June 1999, Jim Hillman was named the team's first head coach. The Tri-City Storm won its first game on September 30, 2000. The Storm finally played its first home game on November 18, 2000, after eight months of construction on the Tri-City Arena . The Storm was named USHL Organization of the Year in its first year of operation. The Storm narrowly missed the playoffs in its second season. In

864-466: The 2025–26 season. The decision was made after a class action was filed on behalf of a player who was declared ineligible after having played two exhibition games in the OHL when he was 16 years old. The CHL places a cap of three 20-year-old players per team, and allows up to four 16-year-olds on each roster. While 15-year-old players were formerly permitted to play a limited number of games per season at

912-585: The CHL level, they are now permitted to play only if they are deemed exceptional by Hockey Canada . As of 2024 , nine players have qualified under this rule: centre John Tavares in 2005, defenceman Aaron Ekblad in 2011, centre Connor McDavid in 2012, defenceman Sean Day in 2013, centre Joe Veleno in 2015, centre Shane Wright in 2019, forward Connor Bedard in 2020, forward Michael Misa in 2022, and defenceman Landon DuPont in 2024. CHL teams are currently permitted two "imports" (players from outside Canada and

960-772: The CJHL. The league expected the evaluations to be completed during the 2024—25 season. Junior B (Junior AA in Québec ; Tier 2 in British Columbia ) was created in 1933, to differentiate between teams eligible for Memorial Cup competition and those who were not. The major championships across Canada are the Sutherland Cup in Southern Ontario , the Barkley Cup in the Ottawa District ,

1008-843: The Canadian Club System: 1. Major Junior, 2. Junior A, 3. Junior B, and 4. Junior C. Not all teams playing in Canadian Junior leagues are based in Canada . As of 2024 , there were approximately twelve US-based teams playing in various Major Junior and Junior A leagues in Canada. In 2023, BC Hockey announced plans to restructure its Junior framework following the departure of its only Junior A league . Its three Junior B leagues ( PJHL , KIJHL and VIJHL ) were re-styled as "Junior A Tier 2", with plans to promote some to "Junior A Tier 1" following an independent evaluation. It

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1056-627: The Fighting Saints in three games and won the Clark Cup for the first time. The Storm outscored the Fighting Saints 13–4 with the line of Dan Labosky , Alex Limoges , and Wade Allison on ice for 11 of 13 Storm goals. Wade Allison was named Clark Cup most valuable player and the Philadelphia Flyers selected him in the second round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft . Goaltender Jake Kielly set the Tier I USHL postseason record with

1104-716: The Gold Medal with the US Junior Select Team at the 2016 World Junior A Challenge in Bonnyville, Alberta. Prior to the 2017–18 season , Muckalt left the Storm to become the associate head coach at his alma mater, the University of Michigan. Former Youngstown Phantoms and Orlando Solar Bears head coach, Anthony Noreen , was named as his replacement. Noreen led the team to an Anderson Cup regular season championship in 2018–19 and won USHL Coach of

1152-545: The Hockey Canada framework and become an independent farm league for the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) beginning in the 2024-25 season. Major Junior is the highest level of Junior ice hockey in Canada. There are three Major Junior leagues that collectively make up the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) : The championship teams from each league, as well as a pre-selected host team, compete for

1200-605: The Junior A British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) withdrew its membership with Hockey Canada and became an independent league. In 2024, the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) announced that it would also withdraw from the Hockey Canada framework and become an independent farm league for the BCHL beginning in the 2024-25 season. In Europe, Junior teams are usually associated with

1248-617: The Storm defensemen record. During the 2016 Clark Cup playoffs, the Storm swept the Sioux Falls Stampede, 3–0, in the Western Conference semifinals, outscoring the Stampede, 12–3. In the Western Conference finals, the Storm beat Waterloo in a full five-game series, earning its second Clark Cup finals appearance. In the finals, the Storm faced the Dubuque Fighting Saints in a best-of-five series, sweeping

1296-436: The Storm following a four-year stint as assistant coach at Michigan Tech . In 2015–16 , the team had its best start since 2003–04, winning its first four games. The Storm went on a team-record 13-game point streak from February 6 to March 19 and the best record in the Western Conference for the first time since 2003–04. The Storm finished with 73 points and a 28–15–10–7 record. Twenty of the Storm's 60 games went to overtime, and

1344-401: The Storm lost 17 of them (10 in overtime), the Tier I USHL record for most losses past regulation. The Storm took a club-low 726 penalty minutes, fewest in the USHL that season. Goaltender Jake Kielly set the Storm's single-season record for best save percentage (.919) and went on a 19-game point streak during the middle of the season. Mattias Goransson finished the regular season with 34 assists,

1392-538: The Storm to a second place finish within its conference. Tri-City's Chris Wilkie scored 35 goals, tying Rastislav Spirko (2003–04) for the Storm's single-season record. The Storm swept the Omaha Lancers, 3-games-to-0, in the first round. The team then faced Sioux Falls in the conference finals. Led by USHL Rookie of the Year Kieffer Bellows, the Stampede beat the Storm, 3-games-to-1. The Storm won

1440-576: The Tier III level pay a fee or tuition, commonly ranging from $ 4,000 to $ 9,500. This is for all accounts and purposes an amateur level, although some players go directly to NCAA Division I schools. Most Tier III players are looking to increase their skills in hopes to move up to Tier II or I, while other players go directly to NCAA Division III , ACHA and CHF schools. Prior to July 2011, USA Hockey split Tier III into Junior A and B divisions. USA Hockey currently has one sanctioned Tier III league,

1488-572: The US) each. Up until 1970, the leagues that were classified as Major Junior and "Junior A" today were both part of Junior A. In 1970 they were divided into "Tier I Junior A" or "Major Junior A" and "Tier II Junior A". In 1980, the three Major Junior A leagues opted for self-control over being controlled by the branches of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) and became Major Junior hockey, Tier II Junior A became

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1536-500: The USHL, provides young players an alternative to major junior hockey, although the skill level is considered significantly lower than major junior hockey and typically filled with those who would not or did not make the roster of a Tier I team. Unlike Tier I, the NAHL does not pay for all players' expenses, such as room and board, but there is no tuition cost to the player as in Tier III. In addition to paying for room and board, players at

1584-518: The USNTDP moving to the USHL in 2009-10. In the 2019 NHL Entry Draft , 17 of the 44 players drafted out of the USHL played for the USNTDP. Those 44 draft picks were 16 more than any of the three leagues in the Canadian Hockey League, and included 9 first round picks (8 of which came from the USNTDP) and 7 second round picks. For most of its existence the USHL was considered inferior in quality of play to

1632-773: The USPHL moved forward with the new league anyway, creating the National Collegiate Development Conference. In response, the USPHL has removed all their junior level leagues (the NCDC and the Tier III-level Premier and Elite Divisions) from USA Hockey sanctioning since the 2017–18 season. In 2022, the Eastern Hockey League , which was operating two Tier III leagues, also left USA Hockey sanctioning. In 2023,

1680-411: The Western Conference. After another slow start in 2011–12 , head coach Drew Schoneck was relieved of his duties and assistant coach Josh Hauge was promoted. Under Hauge, the Storm rallied late in the season and was able to clinch a playoff spot, finishing in sixth in the Western Conference. The Waterloo Black Hawks defeated Tri-City in the first round of the postseason. In Hauge's first full season behind

1728-480: The Year . The 2019–20 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic , but the Storm still extended Noreen's contract through 2023–24. Notable former players who have continued to play professionally include Mason Appleton , Blake Coleman , Christian Hanson , Jack Hillen , Nick Lappin , Jarod Palmer , Scott Parse , Jaden Schwartz , Bill Thomas , and Mike Vecchione . Thomas and Konrad Reeder are tied for

1776-504: The bench, injuries plagued the Storm and the team again finished last in their conference. Captain Brian Ward had a strong season offensively, scoring 54 points in just 42 games. Mike Vecchione led the team with 26 goals. After 15 games into the 2013–14 season , Hauge was fired and replaced by Jim Hulton. The team missed the playoffs for the second straight season. The following season , and first full season under Hulton, would lead

1824-439: The first game, but before game two, an ice maintenance worker accidentally drilled a hole in a pipe causing water to burst onto the ice. Game Two was postponed from Saturday, April 25 to Wednesday, April 29. After the five-day break, Sioux Falls won three straight games. Head coach and general manager Jim Hulton was relieved of his duties in the 2015 off-season and replaced by Bill Muckalt . The former five-year NHL veteran came to

1872-550: The following 2002–03 season, during the midst of a 10-game losing streak in mid-December, Jim Hillman resigned as coach and general manager. He was replaced by former Topeka Scarecrows head coach, Bliss Littler, in January. The Storm rallied to make the playoffs with a seven-game win streak down the stretch. The team had its best season in 2003–04 and won the Anderson Cup for the best regular season record, finishing with

1920-465: The league with 50 assists and 83 points. The Storm finished fourth place in the West Division with a 29–25–6 record. The Storm was swept in the first round of the playoffs by former coach Bliss Littler and the Omaha Lancers in three games. The St. Louis Blues selected Schwartz in the first round, 14th overall , the highest Storm selection at that time. In 2010–11 , the Storm finished last in

1968-495: The major junior levels. But it continued to improve and as of 2019 about 21 percent of NHL players had played USHL in their career. Between 80 and 90 percent of USHL players continued into NCAA hockey. Currently, the North American Hockey League is the only USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier II league in the United States. The NAHL consists of teams spread across the western two thirds of the United States with

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2016-645: The most goals in team history, each scoring 60 during their careers in Kearney. Mario Lamoureux , who played four seasons for the Storm, has the all-time assists record with 85. Schwartz, who played for the Storm during the 2009–10 season, owns most of the team's single season records including assists (50), points (83), power play goals (16), power play assists (22), power play points (38), shorthanded points (8), multi-point games (24), consecutive multi-point games (6) and total shots on goal (242). Junior ice hockey#Tier I There are four levels of Junior hockey in

2064-635: The rigours of the professional game to develop. However, not all players on a European junior team are necessarily property of their professional club, and may elect to sign elsewhere. At the World Hockey Summit in 2010, nations in Europe expressed concern about the number of junior players leaving to play in North America, despite the improved talent level and the increasing popularity of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Junior Championships . Slavomir Lener,

2112-576: The same mostly recreational purpose. Junior ice hockey in the United States is sanctioned by USA Hockey . The top level is Tier I, represented by the United States Hockey League . Tier II is represented by the North American Hockey League . There are several Tier III and independently sanctioned leagues throughout the country. Some US-based teams play in Canadian leagues outside of the USA Hockey framework. The United States Hockey League (USHL)

2160-588: The season. From December 1 through the end of the season, Tri-City went 14–26–5–0. The Storm made a number of mid-season trades aimed at building for the future. On February 6, the Storm moved assistant captain Joey Matthews, second-leading scorer Charlie Kelleher, and Odeen Tufto to Sioux City for draft picks and a player to be named later. The same day, Tri-City executed two separate trades with Waterloo, moving captain Alex Limoges (for forward Caleb Rule,

2208-421: The team a second place finish in the West Division. The team then won a seven-game series against Sioux City, but was knocked out of the playoffs by the eventual Clark Cup champions, the Sioux Falls Stampede. The Storm failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in six seasons in 2007–08 . After the season, head coach and general manager Bliss Littler resigned to accept the head coaching position with

2256-616: The top tier of hockey in the CAHA and became Junior A hockey. Junior A (Junior AAA in Québec ; Tier 1 in British Columbia ) hockey is one level below Major Junior. It is governed by the respective regional branches of Hockey Canada . The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) is an association of nine Junior A leagues: The national championship is the Centennial Cup . Unlike Major Junior players, Junior A players retain their NCAA eligibility and may go on to play college hockey in

2304-403: Was expected that those teams promoted to "Junior A Tier 1" would eventually apply for membership in the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), an association of Junior A leagues governed by Hockey Canada and its regional branches . BC Hockey expected the evaluations to be completed during the 2024-25 season. Before the process was completed, the VIJHL announced that it would also withdraw from

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