{{Infobox hockey team | team = Edmonton Ice | logo = Kootenayice.png | city = [[Edmonton]], [[Alberta]] | league = [[Western Hockey League]] | operated = {{Start date|1996}}–98 | arena = [[Northlands Agricom]] | colours = Blue, bronze, black, and white<br />{{color box|#236192}} {{color box|#8F654D}} {{color box|#010101}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}} | name1 = '''Edmonton Ice''' | dates1 = 1996–1998 | name2 = [[Kootenay Ice]] | dates2 = 1998–2019 | name3 = [[Winnipeg Ice]] | dates3 = 2019–2023 | name4 = [[Wenatchee Wild]] | dates4 = 2023–present |}} The '''Edmonton Ice''' were a Canadian major [[junior ice hockey]] team based in [[Edmonton]], [[Alberta]]. A [[Western Hockey League]] expansion team established in 1996, the team played only two seasons from 1996 to 1998 before relocating to [[Cranbrook, British Columbia]], where the team became known as the [[Kootenay Ice]].
==History== The city of Edmonton had a rich history with the Western Hockey League (WHL), with [[Edmonton Oil Kings (WCHL)|Edmonton Oil Kings]] owner [[Bill Hunter (ice hockey)|Bill Hunter]] serving as a driving force behind the establishment of the league in 1966.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=WHL History |url=https://whl.ca/history |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731211503/https://whl.ca/history |archive-date=2023-07-31 |access-date=2023-07-31 |website=Western Hockey League}}</ref> The Oil Kings were a successful early franchise, but relocated to Portland in 1976 after the establishment of the professional [[Edmonton Oilers]] of the [[World Hockey Association]].<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=WHL History |url=https://whl.ca/history |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731211503/https://whl.ca/history |archive-date=2023-07-31 |access-date=2023-07-31 |website=Western Hockey League}}</ref> The Oil Kings briefly returned to the league for the 1978–79 season, but when the team relocated again, Edmonton was left without top-level junior hockey. After nearly two decades, the WHL expanded to Edmonton in 1996, and the Ice began play at the [[Edmonton Expo Centre|Northlands Agricom]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jordan |first=Kevin |date=2021-10-31 |title=Edmonton Ice |url=https://www.whlarenaguide.com/agricom.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607043801/https://www.whlarenaguide.com/agricom.htm |archive-date=2023-06-07 |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=WHL Arena Guide}}</ref>
On January 16, 1996, [[Dave Siciliano]] was announced as the first head coach for the Ice.<ref name="Cowley-1996">{{cite news|title=Ice grabs ex-Pearn assistant|last=Cowley|first=Norm|date=January 16, 1996|newspaper=[[Edmonton Journal]]|location=Edmonton, Alberta|page=27|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83114829/siciliano-1996/}}{{free access}}</ref> Siciliano and team owner [[Ed Chynoweth]] were committed to building a relationship between the Ice and local [[minor ice hockey]] programs.<ref name="Short-1996">{{cite news|title=Ice committed to minor ice hockey|last=Short|first=John|date=January 17, 1996|newspaper=[[Edmonton Journal]]|location=Edmonton, Alberta|page=28|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83114663/siciliano-1996/}}{{free access}}</ref> The Ice completed the [[1996–97 WHL season|1996–97 season]] with 14 wins in 72 games, placing last overall in the league, and did not qualify for the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/whl19791997.html|title=1996–97 Western Hockey League Standings|website=Hockey Database|access-date=August 12, 2021}}</ref>
When the team began the [[1997–98 WHL season|1997–98 season]] with nine losses and one tie, Siciliano was fired on October 24, 1997, and replaced by assistant coach [[Ryan McGill]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Coach Siciliano bumped off ice|last=Turchansky|first=Ray|date=October 25, 1997|newspaper=[[Edmonton Journal]]|location=Edmonton, Alberta|page=34|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83118800/siciliano-1997/}}{{free access}}</ref> During Siciliano's tenure, the Ice lost 31 games by a one-goal margin.<ref name="nov-26-1997">{{cite news|title=Sports Digest: Ex-Ice coach gets new job|last=Moore|first=Steve|date=November 26, 1997|newspaper=[[Edmonton Journal]]|location=Edmonton, Alberta|page=36|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/83208691/siciliano-1997/}}{{free access}}</ref> The team gained only three more wins and again missed the playoffs.
After two seasons, the team relocated to Cranbrook, British Columbia, and became the [[Kootenay Ice]]. The team has since been relocated twice more. In 2019, the team moved from Cranbrook to Winnipeg and was known as the [[Winnipeg Ice]]; then, in 2023, the team moved to [[Wenatchee, Washington]], where they are known as the [[Wenatchee Wild]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Greenslade |first=Brittany |last2=Dacey |first2=Elisha |date=2019-01-28 |title=WHL to announce Kootenay Ice moving to Winnipeg – on the coldest day of the year |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4898284/whl-to-announce-kootenay-ice-moving-to-winnipeg-on-the-coldest-day-of-the-year/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403212206/https://globalnews.ca/news/4898284/whl-to-announce-kootenay-ice-moving-to-winnipeg-on-the-coldest-day-of-the-year/ |archive-date=2023-04-03 |work=Global News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2023-06-16 |title=Western Hockey League's Winnipeg Ice franchise moving to Wenatchee, Wash. |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/juniors/article/western-hockey-leagues-winnipeg-ice-franchise-moving-to-wenatchee-wash/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230616190842/https://www.sportsnet.ca/juniors/article/western-hockey-leagues-winnipeg-ice-franchise-moving-to-wenatchee-wash/ |archive-date=2023-06-16 |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=[[Sportsnet]] |agency=[[The Canadian Press]]}}</ref> Edmonton gained a new WHL expansion franchise in 2007, which was named the [[Edmonton Oil Kings]] after the original Edmonton WHL club.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2006-03-17 |title=Edmonton joins WHL as 22nd franchise |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/edmonton-joins-whl-as-22nd-franchise/article704953/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240514204442/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/edmonton-joins-whl-as-22nd-franchise/article704953/ |archive-date=2024-05-14 |access-date=2024-05-14 |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |agency=Canadian Press}}</ref>
==Season-by-season record== '''''Note:''' GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against''
{|class="wikitable" ! Season !! GP !! W !! L !! T !! GF !! GA !! Points !! Finish !! Playoffs |- align="center" | [[1996–97 WHL season|1996–97]] || 72 || 14 || 56 || 2 || 231 || 295 || 30 || 5th Central || Did not qualify |- align="center" bgcolor="#eeeeee" | [[1997–98 WHL season|1997–98]] || 72 || 17 || 49 || 6 || 242 || 328 || 40 || 4th Central || Did not qualify |}
==NHL alumni== {{columns-list|colwidth=15em| *[[Dean Arsene]] *[[Mike Green (ice hockey, born 1979)|Mike Green]] *[[Jay Henderson (ice hockey)|Jay Henderson]] *[[Jason Jaffray]] *[[Steve McCarthy (ice hockey)|Steve McCarthy]] *[[Jaroslav Obšut|Jaroslav Obsut]] *[[Jarret Stoll]] *[[Kyle Wanvig]] *[[Jeremy Yablonski]] *[[Dmytro Yakushyn]] }}
==See also== *[[List of ice hockey teams in Alberta]]
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Winnipeg Ice}} {{Defunct WHL}}
[[Category:1996 establishments in Alberta]] [[Category:1998 disestablishments in Alberta]] [[Category:Defunct ice hockey teams in Alberta]] [[Category:Defunct Western Hockey League teams]] [[Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 1996]] [[Category:Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 1998]] [[Category:Ice hockey teams in Edmonton|Ice]]