Wenatchee Wild
Encyclopedia
The Wenatchee Wild is a Tier II Junior A ice hockey
team in the North American Hockey League's
West Division
based in Wenatchee, Washington
. The team joined the NAHL as an expansion team for the 2008-09 season, the team plays its home games at the 4,300-seat Town Toyota Center. The Wild are well known for their rivalry with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs
.
. On June 18, 2010, the Wild announced a new secondary logo.
of MLB and Sacramento Kings
of the NBA, the Wild have fans ring cowbells in support of the team. After a Wenatchee goal
, fans will ring their bells in support. Since 2008, the Wild have hosted a cowbell giveaway, where the first 2,000 fans through the door get a free cowbell. Many fans also bring their own bells to games.
2009-2010: Our team, our time, our house!
2010-2011: Unfinished Business
2011-2012: The Wolfpack is Back
as head coach. It is unspecified exactly what led to the firing of Baxter who led the Wenatchee Wild to back-to-back West Division titles in 2008 and 2009 and an amazing finish of making it to the Robertson Cup Finals in The Wild's first Franchise Year. Baxter was replaced in December by John Becanic.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team in the North American Hockey League's
North American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is enterting its 36th season in 2011-12. It is currently the only Junior A Tier II league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. The NAHL currently acts as an alternative to the United States Hockey League...
West Division
West Division (NAHL)
The West Division is one of four divisions in the North American Hockey League. The division currently has six teams and was formed in 2008 when the Wenatchee Wild became the fourth team required for a division. Prior to the 2010 expansion, only four teams operated in the West...
based in Wenatchee, Washington
Wenatchee, Washington
Wenatchee is located in North Central Washington and is the largest city and county seat of Chelan County, Washington, United States. The population within the city limits in 2010 was 31,925...
. The team joined the NAHL as an expansion team for the 2008-09 season, the team plays its home games at the 4,300-seat Town Toyota Center. The Wild are well known for their rivalry with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs
Fairbanks Ice Dogs
The Fairbanks Ice Dogs is a Tier II Junior A ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's West Division. The Ice Dogs play home games at the 2,200-seat Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks, Alaska...
.
History
On September 12, 2006 ground was broken on a new multipurpose event center that would be home to a new ice hockey team. On February 22, 2008, the NAHL granted Wenatchee Junior Hockey LLC. with conditional approval for an expansion team. On May 20, 2008, Wenatchee Junior Hockey LLC. announced the franchise would be the "Wild." The name was chosen by a "name-the-team contest" held at local schools in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee. The name beat out other options being the Wranglers, Bombers, Wonders, Hockeyes, Winning Walruses and Ice Busters. The Wild played their first game on September 17, 2008 losing to the Motor City Metal Jackets 2-1 in overtime. The Wild made a championship run in that first season, winning the division title but losing the championship game 3-2 in overtime. They then came back and won the West Division championship in 2009-10 but was eliminated in the round-robin championship tournamentRobertson Cup Championship Tournament
The Robertson Cup is a 6-day, round-robin tournament held at the end of the NAHL season. The trophy is awarded to the national playoff champion of the NAHL. The oldest junior hockey trophy in the United States, the Robertson Cup is named in honor of Chuck Robertson, a pioneer of junior hockey in...
. On June 18, 2010, the Wild announced a new secondary logo.
Cowbells
The team has created an identity for them by using cowbells. Similar to the Tampa Bay RaysTampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
of MLB and Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
of the NBA, the Wild have fans ring cowbells in support of the team. After a Wenatchee goal
Goal
A goal is an objective, or a projected computation of affairs, that a person or a system plans or intends to achieve.Goal, GOAL or G.O.A.L may also refer to:Sport...
, fans will ring their bells in support. Since 2008, the Wild have hosted a cowbell giveaway, where the first 2,000 fans through the door get a free cowbell. Many fans also bring their own bells to games.
Slogans
The Wenatchee Wild have used a slogan each year following the inaugural season.2009-2010: Our team, our time, our house!
2010-2011: Unfinished Business
2011-2012: The Wolfpack is Back
Regular Season Records
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | PIM | Finish |
| 2008-09 | 58 | 35 | 19 | 4 | 74 | 197 | 182 | 1,322 | West Division Champions |
| 2009-10 | 58 | 45 | 10 | 3 | 93 | 219 | 125 | 1,520 | West Division Champions |
| 2010-11 | 58 | 34 | 21 | 3 | 71 | 207 | 148 | 1,208 | 2nd in West |
| 2011-12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 103 | Season still in progress |
Playoff Records
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | GF | GA | PIM | Finish |
| 2009 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 49 | 40 | 153 | Runner-Up |
| 2010 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 45 | 23 | 239 | Lost in Round Robin |
| 2011 |
Head Coach Firing
On November 24, 2010 the Wenatchee Wild fired Paul BaxterPaul Baxter
Paul Gordon Baxter was an National Hockey League defenceman from 1979 to 1987 and an NHL assistant coach for eleven seasons. He was coaching the Wenatchee Wild in the NAHL before his firing in late November 2010...
as head coach. It is unspecified exactly what led to the firing of Baxter who led the Wenatchee Wild to back-to-back West Division titles in 2008 and 2009 and an amazing finish of making it to the Robertson Cup Finals in The Wild's first Franchise Year. Baxter was replaced in December by John Becanic.