Des Moines Buccaneers

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Des Moines Buccaneers
CityUrbandale, Iowa
LeagueUnited States Hockey League
ConferenceWestern
Founded1980
Home arenaBuccaneer Arena
ColorsRed, blue, white
     
Owner(s)Orchard View Sports & Entertainment
General managerMatt Curley[1]
Head coachMatt Curley
Franchise history
1980–presentDes Moines Buccaneers
Championships
Regular season titles4 Anderson Cups (1993–94, 1994–95, 1997–98, and 1998–99)
Division titles7
Gold Cups3
Playoff championships4 Clark Cups (1992, 1995, 1999, and 2006)

The Des Moines Buccaneers are a Tier I junior ice hockey team in the United States Hockey League (USHL). The team has played in the Western Conference since the 2009–10 season.

History[edit]

The Buccaneers began USHL play during the 1980–81 season and have played all their home games at Buccaneer Arena located in Urbandale, Iowa, outside of Des Moines. The Buccaneers have won four Anderson Cup championships (1993–94, 1994–95, 1997–98 and 1998–99) and four Clark Cup championships (1992, 1995, 1999 and 2006) in their history.

The Buccaneers also won three Gold Cups (in 1992, 1995, and 1998) for the Junior A National Championship awarded prior USA Hockey's 2001 realignment that shifted the USHL to Tier I status.

The Buccaneers have also had many players continue to play hockey after completing their USHL career in Des Moines. Many players have been given scholarships and move on to play NCAA Division I hockey, while others have gone on to play professional hockey. Most notably, Scott Clemmensen, a native of Des Moines, played for the Buccaneers before going to Boston College to play NCAA Division I hockey and then onto the New Jersey Devils and the Florida Panthers.

Clemmensen later became a co-owner of the Buccaneers as part of Orchard View Sports & Entertainment that purchased the team in 2017.[2] Kyle Okposo, who played on the 2005–06 Clark Cup championship team prior to playing for the University of Minnesota and is now playing for the Buffalo Sabres.

Arena[edit]

The Bucaneers played their home games at Buccaneer Arena since their inception. The arena, built in 1962, is nicknamed "The Madhouse on Hickman."[3] In 2020, the arena was damaged during the August 2020 Midwest derecho and the team was forced to start the 2020–21 season at Wells Fargo Arena in downtown Des Moines.[4] In November 2020, the team announced it would be replacing the old arena as part of a new development at Merle Hay Mall. The project will see a 3,500 seat main arena built in what was a Younkers department store, plus other disused sections of the mall turned into three additional community sheets of ice and a 150-room hotel.[5] Buccaneer Arena re-opened in January 2021, where the teams plans to play until the new center is complete.

Season-by-season record[edit]

Season GP W L T OTL SOL Pts GF GA Finish Playoffs
1980–81 48 23 25 0 — — 46 240 299 2nd, South 2–3 in Clark Cup round-robin
(W, 10–6 vs. Green Bay;[6] L, 5–11 vs. Dubuque; L, 2–7 vs. St. Paul;[7] W, 5–4 vs. Waterloo; L, 3–7 vs. Austin[8])
1981–82 48 18 29 1 — — 37 265 314 6th 3–2 in Clark Cup round-robin[9]
(L, 4–6 vs. Bloomington; W, 5–2 vs. Sioux City; W, 11–5 vs. Dubuque; L, 6–7 vs. Austin; W, 9–1 vs. St. Paul)
Lost Clark Cup Finals, 2–3 vs. Sioux City Musketeers[10]
1982–83 48 25 22 1 — — 51 298 309 3rd Won Quarterfinals, 3–1 vs. Bloomington Jr. Stars
Lost Semifinals, 1–3 vs. Sioux City Musketeers
1983–84 48 23 21 1 3 — 50 270 259 4th Won Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. North Iowa Huskies
Lost Semifinals, 0–3 vs. St. Paul Vulcans
1984–85 48 7 37 1 3 — 18 183 255 10th did not qualify
1985–86 48 11 36 0 1 — 23 194 331 9th did not qualify
1986–87 48 23 20 2 3 — 51 277 241 6th Lost Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Madison Capitols
1987–88 48 23 19 3 3 — 52 266 270 4th Lost Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Madison Capitols
1988–89 48 18 27 1 2 — 39 250 276 6th Lost Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Madison Capitols
1989–90 48 17 29 2 0 — 36 216 297 8th Lost Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Omaha Lancers
1990–91 48 28 13 2 5 — 63 247 187 T-2nd, USHL Lost Quarterfinals, 2–3 vs. Dubuque Fighting Saints
1991–92 48 35 10 2 1 — 73 291 157 2nd, USHL Won Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Sioux City Musketeers
Won Semifinals, 3–2 vs. St. Paul Vulcans
Won Clark Cup Finals, 3–1 vs. Dubuque Fighting Saints
1992–93 48 33 11 4 0 — 70 231 171 2nd, USHL Won Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Waterloo Black Hawks
Lost Semifinals, 0–3 vs. Dubuque Fighting Saints
1993–94 48 36 12 0 0 — 72 231 150 1st, USHL Won Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Rochester Mustangs
Won Semifinals, 3–0 vs. St. Paul Vulcans
Lost Clark Cup Finals, 2–3 vs. Omaha Lancers
1994–95 48 38 5 5 0 — 81 290 144 1st, USHL Won Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. North Iowa Huskies
Won Semifinals, 3–0 vs. Dubuque Fighting Saints
Won Clark Cup Finals, 3–2 vs. Omaha Lancers
1995–96 46 21 21 2 2 — 46 177 174 7th, USHL Won Quarterfinals, 4–2 vs. Omaha Lancers
Lost Semifinals, 1–4 vs. Rochester Mustangs
1996–97 54 37 13 — 4 — 78 245 168 3rd, South Lost Quarterfinals, 1–4 vs. North Iowa Huskies
1997–98 56 40 14 — 2 — 82 226 148 1st, South Won Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Green Bay Gamblers
Won Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Lincoln Stars
Lost Clark Cup Finals, 0–4 vs. Omaha Lancers
1998–99 56 48 7 — 1 — 97 304 133 1st, Central Won Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Twin City Vulcans
Won Semifinals. 3–2 vs. Lincoln Stars
Won Clark Cup Finals, 4–2 vs. Omaha Lancers
1999–00 58 35 20 — — 3 73 220 196 4th, West Won Quarterfinals, 3–1 vs. Omaha Lancers
Lost Semifinals, 2–3 vs. Green Bay Gamblers
2000–01 56 32 21 — 3 — 67 195 190 4th, West Lost Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Omaha Lancers
2001–02 61 32 24 — 5 — 69 222 202 3rd, East Lost Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Green Bay Gamblers
2002–03 60 27 27 — 2 4 60 200 223 3rd, East Lost Quarterfinals, 1–3 vs. Waterloo Black Hawks
2003–04 60 29 26 — 1 4 63 202 200 4th, West Lost Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Tri-City Storm
2004–05 60 17 37 — 2 4 40 174 244 6th, East did not qualify
2005–06 60 33 21 — 3 3 72 208 173 T-1st, East Won Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Omaha Lancers
Won Semifinals, 3–0 vs. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
Won Clark Cup Finals, 3–2 vs. Sioux Falls Stampede
2006–07 60 29 21 — 1 9 68 215 206 6th, West Won First Round, 3–2 vs. Omaha Lancers
2–0 in round-robin
(W, 3–0 vs. Tri-City; W, 3–2 vs. Sioux Falls)
Lost Semifinal game, 0–1 OT vs. Waterloo Black Hawks
2007–08 60 14 40 — 2 4 34 134 213 6th, West did not qualify
2008–09 60 12 43 — 2 3 29 167 283 6th, East did not qualify
2009–10 60 20 34 — 4 2 40 143 220 6th, West did not qualify
2010–11 60 29 25 — 2 4 64 174 177 7th, West did not qualify
2011–12 60 20 33 — 1 6 47 168 215 7th, West did not qualify
2012–13 64 25 35 — 1 3 54 189 245 7th, West did not qualify
2013–14 60 20 32 — 2 6 48 154 208 6th, West did not qualify
2014–15 60 21 26 — 6 7 55 164 204 7th, West did not qualify
2015–16 60 25 30 — 5 0 55 165 205 7th, West did not qualify
2016–17 60 36 20 — 1 3 76 177 154 4th, West Lost quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Sioux City Musketeers
2017–18 60 20 33 — 4 3 47 145 199 8th, West did not qualify
2018–19 62 35 22 — 1 4 75 202 177 4th, West Won First Round, 2–0 vs. Fargo Force
Lost Conf. Semifinals, 0–3 vs. Tri-City Storm
2019–20 47 21 23 — 1 2 45 147 174 7th, West Season cancelled
2020–21 51 26 21 — 4 0 56 158 152 5th, West did not qualify
2021–22 62 18 39 — 3 2 41 166 238 8th, West did not qualify
2022–23 62 25 28 — 5 4 59 167 194 6th, West Lost First Round, 0–2 vs. Lincoln Stars
2023–24 60 24 29 — 5 2 55 176 198 7th, West did not qualify

Gold Cup tournament[edit]

The Gold Cup was the USA Hockey Junior A National Championship that the USHL participated in at the end of the season against the regular season and playoff champions of the other Junior A leagues. The USHL stopped participation in the tournament after USA Hockey realigned its designations and the USHL became a Tier I league in 2001. The Gold Cup was discontinued after the 2003 tournament when the remaining Tier II Junior A leagues merged.[11] Des Moines participated in five Gold Cup tournaments and won three Junior A National Championships.

Year Round-Robin Record Semifinal Game Championship Game
1992[12] W, 8–4 vs. Detroit Jr. Red Wings (NAHL)
W, 7–4 vs. Detroit Compuware Ambassadors (NAHL)
W, 5–3 vs. Indianapolis Jr. Ice (NAHL)		 3–0–0 Not held W, 9–1 vs. Detroit Compuware Ambassadors (NAHL)
Won Gold Cup
1994[13] W, 9–5 vs. Kalamazoo Jr. Wings (NAHL)
OTL, 5–6 (3OT) vs. Detroit Compuware (NAHL)
L, 3–4 vs. Niagara Scenic (NAHL)		 1–1–1 did not advance
1995[14] W, 6–1 vs. Springfield Jr. Blues (NAHL)
W, 6–2 vs. Detroit Freeze (NAHL)
W, 5–1 vs. Compuware Ambassadors (NAHL)		 3–0–0 W, 3–2 (2OT) vs. Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL) W, 5–4 (OT) vs. Omaha Lancers (USHL)
Won Gold Cup
1998[15] W, 6–3 vs. Billings Bulls (AFHL)
W, 7–1 vs. Bozeman Icedogs (AFHL)
W, 3–2 (OT) vs. Detroit Compuware (NAHL)		 3–0–0 W, 4–2 vs. Springfield Jr. Blues (NAHL) W, 2–1 vs. Omaha Lancers (USHL)
Won Gold Cup
1999[16] W, 7–1 vs. St. Louis Sting (NAHL)
W, 8–1 vs. Billings Bulls (AWHL)
W, 3–0 vs. Compuware Ambassadors (NAHL)		 3–0–0 W, 8–1 vs. Lincoln Stars (USHL) L, 1–3 vs. Compuware Ambassadors (NAHL)[17]

Roster[edit]

As of September 21, 2022.[18]

No. S/P/C Player Pos Ht Wt DoB Hometown Previous team College commitment
1 Sweden Max Lundgren G 6' 5" 229 lb 2002-11-03 Ängelholm, Sweden Rögle J20 (J20 Nationell) None
2 South Dakota Aiden VanRooyan D 6' 2" 196 lb 2003-04-20 Dakota Dunes, South Dakota Bismarck (NAHL) None
3 New York (state) Chase Ramsay D 6' 0" 182 lb 2003-06-10 Granite Springs, New York Avon Old Farms (USHS–CT) Quinnipiac
5 Sweden Gustav Stjernberg D 6' 4" 205 lb 2002-10-12 Enebyberg, Sweden Örebro J20 (J20 Nationell) Bowling Green
6 New York (state) Michael Bevilacqua D 6' 2" 221 lb 2003-01-26 Buffalo, New York Buffalo Jr. Sabres U18 (Midget AAA) None
7 Minnesota Henry Bartle F 6' 2" 168 lb 2003-06-03 Blaine, Minnesota Centennial (USHS–MN) None
8 Slovakia Ľubomír Kupčo F 5' 11" 172 lb 2003-05-03 Košice, Slovakia Energie Karlovy Vary U20 (Czech Extraliga U20) None
9 Minnesota Talon Sigurdson F 6' 2" 181 lb 2002-01-11 Sartell, Minnesota Anchorage (NAHL) Arizona State
10 Georgia (U.S. state) Ethan Fredericks F 6' 1" 195 lb 2004-11-22 Atlanta, Georgia Nashville Jr. Predators U18 (Midget AAA) Northeastern
11 Latvia Dāvis Borozinskis F 5' 10" 163 lb 2004-10-26 Liepaja, Latvia Corpus Christi (NAHL) Western Michigan
13 New York (state) Jak Vaarwerk F 6' 0" 181 lb 2003-06-13 East Amherst, New York Jamestown (NAHL) UMass Lowell
14 Illinois Andrew Kuzma F 6' 0" 185 lb 2005-01-29 Naperville, Illinois Chicago Mission U16 (Midget AAA) None
15 Indiana Owen West D 5' 10" 161 lb 2004-06-01 Pittsboro, Indiana Jamestown (NAHL) Michigan State
16 Latvia Ģirts Silkalns F 6' 2" 187 lb 2003-06-30 Talsi, Latvia Riga (MHL) UMass Lowell
17 New York (state) Connor Pelc F 6' 2" 195 lb 2003-04-28 Hamburg, New York New Jersey (NAHL) None
18 New York (state) Joey Muldowney F 5' 10" 155 lb 2004-06-05 Lake View, New York Nichols (USHS–NY) UConn
20 Minnesota Jackson Anderson D 6' 2" 170 lb 2004-02-26 Prior Lake, Minnesota Prior Lake (USHS–MN) None
21 Pennsylvania Braedon Ford F 5' 8" 150 lb 2004-01-19 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Johnstown (NAHL) Miami
22 Ontario Alex Pineau D 6' 2" 194 lb 2003-01-21 Thunder Bay, Ontario Minnesota Wilderness (NAHL) None
23 New Jersey Christian Kocsis F 5' 11" 187 lb 2004-06-09 Middletown, New Jersey Lincoln (USHL) Providence
24 Massachusetts Michael Stenberg F 6' 2" 181 lb 2004-09-22 Needham, Massachusetts South Shore (NCDC) Providence
25 Minnesota Joe Gramer D 6' 0" 182 lb 2005-07-14 Moorhead, Minnesota Moorhead (USHS–MN) Omaha
26 Iowa Braden Rourke D 6' 0" 185 lb 2004-07-20 Urbandale, Iowa Corpus Christi (NAHL) None
27 Illinois Anthony Ruklic F 5' 10" 170 lb 2004-10-18 Edwardsville, Illinois St. Louis AAA Blues U18 (Midget AAA) None
28 Quebec Frédéric Deschênes D 6' 1" 170 lb 2005-10-23 Trois-Rivières, Quebec Trois-Rivières Estacades (Midget AAA) Michigan State
30 Slovakia Jan Korec G 6' 1" 185 lb 2004-09-28 Bratislava, Slovakia Northwood (USHS–NY) Boston College
31 Illinois Lucas Szyszka G 6' 1" 183 lb 2004-04-23 Westmont, Illinois Chicago Mission U18 (Midget AAA) Maine

Coaches[edit]

  • Ivan Prediger (1980–1984) – Resigned during the 1984–85 season. Jeff Ulrich was then named interim head coach.
  • Jim Wiley (1984–1990) – Replaced interim head coach Jeff Ulrich during the 1984–85 season.[19]
  • Bob Ferguson (1990–1995, 2001–2004)
  • Scott Owens (1995–1999)
  • Tom Carroll (1999–2001)
  • Regg Simon (2004–2008, 2010–2012) – Resigned during the 2007–08 season after 45 games. Replaced by interim Todd Knott. Rehired in 2010 to replace Guentzel, but was then fired towards the end of the 2011–12 season and replaced by interim Graham Johnson.
  • J. P. Parisé (2008–2009) – Replaced interim head coach Knott but kept him on as an assistant. Became general manager of the Buccaneers in 2009 and vacated the coaching position.
  • Mike Guentzel (2009–2010) – Dave Allison was originally hired for the 2009–10 season but then left the team prior to coaching a game due to immigration and work-visa concerns.[20]
  • Jon Rogger (2012–2014) – Replaced interim head coach Graham Johnson.
  • Dave Allison (2014–2018)[21]
  • Gene Reilly (2018–2019)[22]
  • Peter Mannino (2019–2021)[23]
  • Matt Curley (2021–present)[24]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Hockey Operations".
  2. ^ "USHL Approves Sale of Des Moines Buccaneers". United States Hockey League. October 28, 2017.
  3. ^ "Bucs, Bucs, Bucs! | CITYVIEW". Archived from the original on 2018-02-28.
  4. ^ "Des Moines Buccaneers to open season at Wells Fargo Arena". KCCI. October 13, 2020.
  5. ^ "Des Moines Buccaneers hockey team moving to new 3,500-seat arena at Merle Hay Mall". The Des Moines Register. November 19, 2020.
  6. ^ "Bobcats vs. Bucs". The Des Moines Register. March 14, 1981.
  7. ^ "Brawl ends hockey playoff game early, Buccaneers fall, 7–2". The Des Moines Register. March 19, 1981.
  8. ^ "March 22, 1981 paper". Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  9. ^ "Improved Bucs face 'ex-friends' in title playoff". Des Moines Tribune. March 24, 1982. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  10. ^ "It's do or die tonight for the Buccaneers". Des Moines Tribune. April 2, 1982. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  11. ^ "TRADITION". Des Moines Buccaneers. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  12. ^ "1991–92 Bucs' archives". Des Moines Buccaneers. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  13. ^ "1993–94 Bucs' archives". Des Moines Buccaneers. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  14. ^ "1994–95 Bucs' archives". Des Moines Buccaneers. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  15. ^ "1997–98 Bucs' archives". Des Moines Buccaneers. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  16. ^ "1998–99 Bucs' archives". Des Moines Buccaneers. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  17. ^ "1998–99 Bucs' archives". Des Moines Buccaneers. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  18. ^ "Des Moines Buccaneers Roster". USHL. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  19. ^ "Wiley Quitting as Coach of Bucs". The Des Moines Register. February 27, 1990.
  20. ^ "Guentzel hired". The Des Moines Register. September 1, 2009.
  21. ^ "Bucs Announce Reorganization". OurSportsCentral.com. April 16, 2018.
  22. ^ "Des Moines Buccaneers Announce the Hiring of Former NCAA Coach & NHL Scout Gene Reilly as Their Head Coach". OurSportsCentral.com. June 13, 2018.
  23. ^ "Des Moines Buccaneers Announce Peter Mannino as Head Coach". USHL. June 4, 2019. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  24. ^ "Matt Curley Named Head Coach of the Des Moines Buccaneers". OurSports Central. June 16, 2021.

External links[edit]

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