Minnesota Whitecaps

Minnesota Whitecaps
2018–19 Minnesota Whitecaps season
City Saint Paul, Minnesota
League Western Women's Hockey League (2004–2011)
National Women's Hockey League (2018–present)
Founded 2004 (2004)
Home arena TRIA Rink
Colors Black, white, blue and silver
                   
Owner(s) NWHL
General manager Jack Brodt
Head coach Jack Brodt
Ronda Engelhardt
Media NWHL Cross Ice Pass (On YouTube)
Website Official Website
Championships
Playoff championships 1 Clarkson Cup (2010)

The Minnesota Whitecaps are a professional women's ice hockey team based in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area. Established in 2004, they are a member of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL). The Whitecaps play their home games at the TRIA Rink in Saint Paul, the practice rink of the Minnesota Wild.

The team was independent, following the dissolution of the Western Women's Hockey League after the 2010–11 season. While independent, the Whitecaps' schedule consisted mostly of games against women's college ice hockey squads. The team also played some exhibition games against teams in the new National Women's Hockey League during the league's inaugural 2015–16 season but was not an official member of that league.[1] On May 15, 2018, the National Women's Hockey League announced they had acquired the Whitecaps and the team would officially join the league for the 2018–19 season.[2]

The Whitecaps have also two junior teams: U19 and U17.[3]

History

WWHL era

The Whitecaps playing the Calgary Oval X-Treme during their time in the WWHL.

The Whitecaps were formed by two Minneapolis–Saint Paul area hockey dads, Jack Brodt and Dwayne Schmidgall in 2004. They wanted to give their daughters — Winny Brodt, former Minnesota Golden Gophers player and U.S. national team member, and Jenny Schmidgall Potter, a four-time U.S. Olympic medalist — a place to play after college.[4] The Whitecaps were part of the Western Women's Hockey League (WWHL) from the fall of 2004 until the summer of 2006. In July 2006, it was announced that team, along with other WWHL teams, would be joining the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) for the 2006–07 season. However, this was short lived as the NWHL and WWHL could not reach an agreement upon a playoff schedule. As a result, the merger was not consummated. With the collapse of the NWHL in the summer of 2007, the Western Women's Hockey League was a completely independent league.[5]

The Whitecaps took three regular season championships in the WWHL, 2008–09, 2009–10 and 2010–11, qualifying to participate in the Clarkson Cup tournament for the Canadian women's ice hockey championships against teams from the Canadian Women's Hockey League.

During the qualifying WWHL rounds 2008–09, the Whitecaps won the semifinal match 4–0 over the Edmonton Chimos. The next day, the Whitecaps defeated the Calgary Oval X-Treme by the score of 2–0 in the championship match in Calgary. During the 2009 Clarkson Cup, the Whitecaps upset both the Brampton Thunder and the Calgary Oval X-Treme. The Whitecaps then played in the final match of the tournament but lost by a score of 3–1 to the Montreal Stars, who would take home the Clarkson Cup.[6]

The following season, 2009–10, the Whitecaps took the WWHL Championship. The first match of the WWHL qualifying round took place on February 5, 2010, at the Minnesota Pagel Ice Arena and the Whitecaps defeated the Strathmore Rockies by a score of 6–3.[7] During the second match on February 6 at Victory Memorial Ice Arena, the Whitecaps beat Strathmore by a score of 4–1.[7] The third match on February 7 at the Graham Arena, Strathmore won 4–3 over the Whitecaps.[7] The Whitecaps 2–1 record advanced the team to the 2010 Clarkson Cup tournament in Richmond Hill, Ontario.[7] Whitecaps beat the Brampton Thunder 4–0 in final game[8][9] and won their only Clarkson Cup.[10]

The Whitecaps were defeated in all three of their round-robin matches in the 2011 Clarkson Cup.[11][12][13]

Independent era

The Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL) announced on April 19, 2011, that it would merge with the Western Women's Hockey League for the 2011–12 season. The merger was to feature one team based in Edmonton and Calgary and would be combination of the former WWHL franchises, the Edmonton Chimos and Strathmore Rockies, called Team Alberta.[14]

However, the CWHL decided against adding the Whitecaps and Manitoba Maple Leafs. The business manager of the Whitecaps, Kristie Minkoff, accused the Canadian Women's Hockey League of collusion against the participation of Whitecaps in the 2012 Clarkson Cup and making the team pay $200,000 expansion fee to the CWHL in order to play.[15] The two teams attempted to continue operating the league, but lost several board members and were unable to put together a 2011–12 season. The two teams played a number of exhibition games while the league looked to expand with new teams.[15] The WWHL never reorganized and effectively ceased operations. While independent, the Whitecaps' schedule consisted mostly of games against women's college ice hockey squads.

While independent, the Whitecaps did not have a home rink and reached out to Minnesota youth hockey programs that could either afford to buy ice time at rinks suitable for Whitecaps home games or had ice time donated to them. In exchange, the Whitecaps used part of that ice time to put on clinics for the youth players, who received free tickets to the games and whose hockey associations received 100 percent of the proceeds from ticket sales. Some programs raised more than $1,500 in a single night from the arrangement.[16]

During the 2015–16 season, a new National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) began play in the Northeast United States, and was the first women's hockey league to pay its players. The Whitecaps played four exhibition games against the NWHL teams, but was not an official member of that league.[17] For the 2016–17 season, Whitecaps scheduled no games against CWHL or NWHL teams, but had several games scheduled against NCAA teams and Shattuck-St. Mary's School.[18]

In February 2018, Kate Schipper and Sadie Lundquist were invited to represent the Whitecaps at the NWHL All-Star Game and Skills Challenge, which were held at TRIA Rink in Saint Paul, Minnesota.[19]

NWHL era

Whitecaps Kate Schipper (6) & Riveters Lexi Slattery (15) in the Whitecaps 2018-2019 season opening weekend at Tria Rink.

On May 15, 2018, the NWHL announced that it had an agreement in principle to acquire ownership of the Whitecaps.[20] The team is expected to join the NWHL as an expansion team for the 2018–19 season. The NWHL arranged with the Minnesota Wild to use TRIA Rink, the Wild's practice facility, as the site for Whitecaps home games.[21] It was reported that the Whitecaps had hired 2018 Olympic gold medal-winning coach Robb Stauber and his wife Shivaun Stauber as coaches, sharing the head coaching responsibilities,[22] but the parties never signed a contract. Whitecaps' founder and general manager Jack Brodt then returned to the coaching position he held prior to joining the NWHL and hired former University of Minnesota player Ronda Curtin Engelhardt as co-coach.[23]

On August 21, the Whitecaps unveiled their new logo.[24]

Season-by-season

= Indicates First Place finish
= Indicates championship

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points

Year GP W L T GF GA Pts Finish Playoffs
2004–05128313423402ndLost in First Round
2005–062411857965273rdLost Final
2006–072413917464283rdLost Final
2007–082415617050332ndLost Final
2008–0922183118144382ndWWHL Champions but lost the Clarkson Cup final game[6]
2009–101210204424201stWWHL Champions and Won Clarkson Cup[8]
2010–1118171012043351stWWHL Champions but lost Clarkson Cup

Season events

2008–09

  • January 16: The Whitecaps participated in Hockey Day Minnesota. The team played the USA Selects Team.
  • March 8: The Whitecaps defeated the Calgary Oval X-Treme on March 8 in the WWHL Championship game shutting out Calgary by a score of 2–0. The Minnesota Whitecaps also won the semi-final game on March 7 against the Edmonton Chimos by a score of 4–0.
  • March 21: The Whitecaps participated in the inaugural Clarkson Cup. The final game pitted the Montreal Stars, the top team from the Canadian Women's Hockey League, against the Minnesota Whitecaps, the top team from the WWHL.[25] Montreal won the Cup by a score of 3–1. Sanya Sandahl was selected as Minnesota's player of the game.

2009–10

  • November 16: Chisago Lakes was host to the first scrimmage of the season between the Whitecaps and the USA National team.
  • December 21: Jenny Potter, Angela Ruggiero, Julie Chu, Natalie Darwitz, Caitlin Cahow, Molly Engstrom, Lisa Chesson, Jinelle Zaugg-Siergiej and Karen Thatcher all former Minnesota Whitecaps will be playing in the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games on February 12–28.[26]
  • On February 8, 2010, the Whitecaps clinched the WWHL Championship. The first game of the series on February 5, was held at Minnetonka’s Pagel Ice Arena hosted by Minnetonka Youth Hockey Association. The Whitecaps beat Strathmore by a score of 6–3. Game two of the series was hosted by the NOVAS Girls High School Hockey team on Saturday, February 6, at Victory Memorial Ice Arena. The Whitecaps will look forward to competing in the Clarkson Cup Championship in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada from March 26–28.
  • March 28: The Whitecaps defeated the Brampton Thunder 4–0 to win the Clarkson Cup.[8][27]

2010–11

Exhibition
DateOpponentLocationScoreGoal scorers
October 1, 2010Minnesota DuluthDuluth, MN3–4 (Shootout)Jenny Potter, Iya Gavrilova, Saara Tuominen[28]
October 8, 2010Minnesota Golden GophersRidder Arena2–3Allie Thunstrom, Saara Tuominen[29]
October 22, 2010Bemidji State BeaversEveleth, MN3–1Allie Thunstrom, Iya Gavrilova, Jenny Potter[30]
October 23, 2010Bemidji State BeaversEveleth, MN1–5Jessica Koizumi[31]
2011 Clarkson Cup
Date Match Winner
March 24, 2011Minnesota – MontrealMontreal Stars 5–1
March 25, 2011Minnesota – TorontoToronto Aeros 6–0
March 26, 2011Minnesota – BramptonBrampton Thunder 7–2

Independent schedules

Since 2011–12 season, Whitecaps played only exhibition games against CWHL, NCAA, high school and NWHL teams.

Exhibition games

DateOpponentLocationScore
September 25, 2015University of MinnesotaRidder Arena4–5
September 26, 2015Saint-Cloud State UniversityRidder Arena3–4
October 3, 2015Connecticut WhaleNorth Branford, CT4–8
October 4, 2015New York RivetersNewark, NJ5–2
December 5, 2015Shattuck-St. Mary's SchoolRidder Arena2–3
December 6, 2015Shattuck-St. Mary's SchoolFaribault, MN5–4
December 12, 2015Boston PrideRidder Arena1–5
December 13, 2015Shattuck-St. Mary's SchoolRidder Arena5–4
January 6, 2016University of MinnesotaRidder Arena5–4
January 9, 2016University of North DakotaGrand Forks, ND6–1
January 10, 2016University of North DakotaGrand Forks, ND1–0
February 13, 2016Shattuck-St. Mary's SchoolFaribault, MN2–3

Players

Roster

As of September 13, 2018[32][33]

# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace
25 United States Lauren Barnes F R 26 2017 Eagan, Minnesota
8 United States Amanda Boulier D R 25 2018 Watertown, Connecticut
20 United States Hannah Brandt C R 24 2016 Vadnais Heights, Minnesota
5 United States Winny Brodt-Brown D L 40 2004 Roseville, Minnesota
4 United States Chelsey Brodt-Rosenthal D R 35 2006 Roseville, Minnesota
26 United States Kendall Coyne Schofield LW L 26 2018 Palos Heights, Illinois
3 United States Jonna Curtis F R 24 2018 Coon Rapids, Minnesota
23 Germany Tanja Eisenschmid D L 25 2016 Marktoberdorf, Germany
1 United States Julie Friend G L 25 2017 Minnetonka, Minnesota
22 United States Kalli Funk LW L 25 2016 Roseville, Minnesota
29 Canada Amanda Leveille G L 24 2018 Kingston, Ontario
16 United States Margo Lund F R 25 2017 Chicago, Illinois
17 United States Sadie Lundquist F R 27 2017 Cloquet, Minnesota
United States Lisa Martinson D R 27 2016 St. Louis Park, Minnesota
13 United States Katie McGovern F L 23 2018 Scottsdale, Arizona
21 United States Amy Menke F R 23 2017 Shakopee, Minnesota
15 United States Megan Pezon F R 30 2017 Eden Prairie, Minnesota
34 United States Sydney Rossman G L 23 2018 Excelsior, Minnesota
6 United States Kate Schipper F R 23 2017 Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
United States Amy Schlagel D L 23 2018 Blaine, Minnesota
91 United States Haylea Schmid F R 28 2016 Coon Rapids, Minnesota
7 United States Emma Stauber D L 25 2017 Duluth, Minnesota
2 United States Lee Stecklein D L 24 2018 Roseville, Minnesota
9 United States Allie Thunstrom F R 30 2017 Maplewood, Minnesota
10 United States Brooke White-Lancette F 37 2004 Berkeley, California

Awards and honors

  • Natalie Darwitz, Western Women’s Hockey League Most Valuable Player (2006–07)[34]
  • 2008 Breaking Barriers Award:[35] Presented at National Girls and Women in Sports Day in St. Paul
  • 2009 Clarkson Cup Top role model: Julie Chu
  • 2009 Clarkson Cup Top defense: Caitlin Cahow
  • In March 2010, the Whitecaps became the first American team to win the Clarkson Cup
  • 2010 Clarkson Cup Most Valuable Player:Julie Chu
  • 2010 Clarkson Cup Final Player of the Game: Brooke White-Lancette

Notable former players

PlayerPositionHometownYearsNotes
Caitlin CahowDefenseNew Haven, Connecticut2008–09Team USA for 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics; 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011 IIHF Women's World Championship
Lisa ChessonDefensePlainfield, Illinois2008–09Team USA for 2010 Olympics; 2009, 2012, and 2013 IIHF Women's World Championship
Julie ChuForwardBridgeport, Connecticut2007–09Team USA for 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014 Winter Olympics; IIHF team from 2001 to 2013.
Natalie DarwitzForwardEagan, Minnesota2006–08Team USA for 2002, 2006, and 2010 Winter Olympics; IIHF team from 1999 to 2009.
Molly EngstromDefenseSiren, Wisconsin2008–09Team USA for 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics; IIHF team from 2004 to 2011
Manon RhéaumeGoaltenderBeauport, Québec2007–09Team Canada for 1998 Winter Olympics; IIHF team in 1992 and 1994. Played for several men's professional minor league teams.
Angela RuggieroDefenseSimi Valley, California2006–10Team USA for 1998, 2002, 2006, an 2010 Winter Olympics; IIHF team from 1997 to 2011. Played for a men's professional minor league team, the Tulsa Oilers in 2005.
Karen ThatcherForwardBryn Mawr, Pennsylvania2008–09Team USA for 2010 Winter Olympics; IIHF team for 2008 and 2009
Jinelle Zaugg-SiergiejForwardEagle River, Wisconsin2008–09Team USA for 2010 Winter Olympics; IIHF team in 2007

References

  1. ↑ "Whitecaps Split Games Against NWHL Teams". Whitecaps. October 5, 2015.
  2. ↑ "NWHL Expands to Minnesota". NWHL.Zone. May 15, 2018. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Jr. Whitecaps". oshockey.com. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Professional women's hockey coming to Minnesota: Whitecaps named NWHL expansion team". Star Tribune. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  5. ↑ Pat Borzi (January 26, 2007). "Women Pay for a Chance to Play". New York Times.
  6. 1 2 "Montreal wins first Clarkson Cup". IIHF. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Minnesota Whitecaps clinch WWHL Championship". Whitecaps. February 8, 2010.
  8. 1 2 3 "Minnesota wins Clarkson Cup". IIHF. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012.
  9. ↑ Dan Robson (March 28, 2010). "Minnesota Whitecaps capture Clarkson Cup". CBC.ca. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Minnesota Whitecaps: Clarkson Cup Champions". puckworlds.com. June 17, 2010.
  11. ↑ "Montreal opens Clarkson Cup with win". cbc.ca. March 24, 2011. Archived from the original on 2012-11-09. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
  12. ↑ "Locals chase Cup dream". The Barrie Examiner. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Kirk powers Brampton past Minnesota at Clarkson Cup". tsn.ca. March 25, 2011. Archived from the original on 2012-10-20. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  14. ↑ "Chimos Part of Merger With CWHL". Edmonton Chimos. April 25, 2011. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011.
  15. 1 2 "Minnesota Whitecaps cry foul on exclusion from Canadian Women's Hockey League". The Huffington Post. November 18, 2011.
  16. ↑ Andrew Baker (October 12, 2010). "Whitecaps have talent but lack cash". Mndaily.com.
  17. ↑ "Whitecaps Split Games Against NWHL Teams". Whitecaps. October 5, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Whitecaps Double Number of College Games for 2016-2017 Season". Whitecaps. August 19, 2016.
  19. ↑ "ROSTERS ANNOUNCED FOR 2018 NWHL ALL-STAR GAME". NWHL. January 22, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Finally, NWHL lands Minnesota Whitecaps as its first expansion team". ESPN. May 16, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Whitecaps to play their home games at Wild's practice rink". Star Tribune. June 26, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Gold-medal winning Robb Stauber will coach Whitecaps". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. May 22, 2018.
  23. ↑ "Whitecaps pick former Gophers star Ronda (Curtin) Engelhardt as co-coach with Jack Brodt". Star Tribune. July 12, 2018.
  24. ↑ NWHL Staff (2018-08-21). "The New Crest of the Minnesota Whitecaps is Here!". NWHL.zone. Retrieved 2018-08-21.
  25. ↑ http://www.minnesotawhitecaps.com/news/2008-2009/
  26. ↑ http://www.minnesotawhitecaps.com/news/2009-2010/
  27. ↑ Randy Starkman (March 29, 2010). "Whitecaps swamp Thunder to win Clarkson Cup". The Toronto Star.
  28. ↑ "Minnesota Duluth vs. Whitecaps". Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
  29. ↑ "Golden Gophers vs. Whitecaps". Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
  30. ↑ "Beavers vs. Whitecaps". Archived from the original on January 15, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
  31. ↑ "Beavers vs. Whitecaps". Archived from the original on January 15, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
  32. ↑ "NWHL Minnesota Whitecaps". NWHL.zone. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  33. ↑ "Minnesota Whitecaps Elite Prospects". EliteProspects.com. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  34. ↑ "Natalie Darwtiz profile". Archived from the original on January 17, 2010. Retrieved January 19, 2010.
  35. ↑ http://www.minnesotawhitecaps.com/news/2007-2008/
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