Worcester IceCats

Worcester IceCats
City Worcester, Massachusetts
League American Hockey League
Operated 1994–2005
Home arena Worcester Centrum
Colors Teal, Blue, Silver
              
Affiliates St. Louis Blues (NHL),
Ottawa Senators (NHL)
Franchise history
1932–1935 Quebec Beavers
1935–1951 Springfield Indians
1951–1954 Syracuse Warriors
1954–1967 Springfield Indians
1967–1974 Springfield Kings
1974–1994 Springfield Indians
1994–2005 Worcester IceCats
2005–2013 Peoria Rivermen
2013–present Utica Comets
Championships
Regular season titles 1 (2000–01)
Division Championships 2 (1996–97, 2000–01)

The Worcester IceCats were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Worcester, Massachusetts, at the Worcester Centrum. In 2005 the team was renamed the Peoria Rivermen and moved to Peoria, Illinois.

History

The IceCats got their start when original New York Islanders owner Roy Boe purchased the Springfield Indians AHL franchise and moved it to Worcester in the summer of 1994. The team began play in the Fall of 1994 with a collection of free-agent players but as yet with no National Hockey League team affiliation. Late in the 1994–95 season, Boe and head coach/General Manager Jim Roberts negotiated a deal with the St. Louis Blues. From that point on the IceCats would be the Blues' premier minor league team. The Peoria Rivermen of the East Coast Hockey League, in turn, became the IceCats' minor league affiliate in 1998, having been with St. Louis before the 1994 Worcester deal. During the 2000–01 season, Boe sold the IceCats to the St. Louis Blues. The team celebrated its tenth season in the AHL in fall 2003.

On November 9, 2004 the St. Louis Blues announced the sale of the IceCats to the owners of their ECHL affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen. The new owners moved the franchise to Peoria, Illinois, for the 2005–06 season.

This franchise was previously known as: Springfield Indians (1926–1994)
The franchise became known as: Peoria Rivermen (2005–2013)
This franchise was replaced by: Worcester Sharks (2006–2015)

Affiliates

Season-by-season results

Regular season

Season Games WonLostTiedOTLSOLPoints Goals
for 		Goals
against 		Standing
1994–9580244511 0— 592343006th, North
1995–9680362812 4— 882422442nd, North
1996–97804323 9 5—1002562341st, New England
1997–98803431 9 6— 832672684th, New England
1998–99803436 8 2— 782372604th, New England
1999–0080343111 4— 832492503rd, New England
2000–01804820 9 3—1082642051st, New England
2001–02803933 7 1— 862452183rd, North
2002–0380352715 3— 882352203rd, North
2003–0480372713 3— 902071863rd, Atlantic
2004–05803934 3 4— 852122235th, Atlantic

Playoffs

Season1st round2nd round3rd roundFinals
1994–95 Out of playoffs.
1995–96 L, 1–3, Portland ———
1996–97 L, 2–3, Providence ———
1997–98 W, 3–1, Springfield L, 3–4, Hartford ——
1998–99 L, 1–3, Providence ———
1999–00 W, 3–1, Portland L, 1–4, Hartford ——
2000–01 W, 3–1, Lowell L, 3–4, Providence ——
2001–02†L, 1–2, Manitoba†———
2002–03 L, 0–3, Binghamton ———
2003–04 W, 4–2, Manchester L, 0–4, Hartford ——
2004–05 Out of playoffs.

† Lost in preliminary round.

Team records

Single season

Career

Franchise scoring leaders

These are the top ten point-scorers in IceCat's franchise history.

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points;

Player Pos GP G A Pts
Terry Virtue D 455 56 154 210
Jame Pollock D 270 63 104 167
Marc Brown LW 303 79 81 160
Eric Boguniecki C 141 69 86 155
Jeff Panzer C 210 62 84 146
Justin Papineau C 162 66 77 143
Stephane Roy C 208 61 78 139
Daniel Corso C 187 54 85 139
Marty Reasoner C 122 57 68 125
Blake Evans C 253 52 73 125

Team captains

Notable IceCats

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