The Kenai River Brown Bears are a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League based in Soldotna, Alaska. The team joined the North American Hockey League (NAHL) as an expansion team for the 2007–08 season, and since then has upgraded and added team-specific facilities to the 2,000 plus capacity Soldotna Sports Center it calls home.
| Kenai River Brown Bears | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Soldotna, Alaska |
| League | North American Hockey League |
| Division | Midwest |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Home arena | Soldotna Sports Center |
| Colors | Brown |
| Owner(s) | Kenai Peninsula Youth Foundation |
| General manager | Nate Kiel |
| Head coach | Taylor Shaw |
| Franchise history | |
| 2007–present | Kenai River Brown Bears |
On February 28, 2017, during a major slump in the Alaskan economy, years of team futility and increased travel costs, the Brown Bears announced it would cease operations at the end of the 2016–17 season.[1] However, after a fan fundraising effort, the Brown Bears applied to the NAHL for approval to reactivate in April 2017 and was approved.[2]
Due to the travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Brown Bears temporarily relocated home games to Breezy Point, Minnesota, for most of the 2020–21 season[3][4] until mid-April 2021.[5]
The 20-21 season marked the first season the Brown Bears won a playoff series, winning the divisional semifinals over the Janesville Jets.
Season-by-season records
edit| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–08 | 58 | 12 | 38 | 8 | 32 | 144 | 257 | 1272 | 6th, South | Did not qualify |
| 2008–09 | 58 | 14 | 36 | 8 | 36 | 165 | 249 | 1350 | 4th, West | Lost 1st Round 0-3 Fairbanks Ice Dogs |
| 2009–10 | 58 | 12 | 40 | 6 | 30 | 144 | 247 | 1045 | 4th, West | Lost 1st Round 0-3 Wenatchee Wild |
| 2010–11 | 58 | 27 | 24 | 7 | 61 | 189 | 191 | 1076 | 4th, West | Lost Div. Semifinals 0-3 Fairbanks Ice Dogs |
| 2011–12 | 60 | 31 | 25 | 4 | 66 | 186 | 189 | 894 | 4th, West | Lost Div. Semifinals 0-3 Fairbanks Ice Dogs |
| 2012–13 | 60 | 29 | 25 | 6 | 64 | 139 | 224 | 1115 | 3rd, West | Lost Div. Semifinals 2-3 Fairbanks Ice Dogs |
| 2013–14 | 60 | 28 | 24 | 8 | 64 | 164 | 178 | 1181 | 4th, West | Lost Div. Semifinals 2-3 Fairbanks Ice Dogs |
| 2014–15 | 60 | 16 | 42 | 2 | 34 | 132 | 244 | 963 | 5th, West | Did not qualify |
| 2015–16 | 60 | 4 | 51 | 5 | 13 | 109 | 232 | 1351 | 6th of 6, Midwest Div. 22nd of 22, NAHL |
Did not qualify |
| 2016–17 | 60 | 12 | 46 | 2 | 26 | 121 | 233 | 1255 | 6th of 6, Midwest Div. 23rd of 24, NAHL |
Did not qualify |
| 2017–18 | 60 | 18 | 38 | 4 | 40 | 153 | 238 | 1269 | 6th of 6, Midwest Div. 22nd of 23, NAHL |
Did not qualify |
| 2018–19 | 60 | 23 | 31 | 6 | 52 | 139 | 174 | 1088 | 5th of 6, Midwest Div. 20th of 24, NAHL |
Did not qualify |
| 2019–20 | 52 | 27 | 19 | 6 | 60 | 197 | 182 | 853 | 3rd of 6, Midwest Div. 13th of 26, NAHL |
Season cancelled |
| 2020–21 | 48 | 22 | 24 | 2 | 46 | 155 | 168 | 787 | 4th of 5, Midwest Div. 20th of 23, NAHL |
Won Div. Semifinals 3-1 Janesville Jets Lost Div. Finals 2-3 Minnesota Magicians |
| 2021–22 | 60 | 14 | 41 | 5 | 33 | 147 | 256 | 1127 | 8th of 8, Midwest Div. 28th of 29, NAHL |
Did not qualify |
| 2022–23 | 60 | 32 | 24 | 4 | 68 | 170 | 185 | 1095 | 3rd of 8, Midwest Div. 12th of 29, NAHL |
lost Div. Semifinals 0-3 Minnesota Wilderness |
| 2023-24 | 60 | 20 | 34 | 6 | 46 | 171 | 232 | 931 | 8th of 8th Midwest 27 of 32 NAHL |
Did not qualify |
Head coaches
edit- 2007–2009: Mike Flanagan
- 2011–2013: Oliver David
- 2013–2016: Geoff Beauparlant
- 2016–2017: Jeff Worlton[7]
- 2017–2019: Josh Petrich
- 2019: Dan Bogdan (interim)[8]
- 2019–2021: Kevin Murdock[9][10]
- 2021: Josh Dubinsky[11]
- 2021–present: Taylor Shaw (interim)[12]
- 2022-present: Taylor Shaw – https://www.kenairiverbrownbears.com/shaw-named-new-head-coach-as-brown-bears-announce-staff—″″
References
edit- ^ "Brown Bears to cease operations next year". Peninsula Clarion. February 28, 2017.
- ^ "Brown Bears reactivated for next season". Peninsula Clarion. April 18, 2017.
- ^ "NA Now: Kenai River Brown Bears". NAHL. September 24, 2020.
- ^ "Brown Bears Plan For Upcoming Season: Start Remote, Finish At Home". Radio Kenai. 27 August 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
- ^ "Brown Bears returning to Alaska". NAHL. March 17, 2021.
- ^ "Shaw Named New Head Coach as Brown Bears Announce Staff". 28 April 2022.
- ^ "Kenai River announces coaching change". NAHL. January 12, 2016.
- ^ "Brown Bears announce coaching change". NAHL. February 11, 2019.
- ^ "Brown Bears name Murdock as head coach". NAHL. April 11, 2019.
- ^ "Brown Bears part ways with head coach Murdock". NAHL. May 5, 2021.
- ^ "Brown Bears announce coaching staff for 2021-22 season". NAHL. August 6, 2021.
- ^ "Brown Bears announce coaching, staff changes". NAHL. November 22, 2021.
External links
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