Kalamazoo Wings
| Kalamazoo Wings | |
|---|---|
 2016–17 ECHL season
|
|
 |
|
| City | Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States |
| League | ECHL |
| Conference | Western |
| Division | Central |
| Founded | 1999 (in the UHL) |
| Home arena | Wings Event Center |
| Colors | Red, white, blue |
| Owner(s) | William D. Johnston |
| Head coach | Nick Bootland |
| Captain | |
| Media |
The Fan AM 1660 WQLR Kalamazoo Gazette |
| Affiliates |
Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL) Syracuse Crunch (AHL) |
| Franchise history | |
| 1999–2000 | Madison Kodiaks |
| 2000–present | Kalamazoo Wings |
| Championships | |
| Regular season titles | 1 UHL 2005–06 |
| Division Championships |
1 UHL 2005–06 4 ECHL 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14 |
| Conference Championships |
2 UHL 2005–06, 2006–07 1 ECHL 2010–11 |
| Colonial Cups | 1 UHL 2005–06 |
| Kelly Cups | 0 ECHL |
The Kalamazoo Wings, nicknamed the K-Wings, are a mid-level professional ice hockey team in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A member of the ECHL's Western Conference, Central Division, they play in the 5,113-seat Wings Event Center.
Kalamazoo is home to the "Green Ice Game". Played since 1982 on St. Patrick's Day, it is one of the most celebrated games in minor league hockey. The team has sought to duplicate the game's success with the Pink Ice Game (Valentine's Day), the Orange Ice Game (Halloween) and a new creation, the Blue Ice Game (sponsored by Bell's Brewery).
The team began in the 1999–2000 season as the United Hockey League's Madison Kodiaks in Madison, Wisconsin. After one season in Madison, the franchise moved to Kalamazoo, where it renamed itself the Wings in honor of the original Wings that had played in the International Hockey League from 1974 through 2000. The new Wings obtained the right to use the old Wings' name and logo, as well as using the original team's history as its own.
The K-Wings played in the UHL from October 2000 until June 1, 2009, when they withdrew because of concerns that the league, which had renamed itself the International Hockey League in 2007, might go bankrupt. Eight days later, the K-Wings joined the ECHL. From September 13, 2012 until the end of the 2014–15 season, the Wings had an affiliation with the American Hockey League's Chicago Wolves. They were also affiliated with the National Hockey League's Columbus Blue Jackets and Vancouver Canucks as well as their AHL affiliates the Springfield Falcons and Utica Comets, respectively.
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