Wenatchee Wild | |
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City | Wenatchee, Washington |
League | British Columbia Hockey League |
Division | Mainland |
Founded | 2010 (Current BCHL franchise) 2008 (First NAHL franchise) |
Home arena | Town Toyota Center |
Colors | Blue, Black and White |
Owner(s) | David White |
General manager | Bliss Littler |
Head coach | Bliss Littler |
Media | 560am KPQ/1340am The Zone |
Franchise history | |
First NAHL franchise | |
2008–2013 | Wenatchee Wild |
2013–2015 | Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees |
2015–present | Aston Rebels |
Current BCHL franchise | |
2010–2013 | Fresno Monsters |
2013–present | Wenatchee Wild |
Championships | |
Division Championships | 3 (2008–09, 2009–10, 2012–13) |
The Wenatchee Wild is a Junior A ice hockey team in the British Columbia Hockey League. The team plays its home games at the 4,300-seat Town Toyota Center in Wenatchee, Washington. Initially, the team was part of the North American Hockey League, joining as an expansion club for the 2008–09 season, and in that time they were well known for their rivalry with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs. The Wild moved to the BCHL for 2015–16, after seeking approval from both Hockey Canada and USA Hockey for three years.
On September 12, 2006, ground was broken on a new multipurpose event center that would be home to a new ice hockey team. On February 22, 2008, the North American Hockey League granted Wenatchee Junior Hockey, LLC. with conditional approval for an expansion team. On May 20, 2008, Wenatchee Junior Hockey, LLC. announced the franchise would be the "Wild." The name was chosen by a "name-the-team contest" held at local schools in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee. Other potential names for the team were the Wranglers, Bombers, Wonders, Hockeyes, Winning Walruses and Ice Busters. The Wild played their first game on September 17, 2008, losing to the Motor City Metal Jackets 2-1 in overtime. The Wild made a championship run in that first season, winning the division title but losing the championship game 3-2 in overtime. The following season, they came back and won the West Division championship in 2009–10, but were eliminated in the round-robin championship tournament.
On May 13, 2013, the Wild lost their first and only game during the 2013 Robertson Cup Championship Tournament to the Amarillo Bulls 5-0 during the Robertson Cup championship game. On January 19, 2013, USA Hockey approved the transfer of the Wenatchee Wild from the NAHL to the British Columbia Hockey League for the 2013–14 season. However, on May 14, 2013, the Wild announced they would instead relocate the franchise to Hidalgo, Texas and play as the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees of the NAHL.