Winnipeg Ice the hottest club in entire 60-team Canadian Hockey League

The Winnipeg Ice are on fire, finding a way to the Canadian Hockey League penthouse after serving as doormats for a number of years.

"They're doing awesome. They're dominating, and it's great hockey to watch," said fan Billy Ranville, decked out in an Ice ball cap and jersey, watching the team dial up yet another victory Thursday this time,a 4-1 win over the Red Deer Rebels.

"I wear it proud. Go, Ice, go."

Thursday's win improved the Winnipeg team'srecord to 13-1 so far in the young season, well atop the 22-team Western Hockey League one of the three junior leagues (along with theOntario Hockey Leagueand the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League) that are part of the umbrella Canadian Hockey Leagueorganization.

The Ice also sit at the pinnacle of the 60-team CHL'sweekly top-10 rankings.

As of Friday, the Ice had scored 76 goals in their 14 games this season.The next closest team in the WHL had 56, and the league average was35.

Twicethis season, the Icehave netted 10 goals in a game both 10-2 winsalong with an 8-0 thrashing.

"I hope it does, but I don't expect that to continue," Ice head coach James Patricksaid of the team's knack for piling up goals.

It's a long way from theKootenay Ice team that relocated from Cranbrook, B.C., to Winnipeg before the start of the 2019-20 season.

During their last season out west, the Ice won 13 of 68 games. Two seasonbefore thatit was14 of 72, andbefore that, just 12 of 72.

The upside to those low years was high draft picks of promising young players, who are now experienced 19- and 20-year-olds.

"We're starting to reap the benefits," said Patrick, a Winnipegger and ex-NHLer who is in his fifth year as bench boss.

'This organization has come a long way'

The teamis talented top to bottom throughout itsfour lines.Threeplayersstill with the Icehave been drafted by NHL clubs. Several others are top prospects for upcoming NHL drafts.

But this season's early success is also a bit of luck,Patrick said. Someteams had injury issues while others were missing star players who hadn't yet returned from NHL camps.

Those teams will get better as the season continuesand figure out how to slowthe pace of the Ice, Patrick said.

"It's a lot tougher to score in March than it is in September or October," he said.

The team's first defeatthis season came with a 3-1 loss in Edmonton onOct. 29. That snapped a 16-game winning streak that dated back to the previous season.Stung by that loss, the Ice routedthe Lethbridge Hurricanes 7-0 the following day.

The 11 consecutive victories out of the gate this year fell one short of the WHL's all-time recordto start a season.

"It feels awesome. This organization has come a long way since I joined it," said goalie Gage Alexander, 19, who was selected in the 2021 NHL draft by the Anaheim Ducks.

"It's a very good time to be around this team and everyone's happy to come to the rink every day, which is a huge thing."

The Iceimproved in their first year in Winnipeg, finishingninthand makingthe playoffs. But the 2019-20 season was abruptly cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020-21 season was also a COVID-shortened one that saw the WHL's seven teams from Saskatchewan and Manitoba play exclusivelyin a Regina bubble.The Icefinished the 24-game season at 18-5 and one point out of first in their division, but there was no post-season.

"Certainly we've gotten off to a good start," said Patrick, a first-roundpick inthe 1981 NHL draftwho played with four teams from1983 until 2006.

"We knew, coming out of the bubble, that a majority of our players were returning [this season] and just felt for the last four years we've gotten better every year."

Building a fan base

In addition to experience, Patrick credits the team'sprosperity to players' leadership, particularly fromPeyton Krebs, who was a rookie in 2017 and became captain in 2018.

"He was a special player, special person," Patrick said, calling Krebs the most driven athlete he's ever seen. "He really set the standard."

Those infectious habits and passion were passed on to the younger guys.Lines pusheach other, feed off each other and raiseeach others' level of play, he said.

Krebs is now in the NHL, selected 17th overall at the 2019 NHL draft by the Vegas Golden Knights.

This week, he was part ofa high-profile trade that saw disgruntled star Jack Eichel moved from Buffalo to Vegas. Krebs is now a Sabre.

His role with the Ice has since been picked up by Carson Lambos, an 18-year-old Winnipegger drafted 26th overall by the Minnesota Wild earlier this year, said Patrick.

"It becomes cyclical how you work, how you train, how you interact, how you practise, how you treat people," he said.

The players have fully bought in to that culture of professionalism, said Alexander.

"We've got a really good group here and we know what it takes to win in this league," he said. "We all want to get better every day."

That drive has drawn fans to1,600-seat Wayne Fleming Arena at the University of Manitoba, who let the team feel their appreciation.

"Every game there's more and more fans out there and they get louder and louder, so it's a huge help on our side and it makes our job a lot more fun," Alexander said.

Among them issuperfan Gabriel Langlois, better known as Dancing Gabe an enthusiastic fixture at games for Winnipeg'sJets, Blue Bombers and Goldeyes.

"They're the No. 1 team in the country already. They're amazing,"Langloissaid after a rousing jig in the stands on Thursday.

Bryan Smith took in his first Ice game Thursday. Hebought a souvenir puck to commemorate the day and said he intends to be back.

"I feel like a kid all over again," Smith said, adding he camespecifically to see Sequoia Swan, a playerfrom Lake Manitoba First Nation.

"I hope they go all the way, make Winnipeg proud."

Winnipeg Ice hottest club in Canadian Hockey League

3 years ago

Duration 2:29

The WHL team is tops in the country and scoring in bundles after being a bottom-dweller in the past.