Des Moines Buccaneers

The Des Moines Buccaneers are a Tier I junior ice hockey team in the United States Hockey League (USHL). The team has played in the Western Conference since the 2009–10 season.

Des Moines Buccaneers
CityUrbandale, Iowa
LeagueUnited States Hockey League
ConferenceWestern
Founded1980
Home arenaBuccaneer Arena
ColorsRed, blue, white
     
Owner(s)Orchard View Sports & Entertainment
General managerScott Owens[1]
Head coachPeter Mannino
Franchise history
1980–presentDes Moines Buccaneers
Championships
Regular season titles4 Anderson Cups (1993–94, 1994–95, 1997–98, and 1998–99)
Division Championships7
Gold Cups3
Playoff championships4 Clark Cups (1992, 1995, 1999, and 2006)

History

The Buccaneers began USHL play during the 1980–81 season and have played all their home games at Buccaneer Arena located in Urbandale, Iowa, outside of Des Moines. The Buccaneers have won four Anderson Cup championships (1993–94, 1994–95, 1997–98 and 1998–99) and four Clark Cup championships (1992, 1995, 1999 and 2006) in their history.

The Buccaneers also won three Gold Cups (in 1992, 1995, and 1998) for the Junior A National Championship awarded prior USA Hockey's 2001 realignment that shifted the USHL to Tier I status.

The Buccaneers have also had many players continue to play hockey after completing their USHL career in Des Moines. Many players have been given scholarships and move on to play NCAA Division I hockey, while others have gone on to play professional hockey. Most notably, Scott Clemmensen, a native of Des Moines, played for the Buccaneers before going to Boston College to play NCAA Division I hockey and then onto the New Jersey Devils and the Florida Panthers.

Clemmensen later became a co-owner of the Buccaneers as part of Orchard View Sports & Entertainment that purchased the team in 2017.[2] Kyle Okposo, who played on the 2005–06 Clark Cup championship team prior to playing for the University of Minnesota and is now playing for the Buffalo Sabres.

Arena

The Bucaneers played their home games at Buccaneer Arena since their inception. The arena, built in 1962, is nicknamed "The Madhouse on Hickman."[3] In 2020, the arena was damaged during the August 2020 Midwest derecho and the team was forced to start the 2020–21 season at Wells Fargo Arena in downtown Des Moines.[4] In November 2020, the team announced it would be replacing the old arena as part of a new development at Merle Hay Mall. The project will see a 3,500 seat main arena built in what was a Younkers department store, plus other disused sections of the mall turned into three additional community sheets of ice and a 150-room hotel.[5] Buccaneer Arena re-opened in January 2021, where the teams plans to play until the new center is complete.

Season-by-season record
SeasonGPWLTOTLSOLPtsGFGAFinishPlayoffs
1980–814823250——462402992nd, South2–3 in Clark Cup round-robin
(W, 10–6 vs. Green Bay;[6] L, 5–11 vs. Dubuque; L, 2–7 vs. St. Paul;[7] W, 5–4 vs. Waterloo; L, 3–7 vs. Austin[8])
1981–824818291——372653146th3–2 in Clark Cup round-robin[9]
(L, 4–6 vs. Bloomington; W, 5–2 vs. Sioux City; W, 11–5 vs. Dubuque; L, 6–7 vs. Austin; W, 9–1 vs. St. Paul)
Lost Clark Cup Finals, 2–3 vs. Sioux City Musketeers[10]
1982–834825221——512983093rdWon Quarterfinals, 3–1 vs. Bloomington Jr. Stars
Lost Semifinals, 1–3 vs. Sioux City Musketeers
1983–8448232113—502702594thWon Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. North Iowa Huskies
Lost Semifinals, 0–3 vs. St. Paul Vulcans
1984–854873713—1818325510thDid not qualify
1985–8648113601—231943319thDid not qualify
1986–8748232023—512772416thLost Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Madison Capitols
1987–8848231933—522662704thLost Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Madison Capitols
1988–8948182712—392502766thLost Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Madison Capitols
1989–9048172920—362162978thLost Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Omaha Lancers
1990–9148281325—63247187T-2nd, USHLLost Quarterfinals, 2–3 vs. Dubuque Fighting Saints
1991–9248351021—732911572nd, USHLWon Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Sioux City Musketeers
Won Semifinals, 3–2 vs. St. Paul Vulcans
Won Clark Cup Finals, 3–1 vs. Dubuque Fighting Saints
1992–9348331140—702311712nd, USHLWon Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Waterloo Black Hawks
Lost Semifinals, 0–3 vs. Dubuque Fighting Saints
1993–9448361200—722311501st, USHLWon Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Rochester Mustangs
Won Semifinals, 3–0 vs. St. Paul Vulcans
Lost Clark Cup Finals, 2–3 vs. Omaha Lancers
1994–954838550—812901441st, USHLWon Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. North Iowa Huskies
Won Semifinals, 3–0 vs. Dubuque Fighting Saints
Won Clark Cup Finals, 3–2 vs. Omaha Lancers
1995–9646212122—461771747th, USHLWon Quarterfinals, 4–2 vs. Omaha Lancers
Lost Semifinals, 1–4 vs. Rochester Mustangs
1996–97543713—4—782451683rd, SouthLost Quarterfinals, 1–4 vs. North Iowa Huskies
1997–98564014—2—822261481st, SouthWon Quarterfinals, 4–0 vs. Green Bay Gamblers
Won Semifinals, 4–0 vs. Lincoln Stars
Lost Clark Cup Finals, 0–4 vs. Omaha Lancers
1998–9956487—1—973041331st, CentralWon Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Twin City Vulcans
Won Semifinals. 3–2 vs. Lincoln Stars
Won Clark Cup Finals, 4–2 vs. Omaha Lancers
1999–00583520——3732201964th, WestWon Quarterfinals, 3–1 vs. Omaha Lancers
Lost Semifinals, 2–3 vs. Green Bay Gamblers
2000–01563221—3—671951904th, WestLost Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Omaha Lancers
2001–02613224—5—692222023rd, EastLost Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Green Bay Gamblers
2002–03602727—24602002233rd, EastLost Quarterfinals, 1–3 vs. Waterloo Black Hawks
2003–04602926—14632022004th, WestLost Quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Tri-City Storm
2004–05601737—24401742446th, EastDid not qualify
2005–06603321—3372208173T-1st, EastWon Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. Omaha Lancers
Won Semifinals, 3–0 vs. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
Won Clark Cup Finals, 3–2 vs. Sioux Falls Stampede
2006–07602921—19682152066th, WestWon First Round, 3–2 vs. Omaha Lancers
2–0 in round-robin
(W, 3–0 vs. Tri-City; W, 3–2 vs. Sioux Falls)
Lost Semifinal game, 0–1 OT vs. Waterloo Black Hawks
2007–08601440—24341342136th, WestDid not qualify
2008–09601243—23291672836th, EastDid not qualify
2009–10602034—42401432206th, WestDid not qualify
2010–11602925—24641741777th, WestDid not qualify
2011–12602033—16471682157th, WestDid not qualify
2012–13642535—13541892457th, WestDid not qualify
2013–14602032—26481542086th, WestDid not qualify
2014–15602126—67551642047th, WestDid not qualify
2015–16602530—50551652057th, WestDid not qualify
2016–17603620—13761771544th, WestLost quarterfinals, 0–3 vs. Sioux City Musketeers
2017–18602033—43471451998th, WestDid not qualify
2018–19623522—14752021774th, WestWon First Round, 2–0 vs. Fargo Force
Lost Conf. Semifinals, 0–3 vs. Tri-City Storm
2019–20472123—12451471747th, WestSeason cancelled

Gold Cup tournament

The Gold Cup was the USA Hockey Junior A National Championship that the USHL participated in at the end of the season against the regular season and playoff champions of the other Junior A leagues. The USHL stopped participation in the tournament after USA Hockey realigned its designations and the USHL became a Tier I league in 2001. The Gold Cup was discontinued after the 2003 tournament when the remaining Tier II Junior A leagues merged.[11] Des Moines participated in five Gold Cup tournaments and won three Junior A National Championships.

YearRound-RobinRecordSemifinal GameChampionship Game
1992[12]W, 8–4 vs. Detroit Jr. Red Wings (NAHL)
W, 7–4 vs. Detroit Compuware Ambassadors (NAHL)
W, 5–3 vs. Indianapolis Jr. Ice (NAHL)		3–0–0Not heldW, 9–1 vs. Detroit Compuware Ambassadors (NAHL)
Won Gold Cup
1994[13]W, 9–5 vs. Kalamazoo Jr. Wings (NAHL)
OTL, 5–6 (3OT) vs. Detroit Compuware (NAHL)
L, 3–4 vs. Niagara Scenic (NAHL)		1–1–1Did not advance
1995[14]W, 6–1 vs. Springfield Jr. Blues (NAHL)
W, 6–2 vs. Detroit Freeze (NAHL)
W, 5–1 vs. Compuware Ambassadors (NAHL)		3–0–0W, 3–2 (2OT) vs. Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)W, 5–4 (OT) vs. Omaha Lancers (USHL)
Won Gold Cup
1998[15]W, 6–3 vs. Billings Bulls (AFHL)
W, 7–1 vs. Bozeman Icedogs (AFHL)
W, 3–2 (OT) vs. Detroit Compuware (NAHL)		3–0–0W, 4–2 vs. Springfield Jr. Blues (NAHL)W, 2–1 vs. Omaha Lancers (USHL)
Won Gold Cup
1999[16]W, 7–1 vs. St. Louis Sting (NAHL)
W, 8–1 vs. Billings Bulls (AWHL)
W, 3–0 vs. Compuware Ambassadors (NAHL)		3–0–0W, 8–1 vs. Lincoln Stars (USHL)L, 1–3 vs. Compuware Ambassadors (NAHL)[17]

Coaches
  • Ivan Prediger (1980–1984) – Resigned during the 1984–85 season. Jeff Ulrich was then named interim head coach.
  • Jim Wiley (1984–1990) – Replaced interim head coach Jeff Ulrich during the 1984–85 season.[18]
  • Bob Ferguson (1990–1995, 2001–2004)
  • Scott Owens (1995–1999)
  • Tom Carroll (1999–2001)
  • Regg Simon (2004–2008, 2010–2012) – Resigned during the 2007–08 season after 45 games. Replaced by interim Todd Knott. Rehired in 2010 to replace Guentzel, but was then fired towards the end of the 2011–12 season and replaced by interim Graham Johnson.
  • J. P. Parise (2008–2009) – Replaced interim head coach Knott but kept him on as an assistant. Became general manager of the Buccaneers in 2009 and vacated the coaching position.
  • Mike Guentzel (2009–2010) – Dave Allison was originally hired for the 2009–10 season but then left the team prior to coaching a game due to immigration and work-visa concerns.[19]
  • Jon Rogger (2012–2014) – Replaced interim head coach Graham Johnson.
  • Dave Allison (2014–2018)[20]
  • Gene Reilly (2018–2019)[21]
  • Peter Mannino (2019–present)[22]

References
  1. "Scott Owens Returns as Senior Advisor & General Manager". OurSports Central. November 16, 2020.
  2. "USHL Approves Sale of Des Moines Buccaneers". United States Hockey League. October 28, 2017.
  3. http://www.dmcityview.com/feature-2/2018/02/28/bucs-bucs-bucs/
  4. "Des Moines Buccaneers to open season at Wells Fargo Arena". KCCI. October 13, 2020.
  5. "Des Moines Buccaneers hockey team moving to new 3,500-seat arena at Merle Hay Mall". The Des Moines Register. November 19, 2020.
  6. "Bobcats vs. Bucs". The Des Moines Register. March 14, 1981.
  7. "Brawl ends hockey playoff game early, Buccaneers fall, 7–2". The Des Moines Register. March 19, 1981.
  8. "March 22, 1981 paper". Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  9. "Improved Bucs face 'ex-friends' in title playoff". Des Moines Tribune. March 24, 1982. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  10. "It's do or die tonight for the Buccaneers". Des Moines Tribune. April 2, 1982. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  11. "TRADITION". Des Moines Buccaneers. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  12. "1991–92 Bucs' archives". Des Moines Buccaneers. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  13. "1993–94 Bucs' archives". Des Moines Buccaneers. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  14. "1994–95 Bucs' archives". Des Moines Buccaneers. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  15. "1997–98 Bucs' archives". Des Moines Buccaneers. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  16. "1998–99 Bucs' archives". Des Moines Buccaneers. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  17. "1998–99 Bucs' archives". Des Moines Buccaneers. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  18. "Wiley Quitting as Coach of Bucs". The Des Moines Register. February 27, 1990.
  19. "Guentzel hired". The Des Moines Register. September 1, 2009.
  20. "Bucs Announce Reorganization". OurSportsCentral.com. April 16, 2018.
  21. "Des Moines Buccaneers Announce the Hiring of Former NCAA Coach & NHL Scout Gene Reilly as Their Head Coach". OurSportsCentral.com. June 13, 2018.
  22. "Des Moines Buccaneers Announce Peter Mannino as Head Coach". USHL. June 4, 2019.
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