LATEST UPDATES (More latest news here)
May.16 - Andrew Agozzino Awarded Mickey Renaud Captain’s Trophy: Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Andrew Agozzino of the Niagara IceDogs is the 2011-12 recipient of the Mickey Renaud Captain’s Trophy.  A three-year captain with the IceDogs, Agozzino was chosen for the award by a media selection committee as the OHL team captain that best exemplifies leadership on and off the ice, with a passion and dedication to the game of hockey and his community that Mickey demonstrated.  Nomination forms were submitted by OHL General Managers on behalf of their individual team captains.  The selection committee consisted of a panel of four, representing media from each OHL division.  Continue here.
May.1 - Dougie Hamilton named OHL Defenceman of the Year !
Apr.28 - Good lineup insight for London by Phil Margonis here.
Apr.27 - ICEDOGS WIN EASTERN CONFERENCE!  The IceDogs defeated Ottawa tonight, taking the series 4-1 and winning the Eastern Conference, and Bobby Orr Trophy.  Lots of photos from this game here and here.
Apr.17 - SportsNet Friday Night Hockey will be showing our Niagara/Ottawa game nationwide across their network!  Be loud for Canada IceDog fans !
Apr.17 - Barrie/Ottawa Game 7 is tonight!  This game will decide who the IceDogs meet in the conference final.  If you're on Cogeco digital, try ch.462 or 463 to watch it.
Apr.17 - Freddie Hamilton named OHL *and* CHL Player of the Week!  Read here.
Apr.12 - Niagara knocks out Brampton in a 3-1 road win tonight, sweeping the series in 4 straight.
Apr.11- Andrew Agozzino Named Overage Player of the Year!  More here.
Apr.4 - Don Cherry is rooting for the Dogs.
Apr.2 - Bring on the Battalion!  As was decided by tonight's games, the IceDogs will face the Brampton Battalion in round 2 of the playoffs.
Apr.1 - IceDogs put down Oshawa:  Niagara defeated Oshawa 4-1 tonight and therefore have won the series (in 6 games).  Congratulations IceDogs!  Most didn't think the Generals would put up as much of a fight as they did, but they sure made things interesting.  Bring on round 2!
Mar.27- Ryan Strome named player of the week!
Mar.19 - Bus trip to Niagara @ Oshawa (game 2 of series) information is here!
Mar.18 - CONGRATULATIONS ICEDOGS! for a tremendous finish to the regular season.  After having lost to Mississauga the last 2 times, there was nothing better than to hand them a shutout loss in their own rink to end the season.  Lets keep the momentum going straight through the playoffs!
Mar.15 - NIAGARA ICEDOGS: THE REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONS OF THE EASTERN CONFERENCE!  With tonight's crushing 8-1 win over visiting Peterborough, Niagara clinched first place in the Eastern Conference.  Winning the Central Division, and now the Eastern Conference, are the first two banner titles that the IceDogs have won since moving to Niagara.  Congratulations IceDogs !!!
Mar.4 - What a joke.  Right when you thought this league couldn't show any more lack of professionalism...  not long after you hear about the league suspending a player who was still injured for not playing in an EXHIBITION GAME which was simply to give the league exposure.. a team shows up with only one goalie.  Yep - no backup.  That goalie gets injured on a play at the beginning of the game.  What happens next?  They're forced to stick the goalie pads on a skater (forward) for the duration of the game.  Yes, this is the same league that suspended a player (who was injured at the time) for not playing in a prospects game (exhibition!!).  This is the same league that repeatedly suspends players for throwing hard (yet clean) bodychecks.  And it's the same league that has a refereeing system that isn't fit for Kiwanis hockey.  Friesen accidentally collides with a goalie?  It's a 5min major penalty and game misconduct.  One of THEIR players goes flying at one of ours (Kuhnhackl) with his arm up into his face knocking Kuhnny out of the game, only gets a 2min minor?  Can this league sink any lower into its depths of unprofessionalism?  Big respect to Connor Crisp who put on the goalie pads and got between the pipes.  Talk about taking one for the team.  Game talk here.  Photos here.

Feb.21 - Pictures from the skills competition on Family Day are now online - thanks Lois!
Feb.19 - Old timer's hockey game pictures are online here.  If you weren't born yesterday there's a bunch of big names everyone will remember!
Feb.18 - IT'S A NEW RECORD!  Niagara goaltender Mark Visentin notched his 10th shutout of the season in Sudbury tonight as the Dogs blanked the Wolves 3-0.  This sets a new all-time record for shutouts in a season.  Congratulations Mark!
Feb.17 - Rough as Silk:  Tonight could be a somewhat excited affair as the Dogs visit Sudbury, first game with Sudbury having Silk in the lineup since Silk punched Strome, breaking bones in the latter's face.  Both players missed games following the fight:  Strome with injury, Silk with Suspension.  Tonight they'll be facing each other for the first time since it happened.  All talk about the game here.
Feb.11 - IceDogs #1:  The Dogs are now officially in 1st place in the Eastern Conference after tonight's win in Barrie.  Congratulations to Vizzy for his 2nd straight shutout.
Feb.7 - Branch out on a limb:  EXCELLENT Toronto Sun article on how OHL commissioner Branch believes showcasing the league is more important than player safety.
Feb.5 - Our condolences on behalf of the site and IceDog fans everyone to Mrs. Burke on the passing of her father.  We wish the entire family strength through these tough times.
Jan.19 - Dougie gets 10 games for being taller than other players.
Jan.12 - Toronto Sun video clip on the OHL trade deadline (thanks hockey123)
Jan.11 - With the addition of Oleksiak, the IceDogs now have *5* Team Canada players on their roster.  Yes, HALF of the OHL players on the World Junior Team Canada lineup were IceDogs.
Jan.11 - IceDogs locked in and loaded: read article here.

Jan.11 - OHL: Championship or bust; IceDogs up ante by adding Oleksiak: No team has ever suited up five members of Team Canada at once, so that should provide some idea of what's on the line for the Niagara IceDogs. Coach-GM Marty Williamson, whose team has not run away with the Ontario Hockey League's Eastern Conference as much as everyone giddily anticipated in the preseason, made an 8-for-1 deal Monday for hulking 6-foot-7 defenceman Jamie Oleksiak.  Read more here.
Jan.10 - IceDogs make big trade for defenseman in getting Oleksiak from Saginaw.
Jan.5 - Congratulations Team Canada!  Our 4 IceDogs on the team helped Canada to a Bronze medal finish at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, defeating Finland 4-0 with Visentin grabbing the shutout and being named player of the game!!
Dec.24 - Merry Christmas !!
Dec.15 - Huge win for the Dogs!  The IceDogs defeated Erie 7-0, with Agozzino racking up 5 points (2G/3A), Pacan 4 points (2G/2A), Broderic Kelly netting his first OHL goal, and Festerini collecting his first career shutout.  Way to go IceDogs!!
Dec.14 - All 4 IceDogs make Team Canada!  Congratulations to Freddie and Dougie Hamilton, Ryan Strome, and Mark Visentin - all 4 have solidified positions on Team Canada for the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship!

Dec.8 - Dougie Hamilton signs contract with the Boston Bruins - congratulations Dougie!
Dec.5 - City council approves $50M for new arena:  An arena to be used for hosting entertainment, sports, shows, etc, was approved with a 9-3 vote in favor of the new facility.  One councilor did not vote due to conflicts of interest, councilors Kushner, Washuta, and Williamson opposed the new facility, the other councilors and the mayor voted in favor.  Councilor Burch suggested a u-shaped facility to cut down on construction costs, and suggested it would hold between 4500-5300 seats.  Lots of talk in the arena talk forum over this and everything leading up to it.
Dec.3 - Please bring a can of non-perishable food to tonight's game vs. Barrie!  CYO will be holding a food drive in support of their Coach4Food program so fans are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food donation to deposit in the bins on their way in to the game.  Thank you!!!
Nov.23 - No new arena for city, IceDogs leaving?  There's a new group of people who wish that this city remain stagnant and are opposed to an entertainment facility being built.  This anti-arena group is made up of only a handful of (mostly seniors) people, yet they are being so vocal with out city council, they alone could destroy all the work done to building a modern entertainment facility in this city.  If you would like the IceDogs to stay, and want a new arena to watch them in (as well as well watching a variety of other events) and haven't told your local councilor we need a new arena, then shame on you.  This is NOT one of those things were 'other' people will do the speaking out for you.  YOU need to email your councilor and tell him/her that this city needs a new arena.  Not just for the IceDogs, but to attract all sorts of other sporting and non-sporting events.  If you visit this site and sit back passively, and all the councilors here from is this anti-arena group, and the Dogs leave town, then you get what you deserve.  Yes these are harsh words, but someone  who doesn't let their politicians know what they want, doesn't deserve what others are fighting for.  Only a small handful of people are actively writing their councilor on this subject.  If you are one of them, then kudos to you, and thank you.  You have to KEEP writing.  On the other hand, if all you've done is read articles and put in a lot of hope, and haven't spent the measly 5 mins it takes to write an email, you can kiss this team goodbye after the end of this season.  Council NEEDS TO HERE FROM YOU NOW.  They're voting on it very soon.  Email address of your local councilor (write to your own, or write them all!) can be found here.  Sitting back passively *WILL* result in the arena plan being squashed, and the Dogs leaving town.
Nov.6 - How a new arena could change the city?  Here's first-hand words from a city that recently went through it!
Nov.8 - Kuhnhackle gets 20 game suspension for clean hit:  Discussion here.
Nov.4 - Congratulations to Dougie Hamilton for being named defenceman of the month!
Nov.2 - Dogs acquire Kuhnhackl from Windsor:  More here.
Oct.4 - Ryan Strome signs three year entry-level deal with the NY Islanders.
Sep.24 - Alex Friesen has been sent to the AHL.  Read about it here.  Chances are much larger now, that his time in an IceDogs uniform has come to an end.
Sep.18 - Dougie Hamilton playing with Zdeno Chara at the Boston Bruins camp.  Read all about it.
Sep.9 - Dogs already ranked 2nd in CHL pre-season listing and this blog has us ranked 1st in the East.
Sep.1 - Some photos of the Black & White game from training camp are online here.
Sep.1 - Hockey Night iN St. Catharines photos online here.
Jun.25 - Theoret drafted to Islanders:  Mitchell Theoret joins Ryan Strome in being drafted by the NY Islanders.  Theoret was selected by NY in the 7th round.  Congrats! (thanks Bleechers for the info)
Jun.25 - Former IceDog Andrew Shaw drafted 139th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks. (thanks 61jr)
Jun.25 - Former IceDog Andrew Fritsch selected in the 6th round by Phoenix.  (thanks ckg927)
Jun.24 - Strome to Islanders (4th pick) and D.Hamilton to Boston (9th pick):  Congratulations to Ryan Strome who was selected in the first round of the NHL draft, going 5th overall to the NY Islanders, and to Dougie Hamilton who was chosen 9th by the Boston Bruins.  Talk here!
Jun.17 - Goalie of the Year: Mark Visentin:  Mark Visentin of the Niagara IceDogs was presented with the OHL Goaltender of the Year Award at the OHL Awards Ceremony at the Hockey Hall of Fame on Wednesday June 8, 2011. Posted: June 09, 2011.  Video link
Jun.17 - Bobby Smith Trophy: Dougie Hamilton:  Dougie Hamilton of the Niagara IceDogs was presented with the Bobby Smith Trophy as the OHL's Scholastic Player of the Year at the OHL Awards Ceremony at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Wednesday June 8. Posted: June 09, 2011.  Video link
Jun.10 - ICEDOGS TRADE SCHWINDT + PICKS FOR BEUKEBOOM:  Soo Greyhounds GM Kyle Dubas completed a trade this afternoon with the Eastern Conference’s Niagara IceDogs.  In the deal the Hounds sent 19-year old defenseman BROCK BEUKEBOOM to the IceDogs in exchange for 19-year old defenseman MIKE SCHWINDT, Oshawa’s 2nd Round pick in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection, Barrie’s 2nd Round pick in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection (conditional) and Niagara’s 5th Round pick in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection (conditional).  Article here discussion by Dogs fans here.
May.25 - NHL.com article on Dougie Hamilton
May.9 - St. Catharines council votes in favor of going forth with constructing a new arena (aka 'entertainment complex') "in principle".  What does that mean?  Well if you don't know then you're like many of the councilors, who needed it explained to them by a somewhat frustrated Len Stack (and thank Gawd he did).  What it means is that they are willing to cover funds necessary to research the specific information required to continue on with the project.  What the next step is, is itself, a confusion.  Many councilors were having a hard time coming to a decision because a lot what happens in the 'moving forward' process is dependant on what site is chosen for the new building.  Current location (of the Garden City / Rex Stimers arenas) or the lower level parking lot (aka. lower lot).  Those in charge of granting P3 funds (federal government money) will undoubtedly want to know something as basic as "well where the heck are you planning on building the thing".  Building on the current site brings 2 major problems:  right off the bat, where are the IceDogs going to play during construction time?  And after it's built - what about parking?  There's not enough right now for 3,000 let alone 5,000.  The city could 'acquire' adjacent land to use as parking.  The lower lot, while having TONS of positives, seems to have one negative: the ground underneath is somewhat unstable.  Sure, it would be a bad idea to build a rink where at the end of the first year, a player could tap the puck at one end of the rink, and without assistance, GAIN SPEED as it continues towards the other end.  Once large structures are built level, it's nice for them to stay that way.  One would think this is all overcome simply by digging a bit deeper to find more stable soil.  Apparently it's such a task that it would significantly raise the construction costs.  The advantages of the lower lot site though, are huge.  It clears up our eyesore of a skyline (as our downtown is seen by the 406), there's tons of open space already there.  It puts the arena right in the same area as the new arts center, it's closer to the "nicer" area of St. Paul where restaurants are, there's a multi-level parking garage close by, it's directly off the highway.  Heck, knock out the St. Paul St. buildings on that side up to William St. and they could even put part of the arena RIGHT ON St. Paul St.!  Of course, that's easy for one person with no logistical background to say.  "Sure just start knocking down existing buildings...".  Anway.  Most of the councilors agreed that this city does in fact need a new entertainment facility, but once numbers (ie: money) was talked about, many got cold feet.  They could not foresee that it would be more harmful for the city NOT to build this.  Any councilors backing out of this project are also showing they're not committed to making downtown work.  There's been a downtown 'revitalization' project going on for... heck, forever.  The simple fact is, there's nothing there that will put large groups of people in the area at any one time.  Well, that is if you don't count large groups of drunks ever Friday/Saturday night.  5,000 people twice a week all winter long for hockey, and 6,000 or more for concerts year-round; that's a nice group of people to be having on a regular basis.
May.9 - St. Catharines council to vote on new arena today.  This is a VERY important event taking place tonight.  They'll be voting on whether or not to officially go forward with the project.  It should be kept in mind that this is NOT just a hockey arena.  The entire region needs such a facility to host a wide variety of entertainment, including concerts, trade shows, home shows, sporting shows, figure skating, curling, etc.  The city has never had a mid-sized building to host such events.  Frankly, it's somewhat amazing this project wasn't deemed necessary DECADES ago.  But as the saying goes, better late then never.
May.3 - Hamilton and Strome Invited to NHL Scouting Combine:  Niagara IceDogs forward Ryan Strome and defenceman Dougie Hamilton have both been invited to the NHL Scouting Combine, taking place in Toronto from May 30 until June 4.
APR.29 - Important News About New Arena - Vote Will Take Place May 9 - City council will be voting on May 9th to proceed with the hiring of an arena management company. The company would act as a consultant while the next steps are being completed and then would manage the new arena if it is approved. This vote is EXTREMELY important.  Read more here to see how you can help!!!
APR.28 - Visentin named OHL Goaltender of the Year !  Read here!
APR.26 - Thanks for another great season IceDogs and our best wishes to the overagers who have played their last games in the OHL:  Wilson, Archibald, and Billingsley.

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PREPARING FOR BATTLE ...

NOTABLE QUOTABLE:
What is the rivalry versus Mississauga like?  Michael Swift - "They probably think they're better than us, by walking in and kicking us out of our old arena and now they're playing in it. But now we're the ones laughing at them because we just beat them four straight and they're starting their summer and going home. It's a little different because you always look at it that they came into the home that we'd been in for the past four years, but we can't be too mad because it's the best thing that's happened to most of us. It would have been nice to finish the career there but the change has been unbelievable, I wish I could have been down here for the past four years. "

Whoever's in charge of designing a new rink for Niagara - Here's A PERFECT NEW ARENA LAYOUT!!

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