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Hockey Tue Oct 25 2011
Our Lesser Known Hockey Team: Chicago Steel
Chicago's main focus may be on their Stanley Cup winning Hawks, but the city has plenty more hockey to offer. Most know about the popular Chicago Wolves and the Rockford IceHogs as well, and most recently the Chicago Express. Hidden away in Bensenville is the Edge Ice Arena, home to the Chicago Steel, a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team that plays in the Eastern Division of the United States Hockey League.
The Steel, formerly known as the Fargo-Moorhead Ice Sharks, moved to Chicago in 2000, where they became the Steel. The team stayed around .500 until the 2003-04 season when rookie Head Coach Wil Nichol directed the Steel to their first Eastern Division title.
The current GM and head coach of the junior team is Scott McConnell, who was promoted from assistant to head coach in February of this year when Jon Waibel was relieved of his duties after leading the team to a 9-27-7 record.
The team named their captains for the 2011-12 season early last week, putting Joel Benson, Theo DiPauli, Zach Saar and Andy Miller in charge. Benson will be the 15th captain in history for the team, while the rest will serve as alternate captains.
The Steel had a rough home opener this season looking 3-0 to the Youngstown Phantoms. The team hasn't been able to find its stride, posting a 5-9 record so far this season.
The Steel's next game will be Friday, Oct. 28 against Team USA U-17 (under 17 years old) at home in Elk Grove Village at 7:30pm.