| Fargo Force | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Fargo, North Dakota |
| League | United States Hockey League |
| Conference | West |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Home arena | Scheels Arena |
| Colors | Black, blue, white |
| Owners | Brandt Holdings Matt Cullen(minority) Bell Bank(minority) |
| General manager | Cary Eades |
| Head coach | Brett Skinner |
| Media | KVLY-DT3 |
| Website | fargoforce |
| Franchise history | |
| 2008–present | Fargo Force |
| Championships | |
| Playoff championships | 2 (2018, 2024) |
TheFargo Force is aTier I juniorice hockey team in the Western Conference of theUnited States Hockey League (USHL). The Force have won two league championships in2018 and2024 and was awarded USHL Organization of the Year for2008–09 and2012–13.
In early 2007, Fargo was granted a USHL team, intended as an anchor tenant for the then-under-constructionUrban Plains Center and owned by local businessman Ace Brandt.Dean Blais, former coach of theNorth Dakota Fighting Sioux hockey program, was hired as the franchise's initial coach and general manager. After a name-the-team contest, the choices were narrowed to Fargo Force, Fargo Phantoms, and Fargo Fire. Twelve people submitted the Force name; as a result, they won a dinner with head coach Dean Blais and each received two season tickets to the Force's inaugural season.[1]
As a result of the Force's entry, the area's previous hockey team, theFargo-Moorhead Jets of theNorth American Hockey League announced they were leaving the area in April 2008,[2] and folded later that year.[3]
Marks retired following the2014–15 season and was replaced by former University of North Dakota player/assistant coach Cary Eades, who had just led theSioux Falls Stampede to the2014–15 Clark Cup Championship. In2018, Fargo won theClark Cup Finals over theYoungstown Phantoms to win their first championship in team history. Following the2018–19 season, Eades stepped down from his coaching position, retaining the general manager title, and associate coachPierre-Paul Lamoureux was named head coach.[4] Lamoureux left after the2020–21 season[5] and was replaced byScott Langer who had spent the previous five seasons with theNorth American Hockey League'sAberdeen Wings.[6] On October 16, 2021, owner Ace Brandt died of cancer.[7]
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–09 | 60 | 32 | 23 | 5 | 69 | 191 | 166 | 1135 | 3rd, Western Conf. | Won quarterfinals, 3–0 vs.Omaha Lancers Won semifinals, 3–0 vs.Lincoln Stars Lost Clark Cup Finals, 1–3 vs.Indiana Ice |
| 2009–10 | 60 | 37 | 17 | 6 | 80 | 227 | 214 | 1474 | 2nd Western Conf. | Won quarterfinals, 3–0 vs.Sioux Falls Stampede Won semifinals, 3–2 vs.Omaha Lancers Lost Clark Cup Finals, 2–3 vs.Green Bay Gamblers |
| 2010–11 | 60 | 33 | 22 | 5 | 71 | 173 | 151 | 1201 | 4th, Western Conf. | Won conf. quarterfinals, 2–0 vs.Lincoln Stars Lost conf. semifinals, 0–3 vs.Dubuque Fighting Saints |
| 2011–12 | 60 | 31 | 23 | 6 | 68 | 188 | 160 | 1007 | 4th, Western Conf. | Won conf. quarterfinals, 2–0 vs.Sioux City Musketeers Lost conf. semifinals, 1–3 vs.Lincoln Stars |
| 2012–13 | 64 | 38 | 19 | 7 | 83 | 201 | 187 | 981 | 2nd, Western Conf. | Won conf. semifinals, 3–2 vs.Waterloo Black Hawks Won conf. finals, 3–2 vs.Sioux Falls Stampede Lost Clark Cup Finals, 0–3 vs.Dubuque Fighting Saints |
| 2013–14 | 60 | 14 | 39 | 7 | 35 | 122 | 229 | 1275 | 8th, Western Conf. | did not qualify |
| 2014–15 | 60 | 26 | 28 | 6 | 58 | 148 | 191 | 933 | 6th, Western Conf. | did not qualify |
| 2015–16 | 60 | 32 | 26 | 2 | 66 | 157 | 150 | 995 | 5th, Western Conf. | did not qualify |
| 2016–17 | 60 | 36 | 19 | 4 | 77 | 193 | 149 | 792 | 3rd, Western Conf. | Lost conf. semifinals, 0–3 vs.Waterloo Black Hawks |
| 2017–18 | 60 | 37 | 16 | 7 | 81 | 208 | 133 | 985 | 3rd, Western Conf. | Won first round, 2–0 vs.Tri-City Storm Won conf. semifinals, 3–1 vs.Omaha Lancers Won conf. finals, 3–1 vs.Waterloo Black Hawks Won Clark Cup Championship, 3–1 vs.Youngstown Phantoms |
| 2018–19 | 62 | 34 | 23 | 5 | 73 | 188 | 172 | 910 | 5th, Western Conf. | Lost first round, 0–2 vs.Des Moines Buccaneers |
| 2019–20 | 48 | 27 | 15 | 6 | 60 | 153 | 143 | 847 | 3rd, Western Conf. | Season cancelled |
| 2020–21 | 54 | 31 | 21 | 3 | 63 | 169 | 148 | 830 | 4th, Western Conf. | Won conf. semifinals, 2–1 vs.Tri-City Storm Won conf. finals, 2–0 vs.Sioux City Musketeers Lost Clark Cup finals, 1–3 vs.Chicago Steel |
| 2021–22 | 62 | 28 | 28 | 4 | 62 | 187 | 207 | 989 | 5th, Western Conf. | Lost first round, 2-0 vs.Omaha Lancers |
| 2022–23 | 62 | 40 | 14 | 4 | 88 | 230 | 159 | 895 | 1st, West Conf. | Won conf. semifinals, 2-0 vs.Tri-City Storm Won conf. finals, 3-1 vs.Lincoln Stars Lost Clark Cup finals, 3-0 vs.Youngstown Phantoms |
| 2023–24 | 62 | 50 | 10 | 2 | 102 | 272 | 143 | 579 | 1st, West Conf. | Won conf. semifinals, 3-0 vs.Tri-City Storm Won conf. finals, 3-2 vs.Sioux Falls Stampede Won Clark Cup Championship, 3-1 vs.Dubuque Fighting Saints |
Notable Fargo Force players picked in the NHL draft:[8]
| Year drafted | Player | Drafted team | Pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Luke Witkowski | Tampa Bay Lightning | 6th round, 160th overall |
| 2009 | Mike Lee | Arizona Coyotes | 3rd round, 91st overall |
| 2010 | Zane McIntyre | Boston Bruins | 6th round, 165th overall |
| 2012 | Ben Johnson | New Jersey Devils | 3rd round, 90th overall[9] |
| Dominic Toninato | Toronto Maple Leafs | 5th round, 126th overall[10] | |
| 2013 | Teemu Kivihalme | Nashville Predators | 5th round, 140th overall |
| Jonny Brodzinski | Los Angeles Kings | 5th round, 148th overall[11] | |
| 2016 | Riley Tufte | Dallas Stars | 1st round, 25th overall[12] |
| 2025 | Mason West | Chicago Blackhawks | 1st round, 29th overall[13] |
