A Look Back at an Eventful 2023-2024 Campaign

Jun 02, 2024

June means it is officially the offseason for all SPHL teams.  

For the Storm, the offseason came earlier than anticipated when our squad was bounced in round one of the playoffs by the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs.  The defending champion Dawgs went on to fall to the Huntsville Havoc in the SPHL’s President’s Cup semi finals, and the Havoc were later defeated by the Peoria Rivermen.  Peoria won its second league title in three seasons but, also, just their second title in their ten year history.

Since the Storm’s season ended the organization has made the first coaching change in franchise history.  After an extensive search that spanned over a month in time and more than 50 candidates, Shayne Toporowski was selected to take our team to the next level.  Since being hired, it has been exciting to watch Shayne’s process and observe the energy he brings out of our players.  We are confident that he will help our team take its next steps and be the coach to guide our roster to a championship in the Quad Cities for the first time in nearly 25 years.

It is also true that a new coach begins a new chapter in the history book of Storm hockey.  Oftentimes in today’s sports landscape there is discussion of a rebuild when a new head coach comes in and takes the reigns.  A ground-up construction of a new team and staff that will take place over the course of several seasons.  That is not what will be asked of the newest head coach of the Quad City Storm.   On the ice, key players will be returning to the Quad Cities next season to continue the mission of hanging a championship banner in the rafters at Vibrant Arena.  Off the ice, a support staff that rivals any in minor pro sports is expected to be back and continuing to put forth the efforts in their specialties that make the Quad Cities a great place to play.

Steel sharpens steel, and it is impossible not to acknowledge the rival Rivermen down 74 have been the “steel standard” in this league for most of the time our Storm have existed.  While success versus the Rivermen has been hard to come by for most teams, including ours, since 2018, I don’t think it is unfair to say that we have watched, taken notes and seen what is required to compete with Peoria and, in turn, compete for a championship.  That will be proven in time.

What has already been proven over the course of the last three seasons is that the Quad Cities is still one of the great hockey towns in minor professional sports.  Since returning from the pandemic the Storm has increased attendance year over year every season and set franchise records this season for annual attendance (103,672), single game attendance (7,042) and finished the year with the largest home playoff crowd in the QC since 2015.   This growth is a testament to hockey fans in the Quad Cities, Season Ticket Members, front office staff, our players and the Dawson Family, whose commitment to hockey in our communities has survived through good times and bad.  

Six years ago hockey left Moline.  Now, hockey is here, and heading in a direction that should excite everyone involved.  The best times are ahead.  And there is no better time than right now to be a Storm fan.  

Thank you all for your continued support, and Go Storm.

Brian Rothenberger