The Fargo Force is a junior ice hockey team in the Western Conference of the United States Hockey League (USHL). The Force have won two league championships in 2018 and 2024 and was awarded USHL Organization of the Year for 2008–09 and 2012–13.
Contents
History
In early 2007, Fargo was granted a USHL team, intended as an anchor tenant for the then-under-construction Urban Plains Center and owned by local businessman Ace Brandt. Dean Blais, former coach of the North 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.
As a result of the Force's entry, the area's previous hockey team, the Fargo-Moorhead Jets of the North American Hockey League announced they were leaving the area in April 2008, and folded later that year.
Marks retired following the 2014–15 season and was replaced by former University of North Dakota player/assistant coach Cary Eades, who had just led the Sioux Falls Stampede to the 2014–15 Clark Cup Championship. In 2018, Fargo won the Clark Cup Finals over the Youngstown Phantoms to win their first championship in team history. Following the 2018–19 season, Eades stepped down from his coaching position, retaining the general manager title, and associate coach Pierre-Paul Lamoureux was named head coach. Lamoureux left after the 2020–21 season and was replaced by Scott Langer who had spent the previous five seasons with the North American Hockey League's Aberdeen Wings. On October 16, 2021, owner Ace Brandt died of cancer.
Season-by-season records
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against
Notable players
NHL draft picks
Notable Fargo Force players picked in the NHL draft:
Awards and player recognition
Mac Swanson – 2023–24 USHL Player of the Year, Forward of the Year
Leo Gruba – 2023–24 Defenseman of the Year
Hampton Slukynsky – 2023–24 Goaltender of the Year
Brett Skinner – 2023–24 Coach of the Year
Cary Eades – 2023–24 General Manager of the Year
Cole Knuble – 2022–23 Curt Hammer Award, Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year Award
Nick Oliver – 2022–23 Coach of the Year
Jack Adams – 2016–17 All-USHL Team, 2016-17 USHL Most Goals
Ryan Bischel – 2017 U.S. Junior Select Team
Dean Blais – 2008–09 USHL Coach of the Year
Hank Crone – 2016 U.S. Junior Select Team,
Cary Eades – 1991–92 USHL General Manager of the Year, 2012–13 USHL Coach of the Year
Ty Farmer – 2017–18 All-USHL Team
Teemu Kivihalme – 2013 U.S. Junior Select Team
Mike Lee – 2008–09 USHL Goaltender of the Year
Blake Lizotte – 2016–17 All-USHL Team, 2016 U.S. Junior Select Team
Michael Mancinelli – 2017–18 USHL All-Rookie Team
Prospects games participants
Jack Adams – 2017 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Kaden Bohlsen – 2019 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Charlie Dovorany – 2017 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Mikey Eyssimont – 2015 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Cedric Fiedler – 2019 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Gabe Guertler – 2013 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Brendan Harms – 2013 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Matthew Kessel – 2018 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Josh Nodler – 2019 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Ryan O'Reilly – 2017 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game, 2018 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Clayton Phillips – 2016 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game, 2017 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Ryan Savage – 2017 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game, 2018 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Nate Schmidt – 2010 USHL All-Star Game
Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup – 2018 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Denis Smirnov – 2015 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Riley Tufte – 2015 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game