The current Rockford IceHogs were founded in 1995 as the Baltimore Bandits and then relocated in 1997 to Cincinnati to become the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks. The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks suspended operations for the 2005–06 season due to the lack of an NHL affiliate after their previous affiliates, the Detroit Red Wings and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, signed new agreements with the Grand Rapids Griffins and the Portland Pirates, respectively. The franchise was later renamed the Cincinnati RailRaiders, but failed to reach a goal of 2,000 season tickets to re-enter the AHL for the 2006–07 season. On March 19, 2007, the AHL announced that the team had been purchased and relocated to Rockford to become the present-day Rockford IceHogs.
On April 7, 2021, the Blackhawks formally purchased the IceHogs. The Blackhawks also unveiled a $23 million multi-year project to renovate and modernize the BMO Harris Bank Center, which would keep the IceHogs in Rockford through 2036.[1]
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