The Hellcats Hockey Club began playing in the Bronze Division at the Oakland Ice Center in the Winter 1998-1999 season. After two seasons Captain Dave Casso moved the team up to the Silver Division and handed over the captainship to James O’Hanlon in Fall of 2000. The team was promoted into the newly formed Silver A Division. After two seasons, Captain O’Hanlon moved away and turned over the team to Captain Käppi Krönen in the Summer of 2001. In the 2001 – 2002 Winter season, the team moved up to Gold B Division after a team vote (there was only one dissent). Surprisingly there were a number of players who subsequently decided not to move up with the team which left the viability of the Club in question. The League stepped in and introduced the Hellcat Captain Kröner to a number of players from the Bears Hockey team. Due to a front office executive oversight, the Bears, originally formed in 1986, had failed to file their 2001-2002 franchise registration forms and lost their slot in the Gold B Division. The remaining Bears merged with the up and coming Hellcats and the nucleus of the modern club was formed. The original Hellcats players found that first season in the Gold B Division difficult, but it was tempered by the experience of the Bears who had been in playing in Gold B for a number of years.
The combination of the Bears and Hellcats franchises has proven strong and enduring. The merged 2001-2002 club has expanded to include multiple teams playing at the top levels of Oakland Ice Center. The Club split its original team into two teams (Hellcats Tuesday and Hellcats Wednesday) in 2009, expanded into the Gold D in 2013, Over 40 A and Gold A in 2015. The veterans of the 2001-2002 team have been joined by a number of veterans from other San Francisco Bay Area teams that have joined the Hellcats Hockey Club over the years. Together they’re continue to welcome new teammates and transition younger members into club management to keep the Hellcats Hockey Club playing the great game of hockey for decades to come.
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Club Mergers, Acquisitions, and Expansion| Name | Division | Year Founded | Year Acquired | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Hellcats | Bronze | 1998 | — | The Original Club Team. |
| The Bears | Gold B | 1986 | 2001 | Brought a Hockey tradition back to 1986 to The Hellcats. |
| The Puck Hogs | Gold A | — | 2008 | Brought top-line taken to The Hellcats. |
| Hellcats Tuesday | Silver A | 2009 | — | The Club split the original team into Hellcats Tuesday and Hellcats Wednesday. |
| Hellcats Wednesday | Gold B | 2009 | — | The Club split the team into Hellcats Tuesday and Hellcats Wednesday. |
| The Skateful Dead | Gold A | — | 2012 | Brought top-line talent to Hellcats Wednesday. |
| Hellcats Thursday | Silver A | 2013 | — | The Club expanded into Thursday. Did not play Summer of 2014. |
| The Skateful Dead 2.0 | Gold B | — | 2015 | Brought top-line talent to Hellcats Wednesday. |
| The Thirsty Bears | Over 40 A | — | 2015 | Enabled the Club’s entry into Over 40 A as the Hellcats Sunday. |
| The Bonefish | Gold A | — | 2015 | Enabled the Club’s entry into Gold A as the Hellcats Monday. |
Hellcat All-Time Greats |
| Name | No. | Position | First Year | Current Team | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steve Nelson | 21 | Right Wing | 1986 | Retired | Club President, Bears founding member |
| Steve Gianni | 66 | Defense | 1986 | Retired | Bears legacy member |
| Al Rosato | 1 | Goalie | 1998 | Retired | Hellcats founding member |
Distinguished Hellcats |
| Name | No. | Position | First Year | Current Team | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Casso | 17 | Defense | 1998 | Retired | Hellcats founding Captain |
| James O’Hanlon | 21 | Right Wing | 1998 | Pick-up/Vermont | Hellcats founding member/Past Captain |
| Joe Burke | 10 | Center | 2000 | Vancouver B.C. | Hellcat MVP |
| Bo Juza | 14 | Center | 2000 | Unknown/Denver | Hellcat MVP |