New USHL club in Dubuque

CHICAGO — The United States Hockey League has awarded an expansion franchise to Dubuque, Iowa, for the 2010-11 season.

The new Dubuque team will play its home games at the Mystique Ice Center, a new 3,200-seat multi-purpose ice arena which broke ground on Nov. 2.

The arena is owned by the City of Dubuque but operated by Dubuque Community Ice and Recreations Center, Inc.

The ownership name is Northern Lights Hockey, LLC.

“The USHL takes another giant step forward in welcoming the city of Dubuque and Northern Lights Hockey into our growing family,” said USHL commissioner Skip Prince. “The League now returns to a city which USHL fans remember fondly — but with a new and better league, the best young hockey players in the U.S. and the world, and a truly extraordinary ownership group.”

Dubuque originally competed in the USHL for 21 seasons (1980-2001) as the Fighting Saints.

The club won the Clark Cup as playoff champions on three occasions (1981, 1983, 1985) under coach Jack Barzee, who is now in his 21st year with NHL Central Scouting.

The Fighting Saints produced many players that moved to NCAA Division I hockey and even the NHL, including 17-year veteran NHL defenseman Gary Suter.