The Shreveport Mudbugs are a Tier II junior ice hockey team based in Shreveport, Louisiana, as a member of the North American Hockey League. The new Mudbugs replaced a former professional team that played in the area from 1997 to 2011 known as the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs. They also have multiple youth teams playing in both Louisiana and Texas.
History From 1997 to 2000, Shreveport, Louisiana was home to a professional hockey team in the Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL) named the Shreveport Mudbugs. In 2000, the Mudbugs relocated to nearby Bossier City to play out of CenturyTel Center and changed their name to the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs. The Mudbugs then joined the Central Hockey League in 2001 when the WPHL merged with the CHL. The professional Mudbugs would eventually fold in 2011 citing low attendance and financial issues even though the team had just won the league championship.Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs win CHL title, then cease operations
In October 2015, it was announced that a new Mudbugs team would return for the 2016–17 season after signing a 12-year lease agreement with the Louisiana State Fairgrounds and returning to Hirsch Coliseum but as a member of the Tier II junior North American Hockey League. On April 8, 2016, the Shreveport Mudbugs were officially announced as an expansion team in the NAHL. Former Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs player, Karlis Zirnis, was named the team's first head coach.
In their second season, the Mudbugs finished first in the South Division at the end of the regular season and played their way through the Robertson Cup playoffs to take the NAHL championship in 2018. Following the season, head coach Zirnis left the team to take an assistant coaching position with the University of Alaska-Fairbanks hockey team.
Longest playoff game in NAHL history On April 22, 2023, the Shreveport Mudbugs traveled to North Richland Hills, Texas to play the Lone Star Brahmas for Game 1 of the South Division semifinals. At 7:30 pm CT, the puck was dropped. At 1:38 am the next day, the game finally ended with a 2-1 victory for Lone Star in quadruple overtime. The game was approximately 6 hours and 8 minutes long, making it the longest playoff game in the NAHL. However, the Mudbugs got the last laugh, as they upset the Brahmas in the series, beating them 3 games to 2.
Season-by-season records Season GP W L OTL Pts GF GA PIM Finish Playoffs 2016–17 60 35 19 6 76 189 151 1126 2nd of 7, South Div.6th of 24, NAHL Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–3 vs. Corpus Christi IceRays 2017–18 60 41 12 7 89 191 112 1163 1st of 6, South Div.2nd of 23, NAHL Won Div. Semifinals, 3–2 vs. Corpus Christi IceRaysWon Div. Finals, 3–2 vs. Lone Star BrahmasWon Robertson Cup Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton KnightsWon Robertson Cup Championship game, 2–1 vs. Minot MinotaurosRobertson Cup Champions 2018–19 60 28 22 10 66 163 164 1357 3rd of 6, South Div.12th of 24, NAHL Won Div. Semifinals, 3–2 vs. Lone Star BrahmasLost Div. Finals, 2–3 vs. Amarillo Bulls 2019–20 52 34 18 0 68 164 107 1269 4th of 7, South Div.9th of 26, NAHL Season cancelled 2020–21 56 38 11 7 83 205 139 1103 1st of 6, South Div.3rd of 23, NAHL Won Div. Semifinals, 3–1 vs. Amarillo BullsWon Div. Finals, 3–0 vs. Wichita Falls WarriorsWon Robertson Cup Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Maine NordiquesWon Robertson Cup Championship game, 4–2 vs. Aberdeen WingsRobertson Cup Champions 2021–22 60 34 21 5 73 170 154 1168 4th of 8, South Div.11th of 29, NAHL Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–3 vs. Lone Star Brahmas 2022–23 60 37 16 7 81 183 135 1057 3rd of 8, South Div.5th of 29, NAHL Won Div. Semifinals, 3–2 vs. Lone Star BrahmasLost Div. Finals, 0–3 vs. Oklahoma Warriors 2023–24 60 41 17 2 84 208 141 1163 2nd of 8 South,3rd of 32 NAHL Won Div. Semifinals, 3-2 vs. El Paso Rhinos Lost Div. Finals, 1-3 vs. Lone Star Brahmas 2024–25 47 29 15 3 61 151 120 835 2nd of 8 South, 7th of 32 NAHL Lost Div. Semifinals, 0-3 vs. Corpus Christi IceRays | 2025-2026 |28| |22| |3| |6| |65| |171| |172| |1420| 5th of 8 south, 9th of 34 NAHL || Won Play-In Series, 2-0 vs. Corpus Christi IceRays
References
External links Shreveport Mudbugs (Official website)