Editing Iowa Stars (section)

==History==
The Stars were founded by Howard Baldwin, of Hockey Holdings & Management Group, and Dallas businessman Bob Schlegel, who took the dormant [[Louisville Panthers]] AHL franchise and resurrected it for the 2005–06 season as the '''Iowa Stars''' (the same name as [[Iowa Stars (1969–70)|an earlier team]] in 1969–70 in the [[Central Professional Hockey League|Central Hockey League]]). They had a five-year affiliation agreement with the [[Dallas Stars]] and a one-year agreement with the [[Anaheim Ducks]].

In their inaugural season, the Stars made it to the Calder Cup playoffs first round, where they were defeated by the [[Milwaukee Admirals]]. The Stars won their first playoff series the following season, defeating the [[Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights]] in six games.

In February 2008, the Dallas Stars announced they would be affiliating with the future [[Texas Stars]] pending the 2009 completion of the [[Cedar Park Entertainment Center]] in [[Cedar Park, Texas]]. After the [[2007–08 AHL season]], the Dallas Stars left the Iowa scene, and the Anaheim Ducks announced an affiliation with the team.

On July 9, 2008, the team unveiled its new name and logo, featuring a "vicious boar’s head in the team colors of crimson, grey and black".<ref>{{cite web|date=July 8, 2008|title=It is Official! AHL Hockey Team is: IOWA CHOPS|url=http://www.iowachops.com/news/index.html?article_id=1|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080714025849/http://www.iowachops.com/news/index.html?article_id=1 <!-- Bot retrieved archive -->|archive-date=July 14, 2008|access-date=July 9, 2008|website=[[Iowa Chops]]|publisher=}}</ref>

[[Portland Pirates]] assistant [[Gord Dineen]] was named head coach of the Iowa Chops on August 19, 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|date=August 19, 2008|title=Gord Dineen Named Chops Coach|url=https://www.nhl.com/ducks/news/gord-dineen-named-chops-coach/c-469409|access-date=October 16, 2021|website=[[Anaheim Ducks]]|language=en-US}}</ref>

On May 9, 2009, the Anaheim Ducks dropped their affiliation with the Chops, leaving Iowa to look for their third NHL affiliate in four seasons.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Zupke|first=Curtis|date=May 8, 2009|title=Ducks end affiliation with Iowa Chops|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2009/05/08/ducks-end-affiliation-with-iowa-chops/|access-date=October 16, 2021|website=[[Orange County Register]]|language=en-US}}</ref>

On July 7, 2009, the Iowa Chops franchise was suspended by the AHL's board of governors for the [[2009-10 AHL season]] for being "unable to remedy certain violations of the provisions of the league’s Constitution and By-Laws."<ref>{{Cite web|date=July 7, 2009|title=Chops franchise in suspension for 2009-10 season|url=http://www.theahl.com/headlines/index.html?article_id=10283|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090711125201/http://www.theahl.com/headlines/index.html?article_id=10283|archive-date=July 11, 2009|access-date=July 11, 2009|website=[[American Hockey League]]}}</ref> While the AHL declined further comment on the reasons for the suspension, the ''[[Des Moines Register]]'' reported in June, 2009, that the Chops had violated league rules by pledging the team as collateral for a $1.99 million loan from [[Wachovia]].  The ''Register'' also reported that the Ducks had dropped their affiliation with the Chops after the Chops missed payments on their affiliation contract.<ref>[http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090707/SPORTS1403/90707013/1020 "League suspends Iowa Chops from playing in 2009-10 season"]{{dead link|date=April 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}} ''[[The Des Moines Register]]'', July 7, 2009</ref>

After several months of speculation as to their future, the AHL announced on May 4, 2010, that the [[Texas Stars]] had acquired the Chops franchise.<ref>{{Cite web|date=May 4, 2010|title=AHL approves franchise sale to Hicks Cedar Park|url=http://theahl.com/ahl-approves-franchise-sale-to-hicks-cedar-park-p142512|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100507030322/http://theahl.com/ahl-approves-franchise-sale-to-hicks-cedar-park-p142512|archive-date=May 7, 2010|access-date=May 7, 2010|website=[[American Hockey League]]}}</ref> This transaction finalized the Stars' contractual obligation to acquire a permanent franchise in the league, as they operated in 2009–10 as an expansion team under a provisional agreement to obtain an existing franchise license.