On March 9, 2021, the operators of the David S. Palmer Arena held a meeting to determine whether to keep the FPHL Dashers as a tenant or give a contract to a new team.[1] The operators decided to void their contract with the Dashers and go forward with a new team owned by Ellen Tully, a local business owner and hockey photographer,[2] called the Vermilion County Bobcats in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL).[3][4][5] The SPHL announced the Bobcats as an expansion franchise on March 10.[6]
The team initially hired Brent Hughes as head coach in June 2021,[7] but by August he still could not travel out of Canada due to border crossing restrictions during the pandemic.[8] They then hired former National Hockey League player Mike Watt as its head coach.[9] The Bobcats had to postpone their opening weekend set of games scheduled for October 15 and 16 at home against the Peoria Rivermen after the ice conditions at Palmer Arena were deemed unsuitable.[10] The Bobcats played their inaugural game on the road in a 3–2 loss to the Quad City Storm on October 23.[11] Head coach Watt left the team on October 28 after a 0–4 start and was replaced by Nick Niedert on November 2 before the team's home opener on November 4.[12][13]
On February 5, 2023, the Bobcats were scheduled to host the Quad City Storm, but no Bobcats players or coaches were in the arena.[15] The Storm were awarded a forfeit win.[16] This was the 77th loss in the Bobcats' 86 total games to date.[15]
The Bobcats officially ceased operations on February 9, 2023.[17]
Vermillion County finished with a 9-70-7 record, the worst record in SPHL history, and one of the worst in the entire history of professional hockey.[citation needed]
