the knoxville ice bears were founded in 2002 as a charter member of the atlantic coast hockey league. after finishing as runner-up to the orlando seals in the 2002–03 season, the ice bears moved to the new south east hockey league. again, they finished as a runner-up in the playoffs to the huntsville channel cats for 2003–04. in 2004, the team again changed hockey leagues and joined the new southern professional hockey league. in the sphl's first season, the ice bears won the regular season championship commissioner's cup, but lost in the second round of the playoffs (after a first round bye) to the eventual champions, the columbus cottonmouths.