It was eminent that if they should be able to challenge the hockey hierarchy in the south of Norway, Trondheim could not afford to have three clubs fighting for the right to do so (Rosenborg withdrew at an early stage of the merger).

Strindheim had proven the strength of icehockey in Trondheim by gaining promotion to the top league in 1984, and at the same time shown the weakness by losing all 18 games heavily.

Trondheim IK, or TIK for short, soon made their presence known gaining promotion at the first attempt, and then start challenging for honours.

Rune Gulliksen, Jim Marthinsen and Geir Myhre along with foreign talent in Stanislav Hajdusek and Vladislav Vlcek, the first Czech players to play in Norway, TIK had a formidable team.

In the end the ship was steadied and in a great 2004–05 season the now called Black Panthers made it into their second play off final in history.

This was topped during the summer when the Norwegian Ice Hockey Federation denied the club licence to play in the league due to their economic situation.