The original Helena Bighorns were members of the former Tier IIAmerica West Hockey League from 2001 to 2003 after replacing the departed Helena Gold Rush that had operated last in the 1999–2000 season. In 2003, the AWHL merged with the larger Tier II North American Hockey League and the Bighorns played in the NAHL until 2006. In 2004, the Tier III Northern Pacific Hockey League expanded into Helena with the Queen City Cutthroats and were immediately successful, winning the Cascade Cup in their first year. In 2006, the NAHL Bighorns withdrew from the NAHL and the NorPac franchise would take the name of the formerly higher level team beginning with the 2006–07 season.
NorPac years (2004–11)
The Helena Bighorns/Queen City Cutthroats won six straight NorPac America West Division Championships between 2005 and 2010. They also won the NorPac Cascade Cup six times, 2005, 2006 and four straight from 2008 to 2011.
American West years (2011–14)
The Helena Bighorns have won three straight American West Hockey League Championships in the 2011–12, 2012–13, and 2013–14 AWHL seasons prior to the league merging with the North American 3 Hockey League in 2014.
For many years, the team and the arena were owned by Oren Koules, president of Evolution Entertainment and former part-owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, in 2017, he was looking to sell off the team or cease operations. In May 2017, he sold the team to local businessman Randy Rose. Koules remained the owner of Helena Ice Arena.
In 2005 and 2006, the Queen City Cutthroats participated in the USA Hockey Tier III Junior B National Tournament. In 2007, NorPac and its teams were promoted to Tier III Junior A status and the Bighorns competed in the 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Junior A National Tournaments. In 2011, USA Hockey dropped the A and B designations but sometimes had the leagues split into different divisions during the tournament. The Bighorns represented the American West Hockey League in 2012, 2013, and 2014. In 2011, the Helena Bighorns won the Tier III Junior A Hockey National Championships by defeating the El Paso Rhinos 5-1 in Rochester, Minnesota. The Helena Bighorns won the bronze medal at the 2014 USA Hockey Tier III National championships. Round robin play in pool with top 4 teams advancing to semi-final.
