| Ice hockey in South Carolina | |
|---|---|
 Flag of South Carolina | |
| Country | United States |
| Governing body | USA Hockey [1] |
| National team(s) | Men's national team Women's national team |
| First played | 1993 |
Club competitions | |
List
| |
South Carolina has a passing relationship with ice hockey. With professional hockey not being introduced until 1993 and very little junior system framework to speak of, South Carolina is an example of the overall dearth of ice hockey in the deep south.
Due to South Carolina location in the American sun belt as well as its low overall population and the lack of any major media market (Charleston is the largest city with approximately 150,000 people in 2022), [2] South Carolina was largely ignored by the ice hockey community for decades. The state's first professional team arrived in 1993 when the South Carolina Stingrays franchise was founded in North Charleston. The team was an instant success with the fans, drawing more than 9,000 fans on average for its inaugural season. [3] While the team did not sustain those numbers the franchise was given the opportunity to jump from the ECHL (AA hockey) to the AHL (AAA hockey) in 1995. Management eventually declined the offer, believing it better to keep its operating costs and ticket prices low so that their fan base could still attend games. [4]
In the succeeding years, the Stingrays win three Kelly Cups and have been one of the ECHL's most success full teams. As the flagship franchise for the state, the Stingrays have inspired several other attempts at professional hockey in the state but few have succeeded. The Pee Dee Pride (1997), Greenville Grrrowl (1998) and Columbia Inferno (2001) all attempted to expand the reach of ice hockey in the state but none were able to reach their 10-year anniversary. Greenville received its second franchise when the Johnstown Chiefs relocated in 2010 and became the Road Warriors. [5] Though the team underwent a second name change to become the 'Swamp Rabbits', the franchise established itself and signed an affiliation deam with the Los Angeles Kings in 2022. [6]
No college in South Carolina has ever fielded a varsity ice hockey team, nor does the state have any official junior program. Youth ice hockey is conducted at local levels within the bounds of the Southeastern District of USA Hockey. [7]
| Team | City | League | Arena | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina Stingrays | North Charleston | ECHL | North Charleston Coliseum | 1993 |
| Greenville Swamp Rabbits | Greenville | ECHL | Bon Secours Wellness Arena | 2010* |
* relocated
| Team | City | League | Years Active | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pee Dee Pride | Florence | ECHL | 1997–2005 | Defunct |
| Greenville Grrrowl | Greenville | ECHL | 1998–2006 | Defunct |
| Columbia Inferno | Columbia | ECHL | 2001–2008 | Defunct |
Active Active (out of state)
No ice hockey player raised in South Carolina has yet to distinguish themselves. Only one player born in the state, Ryan Hartman, has achieved a level of notability but he was raised in Illinois. Only 3,008 players were registered with USA Hockey in 2023, accounting for just 0.053% of the state's population. By percentage, South Carolina ranks 42nd in the nation terms of engagement, well in line with many other southern states. [8]
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL).
The South Carolina Stingrays are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in North Charleston, South Carolina. The Stingrays play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. They play their home games at the North Charleston Coliseum. The Carolina Ice Palace, also located in North Charleston, serves as a practice facility and backup arena. Established in 1993, the team has been owned by a group of local businesses since 1995. The team was affiliated with the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League and the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League from 2004 to July 2012, when the Capitals announced their affiliation with the ECHL's Reading Royals. On June 26, 2014, the Washington Capitals announced an affiliation agreement with the Stingrays for the 2014–15 season.
The Pee Dee Pride, known as the Florence Pride for the 2003–04 ECHL season, was a professional minor-league hockey team that was based in Florence, South Carolina, where they played in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) from 1997 until 2005. The team came to Florence as a relocation of the Knoxville Cherokees, one of the five charter members of the ECHL which was originally housed in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The Johnstown Chiefs were a minor league ice hockey team located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, that played in the ECHL. The team was founded in 1987 in the All-American Hockey League, and moved to the East Coast Hockey League when that league was formed. The Chiefs lasted for 22 years in Johnstown, and was the last of the founding ECHL teams playing under its original name and in its original city. The Chiefs relocated to Greenville, South Carolina, following the completion of the 2010 season.
The Alaska Aces, known as the Anchorage Aces until 2003, was a professional ice hockey team in Anchorage, Alaska. Home games were played at Sullivan Arena in Anchorage. The Aces won three Kelly Cup championships, with their last championship following the 2013–14 ECHL season.
The Cambria County War Memorial Arena is a 4,001-seat multi-purpose arena in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States. It is managed by SMG Entertainment.
The North Charleston Coliseum is a multi-purpose arena in North Charleston, South Carolina. It is part of the North Charleston Convention Center Complex, which also includes a performing arts center and convention center. It is owned by the City of North Charleston and managed by ASM Global. The coliseum opened in 1993, with the performing arts center and convention center opened in 1999. The complex is located on the access road to the Charleston International Airport.
The Erie Panthers were a professional ice hockey team, and one of the founding members in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). Based in Erie, Pennsylvania, from 1988 to 1996, they were one of the most prolific teams in the ECHL. The Panthers were known for their ability to score goals quickly and often, as well as for the over-aggressive style of play that led to an abundance of fights. They currently hold records in 15 different categories in the ECHL and are in the top five of 38 different categories.
The 2001–02 ECHL season was the 14th season of the East Coast Hockey League. Before the start of the season, the league saw one expansion franchise and five relocations, three of which were through the buying of the franchise rights of former clubs that had ceased operations. These relocations include the rights to the Columbus Chill moving to Reading, PA, the rights to the Hampton Roads Admirals moving to Columbus, GA, and the rights to the Miami Matadors relocating to the former ECHL market of Cincinnati, OH. The league also saw current franchises Birmingham Bulls move to Atlantic City, NJ and Tallahassee Tiger Sharks move to Macon, GA. The league also welcomed its fourth franchise from the state of South Carolina with an expansion franchise in the state's capital of Columbia, SC. The Louisiana IceGators finished first overall in the regular season, winning the Brabham Cup with the best record in league history. The Greenville Grrrowl won their first Kelly Cup sweeping the Dayton Bombers in four games.
The Greenville Swamp Rabbits are a professional ice hockey team located in Greenville, South Carolina. They play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference and play their home games at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in downtown Greenville. The franchise had previously played as the Johnstown Chiefs from the ECHL's inception in 1988 until the team's relocation in 2010 and subsequently as the Greenville Road Warriors until being re-branded as the Swamp Rabbits in 2015. The Swamp Rabbits are the second ECHL franchise to play in Greenville, as the city hosted the Greenville Grrrowl from 1998 until 2006.
Jeff Jakaitis is a former American professional ice hockey goaltender who last played for the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL He currently plays for the Charleston Warriors Sled Hockey Team
Although there are no major league professional franchises based in South Carolina, the state does have numerous minor league teams. The Carolina Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes major league pro teams are based in neighboring North Carolina. However, the Carolina Panthers, a professional American football team of the NFL based in Charlotte, North Carolina, are based near the South Carolina border, have training facilities in Spartanburg, South Carolina and have shown their desire to represent both of the Carolinas, with the motto "two states, one team". Similarly, Charlotte FC, a professional men's soccer club of MLS based in Charlotte, is also based near the border and has a primary jersey which represents both states. College teams throughout the state represent their particular South Carolina institution, along with the state being a prime destination for golf and water sports.
The Orlando Solar Bears are a professional ice hockey team that plays their home games at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. They play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference and are affiliated with the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League and Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League.
Parker Milner is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the American Hockey League (AHL).
Nikita Kashirsky is a retired Russian professional ice hockey forward.
The Norfolk Admirals are a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL that began play in the 2015–16 season. Based in Norfolk, Virginia, the team plays its home games at the Norfolk Scope. The Admirals replaced the American Hockey League team of the same name, which played from 2000 until 2015, after which they moved to San Diego, California, and became the current incarnation of the San Diego Gulls.
The 2015–16 ECHL season was the 28th season of the ECHL. The regular season schedule ran from October 16, 2015 to April 9, 2016 with the Kelly Cup playoffs to follow. Twenty-eight teams in 21 states and one Canadian province each played a 72-game schedule. The league alignment was significantly altered before the season when the American Hockey League announced the formation of a Pacific Division on January 30, 2015 displacing the ECHL teams that had been in California markets.
The Savannah Ghost Pirates are a professional minor league ice hockey team in the ECHL based in Savannah, Georgia. The team began play in the 2022–23 ECHL season with home games at Enmarket Arena.
The 2021 Kelly Cup playoffs of the ECHL began on June 7 following the conclusion of the 2020–21 ECHL regular season, and ended on July 2 with the Fort Wayne Komets winning their first Kelly Cup over the South Carolina Stingrays in four games.
The 2022–23 ECHL season was the 35th season of the ECHL. The regular season began on October 21, 2022, and ended on April 16, 2023, with the 2023 Kelly Cup playoffs to follow. 28 teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces played 72 games.