Amarillo Wranglers (NAHL)

Last updated
Amarillo Wranglers
Amarillo Wranglers (NAHL) Logo.jpg
City Amarillo, Texas
League North American Hockey League
DivisionSouth
Founded2003
Home arena Amarillo Civic Center
ColorsNavy blue, red, white
   
Owner(s)Amarillo Ice Sports, LLC
General managerHarry Mahood
Head coachTaylor Harnett (2024)
Franchise history
2003–2004 Lone Star Cavalry
2004–2007 Santa Fe RoadRunners
2007–2018 Topeka RoadRunners
2018–2020 Topeka Pilots
2020–2021 Kansas City Scouts
2021–presentAmarillo Wranglers

The Amarillo Wranglers are a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's South Division. The team's home arena is the Amarillo Civic Center in Amarillo, Texas.

Contents

History

Lone Star Cavalry

The Lone Star Cavalry were granted an expansion franchise in the America West Hockey League in March 2003. They stayed in the league when it merged with the North American Hockey League for the 2003–04 season. The Cavalry played out of the Blue Line Ice Complex in North Richland Hills, Texas and served the immediate "Mid-Cities" area of Metro Dallas-Fort Worth. The Cavalry were part of the NAHL's new South Division along with the Central Texas Blackhawks, Fairbanks Ice Dogs, Springfield (MO) Spirit, Texas Tornado, Texarkana Bandits, and Wichita Falls Rustlers.

Santa Fe RoadRunners

After financial difficulties caused the Cavalry's home rink, the Blue Line Ice Complex, to close, the Cavalry were left without a home. Due to this and other factors, the Cavalry ended up being sold and relocated to Santa Fe, New Mexico. The team was granted membership on September 20, 2004, and began play on September 25, 2004, under their new identity as the Santa Fe RoadRunners. The Santa Fe RoadRunners played out of the Genoveva Chavez Community Center in Santa Fe. In their inaugural season in New Mexico, the RoadRunners played in the South Division, against the Central Texas Marshals, Springfield (IL) Jr. Blues, Springfield Spirit, Texarkana Bandits, Texas Tornado, and the Wichita Falls Wildcats, finishing with a 33–15–8 record, good for 3rd place in the division. The following season they finished dead last in the South Division behind the Tornado, Bandits, Jr. Blues, and the Wildcats. The third and final season in Santa Fe saw the RoadRunners finishing with a 41–17–4 record for second place in a South Division that consisted of the St. Louis Bandits, Texas Tornado, Fairbanks Ice Dogs, Wichita Falls Wildcats, and the Alaska Avalanche.

Topeka RoadRunners

Topeka RoadRunners logo Topekalogo.png
Topeka RoadRunners logo

On February 26, 2007, the team announced their move to Topeka, Kansas, from Santa Fe, New Mexico, due to claims of poor attendance. Santa Fe ranked 17th out of 18 teams in attendance. [1]

The move to Topeka was initiated by a grass roots effort, led by hockey fans from Topeka. In their first season in Topeka, 2007–08, they were third in league attendance while playing in Landon Arena. That season the team won the NAHL South Division and South Division Playoffs. They finished in third place at the Robertson Cup competition. The 2008–09 season saw the RoadRunners finishing fourth in league attendance and 2nd in the South Division. The team lost in the second round of the South Division playoffs. In 2009–10 The RoadRunners finished first in the South Division, and they were second in attendance. The 2010–11 season saw the RoadRunners claim the NAHL President's Cup as the league's regular season champions.

On January 7, 2016, the RoadRunners fired long-tenured head coach and general manager Scott Langer, who had been with the team since their days as the Cavalry and the head coach since their first season in Santa Fe. He was hired immediately after the season ended by the Aberdeen Wings. Former RoadRunner player and assistant coach Josh Kamrass was hired as his replacement. [2] On November 24, 2017, assistant coach Justin DeMartino took over as an interim head coach, so that Kamrass could spend more time at home and took a front office job with the organization overseeing all the ownership's teams including their Tier III teams. [3] [4] [5]

Topeka Pilots

Topeka Pilots logo TopekaPilotsLogo.png
Topeka Pilots logo

On April 18, 2018, owners of the franchise since 2009, Barbara & Donald Stone, sold the franchise to Loretto Sports Ventures, a company owned by Lamar Hunt Jr., that also operates the Kansas City Mavericks in the ECHL. [6] In the same press conference, Hunt announced the new head coach and general manager as Simon Watson for the 2018–19 season. The new ownership also announced the team would be rebranded [7] and was renamed the Topeka Pilots on June 5, 2018. [8]

Amarillo Wranglers

On February 28, 2020, Lamar Hunt Jr. announced he was moving the team to the Kansas City metropolitan area for the 2020–21 season. [9] [10] The team was renamed after the former NHL team, the Kansas City Scouts, and were to play at least the 2020–21 season at the Kansas City Ice Center in the suburb of Shawnee, Kansas. However, the team instead went dormant for the 2020–21 season due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic with plans to return for the 2021–22 season. [11] The Scouts also received dormancy status for the 2021–22 season on March 4, 2021, [12] however, the team would never play a game as the Scouts.

On May 21, 2021, the NAHL announced Hunt had instead sold the team to Amarillo Ice Sports, LLC, a locally owned and operated group including Chris Wright, Roger Wright, and Amarillo hockey alumni Eric Andersen, and Austin Sutter. The new team was named after the original Amarillo Wranglers. [13] The Wranglers re-entered the league for the 2021–22 season, replacing the recently relocated Amarillo Bulls in the Amarillo Civic Center, with Harry Mahood as general manager and head coach. [14] The Wranglers then hired Karlis Zirnis as director of player personnel. [15]

Season-by-season records

SeasonGPWLOTLPtsGFGAPIMFinishPlayoffs
Lone Star Calvary
2003–045628226621581711,5045th, Southdid not qualify
Santa Fe Roadrunners
2004–055633185712011631,6023rd of 7, SouthLost in 1st Round
2005–065824286541822051,4185th of 5, Southdid not qualify
2006–076241174862211541,2402nd of 6, SouthLost in 1st Round
Topeka RoadRunners
2007–085839118862421371,5091st of 6, SouthLost in Robertson Cup Semifinal
2008–095842115892041381,5452nd of 4, SouthLost in 2nd Round
2009–10584495932541471,5001st of 5, SouthLost in 2nd Round
2010–115843123892371461,7061st of 6, SouthLost in Div. Finals
2011–126038184801971521,2472nd of 7, SouthLost in Div. Finals
2012–1360391478519014613432nd of 6, SouthLost in Div. Semifinals
2013–1460391568418012210902nd of 7, SouthLost in Robertson Cup Semifinals
2014–156039156841991408372nd of 8, SouthLost in Robertson Cup Quarterfinals
2015–1660342427019015410443rd of 6, SouthLost in Div. Finals
2016–1760213454717622813227th of 7, Southdid not qualify
2017–1860173943812823312176th of 6, Southdid not qualify
Topeka Pilots
2018–196023298541582109335th of 6, Southdid not qualify
2019–205233145711511299813rd of 7, SouthSeason cancelled
Amarillo Wranglers
2021–2260272945814918212336th of 8, South
22nd of 29 NAHL		did not qualify
2022–2360342337118315411124th of 8, South
9th of 29 NAHL		Lost in Div. Semifinals
2023-2460322087217818414165th of 8, South
14th of 29 NAHL		 Lost Div. Semifinals, 0-2 New Mexico Ice Wolves

Playoffs

First Round – Texarkana Bandits defeated Santa Fe Roadrunners, 3-games-to-1
First Round – Texas Tornado defeated Santa Fe Roadrunners, 3-games-to-2
Division Semifinals – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Texas Tornado, 3-games-to-0
Division Final – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Fairbanks Ice Dogs, 3-games-to-2
Robertson Cup Round Robin – Topeka RoadRunners (2-1) - Advance to Semifinal, (W, 3-2 vs. Phantoms; W, 4-2 vs. Blizzard; L, 2-5 vs. Bandits)
Robertson Cup Semifinal Game – Mahoning Valley Phantoms defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 5-2
Division Semifinals – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Wichita Falls Wildcats, 3-games-to-2
Division Finals – St. Louis Bandits defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 3-games-to-1
Division Semifinals – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Springfield Jr. Blues, 3-games-to-1
Division Finals – St. Louis Bandits defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 3-games-to-2
Division Semifinals – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Wichita Falls Wildcats, 3-games-to-2
Division Finals – Amarillo Bulls defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 3-games-to-2
Division Semifinals – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Texas Tornado, 3-games-to-0
Division Finals – Amarillo Bulls defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 3-games-to-1
Division Semifinals – Texas Tornado defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 3-games-to-0
Division Semifinals – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, 3-games-to-0
Division Finals – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Amarillo Bulls, 3-games-to-2
Robertson Cup Semifinals – Austin Bruins defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 2-games-to-1
First Round – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Wichita Falls Wildcats, 3-games-to-1
Robertson Cup Quarterfinals – Lone Star Brahmas defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 3-games-to-1
Division Semifinals – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Lone Star Brahmas, 3-games-to-1
Division Finals – Wichita Falls Wildcats defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 3-games-to-0
Division Semifinals – Oklahoma Warriors defeated Amarillo Wranglers, 3-games-to-0
Division Play-In: - New Mexico Ice Wolves defeated Amarillo Wranglers 2-games-to-0

Players

Team captains

Honored members

Retired numbers: The Topeka RoadRunners retired two numbers: the 11 of forward and team captain John Stoddard, and the 21 of Peter Halash.

On January 6, 2014, Topeka Roadrunner Peter Halash died in a car wreck. The Roadrunners team had a jersey retirement ceremony before a game against the Springfield Jr. Blues on March 23, 2014.

Alumni

The RoadRunners have had a number of alumni move on to NCAA Division I, NCAA Division III, ACHA Division I and II, higher levels of junior ice hockey, and professional ice hockey, including:

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References

  1. ↑ "Topeka gets hockey — again". The Topeka Capital-Journal . February 22, 2007.
  2. ↑ "Topeka RoadRunners fire Scott Langer as coach, general manager". The Topeka Capital-Journal. January 7, 2016.
  3. ↑ "November 24, 2017, Shreveport at Topeka gamesheet". NAHL. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Josh Kamrass out as head coach of the Topeka RoadRunners". KSNT. November 27, 2017.
  5. ↑ "COACH KAMRASS MOVING TO FRONT OFFICE". RoadRunners. November 28, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Loretto Sports Ventures Purchases NAHL's Topeka RoadRunners". OurSportsCentral.com. April 18, 2018.
  7. ↑ "RoadRunners hockey team plans party for 'unveiling of new team name'". The Topeka Capital-Journal. May 31, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Topeka Pilots — RoadRunners get a new name". WIBW-TV . June 5, 2018.
  9. ↑ "NAHL announces relocation of Topeka Pilots to Kansas City". NAHL. February 28, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Topeka Pilots announce move to Kansas City". KSNT.com. February 28, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Kansas City Scouts exercise option to sit out the 2020-21 season". NAHL. August 26, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Kansas City Scouts Organization Update". KC Scouts. March 4, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Kansas City Scouts sold and relocated to Amarillo, Texas". NHL. May 21, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Wranglers name Mahood as first Head Coach and GM". NAHL. July 1, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Wranglers name Zirnis as Director of Player Personnel". NAHL. July 22, 2021.
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