Bill Coffey is a businessman and minor league sports entrepreneur. He is one of the founders of the ECHL (formerly known as the East Coast Hockey League). [1] Founded in 1988, the ECHL is a minor professional ice hockey league that serves as a development league for the NHL. [2] The ECHL iced 20 teams during the 2009–10 season. [3]
Coffey is also the founder of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League (ACHL) [4] - where he served as the league's president; and he is the director of hockey operations for the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). [5] Coffey has been the owner of several minor league ice hockey teams.
The World Hockey Association 2 was a minor professional ice hockey league created at the instigation of the organizers of the proposed recreated World Hockey Association to serve as its development league. The WHA2 teams — some of which had played the 2002–03 season in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League — were all in the southeastern United States. David Waronker was the league's founder and also served as the league's commissioner.
The Arkansas RiverBlades were a professional ice hockey team located in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The RiverBlades were an expansion franchise that entered the East Coast Hockey League for the 1999–2000 season. Their home games were played at the newly opened Alltel Arena.
The Arkansas GlacierCats were a short-lived minor-league hockey team located in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Tingley Coliseum is an 11,571-seat multi-purpose arena in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Originally built as a rodeo and horse show auditorium, it is located at 300 San Pedro Drive N.E.
The Roanoke Valley Vipers were a minor professional ice hockey team located in Roanoke, Virginia. They were a member of the United Hockey League and played in the Roanoke Civic Center.
The Adirondack Frostbite were a minor professional ice hockey team based in Glens Falls, New York, and were a member of the United Hockey League (UHL). They played their home games at the Glens Falls Civic Center.
The Atlantic Coast Hockey League (ACHL) was a minor league hockey organization that operated between 1981 and 1987. The league was founded by Bill Coffey. The Bob Payne Trophy was awarded to the team who won the league playoff championship.
The Greensboro Generals were an East Coast Hockey League team based in Greensboro, North Carolina, and played at the Greensboro Coliseum from 1999 to 2004. The name was originally used by the Greensboro Generals in the Eastern Hockey League.
The Chesapeake Icebreakers were a minor league ice hockey team that played in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) from 1997-1999. The Icebreakers were an expansion team that was granted to Upper Marlboro, Maryland for the start of the 1997–98 ECHL season. They were coached by noted NHL enforcer Chris Nilan for both of their seasons.
The Carolina Thunderbirds were a professional ice hockey team located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States. The Thunderbirds played their home games at the old Winston-Salem Memorial Coliseum before the arena was demolished in 1989. The team played in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League from 1981 to 1987, the All-American Hockey League during 1987–88 and finally moved into the newly created East Coast Hockey League in 1988.
Richard Cameron Brown is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played one game for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League.
The Carolina Monarchs were a short-lived ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Greensboro, North Carolina, at the Greensboro Coliseum.
Richard Norman Adduono is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and retired professional ice hockey player in the World Hockey Association and National Hockey League.
Jeffrey Joseph Brubaker is an American former professional ice hockey forward.
John Craighead is a retired professional ice hockey right winger. He played five games for the Toronto Maple Leafs during 1996–97 season.
The Fayetteville Force was a professional ice hockey team. based in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The franchise was a member of the Central Hockey League (1997–2001). They played their home games at the Crown Coliseum.
Scott Drevitch is an American retired professional ice hockey and roller hockey defenseman.
Michael D. Berger is a Canadian retired ice hockey defenceman. He played in the NHL for the Minnesota North Stars.
David Gregory Cressman is a Canadian retired ice hockey left winger. He played 85 games in the NHL for the Minnesota North Stars over the 1974–75 and 1975–76 NHL seasons.
Henry Brabham IV was a founder of the ECHL, formerly known as the East Coast Hockey League. In 2008, he was inducted into the inaugural class of the ECHL Hall of Fame. The Brabham Cup, first awarded in 1989, is an ECHL award for the team that finishes with the best regular season record.