The Toledo Storm were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the ECHL from 1991 to 2007. The Storm played their home games at the venerable Toledo Sports Arena along the eastern banks of the Maumee River in Toledo, Ohio. The team colors were red and white, similar to the Detroit Red Wings, their NHL affiliate for fourteen of their sixteen seasons. The Storm would win six division titles, two Henry Brabham Cups and two Jack Riley Cups as champion of the East Coast Hockey League. The franchise suspended operations following the 2006–07 season after they were sold to Toledo Arena Sports, Inc. The Storm returned to the ECHL for the 2009–10 season as the Toledo Walleye.
The Southern Hockey League was a low-level minor professional ice hockey league that operated from 1973 to 1977. The league was formed when the Eastern Hockey League split in two; the southern teams became the Southern Hockey League, and the northern teams became the North American Hockey League. It was the first professional hockey league to operate wholly within the Southern United States, and followed the establishment of the Atlanta Flames in the National Hockey League; and also the Richmond Robins and the Tidewater Wings in the American Hockey League. The Southern Hockey League was a feeder league for the recently started World Hockey Association. Tedd Munchak was appointed the league's first commissioner, and was owner of the Greensboro Generals. The championship trophy of the league was named the James Crockett Cup, after local figure Jim Crockett Sr. The league disbanded during its fourth season, when four of its seven teams folded due to financial issues.
Todd Clifford Rohloff is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played two seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Washington Capitals and the Columbus Blue Jackets between 2002 and 2004. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1998 to 2006, was spent in various minor leagues. He also played for the American national team at the 2002 World Championship.
The Dayton Owls was a minor league ice hockey team in the International Hockey League (IHL) during the 1977–78 season. The team was based in Dayton, Ohio, and played home games at the Hara Arena. The Columbus Owls had relocated to Dayton for the 1977–78 season, filling the void left by the Dayton Gems. Midway during their first season, on December 15, 1977 the Dayton Owls relocated to Grand Rapids, Michigan and became the Grand Rapids Owls.
The Columbus Chill were a professional ice hockey team that played in the East Coast Hockey League from October 1991 through the 1998–99 season. They played at the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum in Columbus, Ohio. The Chill left Columbus in 1999 and relocated to Reading, Pennsylvania, with the impending arrival of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the National Hockey League. The Columbus Chill are now known as the Reading Royals.
Brett Alan Harkins is an American former professional ice hockey left wing, who played for 18 years. He played in the National Hockey League in four stints with the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, and Columbus Blue Jackets between 1994 and 2002. As of January 2020, Harkins had served as a college-level scout for the Boston Bruins for over four seasons.
The Columbus Stars were a minor professional ice hockey team that was a brief member of the United Hockey League (UHL). The team folded before the midway point of 2003–04 season, in which the Stars had 21 home games drawing an average of only 973 people per game, 2,000 less than the UHL average. They played their home games at the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum which had a capacity of 5,676. Despite leading the Eastern Conference of the UHL at the time of its demise, the team's final game had an attendance of only 732. The team folded on January 9, 2004.
John Paris Jr. is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, coach, and scout. The Windsor, NS native who stands at just 5-foot-5 played hockey on championship teams at many levels. John is a member of the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame.
The Columbus Golden Seals were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the International Hockey League from 1971 to 1973. Columbus operated as a farm team to the National Hockey League's California Golden Seals. The owner of the NHL Seals, Charlie Finley, had acquired the IHL franchise rights to the dormant Columbus Checkers to create the farm team. In 1973, Finley sold the Columbus Golden Seals. The new owner, Al Savill, renamed the team the Columbus Owls for the 1973–74 season.
The Indianapolis Checkers were a minor league professional ice hockey team from Indianapolis, Indiana. The Checkers' home arena was the Fairgrounds Coliseum from 1981 to 1985 and Market Square Arena from 1979 to 1981 and again from 1985 to 1987. The team originated in the Central Hockey League where they played from 1979 to 1984. The Checkers filled a void left by the departed Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association. Indianapolis won the Adams Cup as the CHL champions twice, in 1982 and 1983.
Patrick "Pat" Dwyer is an American former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League with the Carolina Hurricanes. He was originally selected by the Atlanta Thrashers in the fourth round, 116th overall, of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.
The Charlotte Checkers were a minor league professional ice hockey team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The team began as the Baltimore Clippers in 1954, playing in the Eastern Hockey League. When the arena in Baltimore burned down, the team briefly played as the Charlotte Rebels, before permanently relocating to the Charlotte Coliseum in 1956, becoming the Charlotte Clippers. The team was renamed the Checkers in 1960, and played its final four seasons in the Southern Hockey League, before folding in 1977. The Clippers/Checkers franchise won five playoff championships in its existence, and were the first team to be based in the Southeast United States.
Chris Bergeron is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey center, and the former men's ice hockey head coach at his alma mater, Miami University.
The Jacksonville Rockets were a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Jacksonville, Florida. They played in the Eastern Hockey League from 1964–1972, when they folded. They were the first professional hockey team to be based in Florida. They played most of their home games at the Jacksonville Coliseum; from 1966–68 they were known as the Florida Rockets, playing some of their home games in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The Suncoast Suns was a minor league professional ice hockey team based in St. Petersburg, Florida, and played home games at the Bayfront Center. The Suns began in the Eastern Hockey League in 1971, and was a founding member of the Southern Hockey League in 1973. The Suns ceased operations in December 1973, partway through its third season.
Jean-François "J-F" Bérubé is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently on a Professional Try Out (PTO) with the Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League. He recently played with the Charlotte Checkers in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Florida Panthers in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
The Oklahoma City Blazers were a professional ice hockey team that was based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They competed in the Central Professional Hockey League from 1965 to 1977. The team played their home games in the Fairgrounds Arena, and later in The Myriad.
HC Kunlun Red Star is a Chinese professional ice hockey club that joined the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) prior to the 2016–17 season.
Morris G. "Moose" Lallo, was a Canadian ice hockey player, coach, and general manager. He played in over 1000 professional games during 19 seasons in the minor leagues. He played on five championship teams, and was named a first-team all-star in both the International Hockey League and the Eastern Hockey League.
Gregg Pilling is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and coach. He was named coach of the year by the International Hockey League in 1977–78 season, after he led the Fort Wayne Komets to the Fred A. Huber Trophy as the regular season champions. He also won coach of the year awards in Southern Hockey League, and North American Hockey League, while guiding the Roanoke Valley Rebels and the Philadelphia Firebirds to league championships. Pilling made headlines as a coach for his colourful in-game protests and multiple ejections. Prior to coaching, he had a brief playing career, including a 1963 Memorial Cup championship with the Edmonton Oil Kings, and was voted the most valuable player in his final full season as a player.
