Joe Selenski

Last updated
Joe Selenski
Born(born c. 1955
Marlton, New Jersey
Occupationminor league hockey coach/general manager

Joe Selenski (born c. 1955) is a former minor league hockey coach and general manager.

Contents

Atlantic Coast Hockey League

Selenski got his start as a coach and general manager with the Troy Slapshots of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League. The Slapshots would see limited action in the ACHL, playing only six games before being suspended by ACHL Commissioner Ray Miron. Shortly after the leaguewide dispersal draft, the Mohawk Valley Comets would fire their coach (Bill Horton) and replace him with Selenski, [1] who assumed the dual role of coach and general manager. The Comets would go 22-22-3 under Selenski and make the playoffs. However, the Comets would eventually lose to the Virginia Lancers four games to three in the Payne Trophy Finals. [2] After the completion of the 1986-87 ACHL season, the Comets transferred to the AHL and were later rebranded as the Utica Devils, and the ACHL was folded by Commissioner Ray Miron. [3]

All-American Hockey League

Without a team to coach at the start of the 1987-88 season, Selenski headed to Johnstown to negotiate the foundation of a hockey team in the newly formed All-American Hockey League. On December 27, 1987, Selenski - along with future team owner Henry Brabham - walked into Dennis Grenell's office at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena and inquired about potentially putting a new franchise in Johnstown. Selenski expected to be able to field team by the start of the following season, but Grenell said he wanted a team "right now". [4] Within two weeks, Selenski was able to find uniforms from a Canadian vendor and field a team based on old players who he had coached while in the ACHL. The Chiefs went 13-13-0 in the regular season and qualified for the playoffs, but would eventually lose to the Carolina Thunderbirds. Selenski was not re-signed after the post-season.

ECHL

Selenski was brought in as a midseason replacement for Carolina Thunderbirds' head coach Brian Carroll. [5] Despite finishing with a sub-.500 record, Selenski would lead the Thunderbirds to the playoffs and would eventually defeat the Johnstown Chiefs in a seven-game Riley Cup Final. [6]

While in Carolina, Selenski coached several players who would reach the NHL in various capacities. Forward Bill Huard would later go on to play over 200 games in the NHL with five different teams. [7] Scott Allen would later coach in the ECHL and AHL for 13 years before assuming the position of Assistant Coach for the New York Islanders at the start of the 2010-11 NHL season. [8] Goaltender Toby O'Brien would later become a scout supervisor for the New York Islanders' affiliates in Bridgeport and Utah. [9] Allen and O'Brien would also go on to coach the Johnstown Chiefs, a team that Selenski coached during the team's inaugural 1987-88 season.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wheeling Nailers</span> ECHL ice hockey team

The Wheeling Nailers are a professional ECHL ice hockey team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. They are the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina Stingrays</span> Ice hockey team in North Charleston, South Carolina

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idaho Steelheads</span> Professional minor league ice hockey team in Boise, Idaho

The Idaho Steelheads are an American professional minor league ice hockey team based in Boise, Idaho, and a member of the ECHL. The Steelheads play in the Mountain Division of the ECHL's Western Conference since the 2016–17 season. In 1996, the Steelheads were announced as a 1997–98 expansion team by Diamond Sports Management, headed by Cord Pereira, as a member of the West Coast Hockey League (WCHL). The Steelheads and the rest of the WCHL joined the ECHL in 2003. As of the 2022-23 season, the Steelheads are the westernmost ECHL team. During the 2003–04 season and since the 2005–06 season the Steelheads have been an affiliate of the National Hockey League's Dallas Stars. The Austin-based Texas Stars have been the Dallas Stars AHL affiliate since the 2009–10 season. Home games are played at the 5,002-seat Idaho Central Arena in downtown Boise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Tortorella</span> American ice hockey coach

John Tortorella is an American professional ice hockey coach and former player. He serves as the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Tortorella was previously the head coach of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Vancouver Canucks. He led Tampa Bay to the 2004 Stanley Cup championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnstown Chiefs</span> Defunct minor league ice hockey team

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 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.

Neil Smith is a Canadian ice hockey broadcaster, and previously the general manager of both the New York Rangers from 1989–2000 and (briefly) the New York Islanders in 2006. He was also the owner and head coach of the Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL. He last was the president, general manager, and governor of the Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL. He now is an on-air analyst for the NHL Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolina Thunderbirds</span> Defunct professional ice hockey team

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Lancers</span> Defunct minor league ice hockey team

The Virginia Lancers were a minor league hockey team that played in several leagues from 1983 until 1990. Their home ice was the Vinton Sports Complex, which held 3400 people.

Edward Emmett Courtenay is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger and head coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erie Panthers</span> Defunct minor professional ice hockey team

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolina Monarchs</span> Ice hockey team in Greensboro, North Carolina

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, succeeding the ECHL Greensboro Monarchs, some of whose owners accepted an expansion proposal from the AHL to start play in the 1995-96 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Gordon (ice hockey)</span> American ice hockey player and coach

Scott M. Gordon is an American professional ice hockey coach and former professional goaltender. He is currently an assistant coach for the San Jose Sharks. He previously served as the head coach of the NHL's New York Islanders from 2008 to 2010 and the head coach of the National Hockey League's Philadelphia Flyers in the 2018–19, and, as well as the head coach of the Providence Bruins and Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League (AHL) between2002 and 2021. Prior to coaching he played 23 games in the NHL with the Quebec Nordiques during the 1989–90 and 1990–91 seasons, and in the minor leagues from 1986 to 1994. Internationally he played for the American national team at the 1992 Winter Olympics and the 1991 World Championships. Gordon was born in Brockton, Massachusetts, but grew up in Easton, Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Martinson</span> American ice hockey player and coach

Stephen Paul Martinson is an American former professional ice hockey player and coach. He played 49 games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, and Minnesota North Stars between 1987 and 1992. The rest of his playing career, which lasted from 1981 to 1996, was spent in various minor leagues. After retiring as a player he turned to coaching, and his 1,123 career professional coaching wins are the most ever for an American born ice hockey head coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brabham Cup</span> East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) regular season trophy

The Henry Brabham Cup is the trophy awarded annually by the ECHL to the team that finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season. The Brabham Cup has been awarded 34 times to 16 different franchises since its debut in 1989.

The Troy Slapshots were a professional ice hockey team based in Troy, New York. They were a member of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League in the 1985–86 season.

The Mohawk Valley Comets were a professional ice hockey team based in Utica, New York. They were a member of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League from 1985 until the league suspended operations until 1987.

Scott Allen is a retired professional ice hockey center and a former assistant coach of the New York Islanders and Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League. He is currently an assistant coach for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Rob Hrytsak is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player.

References

  1. ↑ HockeyDB.com http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/multicoach.php?tid=209&season=1987.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)[ dead link ]
  2. ↑ Mancuso, Jim (2006). Hockey in the Capital District. Arcadia Publishing. p. 128. ISBN   0736051236.
  3. ↑ "News in brief | Sports | Elsewhere". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. July 25, 1987. p. 3c.
  4. ↑ Mike Mastovich (2010-03-30). "History of the Chiefs: 1980s". Tribune-Democrat.com. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
  5. ↑ "Carolina Thunderbirds 1988-89 roster and scoring statistics at hockeydb.com". www.hockeydb.com.
  6. ↑ "1988-89 ECHL Playoff Results at hockeydb.com". www.hockeydb.com.
  7. ↑ "Legends Of Hockey - Bill John Huard". www.legendsofhockey.net. 2011-01-03. Retrieved 2011-01-03.
  8. ↑ "Scott Allen | New York Islanders - Assistant Coach". Islanders.com. 2011-01-03. Retrieved 2011-01-03.
  9. ↑ "Grizzlies Press Conference: Key Players". UtahGrizzlies.com. 2007-05-22. Retrieved 2011-01-03.
Preceded by
Franchise created
 Head coaches of the Johnstown Chiefs
1987-88		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.