Chicago ECHL team
Encyclopedia
The Chicago Express is a professional ice hockey team located in Hoffman Estates, Illinois
, serving the Chicagoland
market. The Express is a member of the North Division of the ECHL
's Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at the Sears Centre
.
The Express is owned by Craig Drecktrah, who formerly owned the United Hockey League's Chicago Hounds
and Rockford IceHogs.
It was announced on July 13, 2011 that the Express will be affiliated with the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets
and the AHL
's Springfield Falcons
.
. On the heels of the Chicago Hounds
folding in 2009 after only playing one season (2006–07) at the Sears Centre, Drecktrah worked with arena and Hoffman Estates
village officials to bring in an ECHL
franchise. The league approved the franchise's application at the ECHL's annual Board of Governors Meeting in June 2010.
Voting for the team's name closed on August 4, with Express announced as the winner on September 21. The final four portion of the contest received a total of 20,000 votes.
Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Hoffman Estates is a northwestern suburb of Chicago in Illinois. The village is located primarily in Cook County with a small section in Kane County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 49,495 and estimated to be 52,520 in 2003...
, serving the Chicagoland
Chicagoland
The Chicago metropolitan area, or Chicagoland as it is commonly called within the area, is the metropolitan area associated with the city of Chicago, Illinois and its suburbs. It is the area that is closely linked to the city through social, economic, and cultural ties...
market. The Express is a member of the North Division of the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
's Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at the Sears Centre
Sears Centre
The Sears Centre is an 11,000-seat multi-purpose family entertainment, cultural and sports center in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, a northwest suburb, 25 miles from Chicago. The arena has 43 luxury suites on two separate levels...
.
The Express is owned by Craig Drecktrah, who formerly owned the United Hockey League's Chicago Hounds
Chicago Hounds
The Chicago Hounds were a professional ice hockey team in the United Hockey League for the 2006-07 UHL season. They played their home games at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The Hounds franchise was officially a relocation of the Richmond RiverDogs franchise, which played in...
and Rockford IceHogs.
It was announced on July 13, 2011 that the Express will be affiliated with the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
and the AHL
AHL
AHL is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, as described below:* American Hockey League, professional ice hockey league in the USA and Canada* Australian Hockey League, Australian national field hockey league* Allianz Hurling League...
's Springfield Falcons
Springfield Falcons
The Springfield Falcons are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the MassMutual Center and are the top affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League. The Falcons' two main rivals are the Connecticut Whale and the...
.
Team history
Inception
The team formed out of talks between owner Craig Drecktrah and officials at the Sears CentreSears Centre
The Sears Centre is an 11,000-seat multi-purpose family entertainment, cultural and sports center in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, a northwest suburb, 25 miles from Chicago. The arena has 43 luxury suites on two separate levels...
. On the heels of the Chicago Hounds
Chicago Hounds
The Chicago Hounds were a professional ice hockey team in the United Hockey League for the 2006-07 UHL season. They played their home games at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The Hounds franchise was officially a relocation of the Richmond RiverDogs franchise, which played in...
folding in 2009 after only playing one season (2006–07) at the Sears Centre, Drecktrah worked with arena and Hoffman Estates
Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Hoffman Estates is a northwestern suburb of Chicago in Illinois. The village is located primarily in Cook County with a small section in Kane County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 49,495 and estimated to be 52,520 in 2003...
village officials to bring in an ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
franchise. The league approved the franchise's application at the ECHL's annual Board of Governors Meeting in June 2010.
Team name
To name the new franchise, the team held a special name the team contest that eventually received over a thousand unique name suggestions. On July 22, the four finalists for the team name were unveiled. They were the:- Chicago Blizzard
- Hoffman Estates Hammers
- Chicago Knights
- Chicago Express
Voting for the team's name closed on August 4, with Express announced as the winner on September 21. The final four portion of the contest received a total of 20,000 votes.