Cincinnati Cyclones
Encyclopedia
The Cincinnati Cyclones are a professional hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio
. The team is a member of the ECHL
. Founded in 1990, the team first played their games in the Cincinnati Gardens
and now play at U.S. Bank Arena
.
Cincinnati has fielded Cyclones teams in two different leagues: the International Hockey League (1992–2001) and the ECHL (1990–1992, 2001–2004, 2006–present). Together, the franchises have combined to win two Kelly Cups (2008 and 2010), two conference championships (2008 and 2010), one overall points championship (2008), and three division championships (1996, 2008, and 2009).
In 2007–08, the team had the most successful season in ECHL history. 55 wins and 115 points earned them the North Division Championship and Brabham Cup trophy, and the team won its first ever conference and league championships, winning the 2008 Kelly Cup
in a six game final over the Las Vegas Wranglers
.
In 2009-10, the team, even with the American Conference's #5 seed to begin the playoffs, made history by becoming the first team in ECHL history, and the 6th of seven professional hockey teams overall, to overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a best of seven playoff series, winning the American Conference Championship in the process. Nine days later, Cincinnati finished their improbable run with the 2nd Kelly Cup in team history, both in three years, completing a five game Kelly Cup Final win over the Idaho Steelheads
known as the Cincinnati Cyclones. All three franchises have been hockey
teams, two in the ECHL
and one in the IHL.
. They lost in the first round of the playoffs in the 1990–1991 season. In the 1991–1992 season, the Cyclones lost in the Riley Cup semi-finals. The team's owner at the time, Doug Kirchhofer, was granted an IHL franchise who chose to move the Cyclones name to that franchise and relocate the ECHL franchise to Birmingham
, Alabama
to form the new Birmingham Bulls
.
Since moving to Birmingham, this franchise has seen stints in three cities across the United States. The franchise played in Birmingham from the 1992–1993 season until the 2000–2001 season. Following the completion of the 2000–2001 season, the franchise moved to Atlantic City, New Jersey
to become the short-lived Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
. The Boardwalk Bullies played for four seasons, the 2001–2002 season through the 2004–2005 season, before being moved to another city. While in New Jersey, the franchise won a Kelly Cup
Championship in the 2002–2003 season, defeating the Columbia Inferno
in the finals. Despite the success on ice, the Boardwalk Bullies were sold to the current ownership group after low attendance in Atlantic City. The franchise was moved to Stockton, California
and changed the name to the Stockton Thunder
. The franchise has been in Stockton since 2005–2006 and are coached by a former Cincinnati Cyclones player, Chris Cichocki
.
, who would eventually be Head Coach and Vice President of Player Development and have his number 13 retired, began his first a several stints with the team in the 1992–1993 season. On Friday, April 2, 2004, during his number retirement ceremony, he was singled out as a reason for the team's success, both on the ice and in attendance. During the IHL years, the Cyclones set a team record of 8 consecutive 90+ Point Seasons, http://hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/display_standings.php?tmi=5255 ending on June 4, 2001 when the International Hockey League ceased operations. During the Cyclones 9 years in the IHL, they won their only Division Championship and Conference Championship, both in the 1995–1996 season, but lost in a seven-game semi-final series to the Orlando Solar Bears.
In 1997, the Cyclones' lease agreement with the Cincinnati Gardens came to an end and the two sides were unable to reach an agreement for a new contract. It was at this time that team owner, Doug Kirchhofer purchased what then was known as Riverfront Coliseum in downtown Cincinnati, re-named it The Crown, renovated the arena, and moved the team there. During the seven seasons the Cyclones were in the arena, the venue was re-named the Firstar Center and now is known as U.S. Bank Arena
. The team has since been unsuccessful in reclaiming the higher attendance numbers from the Cincinnati Gardens, until the most recent run at winning the Kelly Cup, where they drew 12,722 fans to the last game of the postseason. http://echl.leaguestat.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=5345
, playing in Louisville, Kentucky
. After three years in Louisville, the team moved to Miami, Florida
. After the lone 1998–1999 season as the Miami Matadors
, the franchise eventually came into the ownership of a group in Birmingham
, Alabama
. Upon the IHL fold, the Cyclones name was sold to this ownership group who moved the franchise to Cincinnati to become the new Cincinnati Cyclones.
The first year back in the ECHL ended the team's streak of 90+ Point seasons with the Cyclones finishing just 12 points shy despite a 10 game fewer season length. Former Cyclones player Paul Lawless
became head coach, as a mid-season replacement for Ray Edwards.
Before the start of the 2003–2004 season former Cyclones player and assistant coach Chris Cichocki
left the Arkansas RiverBlades
in order to return as the Cyclones head coach. Despite his success with Arkansas, though, Cichocki led the team to their worst season in points at 54 (previous low being the 61 points in their first IHL season) and failed to make the playoffs for the second time in team history.
Shortly after ending the season without a playoff berth, in April 2004, the Cyclones suspended operations. This suspension in operations was mainly due to lack of revenue brought on by a lack of safe access to the arena. Safe access was limited by construction in Downtown Cincinnati. This dormancy left Cincinnati hockey to the cross-town, Cincinnati Gardens-based AHL
rival, Cincinnati Mighty Ducks
and stopped the city's record of two minor league hockey teams in the same city for consecutive years.
With minor league hockey dormant in Cincinnati for a year, and plans for the proposed AHL Cincinnati RailRaiders franchise scrapped for 2006–07, on April 21, 2006 the Cyclones announced that they would participate in the upcoming 2006–2007 ECHL season. They returned in the American Conference, North Division of the ECHL and continue to play their home games at U.S. Bank Arena, joining their two ECHL, Ohio
rivals, Dayton Bombers
and Toledo Storm
.
On July 18, 2006, the Cyclones announced their affiliation with the Montreal Canadiens
of the NHL
and the Hamilton Bulldogs
of the AHL
. The Cyclones won their first game back in the ECHL on October 20 against the Pensacola Ice Pilots
at U.S. Bank Arena with a score of 3 to 1.
On May 23, 2007, the Cyclones announced they had re-signed head coach Chuck Weber to coach the team for the 2007–2008 season. Weber was also the runner-up for the ECHL's Coach of the Year award for 2006–2007.http://www.cycloneshockey.com/news_data.php?article=00264
On August 2, 2007, In addition to the Montreal/Hamilton affiliation, the Cyclones announced an affiliation with the NHL's Nashville Predators
and the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals
.
On February 22, 2008 the Cyclones tied the ECHL record for a single-season winning streak of 14th consecutive games, defeating the Johnstown Chiefs
5–2 in Cincinnati.http://www.echl.com/upload_images/RegularSeasonTeam%20Records.pdf
On February 23, 2008 David Desharnais
recorded two assists, extending his streak of games with at least one assist to 18, this broke the existing ECHL record of 17. In the same game, the Cyclones set a new ECHL record for a single-season winning streak of 15 consecutive wins when the Cyclones defeated the Elmira Jackals
in a 5–4 shootout.http://www.cycloneshockey.com/news_data.php?article=00415
The team finished the regular season with 115 points, earning them the Brabham Cup regular season championship. They also won the Northern Division and American Conference regular season titles. Individually, Chuck Weber was named ECHL coach of the year, earning him the John Brophy trophy. David Desharnais claimed three ECHL awards: Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, and the Leading Scorer award with 29 goals and 77 assists for 106 points. In addition, Chad Starling won the award for the most plus/minus points.
The Cyclones entered the playoffs and defeated the Johnstown Chiefs
four games to none. The Cyclones moved on to take on the Reading Royals
, Cincinnati took the series in seven games to claim their second ever North Division playoff title. Finally, on May 16, 2008, the Cyclones defeated the South Carolina Stingrays
, 2-1 in overtime, to claim the American Conference Championship. With their victory, Cincinnati also claimed the E.A. "Bud" Gingher Memorial Trophy.
Three weeks later, following a six game victory over the National Conference Champion Las Vegas Wranglers in the Kelly Cup Finals, the Cyclones clinched the first championship in team history. After splitting the first two games in Cincinnati (Cincinnati 4-3 and Las Vegas 1-0), the series shifted to Las Vegas, where Cincinnati won games three and five to take a 3-2 series lead. In front of a record setting crowd, 12,722 fans, at US Bank Arena in Cincinnati on June 5, the Cyclones defeated Las Vegas in Game Six, 3-1, to take the championship. The clincher was the 71st win of the season. Goalie Cedrick Desjardins was named the Kelly Cup Playoff MVP.
Chuck Weber and assistant coach Dean Stork received multi-year extensions. Weber was also given the title of Vice President. On November 29, Chuck Weber picked up his 100th professional head coaching victory with a 6-3 win at Johnstown
.
Cincinnati's season was not as successful as the last one, but they won 41 games for 87 points, repeating as North Division champions. They won a seven game series against Wheeling, including a double overtime game seven win, and swept the Elmira Jackals to win the North Division playoff title. However, the Cyclones would be swept by the South Carolina Stingrays in the American Conference Finals. These two teams had met in the conference finals the year before, with Cincinnati picking up a five game win.
Cincinnati drew the Reading Royals in the American Conference Final. What was in all other accounts an epic seven game series was marred by several incidents, both on and off the ice, that resulted in suspensions and fines to players and staff of both organizations. The worst of it occurred after game six, when Reading's Scott Fletcher
allegedly struck a Cincinnati fan with a stick, drawing an indefinite suspension by the league. Nevertheless, the series made ECHL history when, after losing the first two at home, then Game Three at Reading, Cincinnati posted wins of 6-4, 5-0 and 6-3 to force the team's third winner take all match in the 2010 playoffs. The game occurred on May 12 at US Bank Arena. In front of 5,340 fans, the Cyclones posted a 1-0 win to become the first team in ECHL history, and the 6th pro team in history, to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a best of seven series. The only goal of the contest was scored by Barret Ehgoetz
13:48 into the game.
The Cincinnati Cyclones defeated the Idaho Steelheads in the 2010 Kelly Cup Final, four games to one. Cincinnati used game winning goals within the last minute in the first two games, a 3-2 win on a goal by Mark Van Guilder with 49.2 seconds remaining on May 14, and a 1-0 win the next night, when Mathieu Aubin netted the only goal in the contest, and only with 20.1 seconds remaining in regulation. The series shifted to US Bank Arena, and witnessed an Idaho victory within the first minute of the 2nd overtime of Game Three, as Evan Barlow received a pass at the bottom of the right circle and fired the puck into a largely vacated goal, as Cyclones goalie Robert Mayer had committed to the left side.
In front of yet another ECHL playoff record setting crowd of 13,483 at US Bank Arena in Cincinnati on May 21, the Cyclones defeated Idaho in Game Five, 2-1, to take the championship. With the victory, the Cyclones clinched their second Kelly Cup title in three years. The game was also the Cyclones 24th Kelly Cup playoff game, surpassing the club record of 22 postseason games played by the 2008 championship team and is one more than South Carolina (23) had in its title run in 2009. Rookie Cyclones goaltenders Robert Mayer and Jeremy Smith were named co-winners of the Kelly Cup playoffs MVP. Cincinnati finished with a total record of 59-32-4.
Head coach Chuck Weber lost his assistant, Dean Stork, on June 29, when Stork was named head coach of the Greenville Road Warriors, also from the ECHL.
as the new head coach.
After undergoing this major coaching overhaul and losing a large portion of their roster, the Cyclones went on to post their third lowest points total in franchise history. Despite this, they earned a 7th seed in the ECHL playoffs, but lost in the first round to Reading Royals, three games to one.
Records as of April 4, 2009.
* - Denotes honorary number.
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. The team is a member 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...
. Founded in 1990, the team first played their games in the Cincinnati Gardens
Cincinnati Gardens
The Cincinnati Gardens is an indoor sports and entertainment arena located in Cincinnati, Ohio, that opened in 1949. The 25,000 square foot brick and limestone building, whose entrance is decorated with six three-dimensional carved athletic figures, was modeled after Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto,...
and now play at U.S. Bank Arena
U.S. Bank Arena
U.S. Bank Arena is an indoor arena, located in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, along the banks of the Ohio River, next to the Great American Ball Park. Completed in September 1975, the arena seats 17,556 people...
.
Cincinnati has fielded Cyclones teams in two different leagues: the International Hockey League (1992–2001) and the ECHL (1990–1992, 2001–2004, 2006–present). Together, the franchises have combined to win two Kelly Cups (2008 and 2010), two conference championships (2008 and 2010), one overall points championship (2008), and three division championships (1996, 2008, and 2009).
In 2007–08, the team had the most successful season in ECHL history. 55 wins and 115 points earned them the North Division Championship and Brabham Cup trophy, and the team won its first ever conference and league championships, winning the 2008 Kelly Cup
Kelly Cup
The Patrick J. Kelly Cup goes to the play-off champion of the ECHL. The Kelly Cup has been awarded to teams since 1997. Prior to 1997, the playoff winner was awarded the Riley Cup. The current cup is named after Patrick J. Kelly, the league's first commissioner. The cup is loaned to the winning...
in a six game final over the Las Vegas Wranglers
Las Vegas Wranglers
The Las Vegas Wranglers are a professional ice hockey team based in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Wranglers are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the ECHL...
.
In 2009-10, the team, even with the American Conference's #5 seed to begin the playoffs, made history by becoming the first team in ECHL history, and the 6th of seven professional hockey teams overall, to overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a best of seven playoff series, winning the American Conference Championship in the process. Nine days later, Cincinnati finished their improbable run with the 2nd Kelly Cup in team history, both in three years, completing a five game Kelly Cup Final win over the Idaho Steelheads
History of the Cincinnati Cyclones
There have been three separate franchisesProfessional sports league organization
Professional sports leagues are organized in numerous ways. The two most significant types are a European model, characterised by a tiered structure using promotion and relegation to determine participation in a hierarchy of leagues or divisions and a North American model characterized by its use...
known as the Cincinnati Cyclones. All three franchises have been hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
teams, two in 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...
and one in the IHL.
The early ECHL years: 1990–1992
The first franchise to use the name Cincinnati Cyclones was founded in 1990. The team played their games during this time period at the Cincinnati GardensCincinnati Gardens
The Cincinnati Gardens is an indoor sports and entertainment arena located in Cincinnati, Ohio, that opened in 1949. The 25,000 square foot brick and limestone building, whose entrance is decorated with six three-dimensional carved athletic figures, was modeled after Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto,...
. They lost in the first round of the playoffs in the 1990–1991 season. In the 1991–1992 season, the Cyclones lost in the Riley Cup semi-finals. The team's owner at the time, Doug Kirchhofer, was granted an IHL franchise who chose to move the Cyclones name to that franchise and relocate the ECHL franchise to Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
to form the new Birmingham Bulls
Birmingham Bulls (ECHL)
The Birmingham Bulls were a minor professional ice hockey team in the East Coast Hockey League from 1992 to 2001. Their home arena was the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center. The team moved to Atlantic City, New Jersey and was renamed the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies in 2001...
.
Since moving to Birmingham, this franchise has seen stints in three cities across the United States. The franchise played in Birmingham from the 1992–1993 season until the 2000–2001 season. Following the completion of the 2000–2001 season, the franchise moved to Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
to become the short-lived Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies
The Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies were an ECHL hockey team in Atlantic City, New Jersey from 2001 to 2005. The team's venue was the historic Boardwalk Hall, which seats 6,979....
. The Boardwalk Bullies played for four seasons, the 2001–2002 season through the 2004–2005 season, before being moved to another city. While in New Jersey, the franchise won a Kelly Cup
Kelly Cup
The Patrick J. Kelly Cup goes to the play-off champion of the ECHL. The Kelly Cup has been awarded to teams since 1997. Prior to 1997, the playoff winner was awarded the Riley Cup. The current cup is named after Patrick J. Kelly, the league's first commissioner. The cup is loaned to the winning...
Championship in the 2002–2003 season, defeating the Columbia Inferno
Columbia Inferno
The Columbia Inferno are an ECHL team based in Columbia, South Carolina. The team is currently on voluntary suspension awaiting construction of a new arena in suburban Lexington County. They played their home games at the Carolina Coliseum. They planned on playing in a new arena during the...
in the finals. Despite the success on ice, the Boardwalk Bullies were sold to the current ownership group after low attendance in Atlantic City. The franchise was moved to Stockton, California
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
and changed the name to the Stockton Thunder
Stockton Thunder
The Stockton Thunder are a minor league professional ice hockey team from Stockton, California. The Thunder are a member of the ECHL, and began playing in the 2005–06 season. The Stockton Arena is their home ice, providing a capacity for 9,737 fans...
. The franchise has been in Stockton since 2005–2006 and are coached by a former Cincinnati Cyclones player, Chris Cichocki
Chris Cichocki
Chris J. Cichocki [si-HOCK-ey] is a retired ice hockey right winger. He played a handful of games at the NHL level, but is mostly known for his high scoring in the American Hockey League...
.
The IHL years: 1992–2001
The first season in the IHL, Cincinnati failed to qualify for the post-season, which would be the first of only two seasons in which they did not qualify. Paul LawlessPaul Lawless
Paul Lawless is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played seven seasons in the National Hockey League for the Hartford Whalers, Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs.-Playing career:Lawless started his NHL career with the Hartford Whalers in 1984...
, who would eventually be Head Coach and Vice President of Player Development and have his number 13 retired, began his first a several stints with the team in the 1992–1993 season. On Friday, April 2, 2004, during his number retirement ceremony, he was singled out as a reason for the team's success, both on the ice and in attendance. During the IHL years, the Cyclones set a team record of 8 consecutive 90+ Point Seasons, http://hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/display_standings.php?tmi=5255 ending on June 4, 2001 when the International Hockey League ceased operations. During the Cyclones 9 years in the IHL, they won their only Division Championship and Conference Championship, both in the 1995–1996 season, but lost in a seven-game semi-final series to the Orlando Solar Bears.
In 1997, the Cyclones' lease agreement with the Cincinnati Gardens came to an end and the two sides were unable to reach an agreement for a new contract. It was at this time that team owner, Doug Kirchhofer purchased what then was known as Riverfront Coliseum in downtown Cincinnati, re-named it The Crown, renovated the arena, and moved the team there. During the seven seasons the Cyclones were in the arena, the venue was re-named the Firstar Center and now is known as U.S. Bank Arena
U.S. Bank Arena
U.S. Bank Arena is an indoor arena, located in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, along the banks of the Ohio River, next to the Great American Ball Park. Completed in September 1975, the arena seats 17,556 people...
. The team has since been unsuccessful in reclaiming the higher attendance numbers from the Cincinnati Gardens, until the most recent run at winning the Kelly Cup, where they drew 12,722 fans to the last game of the postseason. http://echl.leaguestat.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=5345
Back in the ECHL: 2001–2007
The third Cyclones franchise started in the 1995–1996 ECHL season as the Louisville River FrogsLouisville River Frogs
The Louisville River Frogs were a professional ice hockey team competing in the East Coast Hockey League. The team was based in Louisville, Kentucky and played from 1995-1998. Their home venue was Broadbent Arena at the Kentucky Exposition Center...
, playing in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. After three years in Louisville, the team moved to Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. After the lone 1998–1999 season as the Miami Matadors
Miami Matadors
The Miami Matadors were an ice hockey team in the East Coast Hockey League. They played in Miami, Florida, USA at the Miami Arena for one season before folding. The Matadors franchise would resurface several years later as the Cincinnati Cyclones.-History:...
, the franchise eventually came into the ownership of a group in Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. Upon the IHL fold, the Cyclones name was sold to this ownership group who moved the franchise to Cincinnati to become the new Cincinnati Cyclones.
The first year back in the ECHL ended the team's streak of 90+ Point seasons with the Cyclones finishing just 12 points shy despite a 10 game fewer season length. Former Cyclones player Paul Lawless
Paul Lawless
Paul Lawless is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played seven seasons in the National Hockey League for the Hartford Whalers, Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs.-Playing career:Lawless started his NHL career with the Hartford Whalers in 1984...
became head coach, as a mid-season replacement for Ray Edwards.
Before the start of the 2003–2004 season former Cyclones player and assistant coach Chris Cichocki
Chris Cichocki
Chris J. Cichocki [si-HOCK-ey] is a retired ice hockey right winger. He played a handful of games at the NHL level, but is mostly known for his high scoring in the American Hockey League...
left the Arkansas RiverBlades
Arkansas RiverBlades
The Arkansas RiverBlades was a short-lived minor-league ice hockey team located in North Little Rock, Arkansas.The Arkansas RiverBlades was an expansion franchise that entered the East Coast Hockey League for the 1998–99 season...
in order to return as the Cyclones head coach. Despite his success with Arkansas, though, Cichocki led the team to their worst season in points at 54 (previous low being the 61 points in their first IHL season) and failed to make the playoffs for the second time in team history.
Shortly after ending the season without a playoff berth, in April 2004, the Cyclones suspended operations. This suspension in operations was mainly due to lack of revenue brought on by a lack of safe access to the arena. Safe access was limited by construction in Downtown Cincinnati. This dormancy left Cincinnati hockey to the cross-town, Cincinnati Gardens-based AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
rival, Cincinnati Mighty Ducks
Cincinnati Mighty Ducks
The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, at the Cincinnati Gardens.-History:...
and stopped the city's record of two minor league hockey teams in the same city for consecutive years.
With minor league hockey dormant in Cincinnati for a year, and plans for the proposed AHL Cincinnati RailRaiders franchise scrapped for 2006–07, on April 21, 2006 the Cyclones announced that they would participate in the upcoming 2006–2007 ECHL season. They returned in the American Conference, North Division of the ECHL and continue to play their home games at U.S. Bank Arena, joining their two ECHL, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
rivals, Dayton Bombers
Dayton Bombers
The Dayton Bombers were an ECHL ice hockey team located in Dayton, Ohio. The team most recently was in the North Division of the ECHL's American Conference....
and Toledo Storm
Toledo Storm
The Toledo Storm was 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 southern banks of the Maumee River in Toledo, Ohio. The team colors were red and white, similar to the Detroit Red Wings,...
.
On July 18, 2006, the Cyclones announced their affiliation with the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
of the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
and the Hamilton Bulldogs
Hamilton Bulldogs
The Hamilton Bulldogs are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, at Copps Coliseum, nicknamed 'The Dog Pound'. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens...
of the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
. The Cyclones won their first game back in the ECHL on October 20 against the Pensacola Ice Pilots
Pensacola Ice Pilots
The Pensacola Ice Pilots were a minor league ice hockey team located in Pensacola, Florida. The team was previously affiliated with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Islanders , and the Chicago Blackhawks. They have also had a working agreement with the Houston Aeros of the...
at U.S. Bank Arena with a score of 3 to 1.
On May 23, 2007, the Cyclones announced they had re-signed head coach Chuck Weber to coach the team for the 2007–2008 season. Weber was also the runner-up for the ECHL's Coach of the Year award for 2006–2007.http://www.cycloneshockey.com/news_data.php?article=00264
On August 2, 2007, In addition to the Montreal/Hamilton affiliation, the Cyclones announced an affiliation with the NHL's Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
and the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals
Milwaukee Admirals
The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA at the Bradley Center.-History:...
.
2007–08 season: The Kelly Cup Championship Season
The Cyclones' 2007–2008 season saw the club break numerous franchise and league records. Through 50 games, the Cyclones were 31 games over .500. Attendance at games had increased nearly 40% over 2006–2007 and the club had already surpassed their win total from 2006–2007 (37). They achieved this mark in 24 fewer games. http://www.cycloneshockey.com/news_data.php?article=00407On February 22, 2008 the Cyclones tied the ECHL record for a single-season winning streak of 14th consecutive games, defeating the Johnstown Chiefs
Johnstown Chiefs
The Johnstown Chiefs were a minor league ice hockey team located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania that played in the ECHL. The team was founded in 1988 in the All-American Hockey League, and moved to the East Coast Hockey League when that league was formed...
5–2 in Cincinnati.http://www.echl.com/upload_images/RegularSeasonTeam%20Records.pdf
On February 23, 2008 David Desharnais
David Desharnais
David Desharnais is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League...
recorded two assists, extending his streak of games with at least one assist to 18, this broke the existing ECHL record of 17. In the same game, the Cyclones set a new ECHL record for a single-season winning streak of 15 consecutive wins when the Cyclones defeated the Elmira Jackals
Elmira Jackals
The Elmira Jackals are an ice hockey team that play in the ECHL. Their home games are played in First Arena in Elmira, New York and they refer to themselves as "the beasts of the east"...
in a 5–4 shootout.http://www.cycloneshockey.com/news_data.php?article=00415
The team finished the regular season with 115 points, earning them the Brabham Cup regular season championship. They also won the Northern Division and American Conference regular season titles. Individually, Chuck Weber was named ECHL coach of the year, earning him the John Brophy trophy. David Desharnais claimed three ECHL awards: Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, and the Leading Scorer award with 29 goals and 77 assists for 106 points. In addition, Chad Starling won the award for the most plus/minus points.
The Cyclones entered the playoffs and defeated the Johnstown Chiefs
Johnstown Chiefs
The Johnstown Chiefs were a minor league ice hockey team located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania that played in the ECHL. The team was founded in 1988 in the All-American Hockey League, and moved to the East Coast Hockey League when that league was formed...
four games to none. The Cyclones moved on to take on the Reading Royals
Reading Royals
The Reading Royals are a professional ice hockey team that currently plays in the ECHL. The team participates in the Atlantic Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Royals play their home games at the Sovereign Center located in downtown Reading, Pennsylvania...
, Cincinnati took the series in seven games to claim their second ever North Division playoff title. Finally, on May 16, 2008, the Cyclones defeated the South Carolina Stingrays
South Carolina Stingrays
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...
, 2-1 in overtime, to claim the American Conference Championship. With their victory, Cincinnati also claimed the E.A. "Bud" Gingher Memorial Trophy.
Three weeks later, following a six game victory over the National Conference Champion Las Vegas Wranglers in the Kelly Cup Finals, the Cyclones clinched the first championship in team history. After splitting the first two games in Cincinnati (Cincinnati 4-3 and Las Vegas 1-0), the series shifted to Las Vegas, where Cincinnati won games three and five to take a 3-2 series lead. In front of a record setting crowd, 12,722 fans, at US Bank Arena in Cincinnati on June 5, the Cyclones defeated Las Vegas in Game Six, 3-1, to take the championship. The clincher was the 71st win of the season. Goalie Cedrick Desjardins was named the Kelly Cup Playoff MVP.
2008–09
After the Cyclones cup win coachCoach (ice hockey)
Coach in ice hockey is the person responsible for directing the team during games and practices, prepares strategy and decides which players will participate in games....
Chuck Weber and assistant coach Dean Stork received multi-year extensions. Weber was also given the title of Vice President. On November 29, Chuck Weber picked up his 100th professional head coaching victory with a 6-3 win at Johnstown
Johnstown Chiefs
The Johnstown Chiefs were a minor league ice hockey team located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania that played in the ECHL. The team was founded in 1988 in the All-American Hockey League, and moved to the East Coast Hockey League when that league was formed...
.
Cincinnati's season was not as successful as the last one, but they won 41 games for 87 points, repeating as North Division champions. They won a seven game series against Wheeling, including a double overtime game seven win, and swept the Elmira Jackals to win the North Division playoff title. However, the Cyclones would be swept by the South Carolina Stingrays in the American Conference Finals. These two teams had met in the conference finals the year before, with Cincinnati picking up a five game win.
2009–10 season, Champions Again
The 2009-2010 season proved to be more successful than the last. Cincinnati ended up with 44 wins and 91 points, the wins total being the most in the American Conference. Despite that, the Cyclones finished 2nd in the North Division to the Kalamazoo Wings and wound up 5th in the conference. This meant a rematch with 4th seeded, and defending champion, South Carolina in the first round, a matchup in which Cincinnati defeated the Stingrays in five games, ending on April 11, when veteran captain Barrett Eghotz scored in overtime for the 3-2 win in Game Five. The game was the third straight overtime game in the series. This set up a matchup with the top seeded Charlotte Checkers, and once again for Cincinnati it went the distance. Game Seven saw Cincinnati post a 2-1 victory, and in the process end Charlotte's tenure in the ECHL, as Charlotte will play the 2010-11 season in the AHL.Cincinnati drew the Reading Royals in the American Conference Final. What was in all other accounts an epic seven game series was marred by several incidents, both on and off the ice, that resulted in suspensions and fines to players and staff of both organizations. The worst of it occurred after game six, when Reading's Scott Fletcher
Scott Fletcher (ice hockey)
Scott Fletcher is an American professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing for the Florida Everblades in the ECHL....
allegedly struck a Cincinnati fan with a stick, drawing an indefinite suspension by the league. Nevertheless, the series made ECHL history when, after losing the first two at home, then Game Three at Reading, Cincinnati posted wins of 6-4, 5-0 and 6-3 to force the team's third winner take all match in the 2010 playoffs. The game occurred on May 12 at US Bank Arena. In front of 5,340 fans, the Cyclones posted a 1-0 win to become the first team in ECHL history, and the 6th pro team in history, to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a best of seven series. The only goal of the contest was scored by Barret Ehgoetz
Barret Ehgoetz
Barret Ehgoetz is an Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Cincinnati Cyclones in the ECHL.-External links:...
13:48 into the game.
The Cincinnati Cyclones defeated the Idaho Steelheads in the 2010 Kelly Cup Final, four games to one. Cincinnati used game winning goals within the last minute in the first two games, a 3-2 win on a goal by Mark Van Guilder with 49.2 seconds remaining on May 14, and a 1-0 win the next night, when Mathieu Aubin netted the only goal in the contest, and only with 20.1 seconds remaining in regulation. The series shifted to US Bank Arena, and witnessed an Idaho victory within the first minute of the 2nd overtime of Game Three, as Evan Barlow received a pass at the bottom of the right circle and fired the puck into a largely vacated goal, as Cyclones goalie Robert Mayer had committed to the left side.
In front of yet another ECHL playoff record setting crowd of 13,483 at US Bank Arena in Cincinnati on May 21, the Cyclones defeated Idaho in Game Five, 2-1, to take the championship. With the victory, the Cyclones clinched their second Kelly Cup title in three years. The game was also the Cyclones 24th Kelly Cup playoff game, surpassing the club record of 22 postseason games played by the 2008 championship team and is one more than South Carolina (23) had in its title run in 2009. Rookie Cyclones goaltenders Robert Mayer and Jeremy Smith were named co-winners of the Kelly Cup playoffs MVP. Cincinnati finished with a total record of 59-32-4.
Head coach Chuck Weber lost his assistant, Dean Stork, on June 29, when Stork was named head coach of the Greenville Road Warriors, also from the ECHL.
2010–11 season
The Cyclones underwent sweeping changes before the 2010-2011 season when assistant coach Dean Stork became the head coach of the Greenville Road Warriors in June and head coach Chuck Weber was promoted to the American Hockey League as head coach of the Rochester Americans on July 27. On August 4, Cincinnati signed a new affiliation agreement with the NHL's Florida Panthers, who use Rochester as their AHL farm team, creating a working relationship between Chuck Weber and his former Cyclones team. The Panthers were also the team that caused problems for the Miami Matadors, being located in the same market, causing the Matadors to suspend for two years before becoming the new Cyclones. On August 12, Cincinnati named Jarrod SkaldeJarrod Skalde
Jarrod Skalde is a Canadian ice hockey centre who is currently the head coach of the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL....
as the new head coach.
After undergoing this major coaching overhaul and losing a large portion of their roster, the Cyclones went on to post their third lowest points total in franchise history. Despite this, they earned a 7th seed in the ECHL playoffs, but lost in the first round to Reading Royals, three games to one.
Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, SOL = Shootout losses, Pts = Points, PCT = Winning percentage, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalty infraction minutesRecords as of April 4, 2009.
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
League | Division | GP | W | L | T | OTL | SOL | Pts | PCT | GF | GA | PIM | Coach(es) | Result |
| 1990–91 | ECHL | West | 64 | 37 | 24 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 77 | 0.578 | 285 | 281 | 1954 | Dennis Desrosiers | Lost in round 1 |
| 1991–92 | ECHL | West | 64 | 36 | 20 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 80 | 0.562 | 329 | 284 | 2323 | Dennis Desrosiers | Lost in round 3 |
| 1992–93 | IHL | IHLA | 82 | 27 | 48 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 61 | 0.329 | 305 | 364 | 2388 | Dennis Desrosiers | Out of Playoffs |
| 1993–94 | IHL | IHLC | 81 | 49 | 23 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 107 | 0.605 | 336 | 282 | 2214 | Dennis Desrosiers, Richard Kromm Richard Kromm Richard Gordon "Rich" Kromm was a Canadian American ice hockey player for the Calgary Flames and the New York Islanders.... , Terry Murray Terry Murray Terry Rodney Murray is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player, and current head coach of the NHL's Los Angeles Kings... |
Lost in round 2 |
| 1994–95 | IHL | Midwest | 81 | 49 | 22 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 113 | 0.605 | 305 | 272 | 2125 | Don Jackson Don Jackson (ice hockey) Donald Clinton Jackson is an ice hockey coach and a retired professional ice hockey player who played 315 games in the National Hockey League between 1978 and 1987 and began his coaching career in 1988.... |
Lost in round 2 |
| 1995–96 | IHL | IHLN | 82 | 51 | 22 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 111 | 0.622 | 318 | 247 | 1806 | Ron Smith | Lost in round 3 |
| 1996–97 | IHL | IHLN | 82 | 43 | 29 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 96 | 0.524 | 254 | 248 | 1890 | Ron Smith | Lost in round 1 |
| 1997–98 | IHL | IHLC | 82 | 40 | 30 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 92 | 0.488 | 275 | 254 | 1702 | Ron Smith | Lost in round 2 |
| 1998–99 | IHL | IHLNE | 82 | 44 | 32 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 94 | 0.537 | 269 | 270 | 1835 | Ron Smith | Lost in round 1 |
| 1999–00 | IHL | IHLE | 82 | 44 | 30 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 96 | 0.537 | 244 | 246 | 1688 | Ron Smith | Lost in round 3 |
| 2000–01 | IHL | IHLE | 82 | 44 | 29 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 97 | 0.537 | 267 | 258 | 1273 | Ron Smith | Lost in round 1 |
| 2001–02 | ECHL | Northwest | 72 | 36 | 30 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 0.542 | 210 | 207 | 1462 | Ray Edwards, Paul Lawless Paul Lawless Paul Lawless is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played seven seasons in the National Hockey League for the Hartford Whalers, Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs.-Playing career:Lawless started his NHL career with the Hartford Whalers in 1984... |
Lost in round 2 |
| 2002–03 | ECHL | Northwest | 72 | 36 | 29 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 0.549 | 257 | 236 | 1686 | Malcolm Cameron Malcolm Cameron (ice hockey) Malcolm Cameron is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach. He has been the head coach for several ECHL teams, including the Long Beach Ice Dogs, Texas Wildcatters, and Florida Everblades. On June 2, 2010, he was named head coach of the Elmira Jackals.-References:... |
Lost in round 3 |
| 2003–04 | ECHL | Northern | 72 | 25 | 43 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 0.375 | 175 | 223 | 1308 | Chris Cichocki Chris Cichocki Chris J. Cichocki [si-HOCK-ey] is a retired ice hockey right winger. He played a handful of games at the NHL level, but is mostly known for his high scoring in the American Hockey League... |
Out of Playoffs |
| 2006–07 | ECHL | North | 72 | 37 | 29 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 80 | 0.556 | 213 | 198 | 1602 | Chuck Weber | Lost in round 3 |
| 2007–08 | ECHL | North | 72 | 55 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 115 | 0.799 | 292 | 178 | 1311 | Chuck Weber | ECHL Champions |
| 2008–09 | ECHL | North | 72 | 41 | 26 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 87 | 0.604 | 256 | 231 | 1391 | Chuck Weber | Lost in round 3 |
| 2009–10 | ECHL | North | 72 | 44 | 25 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 91 | 0.611 | 253 | 200 | 1138 | Chuck Weber | ECHL Champions |
| 2010–11 | ECHL | North | 72 | 33 | 29 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 76 | 0.528 | 199 | 229 | 1351 | Jarrod Skalde Jarrod Skalde Jarrod Skalde is a Canadian ice hockey centre who is currently the head coach of the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL.... |
Lost in round 1 |
| 2011-12 | ECHL | North | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Jarrod Skalde | |
| 20 Seasons | 2 | 10 | 1368 | 727 | 503 | 17 | 104 | 13 | 1559 | 0.570 | 4703 | 4446 | 30901 | 11 Head Coaches | 17/19 Playoff Seasons |
Current roster
| Title | Staff member |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Jarrod Skalde Jarrod Skalde Jarrod Skalde is a Canadian ice hockey centre who is currently the head coach of the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL.... |
| Assistant Coach | Andrew Cassels Andrew Cassels Andrew Cassels is a retired professional ice hockey centre who played sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, Hartford Whalers, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Washington Capitals... |
Team captains
- 2010-2011
-
-
- A - Brock Sheahan
- A - Dylan HunterDylan HunterDylan Hunter is an ice hockey player, who is a former captain of the London Knights of the OHL and currently playing for the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL....
- A - Scott ReynoldsScott Reynolds (ice hockey)Scott Reynolds is a Canadian ice hockey player for Cincinnati Cyclones in the ECHL.-External links:...
- C - Barret EhgoetzBarret EhgoetzBarret Ehgoetz is an Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Cincinnati Cyclones in the ECHL.-External links:...
-
Notable players
- 16 - Greg Stewart Played the 06-07 season with the Cyclones and was the first player under Chuck Weber to reach the NHL with Montreal in 2008.
- 44 - JT Wyman Played the 08-09 season with Cincinnati in 15 games JT had 8 assist while on loan from Hamilton, became the second player whom Chuck Weber coached to reach the NHL in 2009 with Montreal.
- 51 - David Desharnais Played the 07-08 season with the Cyclones and was the ECHL Most Valuable Player, ECHL Rookie of the Year with 106 points in route to winning the Kelly Cup, became the third Chuck Weber product to make the NHL with Montreal in 2009
- 20 - Kevin KerrKevin Kerr (ice hockey)Kevin Kerr is a retired professional hockey player and former head coach of the Flint Generals of the International Hockey League. Kerr was drafted in Round 3, 56th overall of the 1986 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres.-External links:...
: All-time leader in scoring for non-NHL players, played three seasons and 112 games with Cincinnati, tallying 145 points in regular season play and 19 points in 13 playoff games with the Cyclones. - 30 - Cedrick Desjardins: The 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player... posted a 40-23-3 record in two seasons as Cyclones netminder.
- 21 - Gilbert DionneGilbert DionneGilbert Dionne is a retired professional ice hockey left winger who played six seasons in the National Hockey League from 1990–91 until 1995–96. He is the younger brother of Hockey Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne, who is nineteen years his senior.Dionne was drafted 81st overall by the Montreal...
: scored 134 goals in 313 games with the team, and won the 1999 IHL All Star Game MVP Award in a game played at US Bank Arena. - 22 - Don BiggsDon BiggsDonald R. Biggs is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player.Biggs is the father of Tyler Biggs, who was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs.-Playing career:...
: The centerpiece of the team for many years, Biggs played 458 games for Cincinnati, scoring 147 goals and tallying 444 points total. Both totals are records for any player from any version of the Cyclones. - Coach Ron Smith - Head coach of the Cyclones from 1995-2001. Tallied a franchise record 266 wins during his six years with the team.
Retired numbers
- 7
* - Retired in honor of the fans. The fans, being the seventh player, were recognized by the team by the dedication of the number 7 to them. - 22 - Don BiggsDon BiggsDonald R. Biggs is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player.Biggs is the father of Tyler Biggs, who was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs.-Playing career:...
- 13 - Paul LawlessPaul LawlessPaul Lawless is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played seven seasons in the National Hockey League for the Hartford Whalers, Philadelphia Flyers, Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs.-Playing career:Lawless started his NHL career with the Hartford Whalers in 1984...
on April 2, 1999. - 14
* - Retired in honor of Pete RosePete RosePeter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
, the Cincinnati RedsCincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
baseball player. Since he is banned by Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
, the Reds cannot retire his number. The Cyclones retired the number in his honor for this reason. - 21 - Gilbert DionneGilbert DionneGilbert Dionne is a retired professional ice hockey left winger who played six seasons in the National Hockey League from 1990–91 until 1995–96. He is the younger brother of Hockey Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne, who is nineteen years his senior.Dionne was drafted 81st overall by the Montreal...
- Retired on December 2, 2006.
Infamous moments
- February 1995 - Cyclones coach Don JacksonDon Jackson (ice hockey)Donald Clinton Jackson is an ice hockey coach and a retired professional ice hockey player who played 315 games in the National Hockey League between 1978 and 1987 and began his coaching career in 1988....
punches the Atlanta mascot, thus drawing a suspension from the league. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/news/2003/07/10/mascot_timeline/