Columbia Inferno
Encyclopedia
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 2002-03 season, the Colonial Life Arena which was intended for them. The arena was not given to them due to legal issues. The Inferno first took the ice in 2001 as an expansion team after a group of physicians dubbed the "Hockey Docs" sought to purchase a team. While officially unaffiliated in their first season, the Inferno soon reached a working relationship with the Manitoba Moose that turned into a formal affiliation the following season. On July 10, 2006, the team announced the end of their affiliation with the affiliate
of Manitoba Moose
(AHL
) and Vancouver Canucks
(NHL
) (1). On July 12, 2006, the team announced a new affiliation with the Toronto Marlies
(AHL
) and the Toronto Maple Leafs
(NHL
). The team was been voluntarily suspended for the 2008–09 season
as the team was told that it could not be guaranteed a lease with the Carolina Coliseum in time to meet league requirements. The voluntary suspension was extended during subsequent seasons and, according to Joe Babik, the Director of Communications for the ECHL, includes the 2011-2012 season.
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
team based in Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. 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
Carolina Coliseum
The Carolina Coliseum is a 12,401 seat multi-purpose arena in Columbia, South Carolina. It was the home of the University of South Carolina men's and women's basketball teams and Columbia's main events venue until 2002, when the Colonial Center, now Colonial Life Arena, opened...
. They planned on playing in a new arena during the 2002-03 season, the Colonial Life Arena which was intended for them. The arena was not given to them due to legal issues. The Inferno first took the ice in 2001 as an expansion team after a group of physicians dubbed the "Hockey Docs" sought to purchase a team. While officially unaffiliated in their first season, the Inferno soon reached a working relationship with the Manitoba Moose that turned into a formal affiliation the following season. On July 10, 2006, the team announced the end of their affiliation with the affiliate
Affiliate
An affiliate is a commercial entity with a relationship with a peer or a larger entity.- Corporate structure :A corporation may be referred to as an affiliate of another when it is related to it but not strictly controlled by it, as with a subsidiary relationship, or when it is desired to avoid...
of Manitoba Moose
Manitoba Moose
The Manitoba Moose were a Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba that played in the International Hockey League from 1996 to 2001 and American Hockey League from 2001 to 2011. The team moved to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in 2011 to become the St...
(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...
) and Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
(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...
) (1). On July 12, 2006, the team announced a new affiliation with the Toronto Marlies
Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies is a Canadian professional ice hockey team currently playing in the American Hockey League . The top affiliate of the National Hockey League 's Toronto Maple Leafs, the Marlies play at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario...
(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...
) and the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
(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...
). The team was been voluntarily suspended for the 2008–09 season
2008–09 ECHL season
The 2008-09 ECHL season was the 21st of the ECHL. The league welcomed one new franchise, the Ontario Reign, which will relocate from Beaumont, Texas and will play at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, CA. Two teams, the Columbia Inferno and the Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz, will voluntary...
as the team was told that it could not be guaranteed a lease with the Carolina Coliseum in time to meet league requirements. The voluntary suspension was extended during subsequent seasons and, according to Joe Babik, the Director of Communications for the ECHL, includes the 2011-2012 season.
Coaching history
| Coach | Tenure | W | L | OTL | Current status |
| Scott White | 2001–2005 | 165 | 87 | 36 | Director of Minor League Operations, Dallas Stars Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The... |
| Ted Dent Ted Dent Ted Dent is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is currently an American Hockey League head coach for the Rockford IceHogs.... |
2005–2006 | 25 | 39 | 8 | Head Coach, Rockford IceHogs Rockford IceHogs This article is about the former UHL franchise. For the current American Hockey League franchise, see Rockford IceHogs.The Rockford IceHogs were a professional ice hockey team in Rockford, Illinois USA. They were a member of the United Hockey League from 1999 to 2007. The IceHogs played their home... |
| Troy Mann | 2006–2008 | 62 | 62 | 20 | Assistant Coach, Hershey Bears Hershey Bears The Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of... |
Season-by-season record
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes| 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... |
GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2001–02 | 72 | 36 | 22 | 14 | |||||||
| 86 | 211 | 197 | 1618 | 3rd in Southeast | Div SF, (Pride Pee Dee Pride The Pee Dee Pride was a minor-league hockey organization housed in Florence, South Carolina, where they played from 1997 until 2005. The organization, which is one of the five charter members of the East Coast Hockey League , was originally housed in Knoxville, Tennessee and was known as the... ) |
||||||
| 2002–03 | 72 | 47 | 23 | 2 | |||||||
| 96 | 265 | 202 | 1158 | 1st in Southeast | Final, 1-4 (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.... ) |
||||||
| 2003–04 | 72 | 44 | 20 | ||||||||
| 8 | 96 | 275 | 217 | 1855 | 1st in South | Div SF, 1-3 (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... ) |
|||||
| 2004–05 | 72 | 38 | 22 | -- | 12 | 88 | 199 | 186 | 1333 | 1st in East | Conf QF, 2-3 (Checkers) |
| 2005–06 | 72 | 25 | 39 | -- | 8 | 58 | 209 | 290 | 1596 | 7th in South | Out of Playoffs |
| 2006-07 | 72 | 29 | 34 | -- | 9 | 67 | 214 | 247 | 1316 | 7th in South | Out of Playoffs |
| 2007-08 | 72 | 33 | 28 | -- | 11 | 77 | 212 | 217 | 1171 | 5th in South | Conf SF, 2-3 (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... ) |
Team captains
- 2007-2008
- C - Brad Ralph
- A - Patrick Wellar
- A - Tyson Marsh
- A - Mac Faulkner
- A - Jeff Miles
- A - Donny Grover
- A - Steve McJannet
- C - Brad Ralph
- 2006-2007
- C - Chris Thompson
- C - Brad Ralph
- A - Mike Vellinga
- A - Tyson Marsh
- A - Jeff Miles
- A - Brad Ralph
- 2005-2006
- C - Jay Legault
- A - Leon Hayward
- A - Derek Eastman
- C - Jay Legault
- 2004-2005
- C - Trevor Demmans
- A - Brad Ralph
- A - Matt Ulwelling
- A - Kevin Hopke
- A - Robin Carruthers
- C - Trevor Demmans
- 2003-2004
- C - Barrie Moore
- A - Dennis Vial
- A - Sean Owens
- A - Robin Carruthers
- C - Barrie Moore
- 2002-2003
- C - Barrie Moore
- A - Dennis Vial
- A - Corey Hessler
- C - Barrie Moore
NHL alumni
- Alex AuldAlex AuldAlexander Auld is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League . Auld has also played for the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, Phoenix Coyotes, Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars of the NHL...
- Eric BoultonEric BoultonEric Boulton is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger for the New Jersey Devils.-Playing career:Boulton was drafted in the ninth round, 234th overall by the New York Rangers in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. Boulton recorded his first career hat trick on December 18, 2010, scoring 3 goals...
- Alexandre BurrowsAlexandre BurrowsAlexandre Ménard-Burrows is a French-Canadian professional ice hockey winger with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . He is known for playing in the style of an agitator and for his ascension to the NHL from being an undrafted player in the ECHL...
- Fedor Fedorov
- Alex FosterAlex FosterAlexander Dwight Foster is an American professional ice hockey forward currently playing with HC Sparta Praha of the Czech Extraliga. He is the son of former NHL player Dwight Foster and nephew of former NHL player Wes Jarvis. Prior to advancing to the professional ranks, Foster played both junior...
- Robert McVicar
- Mike MinardMike MinardMichael Edward Roger 'Mike' Minard is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played in one National Hockey League game for the Edmonton Oilers during the 1999–2000 NHL season....
- Brandon NolanBrandon NolanBrandon Nolan is a retired ice hockey centre, who last played for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. He is the son of former NHL player and NHL coach Ted Nolan.-Playing career:...
- Phil OreskovicPhil OreskovicPhil Oreskovic is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League .-Playing career:...
- Bryan RodneyBryan RodneyBryan Rodney is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League. He won the Memorial Cup in 2005 with the London Knights....
- Jesse SchultzJesse SchultzJesse Schultz is a Canadian ice hockey player, who currently plays for the Rapid City Rush of the Central Hockey League.-Playing career:...
- Dennis VialDennis VialDennis Vial is a retired professional hockey player who played in NHL with the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, and Ottawa Senators...
Notable players
- Patrick CouturePatrick CouturePatrick Couture is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender.Prior to turning professional, Couture played major junior hockey in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League...
(ECHLECHLThe ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
2002–03 Second Team All-Star) - Tim SmithTim Smith (ice hockey)Tim Smith is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward with High1 of the Asia League Ice Hockey.-Playing career:Smith played major junior in the WHL for four seasons with the Spokane Chiefs and Swift Current Broncos...
(ECHLECHLThe ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
2003-04 Leading Scorer) - Rejean StringerRejean StringerRejean Stringer is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played most of his career in the ECHL.-Early life and education:...
(ECHLECHLThe ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
2002-03 Sportsmanship Award)