Flint Generals
Encyclopedia
The Flint Generals were a professional ice hockey
team based in Flint, Michigan
.
They were a member of the International Hockey League and played their home games at Perani Arena and Event Center in Flint, Michigan
.
In June 2010, the team announced it would fold.
Flint has been home to minor pro hockey in some incarnation since 1969, except a one year break in the 1990–91 season. The modern Flint Generals came about in the 1993–94 season after Flint Bulldogs owner Skip Probst moved the Bulldogs from Flint to Utica, New York
. The following summer, Dr. Khaled M. Shukairy was granted an expansion franchise to play in Flint.
After a fan vote, "Generals" had been voted on by the fans to be the name of the current franchise. Since their inception in 1993, Flint has won two Colonial Cup championships, the first against the Thunder Bay Senators in the 1995–96 season, in which the Generals claimed the Colonial Cup in a six game upset where the Generals won the final game by a score of 9–0. This team included such players as Kevin Kerr
, who would later break the all time minor league hockey scoring record and coach the Generals, Robin Bouchard, who was traded early the next season in a lopsided trade that did not favor the Generals, Andrei Mezin, the goalie who would go on to play for his native Belarus in the olympics and upset Sweden, and female goaltender, Erin Whitten.
The second Colonial Cup came in a 4–0 sweep of the Generals arch rival, the Quad City Mallards
in 2000. The 2000 Flint Generals were coached by former NHLer Doug Shedden
and included former Toronto Maple Leaf Bobby Reynolds
, former Detroit Red Wing Mark Major
, former Edmonton Oiler Nick Stajuhar, two 100 point scorers in Ross Wilson
and Don Parsons
, UHL Defenseman of the Year Gary Roach, high flying late season additions Cory Cyrenne
and Vladmir Serov, and goalie Mark Richards. Serov and Cyrenne totaled 60 points in 37 regular season games, and in the 2000 finals, Serov scored the game winning goal with 50 seconds left in game three, and the game winning goal with 3:52 left in game four to preserve the victories for the Generals.
After several years of mediocre hockey and questionable ownership, the Generals finished the 2009-10 season on a hot streak, clinching the final Turner Cup playoff berth on the final day of the season. The Generals faced the Muskegon Lumberjacks in Round One of the Turner Cup Playoffs, and after falling behind 3-1, came back to win the series in seven. The Generals then fell to the Fort Wayne Komets
in a competitive five-game series. The Generals only win in the series was a thrilling 7-6 overtime win in Game 3.
Despite the surprising turnaround in 2009-10 and rumors of more stable ownership taking over, the Generals folded when Perani Arena management decided to give the arena lease to the Michigan Warriors
of the North American Hockey League
.
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...
team based in Flint, Michigan
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
.
They were a member of the International Hockey League and played their home games at Perani Arena and Event Center in Flint, Michigan
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
.
In June 2010, the team announced it would fold.
Flint has been home to minor pro hockey in some incarnation since 1969, except a one year break in the 1990–91 season. The modern Flint Generals came about in the 1993–94 season after Flint Bulldogs owner Skip Probst moved the Bulldogs from Flint to Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
. The following summer, Dr. Khaled M. Shukairy was granted an expansion franchise to play in Flint.
After a fan vote, "Generals" had been voted on by the fans to be the name of the current franchise. Since their inception in 1993, Flint has won two Colonial Cup championships, the first against the Thunder Bay Senators in the 1995–96 season, in which the Generals claimed the Colonial Cup in a six game upset where the Generals won the final game by a score of 9–0. This team included such players as Kevin Kerr
Kevin 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:...
, who would later break the all time minor league hockey scoring record and coach the Generals, Robin Bouchard, who was traded early the next season in a lopsided trade that did not favor the Generals, Andrei Mezin, the goalie who would go on to play for his native Belarus in the olympics and upset Sweden, and female goaltender, Erin Whitten.
The second Colonial Cup came in a 4–0 sweep of the Generals arch rival, the Quad City Mallards
Quad City Mallards
The Quad City Mallards were a professional ice hockey team competing in the AA level United Hockey League. The Mallards played their home games at The MARK of the Quad Cities in Moline, Illinois. Their team colors were forest green and burgundy. They won the Colonial Cup in 1997, 1998 and 2001,...
in 2000. The 2000 Flint Generals were coached by former NHLer Doug Shedden
Doug Shedden
Douglas Arthur Shedden is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He coached Team Finland to a bronze medal in 2008 World Championships...
and included former Toronto Maple Leaf Bobby Reynolds
Bobby Reynolds
----Robert "Bobby" Thomas Reynolds in Cape Cod, Massachusetts) is an American professional tennis player who resides in Acworth, Georgia.-Professional career:...
, former Detroit Red Wing Mark Major
Mark Major
Mark Major is a retired ice hockey left winger. He was drafted 25th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the National Hockey League's 1988 entry draft. Major acquired many penalty minutes over his career due to his playing style, which involved battling in front of the net for loose pucks,...
, former Edmonton Oiler Nick Stajuhar, two 100 point scorers in Ross Wilson
Ross Wilson (ice hockey)
Ross Ingram "Lefty" Wilson was a Canadian ice hockey player.Wilson was a trainer for the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL from 1950–1982. He won 4 Stanley Cup Championships with Detroit in 1950, 1952, 1954 and 1955...
and Don Parsons
Don Parsons (ice hockey)
Don Parsons is a retired professional ice hockey player. Parsons is noted for being a prolific goal scorer who briefly held the modern minor league goal-scoring record from 2008 to 2010....
, UHL Defenseman of the Year Gary Roach, high flying late season additions Cory Cyrenne
Cory Cyrenne
Cory Cyrenne is a former professional ice hockey player. He was named the Canadian Junior A Hockey Player of the Year in 1995 and received a hockey scholarship to Colorado College. He was also named the CHL's Sportsmanlike player of the year in 1998.Cyrenne was at times a controversial player...
and Vladmir Serov, and goalie Mark Richards. Serov and Cyrenne totaled 60 points in 37 regular season games, and in the 2000 finals, Serov scored the game winning goal with 50 seconds left in game three, and the game winning goal with 3:52 left in game four to preserve the victories for the Generals.
After several years of mediocre hockey and questionable ownership, the Generals finished the 2009-10 season on a hot streak, clinching the final Turner Cup playoff berth on the final day of the season. The Generals faced the Muskegon Lumberjacks in Round One of the Turner Cup Playoffs, and after falling behind 3-1, came back to win the series in seven. The Generals then fell to the Fort Wayne Komets
Fort Wayne Komets
The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey franchise currently a member of the Central Hockey League in the Northern Conference. The team was previously a member of the International Hockey League before it merged into the CHL in 2010...
in a competitive five-game series. The Generals only win in the series was a thrilling 7-6 overtime win in Game 3.
Despite the surprising turnaround in 2009-10 and rumors of more stable ownership taking over, the Generals folded when Perani Arena management decided to give the arena lease to the Michigan Warriors
Michigan Warriors
The Michigan Warriors are a Tier II Junior A ice hockey team based in Flint, Michigan. The Warriors play in the North American Hockey League's North Division. Previously known as the Marquette Rangers, the Warriors will play their home games at Perani Arena and Event Center.Even as a junior club,...
of the North American Hockey League
North American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is enterting its 36th season in 2011-12. It is currently the only Junior A Tier II league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. The NAHL currently acts as an alternative to the United States Hockey League...
.
Championships
| Year | League | Trophy |
|---|---|---|
| 1995–96 | Colonial Hockey League | Tarry Cup Tarry Cup The Huber Trophy is the trophy awarded annually to the team that finishes the IHL regular season with the best overall record, as determined by points earned in the standings.... |
| 1995–96 | Colonial Hockey League | Colonial Cup Colonial Cup The Colonial Cup was the second highest level of competition within Fijian rugby union and was intended to be a stepping stone for local players into international rugby union... |
| 1996–97 | Colonial Hockey League | Tarry Cup Tarry Cup The Huber Trophy is the trophy awarded annually to the team that finishes the IHL regular season with the best overall record, as determined by points earned in the standings.... |
| 1999–00 | United Hockey League United Hockey League The United Hockey League was a low-level professional ice hockey league , with teams in the United States... |
Colonial Cup Colonial Cup The Colonial Cup was the second highest level of competition within Fijian rugby union and was intended to be a stepping stone for local players into international rugby union... |
Flint hockey history
- Flint GeneralsFlint Generals (IHL)The Flint Generals were a professional hockey team in Flint, Michigan from 1969–1985. They were members of the International Hockey League and played their home games at the IMA Sports Arena. Their team colors were originally black and gold, but they were changed to royal blue, gold, and white....
, International Hockey League (1969–85) - Flint SpiritsFlint SpiritsThe Flint Spirits were a professional hockey team in Flint, Michigan from 1985–1990, and played their home games at the IMA Sports Arena. They were a part of the International Hockey League, and replaced the recently departed Flint Generals team. They compiled an overall record of 162–220–28...
, International Hockey League (1985–90) - Flint BulldogsFlint BulldogsThe Flint Bulldogs were a professional hockey team in Flint, Michigan from 1991–1993. They were a part of the Colonial Hockey League and played their home games at the IMA Sports Arena. They compiled an overall record of 47–66–7 . After the 1993 season, the Bulldogs were relocated to Utica, New...
, Colonial Hockey League (1991–93) - Flint Generals, Colonial Hockey League (1993–97), United Hockey LeagueUnited Hockey LeagueThe United Hockey League was a low-level professional ice hockey league , with teams in the United States...
(1997–07), International Hockey League (2007–10)
Season-by-season results
Legend: OTL=Overtime loss, SOL=Shootout loss| Season | League | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | OTL | SOL | Points | Goals for |
Goals against |
Standing | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | CoHL | 64 | 32 | 23 | 9 | – | – | 73 | 328 | 314 | 4th, West | Lost in round 2 |
| 1994–95 | CoHL | 74 | 34 | 34 | 6 | – | – | 74 | 350 | 353 | 4th, West | Lost in round 1 |
| 1995–96 | CoHL | 74 | 51 | 18 | 5 | – | – | 107 | 347 | 248 | 1st, East | Won Colonial Cup |
| 1996–97 | CoHL | 74 | 55 | 18 | 1 | – | – | 111 | 371 | 232 | 1st, East | Lost in Finals |
| 1997–98 | UHL | 74 | 46 | 22 | – | 6 | – | 98 | 371 | 278 | 1st, East | Lost in Finals |
| 1998–99 | UHL | 74 | 37 | 32 | – | 5 | – | 79 | 318 | 299 | 3rd, Central | Lost in round 2 |
| 1999–00 | UHL | 74 | 51 | 14 | – | 9 | – | 111 | 379 | 250 | 1st, Central | Won Colonial Cup |
| 2000–01 | UHL | 74 | 30 | 34 | – | 10 | – | 70 | 253 | 303 | 4th, West | Out of playoffs |
| 2001–02 | UHL | 74 | 42 | 26 | – | 6 | – | 90 | 294 | 245 | 4th, West | Lost in round 1 |
| 2002–03 | UHL | 76 | 32 | 36 | – | 8 | – | 72 | 257 | 298 | 5th, East | Out of playoffs |
| 2003–04 | UHL | 76 | 39 | 27 | – | 10 | – | 88 | 253 | 244 | 2nd, East | Lost in round 1 |
| 2004–05 | UHL | 80 | 33 | 33 | – | 14 | – | 80 | 237 | 236 | 4th, Central | Out of playoffs |
| 2005–06 | UHL | 76 | 31 | 35 | – | – | 10 | 72 | 236 | 294 | 4th, Central | Out of playoffs |
| 2006–07 | UHL | 76 | 33 | 34 | – | – | 9 | 75 | 250 | 286 | 3rd, Eastern | Lost in round 1 |
| 2007–08 | IHL | 76 | 34 | 28 | – | 5 | 9 | 82 | 271 | 276 | 3rd, League | Lost in round 1 |
| 2008–09 | IHL | 76 | 22 | 47 | – | 2 | 5 | 51 | 241 | 359 | 6th, League | Out of playoffs |
| 2009-10 | IHL | 76 | 33 | 36 | - | 3 | 4 | 73 | 234 | 257 | 4th, League | Lost in Finals |
| TOTALS | 1268 | 635 | 497 | 21 | 78 | 37 | 1406 | 4990 | 4772 |
Retired numbers
- #1 — Bob Perani
- #5 — Stephan Brochu
- #16 — Doug Manchak
- #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:...
- #77 — Brett MacDonaldBrett MacDonaldBrett MacDonald is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in one National Hockey League game with the Vancouver Canucks during the 1987–88 NHL season.-External links:...