Kentucky Thoroughblades
Encyclopedia
The Kentucky Thoroughblades were a minor professional ice hockey
team in the American Hockey League
, who existed from 1996
to 2001
. The Thoroughblades were based in Lexington, Kentucky
, playing home games at Rupp Arena
. The Thoroughblades were an affiliate of the NHL's San Jose Sharks
.
, Kentucky averaged 7,741 fans per game, despite a losing record on ice. http://www.mib.org/~lennier/hockey/leagueatt.cgi. Attendance decreased in the next three seasons, even with two consecutive division championships. In their final season, attendance averaged only 4,461 fans per game.
In 2001, the team moved to Cleveland, Ohio
, becoming the Cleveland Barons
. In 2006, the team then moved to Worcester, Massachusetts
, becoming the Worcester Sharks
.
The void in Lexington was replaced in 2001, by the another minor league hockey team, the Lexington Men O' War
, lasting one season in Lexington.
Notables
Miikka Kiprusoff
Johan Hedberg
Evgeni Nabokov
Vesa Toskala
Jonathan Cheechoo
Dan Boyle
Zdeno Chara
Andy Lundbohm
Matt Bradley
Garrett Burnett
Career leaders
Goals: 88 (Steve Guolla
, 1996–99)
Assists: 132 (Steve Guolla, 1996–99)
Points: 220 (Steve Guolla, 1996–99)
PIM: 692 (Garrett Burnett
, 1998–00)
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 in the American Hockey League
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...
, who existed from 1996
1996–97 AHL season
The 1996–97 AHL season was the 61st season of the American Hockey League. The league renames its divisions due to relocating teams. The Northern Conferences consists of the Atlantic Division becoming the Canadian Division, and the Central Division becoming the Empire State Division...
to 2001
2000–01 AHL season
The 2000–01 AHL season was the 65th season of the American Hockey League. The league realigns its divisions again. The Atlantic division is renamed the Canadian division. The Empire State division is replaced by the South division, with many teams shifting from the Mid-Atlantic division.Twenty...
. The Thoroughblades were based in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, playing home games at Rupp Arena
Rupp Arena
Rupp Arena is an arena located in downtown Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. Since its opening in 1976, it has been the centerpiece of Lexington Center, a convention and shopping facility owned by an arm of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, and serves as home court to the University of...
. The Thoroughblades were an affiliate of the NHL's San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
History
The Thoroughblades were the first professional ice hockey team to play in Lexington, Kentucky. Initially, attendance was high. During the 1997–98 season1997–98 AHL season
The 1997–98 AHL season was the 62nd season of the American Hockey League. The AHL shifts teams in their divisions, and the Canadian division reverts to being named Atlantic division. The Northern conference is renamed the Eastern conference, and the Southern conference renamed the Western...
, Kentucky averaged 7,741 fans per game, despite a losing record on ice. http://www.mib.org/~lennier/hockey/leagueatt.cgi. Attendance decreased in the next three seasons, even with two consecutive division championships. In their final season, attendance averaged only 4,461 fans per game.
In 2001, the team moved to Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, becoming the Cleveland Barons
Cleveland Barons (2001-2006)
The Cleveland Barons was a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Cleveland, Ohio, USA at the Gund Arena between 2001 and 2006....
. In 2006, the team then moved to Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, becoming the Worcester Sharks
Worcester Sharks
The Worcester Sharks are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . The franchise is located in Worcester, Massachusetts and play their home games at the DCU Center in Downtown Worcester. The Sharks and the city of Worcester hosted the 2009 AHL All-Star Classic.-History:On...
.
The void in Lexington was replaced in 2001, by the another minor league hockey team, the Lexington Men O' War
Lexington Men O' War
The Lexington Men O' War were a minor league professional ice hockey team and member of the ECHL. The Men O' War played at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky from 2002-2003. Like Lexington's previous team before them , success on the ice did not bring good attendance figures...
, lasting one season in Lexington.
Regular season
| 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... | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | OTL | Points | Goals for | Goals against | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 1996–97 AHL season The 1996–97 AHL season was the 61st season of the American Hockey League. The league renames its divisions due to relocating teams. The Northern Conferences consists of the Atlantic Division becoming the Canadian Division, and the Central Division becoming the Empire State Division... |
80 | 36 | 35 | 9 | 0 | 81 | 278 | 284 | 3rd, Mid-Atlantic |
| 1997–98 1997–98 AHL season The 1997–98 AHL season was the 62nd season of the American Hockey League. The AHL shifts teams in their divisions, and the Canadian division reverts to being named Atlantic division. The Northern conference is renamed the Eastern conference, and the Southern conference renamed the Western... |
80 | 29 | 39 | 9 | 3 | 70 | 241 | 278 | 3rd, Mid-Atlantic |
| 1998–99 1998–99 AHL season The 1998–99 AHL season was the 63rd season of the American Hockey League. Nineteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Providence Bruins finished first overall in the regular season, and won their first Calder Cup championship.-Team changes:... |
80 | 44 | 26 | 7 | 3 | 98 | 272 | 220 | 2nd, Mid-Atlantic |
| 1999–00 | 80 | 42 | 25 | 9 | 4 | 97 | 250 | 211 | 1st, Mid-Atlantic |
| 2000–01 2000–01 AHL season The 2000–01 AHL season was the 65th season of the American Hockey League. The league realigns its divisions again. The Atlantic division is renamed the Canadian division. The Empire State division is replaced by the South division, with many teams shifting from the Mid-Atlantic division.Twenty... |
80 | 42 | 25 | 12 | 1 | 97 | 273 | 212 | 1st, South |
Playoffs
| Season | 1st round | 2nd round | 3rd round | Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 1996–97 AHL season The 1996–97 AHL season was the 61st season of the American Hockey League. The league renames its divisions due to relocating teams. The Northern Conferences consists of the Atlantic Division becoming the Canadian Division, and the Central Division becoming the Empire State Division... |
L, 1-3, Hershey 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... |
— | — | — |
| 1997–98 1997–98 AHL season The 1997–98 AHL season was the 62nd season of the American Hockey League. The AHL shifts teams in their divisions, and the Canadian division reverts to being named Atlantic division. The Northern conference is renamed the Eastern conference, and the Southern conference renamed the Western... |
L, 0-3, Hershey 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... |
— | — | — |
| 1998–99 1998–99 AHL season The 1998–99 AHL season was the 63rd season of the American Hockey League. Nineteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Providence Bruins finished first overall in the regular season, and won their first Calder Cup championship.-Team changes:... |
W, 3-2, Hershey 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... |
L, 3-4, Philadelphia Philadelphia Phantoms The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule conflicts or some Calder Cup playoff games, games were... |
— | — |
| 1999–00 | W, 3-1, Louisville Louisville Panthers The Louisville Panthers were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Louisville, Kentucky. Their home venue was Freedom Hall at the Kentucky Exposition Center. The mascot was a light brown "panther" named Paws. They were affiliates of the Florida Panthers. The team became... |
L, 1-4, Hershey 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... |
— | — |
| 2000–01 2000–01 AHL season The 2000–01 AHL season was the 65th season of the American Hockey League. The league realigns its divisions again. The Atlantic division is renamed the Canadian division. The Empire State division is replaced by the South division, with many teams shifting from the Mid-Atlantic division.Twenty... |
L, 0-3, Hershey 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... |
— | — | — |
Notables
Miikka Kiprusoff
Miikka Kiprusoff
Miikka Sakari Kiprusoff is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He was selected in the fifth round, 116th overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. He has also played for TPS of the Finnish SM-liiga...
Johan Hedberg
Johan Hedberg
Johan "Moose" Hedberg is a Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
Evgeni Nabokov
Evgeni Nabokov
Evgeni Viktorovich Nabokov is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender who is playing for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League .Nabokov was selected by San Jose in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft...
Vesa Toskala
Vesa Toskala
Vesa Tapani Toskala is a professional ice hockey goaltender, currently playing for Ilves.-Early career:Toskala was selected by San Jose in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft . The Sharks also took fellow Finn Miikka Kiprusoff in the fifth round...
Jonathan Cheechoo
Jonathan Cheechoo
Jonathan Earl Cheechoo is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Peoria Rivermen of the American Hockey League. During the 2005–06 National Hockey League season, he led the NHL with 56 goals and won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy...
Dan Boyle
Zdeno Chara
Zdeno Chára
Zdeno Chára is a Slovak professional ice hockey defenseman. He is the captain of the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League and won the Norris Trophy while playing for them in 2008–09. At 6 ft 9 , he is the tallest player ever to play in the NHL...
Andy Lundbohm
Matt Bradley
Matt Bradley
Matthew William Bradley is a Canadian professional hockey right winger who plays for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
Garrett Burnett
Garrett Burnett
Garrett "Rocky" Burnett is a former professional ice hockey player who played with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim of the NHL in the 2003–04 season.-Playing career:...
Career leaders
Goals: 88 (Steve Guolla
Steve Guolla
Stephen Guolla is a Canadian ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for the San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Atlanta Thrashers and the New Jersey Devils....
, 1996–99)
Assists: 132 (Steve Guolla, 1996–99)
Points: 220 (Steve Guolla, 1996–99)
PIM: 692 (Garrett Burnett
Garrett Burnett
Garrett "Rocky" Burnett is a former professional ice hockey player who played with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim of the NHL in the 2003–04 season.-Playing career:...
, 1998–00)