Tallahassee Tiger Sharks
Encyclopedia
The Tallahassee Tiger Sharks were a minor professional ice hockey
team that played in the ECHL
from 1994–2001. Under this period they served as a minor league
affiliate to New York Islanders
(1994–95), Florida Panthers
and Montreal Canadiens
.
While in Tallahassee, they played their games at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center. Several local attempts have been made by local residents to revive or bring a new ice hockey team to Tallahassee; none have proved to be successful.
Previous franchise identities included:
The franchise became the Macon Whoopee
for the 2001-2002 season. Afterwards it became the Lexington Men O' War
and is currently, since 2005, the Utah Grizzlies
.
The Tiger Sharks' first colors were: Black, Gray,and White was used as an accent color but is considered by many to be an official color. For the 1998-99 season the colors then changed to Red , White and Black.
Famed hockey coach Terry Christensen coached the Tiger Sharks for many of the team's years of existence. Another coach was former tough guy NHLer Jeff Brubaker.
Frenzy was immensely popular among Tiger Sharks fans (and Tallahassee natives in general)
The following website has some light-hearted "biographical" info on Frenzy:
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 that played 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...
from 1994–2001. Under this period they served as a minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
affiliate to New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
(1994–95), Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
and 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 ...
.
While in Tallahassee, they played their games at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center. Several local attempts have been made by local residents to revive or bring a new ice hockey team to Tallahassee; none have proved to be successful.
Previous franchise identities included:
- Virginia LancersVirginia LancersThe Virginia Lancers were a minor league hockey team that played in several leagues from 1983 until 1990. Their home ice was the Vinton Sports Complex, which held 3400 people.-Atlantic Coast Hockey League :...
(1988–1990) - Roanoke Valley Rebels (1990–1992)
- Roanoke Valley RampageRoanoke Valley RampageThe Roanoke Valley Rampage were a minor league hockey franchise in the ECHL during the 1992-93 season. The Rampage played their games at the LancerLot in Vinton, Virginia...
(1992–1993) - Huntsville BlastHuntsville BlastThe Huntsville Blast was a minor league professional ice hockey team and member of the East Coast Hockey League . The Blast played at the Von Braun Center Arena in Huntsville, Alabama for the 1993–94 ECHL season. Previously the franchise played as the Roanoke Valley Rampage in Vinton, Virginia...
(1993–1994)
The franchise became the Macon Whoopee
Macon Whoopee
The Macon Whoopee was the name given to two distinct former ice hockey teams, both of which were located in Macon, Georgia. The teams played their home games at the Macon Coliseum....
for the 2001-2002 season. Afterwards it became 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...
and is currently, since 2005, the Utah Grizzlies
Utah Grizzlies
The Utah Grizzlies are a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL. They play out of West Valley City, Utah, United States, with their home games at the Maverik Center.- Franchise history :...
.
The Tiger Sharks' first colors were: Black, Gray,and White was used as an accent color but is considered by many to be an official color. For the 1998-99 season the colors then changed to Red , White and Black.
Famed hockey coach Terry Christensen coached the Tiger Sharks for many of the team's years of existence. Another coach was former tough guy NHLer Jeff Brubaker.
Notable former Tiger Sharks
- Louis Bedard
- Brent CullatonBrent CullatonBrent Cullaton is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player, and is now the head coach of the Boulder Junior Bison in the Western States Hockey League...
- Nicholas Edlund
- Mitch FritzMitch FritzMitch Fritz is a retired Canadian ice hockey forward who last played for the Norfolk Admirals under the Tampa Bay Lightning organization of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
- Ben GuiteBen GuiteBen Guite is a Canadian ice hockey forward who is under contract with the San Jose Sharks in the National Hockey League . He is the son of former WHAer Pierre Guite.- Playing career :...
- Rodrigo Lavinsch
- Todd ReirdenTodd ReirdenTodd Reirden is a retired American ice hockey player and currently an Assistant Coach with the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins. Before that he was Head Coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League. Reirden played in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers, St...
- Manon RhéaumeManon RhéaumeManon Rhéaume is a Canadian ice hockey goaltender. An Olympic silver medalist, she achieved a number of historic firsts during her career, including becoming the first and only woman ever to play in a National Hockey League exhibition game.In 1992 Rhéaume signed a contract with the Tampa Bay...
- Michael RyderMichael RyderMichael Wayne Glen Ryder is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who plays for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League. He was born in St John's, Newfoundland.-Pre-NHL:...
- Alexander Savchenkov
- Alexander SmirnovAlexander SmirnovAlexander Smirnov may refer to:*Aleksandr Smirnov , Russian athlete; competed for Russia at the 2000 Summer Olympics*Aleksandr Sergeyevich Smirnov , Russian football player...
- Cal Ingraham
Mascot
The Tiger Sharks' mascot was an ice-skating 6 feet (1.8 m) gray tiger shark named Frenzy.Frenzy was immensely popular among Tiger Sharks fans (and Tallahassee natives in general)
The following website has some light-hearted "biographical" info on Frenzy: