Elmira Jackals
| Elmira Jackals | |
|---|---|
 2012–13 ECHL season |
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| City | Elmira, New York |
| League | ECHL |
| Conference | Eastern Conference |
| Division | Atlantic Division |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Home arena | First Arena |
| Colors |
Navy blue, red, silver, white |
| Owner(s) | Tom Freeman, Nate Cook |
| General manager | Matt Hufnagel |
| Head coach | Dwight Mullens |
| Affiliates | Ottawa Senators (NHL) Binghamton Senators (AHL) |
| Franchise history | |
| 2007–present | Elmira Jackals (ECHL) |
| Championships | |
| Regular season titles | 2001–02, 2011–12 |
| Division Championships | 2001–02, 2009–10, 2011–12 |
| Conference Championships | 2001–02, 2003-2004 |
The Elmira Jackals are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Elmira, New York. The Jackals play in the Atlantic Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. they were originally part of the United Hockey League. The Jackals play their home games at the First Arena in Elmira, New York
Contents |
The UHL years [edit]
The Jackals were born as a member of the United Hockey League before the 2000–2001 season, as an affiliate of the National Hockey League's Columbus Blue Jackets. Eventually, they severed ties with the Blue Jackets and became an independent operation for the rest of their years in the league. During their tenure in the UHL, their average attendance was 3,308 per game, which included 31 sellouts. The largest crowd was a standing-room-only of 4,126 on October 13, 2006.
United Hockey League [edit]
2000-2001 Season [edit]
As the Elmira Jackals prepared for their first ever season in the fall of 2000, the biggest question had nothing to do with starting goalies, or first line combinations or even play off predictions. Rather, it was simply: Would their Home arena be ready in time? As workers raced to complete the then named Coach USA Center the Jackals spent their first 10 games of their inaugural season on the road. The Jackals returned to their unfinished arena in Elmira for their first ever home game on November 11, 2000. The Arena was "Ready enough" to welcome a crowd of 3,378 to cheer the Jackals to a 5-2 win in their first home game. Overall the Jackals finished that first season 32-33-9 for 2nd place in the Northeast division and a birth in the the UHL Playoffs. Elmira was named Franchise of the year for the UHL. The Jackals lost in the first round.
2001-2002 Season [edit]
After one year in the league Elmira Jackals head Coach Todd Broast changed his tactics dramatically and all his hard work paid off. The Jackals competed the season with a 45-21-8 record with 98 points for 1st in the East on the regular season. In just Elmira's second season of operation the team won the Eastern conference Championship, however they fell to the Muskegon Fury in the Colonial Cup finals 4 games to 2.[1]
2002-2003 Season [edit]
After falling the Muskegon Fury in the finals the previous season, the Jackals did not back down. Todd Brost led the team to a 41-28-7 record and a 3rd place finish in the Eastern Conference. The Jackals clinched a UHL playoff birth for their third consecutive season but Lost in 2nd round 4 games to 0.[1]
2003-2004 Season [edit]
The 03-04 season had its ups and downs and the Jackals finished with a 33-34-9 for only 75 points on the season, however it was good enough to grab a playoff spot for the 2004 UHL Playoffs. The Jackals cruised through the playoffs again meeting the Muskegon Fury in the Colonial Cup finals, but were swept in 4 game series.[1]
2004-2005 Season [edit]
The Jackals would celebrate their 5th anniversary season in 04-05 but it would be a tough one for the Jackals. The Jackals coach Todd Brost was fired and replaced mid season after posting a 19-35-5. Brost was replaced by Philadelphia Flyers tough guy Dave Schultz. The Coaching changed did not go over as well as the owners had planned as the team posted a 5-16-0 record under Schultz. The Jackals competed the season with a 24-51-5 record for only 53 points and a last place position the the Eastern Division. The Jackals did not qualify for the first time in their 5 years in existence.[1]
2005-2006 Season [edit]
After not making the playoffs in the previous season the Jackals named a new coach and Perry Florio was the man for the Job. Florio was not successful in bringing a winning record back to the Jackals posting a 27-42-7 for 61 points and missing out on the playoffs yet again. Florio was not very well liked by fans and was fired at the conclusion of the season. After being fired Florio filed a lawsuit against the team claiming breech of contract, it is unknown if he was successful with his lawsuit.[1]
2006-2007 Season [edit]
Their final season in the league was especially disappointing. The Jackals hired a new General Manger Robbie Nichols and a new coach Kris Waltze who had proven successful elsewhere and signed a few solid players, giving the team hope for a return to the playoffs. Waltze posted a 13-13-0 record before being demoted to the assistant coach position and Robbie Nichols was named coach of the team. Nichols led the team to a 9-12-1 before he suffered a mini-stroke during an away game. Nichols was then replaced by Paul Gillis who finished out the season for the Jackals with a 8-20-0 record. The Jackals completed the season with 30-45-1 for 61 points and a 5th place finish in the eastern conference.The fans were very supportive of the team, averaging 3,427 per game during the season in an arena that only seats 4,000. The Jackals were the only team to remain on the East Coast in the league during the season, and were known as "The beasts of the East" On April 14, 2007, ownership announced they would be leaving the United Hockey League to play in the ECHL.[1]
Later that month the United Hockey League ceased operations and all the teams became members of the International Hockey League.
ECHL [edit]
The Jackals joined the ECHL in the summer of 2007, as an affiliate of the National Hockey League's Columbus Blue Jackets and American Hockey League's Syracuse Crunch. Eventually, they severed ties with the Blue Jackets and Crunch at the conclusion of the 2007-08 season. The Jackals became an affiliate of the National Hockey League's Ottawa Senators and American Hockey League's Binghamton Senators from 2008–present. From 2010-2012 The Jackals were also affiliated with the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks and American Hockey League's Syracuse Crunch. In 2011 The Danbury Whalers of the Federal Hockey League signed and affiliation agreement with the Jackals for the 2011-12 season. In 2012-13 The Jackals continued an affiliation with a Federal Hockey League Team The Williamsport Outlaws, before the Outlaws folded in January 2013. Today the Jackals still have a strong affiliation with the Ottawa (NHL) and Binghamton (AHL) Senators.
2007-2008 Season [edit]
The Elmira Jackals joined the ECHL in the summer of 2007 with a new logo, jerseys and coach Steve Martinson. They are a member of the North division. Returning from a loss in Cincinnati, the team bus was involved in crash on Interstate 90 in Pennsylvania early in the morning of November 29, 2007. Several players sustained minor injuries. The Jackals suffered their worst loss in their first year. They lost to Johnstown 9–3. On March 9, 2008 after three seasons of being out of playoff contention in the United Hockey League, the Elmira Jackals qualified for the East Coast Hockey League playoffs.[2] The Jackals completed the season with a 41-24-0-7 with 89 points to finish 2nd in the North Division. However, their success was short lived as they lost in round one of the playoffs to the Reading Royals 4 games to 2.
2008-2009 Season [edit]
During the 2008-2009 regular season, the Jackals went 39-26-2-5 for 85 points to finish 3rd in the North division on the season. The Jackals were able to clinch a birth but fell in round two to the Cincinati Cyclones 4 games to 0.
2009-2010 Season [edit]
During the 10th anniversary, 2009-2010 regular season, the Jackals finished with a 37-26-6-3 good for 83 points on the season to finish 1st in the East, and making the ECHL playoffs for the third straight season. The Jackals went on to fall in Round 1 to the Florida Everblades 4 games to 1.
2010-2011 Season [edit]
Head coach Steve Martinson, who had been with the franchise since its inaugural year in the ECHL, signed with the Chicago Express a new expansion team of the ECHL. He leaves Elmira with a 117-76-23 record. On August 23, 2010, the Jackals announced that Malcolm Cameron would succeed Martinson as head coach for the 2010-11 season. Cameron was replaced mid-season by former coach and General Manger Robbie Nichols. The Jackals finished the 2010–11 ECHL season with a 32-30-7-3 record with 74 points, for a 3rd place finish in the North division. The Jackals clinched their fourth consecutive ECHL playoff birth but fell in the first round to the Greenville Road Warriors 3 games to 1.
2011-2012 Season [edit]
The Jackals announced that Pat Bingham with be behind the bench for the 2011-12 season. The Jackals had several ups and downs through the 2011-12 season, on February 21, 2012 the Jackals season was threatened after the Arena owner failed to pay $136,234 in taxes for three years and being hit with a foreclosure order by Chemung County. The Jackals continued to play not knowing if/when they would be locked out by the County. Jackals and First Arena's General Manger Robbie Nichols and Assistant General Manger Don Lewis were fired in January 2012 and replaced by Matt Hufnagel. The operator of First Arena filed two lawsuits. One against Nichols and Lewis and the other against Chemung County, the County Executive, County Treasurer and Southern Tier Economic Development. This statement by the Ownwers Lawyers was released "The truth will come out. Fact of the matter is the money was here to pay the taxes. And the fact is Robbie Nichols told the Afrs it was paid." Afr, the Jackals and First Arena owner requested that the Legislature hold off their vote until June 30, 2012 to continue they foreclosure proceedings. On the ice the Jackals had a record breaking season, Bingham led the Jackals to a 45-22-5 record good for 95 points in the 2011-12 season and captured the Eastern Conference regular season title. The Jackals advanced to the ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs for their 5th straight season falling in round 2 to the Florida Everblades 4 games to 1.
2012-2013 Season [edit]
On May 30, 2012 The County entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Elmira Downtown Arena and Southern Tier Economic Development to allow Elmira Downtown Arena to continue operating the First Arena for the 2012-2013 Elmira Jackals hockey season. The Legislature ratified the agreement on July 9, 2012. On July 24, 2012 The County announced that First Arena will be sold to local businessman Tom Freeman, at the completion of the 2012-2013 Elmira Jackals hockey season. On September 8, 2012 Jackals head coach Pat Bingham resigned with only one month until the season started. Bingham led the Jackals to a 45-22-5 record in the 2011-12 season and captured the Eastern Conference regular season title.[3] The Jackals were able to find a quick replacement by announcing Dwight Mullens as the teams new coach. The Jackals finished the regular season with a 40-25-3-4 record with 87 points on the season for a 2nd place finsih in the Atlantic Divison. The Jackals fell in round one of the 2013 Kelly Cup Playoffs vs the Florida Everbaldes 4 games to 2.
On April 10, 2013 The Elmira Jackals held a press conference to name Tom Freeman and Nathan Cook the new owners of the First Arena and Elmira Jackals.[4]
Affiliates [edit]
| Season | NHL | AHL | FHL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-01 | Columbus Blue Jackets | Syracuse Crunch | none |
| 2001-02 | Columbus Blue Jackets | Syracuse Crunch | none |
| 2002-03 | Columbus Blue Jackets | Syracuse Crunch | none |
| 2003-07 | none | none | none |
| 2007-08 | Columbus Blue Jackets | Syracuse Crunch | none |
| 2008-09 | Ottawa Senators | Binghamton Senators | none |
| 2009-10 | Ottawa Senators | Binghamton Senators | none |
| 2010-11 | Ottawa Senators, Anaheim Ducks | Binghamton Senators, Syracuse Crunch | none |
| 2011-12 | Ottawa Senators, Anaheim Ducks | Binghamton Senators, Syracuse Crunch | Danbury Whalers |
| 2012-13 | Ottawa Senators | Binghamton Senators | Williamsport Outlaws |
Season-by-season record [edit]
The complete seasonal records throughout team history.
| Season | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs | Head Coach |
| 2000–01 | 32 | 33 | 9 | 73 | 260 | 289 | 2015 | 2nd, Northeast | Lost in 1st round | Todd Brost | |
| 2001–02 | 45 | 21 | 8 | 98 | 260 | 216 | 2523 | 1st, East | Lost in Finals 4 games to 2 | Todd Brost | |
| 2002–03 | 41 | 28 | 7 | 89 | 257 | 254 | 2250 | 3rd, Eastern | Lost in 2nd round 4 games to 0 | Todd Brost | |
| 2003–04 | 33 | 34 | 9 | 75 | 238 | 256 | 1670 | 4th, Eastern | Lost in Finals 4 games to 0 | Todd Brost | |
| 2004–05 | 24 | 51 | 5 | 53 | 224 | 310 | 1686 | 4th, Eastern | Did not qualify | Todd Brost*, Dave Schultz | |
| 2005–06 | 27 | 42 | 7 | 61 | 231 | 300 | 1815 | 4th, Eastern | Did not qualify | Perry Florio | |
| 2006–07 | 30 | 45 | 1 | 61 | 217 | 287 | 2087 | 5th, Eastern | Did not qualify | Kris Waltze*, Robbie Nichols*, Paul Gillis | |
| UHL Totals | 232 | 254 | 0 | 46 | 510 | 1687 | 1912 | 14046 | – | – | *=Replaced Mid-Season |
| Season | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Playoffs | Head Coach |
| 2007–08 | 41 | 24 | 7 | 89 | 245 | 219 | 1840 | 2nd, North | Lost in 1st round 4 games to 2 | Steve Martinson | |
| 2008–09 | 39 | 26 | 2 | 5 | 85 | 235 | 232 | 1506 | 3rd, North | Lost in 2nd round 4 games to 0 | Steve Martinson |
| 2009–10 | 37 | 26 | 6 | 3 | 83 | 275 | 231 | 1721 | 1st, East | Lost in 1st round 3 games to 2 | Steve Martinson |
| 2010–11 | 32 | 30 | 7 | 3 | 74 | 249 | 264 | 1541 | 3rd, North | Lost in 1st round 3 games to 1 | Malcolm Cameron*, Robbie Nichols |
| 2011–12 | 45 | 22 | 2 | 3 | 95 | 228 | 204 | 1149 | 1st, Atlantic | Lost in 2nd round 4 games to 1 | Pat Bingham |
| 2012–13 | 40 | 25 | 3 | 4 | 87 | 247 | 220 | 1210 | 2nd, Atlantic | Lost in 1st round 4 games to 2 | Dwight Mullens |
| ECHL Totals | 234 | 153 | 20 | 25 | 513 | 1479 | 1370 | 8967 | – | – | *=Replaced Mid-Season |
| Combined Totals | 466 | 407 | 20 | 71 | 1023 | 3166 | 3282 | 23013 | – | – | – |
Team Staff [edit]
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| Title | STAFF MEMBER | |||||
| Owner/Operator | Tom Freeman | |||||
| Owner/President | Nate Cook | |||||
| General Manager | Robbie Nichols | |||||
| Head Coach | Dwight Mullens | |||||
| Athletic Trainer | Jeff Andrews | |||||
| Broadcaster | Ray Schmitt | |||||
| Sales Manager | Mike Strobel | |||||
| Box Office Manager | Penny Romans | |||||
| Team Photographer | Rick Backmanski[5] | |||||
Current roster [edit]
Updated April 13, 2013.[6]
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | STAFF MEMBER | |||||
| Head Coach | Dwight Mullens | |||||
| Athletic Trainer | Jeff Andrews | |||||
| Equipment Manager | Jeremy Holloway | |||||
References [edit]
- ^ a b c d e f "Hockey DB".
- ^ Bus carrying New York minor league hockey team crashes on Pennsylvania highway – NHL – Yahoo! Sports
- ^ Sacco, Mario (8 September 2012). "Elmira Jackals Coach Resigns". Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ Future Bright for First Arena and Elmira Jackals. Elmira Jackals. Elmira Jackals http://www.jackalshockey.com/news/team-news/newowners-41013
|url=missing title (help). Retrieved 11 April 2013. - ^ http://www.jackalshockey.com/front-office. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ^ "Current Roster". Elmira Jackals. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
External links [edit]
- Elmira Jackals official website
- Local Newspaper – Jackals articles
- Jackals Coach's Show Audio Downloads
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