Muskegon Lumberjacks (1992–2010)
Encyclopedia
The Muskegon Lumberjacks was an International Hockey League ice hockey
team located in Muskegon, Michigan
. After the 2010 season the team folded, and the Evansville IceMen
Owner Ron Geary purchased the franchise rights of the former Muskegon Lumberjacks, from the International Hockey League and moved the franchise rights to Evansville, Indiana
.
ice hockey
team located in Muskegon, Michigan
. The team's colors wereTeal
, Purple
, Black
. The Fury were established in 1992 after the original Muskegon Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League's previous incarnation relocated to Cleveland, Ohio
. Hockey had been in Muskegon for 32 consecutive seasons to that point and Tony Lisman, Owner/President of the Fury, would not let that tradition end. Lisman kept his vow to keep hockey in Muskegon by establishing the Fury in the Colonial Hockey League, and has been very successful in doing so throughout the league's name changes.
The Fury lost to the Danbury Trashers in the 2005-2006 playoffs in their bid for a third consecutive Colonial Cup championship.
On August 30, 2006, Bruce Ramsay was named the Fury head coach for the 2006-2007 season, replacing Todd Nelson, who had accepted the assistant coaching position for the Chicago Wolves a few days earlier.Nelson is now serving as an assistant coach for the NHL Atlanta Thrashers. Ramsay resigned after the 2008-2009 season to become the head coach of the Tulsa Oilers in the Central Hockey League
. Ramsay was replaced for the 2009-2010 season by Rich Kromm.
Erin Whitten one of the few female hockey players to play professionally, played for the Fury during the 1995-1996 season, before being traded to the Flint Generals.
The Lumberjacks are affiliated with the Grand Rapids Griffins
of the American Hockey League
. The Battle Creek Revolution
of the All American Hockey League serves as the Lumberjacks farm team affiliate.
On February 8, 2010 it was announced that the Lumberjacks franchise would fold following the 2009-10 season. On June 23, 2010 the International Hockey League announced that Ron Geary had finalized the transaction to purchase the Muskegon Lumberjacks’ IHL franchise from the IHL and move to it Evansville, Indiana
as the Evansville IceMen
at the conclusion of the 2009-10 IHL season. The dormant Rochester Mustangs franchise of the USHL would move to Muskegon taking on the name Muskegon Lumberjacks
.
NOTE: The league's name has changed over the years from the Colonial Hockey League (until 1997), United Hockey League (1997–2007), and the International Hockey League (2007–2010).
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 located in Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
. After the 2010 season the team folded, and the Evansville IceMen
Evansville IceMen
The Evansville IceMen were a professional hockey team based in Evansville, Indiana. The team folded in 2010, as IceMen owner Ron Geary purchased the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League and moved the team to Evansville, taking on the name "Evansville IceMen".The AAHL IceMen...
Owner Ron Geary purchased the franchise rights of the former Muskegon Lumberjacks, from the International Hockey League and moved the franchise rights to Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
.
Muskegon Fury (1992-2008)
The Muskegon Fury was an International Hockey LeagueUnited Hockey League
The United Hockey League was a low-level professional ice hockey league , with teams in the United States...
ice hockey
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 located in Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
. The team's colors wereTeal
Teal (color)
Teal is a medium blue-green color. It is named after the Common Teal, a member of the duck family, whose eyes are surrounded by the color.Teal is one of the initial group of 16 HTML/CSS web colors formulated in 1987, shown below....
, Purple
Purple
Purple is a range of hues of color occurring between red and blue, and is classified as a secondary color as the colors are required to create the shade....
, Black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
. The Fury were established in 1992 after the original Muskegon Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League's previous incarnation relocated 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...
. Hockey had been in Muskegon for 32 consecutive seasons to that point and Tony Lisman, Owner/President of the Fury, would not let that tradition end. Lisman kept his vow to keep hockey in Muskegon by establishing the Fury in the Colonial Hockey League, and has been very successful in doing so throughout the league's name changes.
The Fury lost to the Danbury Trashers in the 2005-2006 playoffs in their bid for a third consecutive Colonial Cup championship.
On August 30, 2006, Bruce Ramsay was named the Fury head coach for the 2006-2007 season, replacing Todd Nelson, who had accepted the assistant coaching position for the Chicago Wolves a few days earlier.Nelson is now serving as an assistant coach for the NHL Atlanta Thrashers. Ramsay resigned after the 2008-2009 season to become the head coach of the Tulsa Oilers in the Central Hockey League
Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
. Ramsay was replaced for the 2009-2010 season by Rich Kromm.
Erin Whitten one of the few female hockey players to play professionally, played for the Fury during the 1995-1996 season, before being traded to the Flint Generals.
Return of the Lumberjacks
On September 12, 2008, new owners Stacey Patulskey, Jeff Patulskey and Tim Taylor changed the teams name from the Muskegon Fury to the Lumberjacks to reflect back on what many remember as the glory days of hockey in Muskegon.The Lumberjacks are affiliated with the Grand Rapids Griffins
Grand Rapids Griffins
The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League....
of 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...
. The Battle Creek Revolution
Battle Creek Revolution
The Battle Creek Revolution are a professional ice hockey team which plays in the All American Hockey League. The team plays its home games at Revolution Arena in Battle Creek, Michigan.-2010-2011 Roster:-Regular season:-External links:***...
of the All American Hockey League serves as the Lumberjacks farm team affiliate.
On February 8, 2010 it was announced that the Lumberjacks franchise would fold following the 2009-10 season. On June 23, 2010 the International Hockey League announced that Ron Geary had finalized the transaction to purchase the Muskegon Lumberjacks’ IHL franchise from the IHL and move to it Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
as the Evansville IceMen
Evansville IceMen
The Evansville IceMen were a professional hockey team based in Evansville, Indiana. The team folded in 2010, as IceMen owner Ron Geary purchased the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League and moved the team to Evansville, taking on the name "Evansville IceMen".The AAHL IceMen...
at the conclusion of the 2009-10 IHL season. The dormant Rochester Mustangs franchise of the USHL would move to Muskegon taking on the name Muskegon Lumberjacks
Muskegon Lumberjacks
The Muskegon Lumberjacks were an International Hockey League team based in Muskegon, Michigan.-Facts:-Season-by-Season record:Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses/Shootout losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in...
.
Championships
| Year | League | Trophy |
|---|---|---|
| 2004–2005 | UHL | Colonial Cup Colonial Cup (hockey) The Colonial Cup was the name of the trophy for the post-season champion of the International Hockey League. On September 24, 2007, the league decided to restore the "Turner Cup" name to the championship trophy as a tribute to the original IHL in honor of Joe Turner, and a new trophy was being... |
| 2003–2004 | UHL | Colonial Cup Colonial Cup (hockey) The Colonial Cup was the name of the trophy for the post-season champion of the International Hockey League. On September 24, 2007, the league decided to restore the "Turner Cup" name to the championship trophy as a tribute to the original IHL in honor of Joe Turner, and a new trophy was being... |
| 2001–2002 | UHL | Colonial Cup Colonial Cup (hockey) The Colonial Cup was the name of the trophy for the post-season champion of the International Hockey League. On September 24, 2007, the league decided to restore the "Turner Cup" name to the championship trophy as a tribute to the original IHL in honor of Joe Turner, and a new trophy was being... |
| 1998–1999 | UHL | Colonial Cup Colonial Cup (hockey) The Colonial Cup was the name of the trophy for the post-season champion of the International Hockey League. On September 24, 2007, the league decided to restore the "Turner Cup" name to the championship trophy as a tribute to the original IHL in honor of Joe Turner, and a new trophy was being... |
NOTE: The league's name has changed over the years from the Colonial Hockey League (until 1997), United Hockey League (1997–2007), and the International Hockey League (2007–2010).