St. Louis Heartland Eagles
Encyclopedia
The St. Louis Heartland Eagles was a Tier 1 junior ice hockey
team playing in the East Division of the United States Hockey League
(USHL). The USHL is the top Junior hockey league in the United States, the league is geared for the development of 17- to 20-year-old players as a step between High school and lower Jr. Hockey levels and College and Professional ice hockey.
The Eagles's home ice was The Summit Center
in Chesterfield, Missouri
(about 30 minutes west of downtown St. Louis on I-64
/40/61). The Summit Center, now Hardee's Iceplex, is now the home to the NAHL
's St. Louis Bandits
.
as the Topeka ScareCrows
from 2001-2003. In 2003 the USHL ScareCrows were moved to St. Louis, Missouri
for the 2003-2004 season and renamed the Heartland Eagles. The team struggled on and off the ice in St. Louis. The team finished in last place in the East Division and also suffered from low attendance. The Heartland Eagles were granted a one-year voluntary suspension of operations and did not play during the 2004/2005 USHL season. The Frachise folded in the summer of 2005 after failing to find a more suitable home for the team in the St. Louis metro area.
The Eagle's head coach and general manager for the team's only season in St. Louis
was Rick Zombo
, an ex-Detroit Red Wings, ex-St. Louis Blues defenseman. Assistant coach was Joe Coombs.
Coombs went on to coach the Topeka Tarantulas
of the CHL
for the 2004-05 season, but the team folded after only one year.
Phil Giubileo
was the team's broadcaster and he departed for the Danbury Trashers
after the Eagles' collapse.
, and professional hockey, including:
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 playing in the East Division of the United States Hockey League
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
(USHL). The USHL is the top Junior hockey league in the United States, the league is geared for the development of 17- to 20-year-old players as a step between High school and lower Jr. Hockey levels and College and Professional ice hockey.
The Eagles's home ice was The Summit Center
The Summit Center
Hardee's IcePlex is a 2,200-seat multi-purpose arena in Chesterfield, Missouri. The facility is the largest ice skating facility in Missouri. Hardee's IcePlex has two regulation National Hockey League size rinks with 600 seat capacities each. The facility's main rink is Olympic regulation size...
in Chesterfield, Missouri
Chesterfield, Missouri
Chesterfield is a second-ring western suburb of St. Louis and is the largest city in west St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. As of the 2010 census the population is 47,484. Chesterfield also celebrated its 20th birthday in 2008.- Geography :...
(about 30 minutes west of downtown St. Louis on I-64
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
/40/61). The Summit Center, now Hardee's Iceplex, is now the home to the NAHL
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...
's St. Louis Bandits
St. Louis Bandits
The St. Louis Bandits are a Tier II Junior A ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's Midwest Division. The team plays their home games at the 2,200-seat Hardee's Iceplex in Chesterfield, Missouri....
.
History
The Franchise was part of the United States Hockey LeagueUnited States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...
as the Topeka ScareCrows
Topeka ScareCrows
The Topeka Scarecrows were a professional ice hockey team located in Topeka, Kansas, playing their home games at Landon Arena. The team was a member of the Central Hockey League from their founding in 1998 until 2001 when they were sold...
from 2001-2003. In 2003 the USHL ScareCrows were moved to St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
for the 2003-2004 season and renamed the Heartland Eagles. The team struggled on and off the ice in St. Louis. The team finished in last place in the East Division and also suffered from low attendance. The Heartland Eagles were granted a one-year voluntary suspension of operations and did not play during the 2004/2005 USHL season. The Frachise folded in the summer of 2005 after failing to find a more suitable home for the team in the St. Louis metro area.
The Eagle's head coach and general manager for the team's only season in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
was Rick Zombo
Rick Zombo
Richard J. Zombo is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman who played in the NHL for 12 seasons between 1984 and 1996...
, an ex-Detroit Red Wings, ex-St. Louis Blues defenseman. Assistant coach was Joe Coombs.
Coombs went on to coach the Topeka Tarantulas
Topeka Tarantulas
The Topeka Tarantulas were a professional ice hockey team. They were a member of the Central Hockey League. They played their home games at Landon Arena. They played one season then folded....
of the CHL
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....
for the 2004-05 season, but the team folded after only one year.
Phil Giubileo
Phil Giubileo
Phil Giubileo is an American professional sports broadcaster. Giubileo grew up in the Bronx, New York and attended Fordham University, where he graduated with a B.S. in Management Sciences....
was the team's broadcaster and he departed for the Danbury Trashers
Danbury Trashers
The Danbury Trashers were a United Hockey League ice hockey team located in Danbury, Connecticut. They played their home games at the Danbury Ice Arena....
after the Eagles' collapse.
Regular season records
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | PTS | GF | GA | PIM | Finish |
| 2003-04 | 60 | 17 | 37 | 6 | 40 | 135 | 229 | 1282 | 6th, East Division |
Alumni
Despite only lasting one season the Heartland Eagles advanced a number of players to college, major juniorJunior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
, and professional hockey, including:
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(NHL), Miami UniversityMiami UniversityMiami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
(CCHA)