Toledo Walleye
Encyclopedia
The Toledo Walleye are a professional 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 based in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...

. The Walleye are members of the North Division of the Eastern Conference of 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...

. The Walleye play their home games in downtown Toledo at the Huntington Center, which opened in 2009.

Since the beginning of the 2009-10 season the team has been dually affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...

 and Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...

 of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

, and 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....

 and Rockford IceHogs
Rockford IceHogs
This article is about the former UHL franchise. For the current American Hockey League franchise, see Rockford IceHogs.The Rockford IceHogs were a professional ice hockey team in Rockford, Illinois USA. They were a member of the United Hockey League from 1999 to 2007. The IceHogs played their home...

 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...

.

Toledo Storm

The Walleye were originally founded as the Toledo Storm
Toledo Storm
The Toledo Storm was a minor league professional ice hockey team in the ECHL from 1991 to 2007. The Storm played their home games at the venerable Toledo Sports Arena along the southern banks of the Maumee River in Toledo, Ohio. The team colors were red and white, similar to the Detroit Red Wings,...

 in 1991, playing their home games at Toledo Sports Arena
Toledo Sports Arena
The Toledo Sports Arena was a 5,230-seat multi-purpose arena, at 1 Main Street, Toledo, Ohio. It was built in 1947 and razed in 2007.As a concert venue, it seated 6,500, for theater concerts and stage shows, 4,400 and for boxing and wrestling, 8,250; also, the arena was 33-2/3 feet tall...

 across the river from downtown Toledo. The Storm were the first hockey team to play in Toledo since the International Hockey League's Toledo Goaldiggers
Toledo Goaldiggers
The Toledo Goaldiggers was an International Hockey League franchise that played in Toledo, Ohio from 1974 to 1986. Prior to the Goaldiggers, the city's hockey team was the Toledo Blades, which played under that name from its founding in 1963 until 1970, when it changed its name to the Toledo...

 ceased operations in 1986, eventually moving to Kansas City
Kansas City Blades
The Kansas City Blades was a professional ice hockey team in the International Hockey League from 1990–2001 until the demise of the league after the 2000–01 season. The Blades was based in Kansas City, Missouri at Kemper Arena....

 in 1990. In the Storm's inaugural season, the team won the West Division title and the Henry Brabham Cup
Brabham Cup
The Henry Brabham Cup is the trophy awarded annually by the ECHL to the team which finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season...

 after posting the league's best record in the regular season. The following year the Storm would win their first Jack Riley Cup
Kelly Cup
The Patrick J. Kelly Cup goes to the play-off champion of the ECHL. The Kelly Cup has been awarded to teams since 1997. Prior to 1997, the playoff winner was awarded the Riley Cup. The current cup is named after Patrick J. Kelly, the league's first commissioner. The cup is loaned to the winning...

, defeating the Wheeling Thunderbirds in six games. The Storm would come back the following season and win their second Riley Cup, defeating the Raleigh Icecaps
Raleigh IceCaps
The Raleigh Icecaps were a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1991 and playing at Dorton Arena, located at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds, the IceCaps were members of the ECHL...

 in five games, becoming only the second team in league history to win back-to-back league titles (the first being the Hampton Roads Admirals
Hampton Roads Admirals
The Hampton Roads Admirals were an American professional ice hockey team in the ECHL. They played in Norfolk, Virginia at the Norfolk Scope Arena....

 in 1991 and 1992.). The Storm were dominant in their first few years, winning four division titles in their first five seasons and posting a winning record in thirteen of the sixteen seasons the team played. The Storm would win their second Brabham Cup in 2003
2002-03 ECHL season
The 2002-03 ECHL season was the 15th season of the ECHL. The ECHL All-Star Game was held at Germain Arena in Estero, Florida and was hosted by the Florida Everblades. The Northern Conference All-Stars dominated the game, beating the Southern Conference All-Stars 8:2. Atlantic City's Scott...

 and would make the American Conference finals during the 2005-06 season
2005-06 ECHL season
The 2005–06 ECHL season is the 18th season of the East Coast Hockey League, ECHL, a professional ice-hockey league based in the United States. The season ran from late October, 2005 to early June, 2006...

, ultimately losing to the Gwinnett Gladiators
Gwinnett Gladiators
The Gwinnett Gladiators are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Duluth, Georgia. The Gladiators play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Gladiators play their home games at the Arena at Gwinnett Center....

 in five games. The Storm's final game came on April 19, 2007 during the 2007 North Division semifinals
2006-07 ECHL season
The 2006–07 ECHL season was the 19th season of the ECHL. Two teams returned to the ECHL after suspensions: the Texas Wildcatters and the Cincinnati Cyclones The 2006–07 ECHL season was the 19th season of the ECHL. Two teams returned to the ECHL after suspensions: the Texas Wildcatters (who had...

 losing to in-state rival, Cincinnati Cyclones
Cincinnati Cyclones
The Cincinnati Cyclones are a professional hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team is a member of the ECHL. Founded in 1990, the team first played their games in the Cincinnati Gardens and now play at U.S. Bank Arena....

, 4–0 losing the series 3 games to 0. In their sixteen seasons in the ECHL, the Storm posted a 610-395-103 record, winning two Riley Cups, two Brabham Cups and six division titles.

Sale to Toledo Arena Sports

In 2007, the Toledo Storm were bought by Toledo Arena Sports, Inc., a subsidiary of the Toledo Mud Hens
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...

 minor league baseball club that was planning to build a new state-of-the-art arena in downtown Toledo
Lucas County Arena
The Huntington Center is an 8,000-seat multi-purpose arena in downtown Toledo, Ohio It was completed in 2009 and cost between $80 and 105 million to build. It replaced the demolished Toledo Sports Arena...

 to replace the aging Sports Arena. Shortly after the sale, Toledo Arena Sports announced that after the 2006-07 season, the Storm would not compete again until the arena was completed and the ECHL granted the Storm a two year voluntary suspension from competition.

In February 2008, General Manager Joe Napoli announced that former Storm goaltender, ECHL Hall of Famer and head coach from 2003-
2003-04 ECHL season
The 2003-04 ECHL season was the 16th season of the ECHL. This season brought a major change in the ECHL as the ECHL Board of Governors approved membership applications from the Anchorage Aces, the Bakersfield Condors, the Fresno Falcons, the Idaho Steelheads, the Las Vegas Wranglers, the Long...

2007
2006-07 ECHL season
The 2006–07 ECHL season was the 19th season of the ECHL. Two teams returned to the ECHL after suspensions: the Texas Wildcatters and the Cincinnati Cyclones The 2006–07 ECHL season was the 19th season of the ECHL. Two teams returned to the ECHL after suspensions: the Texas Wildcatters (who had...

 Nick Vitucci
Nick Vitucci
Nick Vitucci is a former professional ice hockey goaltender. Currently, he is the head coach of the ECHL's Toledo Walleye....

 would return to coach the team when it returned to the ice in 2009. One week after announcing Vitucci as head coach, the club revealed that the team's new name would be the "Walleye
Walleye
Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...

," in reference to the popular game fish that is abundant in the area.

Inaugural season

At the ECHL Mid-Season Board of Governors meeting, the league announced that the Walleye would be members of the American Conference's North Division along with the Cincinnati Cyclones, Elmira Jackals
Elmira Jackals
The Elmira Jackals are an ice hockey team that play in the ECHL. Their home games are played in First Arena in Elmira, New York and they refer to themselves as "the beasts of the east"...

, Johnstown Chiefs
Johnstown Chiefs
The Johnstown Chiefs were a minor league ice hockey team located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania that played in the ECHL. The team was founded in 1988 in the All-American Hockey League, and moved to the East Coast Hockey League when that league was formed...

, Wheeling Nailers
Wheeling Nailers
The Wheeling Nailers are an ECHL ice hockey team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. They are the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL....

 and Kalamazoo Wings
Kalamazoo Wings
The Kalamazoo Wings, nicknamed the K-Wings, are a mid-level professional ice hockey team in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A member of the ECHL's Eastern Conference, North Division, they play in the 5,113-seat Wings Stadium....

. During the NHL's award ceremonies in Las Vegas, Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland
Ken Holland
Kenneth Mark Holland is a retired Canadian professional goaltender and current General Manager and executive Vice President of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Holland was drafted in the 12th round, 188th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1975 NHL Entry Draft...

 stated that the Walleye would become Detroit's ECHL affiliate for the 2009-10 season and that the Wings would send one of their three goaltender prospects (either Jordan Pearce
Jordan Pearce
Jordan Paul Pearce is an American professional ice hockey goaltender. He is currently playing with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League .-Playing career:...

, Thomas McCollum
Thomas McCollum
Thomas McCollum is an American ice hockey goaltender currently playing with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...

 or Daniel Larsson) to Toledo for the season. On June 21, 2009, the Walleye announced the schedule for their inaugural season which opened on October 16 as the Walleye hosted the defending Brabham Cup champion Florida Everblades
Florida Everblades
The Florida Everblades are an ECHL ice hockey team playing in the Southeast Division. The team is based in Estero, Florida and plays at Germain Arena . The team has existed since 1998...

 in the first of a three game series. The Walleye would play fifteen of their first twenty-one games at home. On August 5, 2009, the Walleye announced a second affiliation agreement, becoming the ECHL affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...

 and Chicago's AHL affiliate the Rockford IceHogs
Rockford IceHogs
This article is about the former UHL franchise. For the current American Hockey League franchise, see Rockford IceHogs.The Rockford IceHogs were a professional ice hockey team in Rockford, Illinois USA. They were a member of the United Hockey League from 1999 to 2007. The IceHogs played their home...

. On August 26, 2009, the Walleye signed their first player, centre Malcolm MacMillan
Malcolm MacMillan (ice hockey)
Malcolm MacMillan is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Utah Grizzlies of the East Coast Hockey League.- Playing career :...

. The six year veteran joined the Walleye from the Belfast Giants
Belfast Giants
The Belfast Giants are an ice hockey team from Belfast, Northern Ireland that compete in the Elite Ice Hockey League. Home games are played at the 7,100-capacity Odyssey Arena in Belfast....

 of the Elite Ice Hockey League
Elite Ice Hockey League
Several competitions fall under the jurisdiction of the Elite League. In 2006–07, the EIHL ran a total of four competitions: the league, playoffs, Challenge Cup and Knockout Cup. The league consists of a single division, each team playing three home games and three away games against the other...

 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 and had previous stints in the ECHL with the Florence Pride, Peoria Rivermen
Peoria Rivermen (ECHL)
The Peoria Rivermen were an ice hockey team in the ECHL. They played in Peoria, Illinois, USA at the Carver Arena.The Peoria Rivermen were an ice hockey team in the ECHL. They played in Peoria, Illinois, USA at the Carver Arena....

, Cincinnati Cyclones
Cincinnati Cyclones
The Cincinnati Cyclones are a professional hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team is a member of the ECHL. Founded in 1990, the team first played their games in the Cincinnati Gardens and now play at U.S. Bank Arena....

 (all in 2003-04) and Reading Royals
Reading Royals
The Reading Royals are a professional ice hockey team that currently plays in the ECHL. The team participates in the Atlantic Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Royals play their home games at the Sovereign Center located in downtown Reading, Pennsylvania...

 (2005–08).

Prior to the Walleye's home opener against Florida, head coach Nick Vitucci named defenseman Ryan Stokes as the team's captain and named centers Malcolm MacMillan and Adam Hobson
Adam Hobson
Adam Hobson is a Canadian ice hockey player who is currently playing with Rögle BK of the HockeyAllsvenskan in Sweden. He was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft....

. Despite a strong effort, the Walleye dropped their opener to Florida 2–1 in front of a sell-out crowd of 8,000, the largest crowd to ever watch a pro hockey game in Toledo. The Walleye would return the next night and rookie goaltender Jordan Pearce would stop 35 of 37 shots faced as the Walleye scored three goals in the final period to get past the Everblades for the team's first win, 5–2. The initial home series with Florida would end the next night in entertaining fashion as Toledo defenseman J.C. Sawyer
Jean-Claude Sawyer
Jean-Claude Sawyer is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Cincinnati Cyclones in the ECHL. He was selected by the Minnesota Wild in the 5th round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft....

 scored the game winning goal with 55 seconds left in overtime as the Walleye won two of three games of the weekend series, 4–3. On October 20, Toledo defenseman Jamie Milam
Jamie Milam
Jamie Milam is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the AIK of HockeyAllsvenskan.-External links:...

 was named the Sher-wood Player of the Week for his five point performance over the three game series with Florida.

On December 31, defenseman J.C. Sawyer and forward Maxime Tanguay
Maxime Tanguay
Maxime Tanguay is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Utah Grizzlies in the ECHL...

 were selected to the American Conference All-Star team and played at the All-Star Game at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California
Ontario, California
Ontario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California, United States, 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire region, it lies just east of the Los Angeles county line and is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area...

 on January 20. On January 20, Sawyer was named the captain of the American Conference All-Stars.

At the end of the regular season, defenseman J.C. Sawyer was named as a First Team selection to the All-ECHL team and won the Defenseman of the Year award, while center Maxime Tanguay was named to the All-Rookie team.

The Walleye clinched their first playoff appearance on March 31, following a shootout loss to the Johnstown Chiefs
Johnstown Chiefs
The Johnstown Chiefs were a minor league ice hockey team located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania that played in the ECHL. The team was founded in 1988 in the All-American Hockey League, and moved to the East Coast Hockey League when that league was formed...

, becoming the seventh of eight teams in the American Conference to clinch a berth in the Kelly Cup playoffs. The Walleye would finish the regular season in eighth place in the American Conference, guaranteeing the team a matchup with the American Conference regular season champions, the Charlotte Checkers, in the American Conference Quarterfinals. Toledo would host Charlotte in the first two games of the series, then the third game would be played at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, as well as games four and five if necessary. Toledo, behind a hat trick from winger Adam Keefe, claimed a 7–2 victory over top-seeded Charlotte in Game One of the series. Centre Tony Romano
Tony Romano
Tony Romano is a professional ice hockey player from Smithtown, New York, Currently with the New York Islanders organization playing for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL.-Playing career:...

, defenceman J.C. Sawyer and wingers Akim Aliu
Akim Aliu
Akim Aliu is a professional ice hockey player currently playing in the Winnipeg Jets organization. Aliu was born in Okene, Nigeria. Shortly after he was born his family moved to Kiev, Ukraine. Akim's family came to Canada when he was 12...

 and Derek Nesbitt
Derek Nesbitt
Derek Nesbitt is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Peoria Rivermen in the American Hockey League.-External links:...

 would also contribute to the victory, the first for the organization since Game Two of the 2006 American Conference Finals against the Gwinnett Gladiators
Gwinnett Gladiators
The Gwinnett Gladiators are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Duluth, Georgia. The Gladiators play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. The Gladiators play their home games at the Arena at Gwinnett Center....

.

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime losses, SOL = shootout losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes
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...

 
GP W L T Pts GF GA PIM Finish Playoffs
2009–10
2009–10 ECHL season
The 2009–10 ECHL season was the 22nd season of the ECHL. It ran from October, 2009 until April, 2010, followed by the Kelly Cup playoffs which lasted until May 21, 2010 as the Cincinnati Cyclones won their second Kelly Cup championship in three years by defeating the Idaho Steelheads in five games...

 
72 35 30 7 77 254 274 1452 3rd, North Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 1–3 (Charlotte)
2010–11  72 33 33 6 72 239 255 1198 4th, North Did not qualify


Team captains

  • J.C. Sawyer
    Jean-Claude Sawyer
    Jean-Claude Sawyer is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Cincinnati Cyclones in the ECHL. He was selected by the Minnesota Wild in the 5th round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft....

    , 2009–10
  • Ryan Stokes, 2009–10
  • Adam Keefe, 2010–11

Awards and honors

Defenseman of the Year
  • J.C. Sawyer: 2009–10

All-ECHL First Team
  • J.C. Sawyer: 2009–10

All-ECHL Second Team
  • Jason Lepine: 2010–11

All-ECHL Rookie Team
  • Maxime Tanguay
    Maxime Tanguay
    Maxime Tanguay is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Utah Grizzlies in the ECHL...

    : 2009–10
  • Andy Bohmbach
    Andy Bohmbach
    Andy Bohmbach is an American professional ice hockey player. He is currently playing with the Adirondack Phantoms of the American Hockey League ....

    : 2010–11


ECHL All-Star Game selection
ECHL All-Star Game
The ECHL All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey game that traditionally marks the midway point of the ECHL's regular season, with many of the league's star players playing against each other. The starting lineup for the two teams, including the starting goaltender, is voted on by the coaches,...

  • J.C. Sawyer: 2010
    2010 ECHL All-Star Game
    The 2010 ECHL All-Star Game presented by Reebok was the held at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California, United States, home of the Ontario Reign. The game will be held between two teams, each representing a conference of the ECHL.The game was part of a two day event of activities...

  • Maxime Tanguay: 2010
    2010 ECHL All-Star Game
    The 2010 ECHL All-Star Game presented by Reebok was the held at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California, United States, home of the Ontario Reign. The game will be held between two teams, each representing a conference of the ECHL.The game was part of a two day event of activities...

  • Peter Leblanc: 2011
    2011 ECHL All-Star Game
    The 2011 ECHL All-Star Game was played on January 26, 2011. it was hosted by the Bakersfield Condors at Rabobank Arena. The format featured the host team Condors taking on the ECHL All-Star Team....



External links

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