Toronto Roadrunners
Encyclopedia
The Toronto Roadrunners were an ice hockey
team in the American Hockey League
. They played in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
at the Ricoh Coliseum
. In their only season the Roadrunners featured players such as Jani Rita
, Jamie Wright
and Steve Valiquette who helped them advance to the AHL
playoffs where they lost the first round to the Cleveland Barons.
While initial owner Lyle Abrhams brought the franchise to Toronto with good intentions, poor attendance, a questionable business model, and a dispute with building officials resulted in the relocation of the franchise to Edmonton
, Alberta
after only one season, becoming the Edmonton Road Runners
. Another factor was the desire of the parent club to have the team play in Edmonton to fill the void due to the expected 2004–05 NHL lockout. Since Abrhams owned the rights to the name and logo, the Roadrunners name and identity would return as the Phoenix RoadRunners
, reborn in the ECHL
. The void in Toronto was filled in 2005 by the Toronto Marlies
.
Players
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 in 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...
. They played in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
at the Ricoh Coliseum
Ricoh Coliseum
Ricoh Coliseum is an ice hockey and agricultural arena at Exhibition Place in Toronto. It serves as the home arena of the Toronto Marlies, the American Hockey League farm team of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Toronto Triumph of the Lingerie Football League. It was formerly known as the CNE...
. In their only season the Roadrunners featured players such as Jani Rita
Jani Rita
Jani Rita is a professional ice hockey winger.-Playing career:Despite limited NHL experience, Rita has played extensively in the American Hockey League and in the SM-liiga in his native Finland. Rita started his hockeycareer in a youth team of EKS...
, Jamie Wright
Jamie Wright
Jamie Wright is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who plays for the HC Sierre of the National League B in Switzerland...
and Steve Valiquette who helped them advance to the AHL
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...
playoffs where they lost the first round to the Cleveland Barons.
While initial owner Lyle Abrhams brought the franchise to Toronto with good intentions, poor attendance, a questionable business model, and a dispute with building officials resulted in the relocation of the franchise to Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
after only one season, becoming the Edmonton Road Runners
Edmonton Road Runners
The Edmonton Road Runners were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada at Rexall Place.-History:...
. Another factor was the desire of the parent club to have the team play in Edmonton to fill the void due to the expected 2004–05 NHL lockout. Since Abrhams owned the rights to the name and logo, the Roadrunners name and identity would return as the Phoenix RoadRunners
Phoenix RoadRunners
The Phoenix RoadRunners were a minor league ice hockey team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They played in the ECHL, beginning in the 2005–2006 season and ceasing operations at the end of the 2008-2009 season...
, reborn 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...
. The void in Toronto was filled in 2005 by the Toronto Marlies
Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies is a Canadian professional ice hockey team currently playing in the American Hockey League . The top affiliate of the National Hockey League 's Toronto Maple Leafs, the Marlies play at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario...
.
Team records
- Goals: 25
Jamie WrightJamie WrightJamie Wright is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who plays for the HC Sierre of the National League B in Switzerland... - Assists: 30 Jamie Wright
- Points: 55 Jamie Wright
- Penalty Minutes: 196 Rocky ThompsonRocky ThompsonRocky Lee Thompson was a Canadian ice hockey Right Wing. He was drafted in the third round, 72nd overall, by the Calgary Flames in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft....
- GAA: 2.52
Mike MorrisonMike MorrisonMichael Morrison is an American professional ice hockey player. Morrison is currently playing for Florida Everblades in East Coast Hockey League.-Playing career:... - SV%: .913 Mike Morrison, Stephen ValiquetteStephen ValiquetteStephen Valiquette is a Canadian goaltender for currently playing for the HC CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League. He was drafted in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings in the eighth round, 190th overall.-Professional career:In 1998, Valiquette signed as an unrestricted free...
- Goaltending Wins: 14 Steve Valiquette
- Shutouts: 3 Mike Morrison, Tyler MossTyler MossTyler Moss is a professional ice hockey goaltender. He is currently playing for the Hannover Scorpions in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga...
- Games: 78 Jamie Wright
Roster
2004-2005- Head Coach: Geoff WardGeoff WardGeoff Ward is a current assistant coach for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. His name was engraved on the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins in 2011....
Players
- 24 Jamie WrightJamie WrightJamie Wright is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who plays for the HC Sierre of the National League B in Switzerland...
- 8 Tony SalmelainenTony SalmelainenTony Salmelainen is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward who plays for Genève-Servette HC and formerly for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the Russian Super League...
- 22 Jani RitaJani RitaJani Rita is a professional ice hockey winger.-Playing career:Despite limited NHL experience, Rita has played extensively in the American Hockey League and in the SM-liiga in his native Finland. Rita started his hockeycareer in a youth team of EKS...
- 7 Doug LynchDoug LynchDouglas Lynch is a professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for EC Red Bull Salzburg in the Austrian Hockey League.-Playing career:...
- 13 Nate DiCasmirroNate DiCasmirroNate DiCasmirro is an ice hockey right winger who was born in Atikokan, Ontario but grew up in Burnsville, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. He currently plays for Brunico SG in Italy.- Playing career :...
- 38 Mike BishaiMike BishaiMike Bishai is a professional ice hockey centre, who is currently a Free Agent. He last played for Jokerit in the Finnish SM-liiga...
- 23 Joe Cullen
- 25 J. J. Hunter - now retired
- 37 Sean McAslan
- 33 Mikko LuomaMikko LuomaMikko Luoma is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman, currently playing with HV71 in the Elitserien.-Playing career:...
- 27 Michael HenrichMichael HenrichMichael Henrich is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Henrich is currently a member of HC Asiago of the Serie A in Italy. An NHL first-round draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 1998, Henrich played several years of professional hockey in North America before moving to professional hockey...
- 19 Jeff WoywitkaJeff WoywitkaJeff Woywitka is a professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for the New York Rangers of the NHL.-Playing career:...
- 51 David Roche - now retired
- 10 Brad WinchesterBrad WinchesterBrad Winchester is a professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League. He was selected in the second round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, 35th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers....
- 18 Peter SarnoPeter SarnoPeter Sarno is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for Alleghe Hockey in the Italian Serie A. He was selected in the sixth round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, 141st overall, by the Edmonton Oilers....
- 5 Bobby AllenBobby AllenRobert Paul Allen is an American professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League for the Edmonton Oilers and the Boston Bruins.-Playing career:...
- 26 Dan TessierDan TessierDan Tessier is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who last played for the Nottingham Panthers of the British Elite Ice Hockey League ....
- 6 Dan Smith
- 15 Dan Baum
- 2 Rocky ThompsonRocky ThompsonRocky Lee Thompson was a Canadian ice hockey Right Wing. He was drafted in the third round, 72nd overall, by the Calgary Flames in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft....
- 21 Marc-Andre BergeronMarc-André BergeronMarc-André Bergeron is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently under contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.-Career:...
- 55 Igor UlanovIgor UlanovIgor S. Ulanov is a former National Hockey League defenceman. Ulanov was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in the tenth round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft...
- 34 Peter Hogan
- 36 Mathieu RoyMathieu RoyMathieu Roy also known as Matt Roy is a professional ice hockey defenceman with the Carolina Hurricanes organization of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
- 30 David Cousineau
- 12 Jan HoracekJan HoracekJan Horacek is a Czech professional ice hockey player who played with HC Slovan Bratislava in the Slovak Extraliga.-References:...
- 14 Brent HenleyBrent HenleyBrent Henley is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing with the Fort Wayne Komets in the Central Hockey League....
- 40 Steve Valiquette
- 38 Jason Platt
- 16 Jean-Francois Plourde
- 20 Zack StortiniZack StortiniZachery "Zack" Stortini is a Canadian professional ice hockey right wing for the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League.-Playing career:...
- 32 David BelitskiDavid BelitskiDavid Belitski is a Canadian Ice Hockey goaltender, who played for the Kitchener Rangers. He represented Canada at the 1994, U-18 Junior World Cup in Mexico City winning the gold medal....
- 44 Ryan ChristieRyan ChristieRyan Christie is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for the Dallas Stars and the Calgary Flames. Drafted 112th overall by the Stars in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, Christie played seven games in the NHL scoring no points and no penalty minutes...
- 29 Chris MaddenChris MaddenChris Madden is a retired professional American ice hockey goalie, currently playing for the American Hockey League's Bridgeport Sound Tigers. He was drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes 97th overall in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft...
- 29 Tyler MossTyler MossTyler Moss is a professional ice hockey goaltender. He is currently playing for the Hannover Scorpions in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga...
- 1 Mike MorrisonMike MorrisonMichael Morrison is an American professional ice hockey player. Morrison is currently playing for Florida Everblades in East Coast Hockey League.-Playing career:...
Season-by-season results
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | OTL | Points | Goals for | Goals against | Standing | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 2003–04 AHL season The 2003–04 AHL season was the 68th season of the American Hockey League. The league introduces the Willie Marshall Award in honour the career points leader in the AHL, and awards it to the annual top goal scorer.... |
80 | 35 | 34 | 8 | 3 | 81 | 219 | 224 | 5th, North | Lost, 1–2, Cleveland in qualifying round |