2009–10 Southern Professional Hockey League season
Encyclopedia
The 2009–10 Southern Professional Hockey League season was the sixth season of the Southern Professional Hockey League
. The season began October 22, 2009, and ended April 17, 2010, after a 56-game regular season and a six-team playoff. The Huntsville Havoc
captured their first SPHL championship.
and Twin City Cyclones
franchises folded during the off-season. The Louisiana IceGators
, Mississippi Surge
, and Pensacola Ice Flyers
joined the league, after each of those markets had recently lost an ECHL
team.
* indicates overtime game.
Southern Professional Hockey League
The Southern Professional Hockey League is a low-level professional ice hockey league based in Charlotte, North Carolina, with teams located in the southeastern United States.- History :...
. The season began October 22, 2009, and ended April 17, 2010, after a 56-game regular season and a six-team playoff. The Huntsville Havoc
Huntsville Havoc
The Huntsville Havoc are a professional ice hockey team in the Southern Professional Hockey League . They play their home games at the Von Braun Center in downtown Huntsville, Alabama.-History:...
captured their first SPHL championship.
Preseason
The Richmond RenegadesRichmond Renegades
The Richmond Renegades was a SPHL ice hockey team in Richmond, Virginia. The team, owned by Allan B. Harvie Jr., the founder of the former ECHL Renegades franchise, began play in October 2006 at the Richmond Coliseum. The team's first head coach was John Brophy...
and Twin City Cyclones
Twin City Cyclones
Originally called the Pee Dee Cyclones, the Twin City Cyclones were a minor league ice hockey team based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. They began play in the Southern Professional Hockey League in the 2005-2006 season...
franchises folded during the off-season. The Louisiana IceGators
Louisiana IceGators
The original Louisiana IceGators were an ECHL team based in Lafayette, Louisiana from 1995 until the end of the 2005 season. The team played its home games at the Cajundome and were last an affiliate of the NHL Minnesota Wild and the AHL Houston Aeros....
, Mississippi Surge
Mississippi Surge
The Mississippi Surge is a professional team in the Southern Professional Hockey League that began play in the 2009-10 season. Based in Biloxi, home games are played at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum also known as "The Power Plant".-History:...
, and Pensacola Ice Flyers
Pensacola Ice Flyers
The Pensacola Ice Flyers are a team of the Southern Professional Hockey League, their first season was the 2009-10 season. Home games are played at the Pensacola Civic Center, previously home to the ECHL's Pensacola Ice Pilots from 1996 until their folding in 2008.The "Ice Flyers" name has a...
joined the league, after each of those markets had recently lost an ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
team.
Final standings
| Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi Surge Mississippi Surge The Mississippi Surge is a professional team in the Southern Professional Hockey League that began play in the 2009-10 season. Based in Biloxi, home games are played at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum also known as "The Power Plant".-History:... ‡ |
56 | 34 | 14 | 8 | 210 | 165 | 76 |
| Huntsville Havoc Huntsville Havoc The Huntsville Havoc are a professional ice hockey team in the Southern Professional Hockey League . They play their home games at the Von Braun Center in downtown Huntsville, Alabama.-History:... |
56 | 31 | 16 | 9 | 199 | 178 | 71 |
| Fayetteville FireAntz Fayetteville FireAntz The Fayetteville FireAntz are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Fayetteville, North Carolina, U.S. They currently play in the Southern Professional Hockey League . They play their home games in the Cumberland County Crown Coliseum.... |
56 | 31 | 22 | 3 | 231 | 213 | 65 |
| Knoxville Ice Bears Knoxville Ice Bears The Knoxville Ice Bears are a professional ice hockey team. The team competes in the Southern Professional Hockey League. They play their home games at James White Civic Coliseum in Knoxville, Tennessee. In 2006 the Ice Bears defeated the Florida Seals to take the SPHL championship and the... |
56 | 30 | 23 | 3 | 228 | 199 | 63 |
| Pensacola Ice Flyers Pensacola Ice Flyers The Pensacola Ice Flyers are a team of the Southern Professional Hockey League, their first season was the 2009-10 season. Home games are played at the Pensacola Civic Center, previously home to the ECHL's Pensacola Ice Pilots from 1996 until their folding in 2008.The "Ice Flyers" name has a... |
56 | 25 | 23 | 8 | 176 | 205 | 58 |
| Columbus Cottonmouths Columbus Cottonmouths The Columbus Cottonmouths are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Georgia. The team is nicknamed the Snakes, and play their home games at the Columbus Civic Center.-Central Hockey League : 1996-2001:... |
56 | 22 | 27 | 7 | 171 | 207 | 51 |
| Louisiana IceGators Louisiana IceGators The original Louisiana IceGators were an ECHL team based in Lafayette, Louisiana from 1995 until the end of the 2005 season. The team played its home games at the Cajundome and were last an affiliate of the NHL Minnesota Wild and the AHL Houston Aeros.... |
56 | 23 | 31 | 2 | 175 | 223 | 48 |
- ‡ William B. Coffey Trophy winners
- Advanced to playoffs
Attendance
| Team | Total | Games | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville | 102,243 | 28 | 3,651 |
| Huntsville | 98,365 | 28 | 3,513 |
| Pensacola | 96,804 | 28 | 3,457 |
| Knoxville | 91,304 | 28 | 3,260 |
| Columbus | 78,331 | 28 | 2,797 |
| Mississippi | 74,223 | 28 | 2,650 |
| Louisiana | 54,779 | 28 | 1,956 |
President's Cup playoffs
Finals
All times are local (CDT)Awards
The SPHL All-Rookie team was announced March 25, 2010, followed by the All-SPHL teams on March 26, Rookie of the Year on March 29, Coach of the Year on March 30, Defenseman of the Year on March 31, Goaltender of the Year on April 1, and MVP on April 2.| President's Cup President's Cup (SPHL) The President's Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champions of the Southern Professional Hockey League.-Winners:... : |
Huntsville Havoc Huntsville Havoc The Huntsville Havoc are a professional ice hockey team in the Southern Professional Hockey League . They play their home games at the Von Braun Center in downtown Huntsville, Alabama.-History:... |
| Coffey Trophy: | Mississippi Surge Mississippi Surge The Mississippi Surge is a professional team in the Southern Professional Hockey League that began play in the 2009-10 season. Based in Biloxi, home games are played at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum also known as "The Power Plant".-History:... |
| League MVP: | Rob Sich (Fayetteville) |
| Rookie of the Year: | Jesse Biduke (Fayetteville) |
| Defenseman of the Year: | Steve Weidlich (Mississippi) |
| Goaltender of the Year: | Bill Zaniboni (Mississippi) |
| Coach of the Year: | Steffon Walby (Mississippi) |
All-SPHL selections
| 1st Team All-SPHL |
|---|
 F Chris Leveille (Fayetteville) F Rob Sich (Fayetteville) F Kevin Swider (Knoxville) D Mark Van Vliet (Knoxville) D Steve Weidlich (Mississippi) G Bill Zaniboni (Mississippi) |
| 2nd Team All-SPHL |
|---|
| F Lorne Misita (Pensacola) F Michael Richard (Mississippi) F Matt Zultek Matt Zultek Matt Zultek is a professional ice hockey player who was drafted in the first round, 15th overall, by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. The Kings had acquired this selection from the St. Louis Blues as part of the 1996 Wayne Gretzky trade... (Mississippi) D Kevin Harris (Knoxville) D Jeff White (Huntsville) G Ian Vigier (Columbus) |
| All-Rookie Team |
|---|
| F Jesse Biduke (Fayetteville) F Jesse Cole (Columbus) F Levi Lind (Columbus) D Mark Hinz (Pensacola) D Dean Petiot (Huntsville) G Mark Sibbald (Huntsville) |