Hampton Roads Admirals
Encyclopedia
The Hampton Roads Admirals were an American
professional ice hockey
team in the ECHL
. They played in Norfolk, Virginia
at the Norfolk Scope
Arena.
For purposes of Admirals franchise history, the team's history information includes both the ECHL years (1989–2000) and the current version
in the AHL since 2000.
and the Carolina Thunderbirds
(originally listed as the Carolina Cougars) to take place at the Norfolk Scope
. Cullen said that he "would be happy with 3,000 fans and 4,000 or more would be very encouraging." The game, played on a Wednesday night between a fourth and fifth place team, drew over 6,200 fans. Because of the turnout, the ECHL was willing to offer Cullen a new franchise for free. However, when a group of five businessmen offered the league $25,000 for territorial rights, Commissioner Pay Kelly told Cullen that he "was a man of his word" and offered the franchise to him for the same price, in which Cullen accepted.
A naming contest would be held in the summer of 1989. Betty Ann Den Decker would win the contest with the name "Admirals".
of Vinton, Virginia
throughout the season. The Admirals provided "attention and credibility to the ECHL by drawing an average of 5,885 fans in their inaugural season. Until the Admirals joined the league, owners considered 2,000 fans to be "a good crowd. They would make the post-season in their first season, going 29-29-2 before losing to the Erie Panthers
3 games to 2 in a five game series of the opening round of the Riley Cup playoffs. The credibility also caught the attention of two NHL teams: the Detroit Red Wings
and the Washington Capitals
. Detroit agreed to send eight prospects, while the Washington Capitals
agreed to sending a goaltender and an unspecified number of players.
in 1998. The three championships won by the franchise is matched only by the South Carolina Stingrays. Two years later, the Admirals moved up to the American Hockey League
(AHL).
Byron Dafoe
Aaron Downey
Olaf Kolzig
Patrick Lalime
Jan Lasak
Stephen Valiquette
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 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...
. They played in Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
at the Norfolk Scope
Norfolk Scope
Norfolk Scope is a multipurpose culture, entertainment, convention and sports arena at the northern perimeter of downtown Norfolk, Virginia, designed by Italian architect/engineer Pier Luigi Nervi in conjunction with the local firm of Williams and Tazewell...
Arena.
For purposes of Admirals franchise history, the team's history information includes both the ECHL years (1989–2000) and the current version
Norfolk Admirals
The Norfolk Admirals are a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are affiliated with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Admirals play in Norfolk, Virginia, at the Norfolk Scope.-History:...
in the AHL since 2000.
Expansion
Blake Cullen, a New York City businessman, was looking to expand into the Norfolk area for hockey. He arranged an exhibition game between the Virginia LancersVirginia Lancers
The Virginia Lancers were a minor league hockey team that played in several leagues from 1983 until 1990. Their home ice was the Vinton Sports Complex, which held 3400 people.-Atlantic Coast Hockey League :...
and the Carolina Thunderbirds
Carolina Thunderbirds
The Carolina Thunderbirds were a professional ice hockey team located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA. The Thunderbirds played their home games at the old Winston-Salem Memorial Coliseum before the arena was demolished in 1989...
(originally listed as the Carolina Cougars) to take place at the Norfolk Scope
Norfolk Scope
Norfolk Scope is a multipurpose culture, entertainment, convention and sports arena at the northern perimeter of downtown Norfolk, Virginia, designed by Italian architect/engineer Pier Luigi Nervi in conjunction with the local firm of Williams and Tazewell...
. Cullen said that he "would be happy with 3,000 fans and 4,000 or more would be very encouraging." The game, played on a Wednesday night between a fourth and fifth place team, drew over 6,200 fans. Because of the turnout, the ECHL was willing to offer Cullen a new franchise for free. However, when a group of five businessmen offered the league $25,000 for territorial rights, Commissioner Pay Kelly told Cullen that he "was a man of his word" and offered the franchise to him for the same price, in which Cullen accepted.
A naming contest would be held in the summer of 1989. Betty Ann Den Decker would win the contest with the name "Admirals".
Inaugural Season
The Hampton Roads Admirals were introduced for the 1989-90 season and developed an rivalry with the Virginia LancersVirginia Lancers
The Virginia Lancers were a minor league hockey team that played in several leagues from 1983 until 1990. Their home ice was the Vinton Sports Complex, which held 3400 people.-Atlantic Coast Hockey League :...
of Vinton, Virginia
Vinton, Virginia
Vinton is a town in Roanoke County, Virginia, United States. The population was 7,782 at the 2000 census. It hosted teams by three names in the ECHL in a custom built facility known as the LancerLot; after the roof collapsed during the Blizzard of 1993, the franchise moved to the Roanoke Civic...
throughout the season. The Admirals provided "attention and credibility to the ECHL by drawing an average of 5,885 fans in their inaugural season. Until the Admirals joined the league, owners considered 2,000 fans to be "a good crowd. They would make the post-season in their first season, going 29-29-2 before losing to the Erie Panthers
Erie Panthers
The Erie Panthers were a professional hockey team, and one of the founding members in the East Coast Hockey League. Based in Erie, Pennsylvania from 1988 to 1996, they were one of the most prolific teams in the ECHL. The Panthers were known for their ability to score goals quickly and often, as...
3 games to 2 in a five game series of the opening round of the Riley Cup playoffs. The credibility also caught the attention of two NHL teams: 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 the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
. Detroit agreed to send eight prospects, while the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
agreed to sending a goaltender and an unspecified number of players.
Championships
The Admirals were the flagship franchise of the ECHL, having won Jack Riley Cups in 1991 and 1992, and the Patrick J. Kelly CupKelly 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...
in 1998. The three championships won by the franchise is matched only by the South Carolina Stingrays. Two years later, the Admirals moved up to 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...
(AHL).
Year-by-year record
ECHL| Year | Div. | GP | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | Pct | GF | GA | PIM | Coach | Result |
| 1989-90 | East | 60 | 29 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 60 | 0.483 | 252 | 267 | 1902 | John Brophy John Brophy (ice hockey) John Brophy is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former hockey player who has spent most of his career in minor professional leagues, including 18 years as a player in the Eastern Hockey League and 13 seasons as a coach in the East Coast Hockey League... |
Lost in round 1 |
| 1990-91 | East | 64 | 38 | 20 | 0 | 6 | 82 | 0.594 | 300 | 248 | 2131 | John Brophy | Won Championship |
| 1991-92 | East | 64 | 42 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 86 | 0.656 | 298 | 220 | 2097 | John Brophy | Won Championship |
| 1992-93 | East | 64 | 37 | 21 | 0 | 6 | 80 | 0.578 | 294 | 235 | 2441 | John Brophy | Lost in round 1 |
| 1993-94 | East | 68 | 41 | 19 | 0 | 8 | 90 | 0.603 | 298 | 246 | 2272 | John Brophy | Lost in round 2 |
| 1994-95 | East | 68 | 37 | 23 | 0 | 8 | 82 | 0.544 | 255 | 239 | 2522 | John Brophy | Lost in round 1 |
| 1995-96 | East | 70 | 32 | 25 | 0 | 13 | 77 | 0.457 | 278 | 265 | 2756 | John Brophy | Lost in round 1 |
| 1996-97 | East | 70 | 46 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 97 | 0.693 | 286 | 223 | 2256 | John Brophy | Lost in round 2 |
| 1997-98 | Northeast | 70 | 32 | 28 | 10 | 0 | 74 | 0.529 | 222 | 225 | 1902 | John Brophy | Won Championship |
| 1998-99 | Northeast | 70 | 38 | 24 | 8 | 0 | 84 | 0.600 | 215 | 213 | 2147 | John Brophy | Lost in round 2 |
| 1999-00 | Northeast | 70 | 44 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 92 | 0.629 | 241 | 198 | 2189 | John Brophy | Lost in round 3 |
Team records
| Record | Number | Player | Year |
| Goals (Season) | 55 | Brian Martin | 1990-91 |
| Assists (Season) | 82 | Murray Hood Murray Hood Murray Hood is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 138 games with the Hampton Roads Admirals of the East Coast Hockey League between 1989 and 1991.-Playing career:... |
1990-91 |
| Points (Season) | 118 | Victor Gervais | 1992-93 |
| Penalty Minutes (Season) | 354 | Aaron Downey Aaron Downey Aaron Downey is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward.- Playing career :Downey was one of the few players who was never drafted by an NHL team or a major junior team.... |
1995-96 |
| GAA (Season) | 2.55 | Jan Lasak Ján Lašák Ján Lašák is a Slovak professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for Jokerit of the SM-Liiga. Lašák was drafted by the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League in the 2nd round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft and spent the following four seasons in North America before returning... |
1999–2000 |
| SV% (Season) | .917 (tie) | Jason Saal Jason Saal Jason Saal is a retired professional ice hockey player, who last played with the Adirondack Frostbite in the UHL. He spent his entire career as a journeyman, playing in the OHL, ECHL, AHL and UHL... |
1998-99 |
| .917 (tie) | Jan Lasak Ján Lašák Ján Lašák is a Slovak professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for Jokerit of the SM-Liiga. Lašák was drafted by the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League in the 2nd round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft and spent the following four seasons in North America before returning... |
1999–2000 | |
| Goals (Career) | 312 | Rod Taylor | 1991–2000 |
| Assists (Career) | 282 | Victor Gervais | 1990-98 |
| Points (Career) | 565 | Rod Taylor | 1990-98 |
| Penalty Minutes (Career) | 856 | Rod Taylor | 1990-98 |
| Wins (Career) | 62 | Mark Bernard | 1990-96 |
| Shutouts (Career) | 5 | Mark Bernard | 1990-96 |
| Games (Career) | 528 | Rod Taylor | 1991–2000 |
Notable players
Serge AubinSerge Aubin
Serge Aubin is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the Hamburg Freezers in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in Germany...
Byron Dafoe
Byron Dafoe
Byron Dafoe is a British-Canadian former National Hockey League goaltender. He was born in Worthing, Sussex, England and moved to Duncan, British Columbia with his mother at the age of two months old. Between 1992 and 2004, he played for the Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings...
Aaron Downey
Aaron Downey
Aaron Downey is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward.- Playing career :Downey was one of the few players who was never drafted by an NHL team or a major junior team....
Olaf Kolzig
Olaf Kölzig
Olaf Kölzig is a retired German professional ice hockey goaltender and associate goalie coach for the Washington Capitals. With the exception of 8 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning, he played his entire 14 year career with the Capitals...
Patrick Lalime
Patrick Lalime
Patrick Lalime is a Canadian professional ice hockey broadcaster and former player. Lalime played twelve seasons in the National Hockey League with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues, Chicago Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres...
Jan Lasak
Ján Lašák
Ján Lašák is a Slovak professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for Jokerit of the SM-Liiga. Lašák was drafted by the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League in the 2nd round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft and spent the following four seasons in North America before returning...
Stephen Valiquette
Stephen Valiquette
Stephen 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...