East Coast Hockey League (1991-2007)
Tombstone
Born: 1991 – ECHL expansion franchise
Suspension of Operations Announced: April 16, 2007
First Game:
Last Game: April 19, 2007 (L 4-0 @ Cincinnati Cyclones)
Riley Cup Champions: 1993 & 1994
Arena
Toledo Sports Arena (5,160)11996-97 East Coast Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book
Opened: 1947
Demolished: 2007
Marketing
Team Colors: Red & White21996-97 East Coast Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book
Radio:
- 1996-97: WRQN (93.5 FM)
Radio Broadcasters:
- 1996-97: Mark Kelly
Ownership
Owners:
- 1991-1998: Barry Soskin
- 1998-2007: Tim Gladieux, et al.
Our Favorite Stuff
Toledo Storm Logo T-Shirt
Between 1996 and 1998, the Toledo Storm’s child-like logo was voted the worst in all of professional hockey by The Hockey News twice in three years. Only a magazine rule forbidding repeat winners prevent a three-peat.
When Storm Director of Media Relations Mark Kelly asked The Hockey News how many teams were rated, he was told “it wouldn’t have mattered”.
This design is also available as a Long-Sleeved or 3/4 length T-shirt or as a Hooded or Crewneck Sweatshirt right now at Old School Shirts!
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Background
The Toledo Storm were a durable minor league hockey franchise that played for 16 seasons at the old Toledo Sports Arena. The Storm were members of the East Coast Hockey League, which is the equivalent of a “double A” league in the pro hockey ecosystem. The Storm were a minor league affiliate of the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings during nearly all of their existence, although the Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks also contributed prospects to the club for brief periods of time.
The Storm’s glory years came during the early and mid-90’s under the stewardship of team founder Barry Soskin. The Storm won back-to-back Riley Cups as champions of the ECHL in 1993 and 1994. They also regularly packed the small, no frills Sports Arena and turned an annual operating profit. In late 1998, Soskin sold the franchise to Tim Gladieux for a sum reported to be just over $2 million. Attendance peaked during the 1998-99 season, with an average of 4,960 fans per game, well over 90% of Arena capacity.
Budgets rose through the ECHL during the 2000’s as the league evolved into nationwide operation, but the Storm struggled to keep pace, with its revenue upside limited by the outdated Sports Arena. The team began to lose money and requested a temporary withdrawal from the league in 2005 to re-group. The request was later revoked and the Storm played for two more years. In October 2005, team founder Barry Soskin returned to manage the team under a lease arrangement with Tim Gladieux, who remained the owner of record. But ultimately the Storm’s fate hinged on the construction of a long-discussed modern arena in downtown Toledo.
Storm Out, Walleye In
In April 2007, Storm owner Tim Gladieux sold the franchise to the owners of Toledo’s triple-A minor league baseball club, the Mud Hens. The Mud Hens immediately announced that the Storm would take a two-year hiatus from the ECHL until the $105 million Lucas County Arena in downtown Toledo opened in 2009. During the hiatus, the new owners abandoned the Toledo Storm identity and re-branded the team as the Toledo Walleye. The Walleye re-entered the ECHL as scheduled for the 2009-10 season and continue to play today.
Downloads
November 19, 1994 Storm vs. Wheeling Thunderbirds Game Notes
11-19-1994 Toledo Storm vs Wheeling Thunderbirds Roster Insert
Links
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One Response
The Storm were infamous for their ugly logo. It was voted the worst in pro hockey by the Hockey News for years, and so naturally the team turned that into a source of pride. I even remember team advertisements playing up the fact.