SUBJECT: 2003 Central Hockey League Spring Conference Concludes Laredo Bucks Named CHL Franchise of the Year
The Central Hockey Leagues 2003 Spring Conference concluded Wednesday
evening in Phoenix, Arizona, with the annual Awards Banquet completing
four days of meetings, special events and social functions at the scenic
Pointe Hilton, Tapatio Cliffs in Phoenix. The awards banquet was highlighted
by the naming of the Laredo Bucks as the 2002/2003 CHL Franchise of the
Year following a remarkable inaugural season both on and off the ice. The
Bucks, under Coach Terry Ruskowski, posted a record of 41-17-6 and advanced
to the Southern Conference Finals, while also averaging 6,683 fans per game,
second only to the Oklahoma City Blazers, who led all North American minor
pro hockey with an average attendance of 8,988.
Also confirmed during this weeks meetings was the Conference and Divisional
alignment for the 2003/2004 season. The CHL alignment for 2003/2004 will
feature four divisions and 17 teams, including the CHLs two expansion
teams for the coming season. The Colorado Eagles have been placed into the
Northwest Division, while the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees will join the
Southeast Division.
2003/2004 CHL Conference and Division Alignment
Northern Conference
Northwest Division Northeast Division
Colorado Eagles Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
New Mexico Scorpions Fort Worth Brahmas
Oklahoma City Blazers Indianapolis Ice
Tulsa Oilers Memphis RiverKings
Wichita Thunder
Southern Conference
Southwest Division Southeast Division
Amarillo Gorillas Austin Ice Bats
Lubbock Cotton Kings Corpus Christi Rayz
Odessa Jackalopes Lared Bucks
San Angelo Saints Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
Operationally, the CHL will implement two significant rule changes for
the coming season. Both the tag-up offside rule and automatic icing
will be adopted when the CHL begins play this October. Additionally, the
CHL Board of Governors ratified maintaining the playoff format used in the
2002/2003 season, with eight teams again qualifying for post-season play.
The playoff format will also maintain the number of games in each series,
with the opening round a best of five games series, and both the Conference
Finals and Presidents Cup Finals played in a best of seven games format.
Wednesday afternoon, expansion clubs Colorado and Rio Grande Valley each selected five players in the 2003/2004 CHL expansion draft. Colorado selected
defenseman James Sheehan from the Lubbock Cotton Kings with their first choice,
while Rio Grande Valley took defenseman Luch Nasato from the two-time defending champion Memphis RiverKings with their first pick.
2003/2004 Central Hockey League Expansion Draft Results
Colorado Eagles
1 - James Sheehan (Defenseman - Lubbock)
4 - Denis Desmarais (Defenseman - Odessa)
6 - Josh Tymchak (Forward - El Paso)
8 - Michal Stastny (Forward - Memphis)
10 - Jorin Welsh (Defenseman - Tulsa)
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
2 - Luch Nasato (Defenseman - Memphis)
3 - Peter MacKellar (Forward - Tulsa)
5 - Andrew Taylor (Forward - Indianapolis)
7 - Jason Abel (Forward - San Angelo)
9 - Derek Stone (Defenseman - Oklahoma City)
2003/2004 CHL Spring Conference Banquet Award Winners
Franchise of the Year - Laredo Bucks
Executive of the Year - Corey MacIntyre, Tulsa
Most Improved Franchise of the Year - Amarillo Gorillas
CHL Soul of Service Award - Harold Fuller, Odessa
Ticketing Director of the Year - Rodrick Evans, Lubbock
Ticket Sales Franchise of the Year - Oklahoma City
Group Ticket Sales Franchise of the Year - Indianapolis
Public Relations Executive of the Year Award - Josh Evans, Oklahoma City
Broadcaster of the Year Award - Glen Norman, Austin
Marketing Franchise of the Year - Indianapolis
Game Operations Franchise of the Year - Memphis
Merchandise Executive of the Year - Pam Jordan, Laredo
Corporate Partnership Sales Executive of the Year - Jay Lakin, Oklahoma City
###
The Central Hockey Leagues 2003 Spring Conference concluded Wednesday
evening in Phoenix, Arizona, with the annual Awards Banquet completing
four days of meetings, special events and social functions at the scenic
Pointe Hilton, Tapatio Cliffs in Phoenix. The awards banquet was highlighted
by the naming of the Laredo Bucks as the 2002/2003 CHL Franchise of the
Year following a remarkable inaugural season both on and off the ice. The
Bucks, under Coach Terry Ruskowski, posted a record of 41-17-6 and advanced
to the Southern Conference Finals, while also averaging 6,683 fans per game,
second only to the Oklahoma City Blazers, who led all North American minor
pro hockey with an average attendance of 8,988.
Also confirmed during this weeks meetings was the Conference and Divisional
alignment for the 2003/2004 season. The CHL alignment for 2003/2004 will
feature four divisions and 17 teams, including the CHLs two expansion
teams for the coming season. The Colorado Eagles have been placed into the
Northwest Division, while the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees will join the
Southeast Division.
2003/2004 CHL Conference and Division Alignment
Northern Conference
Northwest Division Northeast Division
Colorado Eagles Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs
New Mexico Scorpions Fort Worth Brahmas
Oklahoma City Blazers Indianapolis Ice
Tulsa Oilers Memphis RiverKings
Wichita Thunder
Southern Conference
Southwest Division Southeast Division
Amarillo Gorillas Austin Ice Bats
Lubbock Cotton Kings Corpus Christi Rayz
Odessa Jackalopes Lared Bucks
San Angelo Saints Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
Operationally, the CHL will implement two significant rule changes for
the coming season. Both the tag-up offside rule and automatic icing
will be adopted when the CHL begins play this October. Additionally, the
CHL Board of Governors ratified maintaining the playoff format used in the
2002/2003 season, with eight teams again qualifying for post-season play.
The playoff format will also maintain the number of games in each series,
with the opening round a best of five games series, and both the Conference
Finals and Presidents Cup Finals played in a best of seven games format.
Wednesday afternoon, expansion clubs Colorado and Rio Grande Valley each selected five players in the 2003/2004 CHL expansion draft. Colorado selected
defenseman James Sheehan from the Lubbock Cotton Kings with their first choice,
while Rio Grande Valley took defenseman Luch Nasato from the two-time defending champion Memphis RiverKings with their first pick.
2003/2004 Central Hockey League Expansion Draft Results
Colorado Eagles
1 - James Sheehan (Defenseman - Lubbock)
4 - Denis Desmarais (Defenseman - Odessa)
6 - Josh Tymchak (Forward - El Paso)
8 - Michal Stastny (Forward - Memphis)
10 - Jorin Welsh (Defenseman - Tulsa)
Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
2 - Luch Nasato (Defenseman - Memphis)
3 - Peter MacKellar (Forward - Tulsa)
5 - Andrew Taylor (Forward - Indianapolis)
7 - Jason Abel (Forward - San Angelo)
9 - Derek Stone (Defenseman - Oklahoma City)
2003/2004 CHL Spring Conference Banquet Award Winners
Franchise of the Year - Laredo Bucks
Executive of the Year - Corey MacIntyre, Tulsa
Most Improved Franchise of the Year - Amarillo Gorillas
CHL Soul of Service Award - Harold Fuller, Odessa
Ticketing Director of the Year - Rodrick Evans, Lubbock
Ticket Sales Franchise of the Year - Oklahoma City
Group Ticket Sales Franchise of the Year - Indianapolis
Public Relations Executive of the Year Award - Josh Evans, Oklahoma City
Broadcaster of the Year Award - Glen Norman, Austin
Marketing Franchise of the Year - Indianapolis
Game Operations Franchise of the Year - Memphis
Merchandise Executive of the Year - Pam Jordan, Laredo
Corporate Partnership Sales Executive of the Year - Jay Lakin, Oklahoma City
###
