Louisiana IceGators (SPHL)

The Louisiana IceGators were a professional ice hockey team in the Southern Professional Hockey League that began play in the 2009–10 season.[1] Like the original IceGators, which played from 1995 until folding in 2005, they were based in Lafayette, Louisiana.[1] The IceGators were brought back by local businessman Danny Smith.[2] In August 2010, Smith sold the team to two local businessmen, E.C. "Chuck" Anselmo, Jr. and E.C. "Chuck" Anselmo, III.

This article is about the Southern Professional Hockey League team. For their predecessors who played from 1995 until 2005 in the ECHL, see Louisiana IceGators (ECHL).
Louisiana IceGators
CityLafayette, Louisiana
LeagueSouthern Professional Hockey League
Founded2009
Home arena"The Frozen Swamp" Cajundome
ColorsGreen, Gold, Black, White
                   
Owner(s)Chuck Anselmo Jr. & Chuck Anselmo III
General managerLouis Dumont
Head coachDrew Omicioli
MediaLafayette Daily Advertiser, KATC, KLFY
Franchise history
2009–2016Louisiana IceGators
2018–presentQuad City Storm
Championships
Regular season titles0

History

For their first season as members of the SPHL, home games were played at the Blackham Coliseum rather than the Cajundome, the original home of the ECHL's IceGators. For the 2010–11 season, the team's home ice returned to the Cajundome, also called the "Frozen Swamp."[3]

On October 26, 2009, Ron Handy stepped down as head coach after a 0-3-0 start. He was replaced by general manager Brent Sapergia on an interim basis. Sapergia was banned by the league after being disqualified from two games in a row. In Pensacola, Sapergia threw a water bottle onto the ice, then a water cooler, then a pair of medical kits. Sapergia finished the tirade by emptying Louisiana's supply of hockey sticks into play and giving a farewell gesture to the fans as he left the arena.[4] Former Huntsville Havoc player and coach John Gibson was later named head coach, while Handy began to focus on community relations and off-ice operations. Gibson would coach 11 games before being replaced by Dave MacIsaac. MacIsaac would finish off the 2009–10 season, coaching 38 games, finishing with a record of 18-18-0.

On October 18, 2010, the IceGators affiliated with the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League for the 2010–11 season.[5] During the 2010–11 season, MacIsaac would have 7 wins and 14 losses in 22 games[6] before being let go. He was replaced in December 2010 by former NHL enforcer Kevin "Killer" Kaminiski. Also during this season, the IceGators brought back forward Shawn McNeil who had played for the ECHL IceGators from 1999 to 2003. The IceGators also started rookie goalie Scott Darling[7] who would become the first SPHL player to play in the National Hockey League when he was called up by the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2014–15 NHL season. The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup with Darling as a back-up to Corey Crawford.[8]

In 2013–14, IceGators star player, Shawn McNeil, would play in 56 games achieving 18 goals and 49 assists at the age of 35. On April 3, 2014, Shawn was named the 2013–14 Easton SPHL Most Valuable Player. "McNeil led all players in points (67) and assists (49) and tied SPHL season-highs with an 18-game point streak and an eight-game assist streak. One of four IceGators to play all 56 games, McNeil was a team-best +18 as he led Louisiana to a second-place finish in the regular season." [9]

On May 16, 2016, the IceGators' general manager and the SPHL announced that the team is suspending operations for the 2016–17 SPHL season due to planned Cajundome renovations.[10] However, sometime after the announcement, the team shut down its headquarters, the website was taken down, and the team has not indicated a return. In 2018, the franchise was sold and became the Quad City Storm.[11]

Team record

Season-by-season records

As of the 2015–16 season[12]

SeasonGPWLOTLPTSGFGAPIMFinishPlayoffs
2009–1056233124817522316507th of 7, SPHLDid not qualify
2010–1156164003217023111118th of 8, SPHLDid not qualify
2011–125624275531772029437th of 9, SPHLLost in Quarterfinals
2012–1356341757317216711452nd of 9, SPHLLost in Semifinals
2013–1456351837319817510942nd of 10, SPHLLost in Quarterfinals
2014–15562721862771849686th of 8, SPHLLost in Semifinals
2015–1656262645615116210086th of 9, SPHLLost in Quarterfinals

Attendance
YearTotalGamesAverageLeague Average
2009–1054,779281,9563,041
2010–1150,971281,8202,762
2011–1256,514282,0182,796
2012–1364,080282,2882,804
2013–1466,438282,3723,000
2014–1565,433282,3363,248
2015–1659,063282,1093,034[13]

Team information

Captains
  • 2009–10: Paul McBrien
  • 2010–15: Shawn McNeil
  • 2015–16: Jake Hauswirth/Mike Kavanagh

Coaching history

General Manager
  • 2009–10: Brent Sapergia
  • 2010–11: Dave Berryman
  • 2011–present: Louis Dumont

SPHL awards

2010–11
  • Beau McLaughlin: All-SPHL Second Team

2011–12
  • Brayden Metz: All-SPHL Rookie Team
  • Jason Hill: All-SPHL Second Team

2012–13
  • Riley Gill: SPHL Goalie of the Year Award Winner, All-SPHL First Team
  • Matt Robertson: All-SPHL First Team
  • Kirk Byczynski: All-SPHL Second Team, All-SPHL Rookie Team

2013–14
  • Shawn McNeil: Easton Most Valuable Player, All-SPHL First Team
  • Kirk Byczynski: All-SPHL Second Team

2015–16
  • Jake Hauswirth: All-SPHL Second Team
  • Zac Frischmon: All-SPHL Rookie Team
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References
  1. "IceGators chomping to get season two underway". prohockeynews.com. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  2. Foote, Kevin (May 15, 2009). "IceGators to skate again; join the discussion". Lafayette Daily Advertiser. Archived from the original on May 19, 2009. Retrieved May 15, 2009.
  3. Burgess, Richard (August 17, 2010). "IceGators to chill at the 'Dome'". The Advocate. Retrieved August 17, 2010.
  4. "IceFlyers Open at Home With Win". Pensacola News Journal.
  5. IceGators Announce NHL Affiliation
  6. "Dave MacIsaac statistics". HockeyDB. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  7. "Former SPHL goaltender Scott Darling wins NHL debut Share". SPHL News.
  8. "Hunt for the NHL Stanley Cup infographic". SI.
  9. "Louisiana's Shawn McNeil Named Easton Most Valuable Player". SPHL News.
  10. "Louisiana IceGators suspend operations for 2016-2017 season". SPHL. May 16, 2016.
  11. "SPHL adding Quad City for 2018-2019 season". SPHL. May 23, 2018.
  12. Hockey DB|Louisiana IceGators Statistics and History
  13. "SPHL Attendance". Pointstreak. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  14. Kaminski Relieved of Coaching Duties Archived 2015-02-21 at the Wayback Machine
  15. IceGators name Drew Omicioli head coach Archived 2015-02-03 at the Wayback Machine
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