The Toronto Roadrunners were an
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice ...
team in the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the lea ...
. They played in
Toronto, Ontario
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, Canada at the
Ricoh Coliseum. In their only season the Roadrunners featured players such as
Jani Rita,
Brad Winchester
Bradley A. Winchester (born March 1, 1981) is an American former professional ice hockey left winger. He was selected in the second round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, 35th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers.
Playing career
Winchester spent two s ...
,
Jamie Wright
Jamie Wright (born May 13, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Dallas Stars, Calgary Flames and Philadelphia Flyers. Wright was born in Kitchener, Ontario, ...
and
Steve Valiquette who helped them advance to the
AHL playoffs where they lost the first round to the
Cleveland Barons The name Cleveland Barons has been used by three professional hockey teams and one junior team.
*Cleveland Barons (NHL), the National Hockey League team that played between 1976 and 1978
*Cleveland Barons (1937–1973), the original American Hockey ...
.
History
In the early 2000s, there were efforts to refurbish CNE Coliseum for a minor professional team. Plans to move the dormant
Phoenix Roadrunners of the
International Hockey League to Toronto for the 2002–03 season fell apart when the league dissolved and six teams, but not the Roadrunners, were absorbed by the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the lea ...
(AHL) in the summer of 2001.
The same group then attempted to purchase the
Louisville Panthers AHL franchise, which had suspended operations for the 2001–02 season, and relocate it to the Coliseum, but the AHL voted against the transaction in December 2001.
[ The ]Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
pressured the Hamilton Bulldogs, who held territorial rights to Toronto since it fell within their 50-mile home territory, to veto the transaction.[ The Leafs reportedly did not want the Coliseum to be upgraded as it would compete with their newly opened ]Air Canada Centre
Scotiabank Arena (French: ''Aréna Scotiabank)'', formerly known as Air Canada Centre (ACC), is a multi-purposed arena located on Bay Street in the South Core district of Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the home of the Toronto Ra ...
.[ Next, the group began pursuing the Bulldogs, which were owned by the NHL's ]Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
.[ The Bulldogs did not require league approval to move to Toronto since the Coliseum was within their territory.]
After an agreement was reached with the Oilers to relocate the Bulldogs to Toronto, and to rename them the Toronto Roadrunners, the City of Toronto agreed to an extensive renovation of the Coliseum for the team in November 2002. At a cost of $38 million, the arena's capacity was expanded from 6,500 to 9,700 by building a new higher roof, lowering the floor and adding new seats in the expanded area. As part of the renovation, the city sold naming rights to Ricoh Canada. The renovated building has 38 private suites.[ Simultaneously, the Quebec Citadelles were moved to Hamilton to replace the Bulldogs.
While initial owner Lyle Abrhams brought the franchise to Toronto with good intentions, poor attendance except when playing the St. John's Maple Leafs, a questionable business model, and a dispute with building officials resulted in the relocation of the franchise to ]Edmonton
Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city an ...
, Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest T ...
after only one season, becoming the Edmonton Road Runners
The Edmonton Road Runners were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada at Rexall Place.
History
After the 2003–04 season the Edmonton Oilers announced that the Toronto Roadrunners would play th ...
. Another factor was the desire of the parent club to have the team play in Edmonton to fill the void due to the expected 2004–05 NHL lockout
The 2004–05 NHL lockout was a labor lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the National Hockey League (NHL) season, which would have been its 88th season of play.
The main dispute was the league's desire to implement a salary cap to ...
. Since Abrhams owned the rights to the name and logo, the Roadrunners name and identity returned as the Phoenix RoadRunners in the ECHL
The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL).
The E ...
and later would resurface as the Tucson Roadrunners
The Tucson Roadrunners are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that began play for the 2016–17 season. Based in Tucson, Arizona, and affiliated with the National Hockey League's Arizona Coyotes, the team plays i ...
in the AHL in 2016. The void in Toronto was filled in 2005 when the St. John's Maple Leafs relocated from Atlantic Canada to the Ricoh Coliseum and became the Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a member of the North Division of the Eastern Conference. The Marlies is owned by Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, a c ...
.
Team records
:Goals: 25 Jamie Wright
Jamie Wright (born May 13, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Dallas Stars, Calgary Flames and Philadelphia Flyers. Wright was born in Kitchener, Ontario, ...
:Assists: 30 Jamie Wright
:Points: 55 Jamie Wright
:Penalty Minutes: 196 Rocky Thompson
Rocky Lee Thompson (born August 8, 1977) is a Canadian former ice hockey right wing, who is currently an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL. He was drafted in the third round, 72nd overall, by the Calgary Flames in the 1995 N ...
:GAA: 2.52 Mike Morrison
:SV%: .913 Mike Morrison, Stephen Valiquette
:Goaltending Wins: 14 Steve Valiquette
:Shutouts: 3 Mike Morrison, Tyler Moss
Tyler Moss (born June 29, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Moss played for the Carolina Hurricanes, Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career
Moss played junior for the ...
:Games: 78 Jamie Wright
Affiliates
* Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
(2003–2004)
Roster
2004–2005
* Head coach: Geoff Ward
Players
* 24 Jamie Wright
Jamie Wright (born May 13, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Dallas Stars, Calgary Flames and Philadelphia Flyers. Wright was born in Kitchener, Ontario, ...
* 8 Tony Salmelainen
Tony Salmelainen (born August 8, 1981) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey forward. He last played for HIFK of the Finnish Liiga in 2013. He was originally drafted by the Edmonton Oilers as their second-round pick in the 1999 NHL Entry Dr ...
* 22 Jani Rita
* 7 Doug Lynch
* 13 Nate DiCasmirro
Nate DiCasmirro (born September 27, 1978) is a Canadian-born Italian former professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), right winger who was born in Atikokan, Ontario, but grew up in Burnsville, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. He most notably ...
* 38 Mike Bishai
Michael Bishai (born May 30, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. Bishai was never drafted, but played in the National Hockey League with the Edmonton Oilers.
Playing career Amateur
Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Bishai moved ...
* 23 Joe Cullen
* 25 J. J. Hunter
* 37 Sean McAslan
* 33 Mikko Luoma
Mikko Luoma (born ) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey defenceman, who played 3 games in the National Hockey League with the Edmonton Oilers. He most notably played in the Liiga and Elitserien.
Playing career
Luoma started his playing c ...
* 27 Michael Henrich
Michael Henrich (born March 4, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. An NHL first-round draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 1998, Henrich played several years of professional hockey in North America before moving to profes ...
* 19 Jeff Woywitka
Jeffrey Woywitka (born September 1, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, and New York Rangers.
Playing career
Woywitka was drafted fro ...
* 51 David Roche
* 10 Brad Winchester
Bradley A. Winchester (born March 1, 1981) is an American former professional ice hockey left winger. He was selected in the second round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, 35th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers.
Playing career
Winchester spent two s ...
* 18 Peter Sarno
Peter Sarno (born July 26, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre, who last played for Alleghe Hockey in the Italian Serie A. He was selected in the sixth round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, 141st overall, by the Edmonton Oile ...
* 5 Bobby Allen
* 26 Dan Tessier
Dan Tessier (born January 3, 1979) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey centre who last played for the Nottingham Panthers of the British Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL).
He was featured in the first season of '' Making the Cut: Last Man ...
* 6 Dan Smith
* 15 Dan Baum
Dan Baum (February 18, 1956 – October 8, 2020) was an American journalist and author who wrote for ''The Wall Street Journal'', ''The New Yorker'', ''Rolling Stone'', ''Wired'', ''Playboy'', and ''The New York Times Magazine,'' among other publ ...
* 2 Rocky Thompson
Rocky Lee Thompson (born August 8, 1977) is a Canadian former ice hockey right wing, who is currently an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL. He was drafted in the third round, 72nd overall, by the Calgary Flames in the 1995 N ...
* 21 Marc-Andre Bergeron
* 55 Igor Ulanov
Igor Sergeevich Ulanov (russian: И́горь Серге́евич Ула́нов; born 1 October 1969) is a Russian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Ulanov was drafted by the Wi ...
* 34 Peter Hogan
* 36 Mathieu Roy
* 30 David Cousineau
* 12 Jan Horacek
* 14 Brent Henley
* 40 Steve Valiquette
* 38 Jason Platt
* 16 Jean-Francois Plourde
* 20 Zack Stortini
Zachery Stortini (born September 11, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger and current assistant coach with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Edm ...
* 32 David Belitski
* 44 Ryan Christie
Ryan Christie (born 22 February 1995) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club AFC Bournemouth and the Scotland national team. He began his career with Inverness Caledonian Thistle before joining ...
* 29 Chris Madden Chris Madden may refer to:
* Chris Madden (ice hockey)
* Chris Madden (designer)
{{hndis, Madden, Chris ...
* 29 Tyler Moss
Tyler Moss (born June 29, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Moss played for the Carolina Hurricanes, Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career
Moss played junior for the ...
* 1 Mike Morrison
Season-by-season results
See also
*List of ice hockey teams in Ontario
The following is a list of ice hockey teams in Ontario, past and present. It includes the league(s) they play for, and championships won.
Major professional
National Hockey League
Current teams
Former teams
National Hockey Association
Wor ...
References
External links
The Internet Hockey Database – Toronto Roadrunners
{{Defunct AHL
Edmonton Oilers minor league affiliates
Ice hockey clubs established in 2003
Sports clubs disestablished in 2004
Roa
Ice hockey teams in Ontario
2003 establishments in Ontario
2004 disestablishments in Ontario