The Peoria Rivermen were a professional

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 hock ...

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 Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...

. They played in

Peoria, Illinois Peoria ( ) is the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, United States, and the largest city on the Illinois River. As of the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census, the city had a population of 113,150. It is the principal city of the Peoria ...

, at the

Carver Arena Peoria Civic Center is an entertainment complex located in downtown Peoria, Illinois. Designed by Pritzker Prize winning architect Philip Johnson and John Burgee, it has an arena, theater, exhibit hall and meeting rooms. It opened in 1982 and ...

. After the

2012–13 AHL season The 2012–13 AHL season was the 77th season of the American Hockey League. The regular season began on October 12, 2012 and ended on April 21, 2013. The 2013 Calder Cup playoffs followed the conclusion of the regular season. The Calder Cup was ...

, the team relocated to

Utica, New York Utica () is a Administrative divisions of New York, city in the Mohawk Valley and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The List of cities in New York, tenth-most-populous city in New York State, its population was 65,283 ...

, and became the

Utica Comets The Utica Comets are a professional ice hockey team based in Utica, New York, with home games at the Adirondack Bank Center. They are members of the North Division in the Eastern Conference of the American Hockey League (AHL) and affiliated wit ...

History

In 2011,

Dave Checketts David W. Checketts (born 1955) is an American businessman and sports executive with a career spanning four decades. Checketts has served in c-suite roles or been owner of some of the most iconic brands in their respective industries, includi ...

announced that the

St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the s ...

Scottrade Center The Enterprise Center is an 18,096-seat arena located in downtown St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Its primary tenant is the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League, but it is also used for other functions, such as NCAA basketball, NCA ...

, and the Peoria Rivermen were all for sale. On May 10, 2012, Tom Stillman purchased the Peoria Rivermen franchise. On August 30, the Rivermen signed a one-year affiliation agreement with the

Evansville IceMen The Evansville IceMen were a minor league ice hockey team in the ECHL in Evansville, Indiana. The franchise was originally a member of the United Hockey League before it merged into the Central Hockey League in 2010. The franchise has won four po ...

, an expansion team 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 ...

, cutting ties with the Alaska Aces, who they were affiliated with since the Rivermen joined the AHL. On March 29, 2013, the Rivermen were purchased by the

Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce B ...

. On April 18, 2013, the AHL approved the sale of the Peoria Rivermen to the

. On May 13, 2013, the Vancouver Canucks confirmed with Peoria Civic Center officials that they would not bring back the Rivermen franchise and the AHL's Peoria Rivermen would no longer play in Peoria. The AHL announced on June 14, 2013, that the franchise was being relocated to

, as the

for the

2013–14 AHL season The 2013–14 AHL season was the 78th season of the American Hockey League. The regular season began on October 4, 2013, and ended on April 19, 2014. The 2014 Calder Cup playoffs followed the conclusion of the regular season. The Calder Cup was w ...

. A

Southern Professional Hockey League The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) is a professional ice hockey independent minor league based in Huntersville, North Carolina, with teams located primarily in the southeastern United States as well as Illinois and Indiana in the mid ...

franchise replaced the AHL incarnation of the Rivermen in 2013 and took the team's name.

Season-by-season results

Players

Team captains

* Brendan Buckley, 2005–2006 *

Aaron MacKenzie Aaron G. MacKenzie (born March 7, 1981, in Terrace Bay, Ontario) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played briefly in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Colorado Avalanche, where he currently resides. Playing caree ...

, 2006–2008 *

Trent Whitfield Trenton Grant Whitfield (born June 17, 1977) is a Canadian former ice hockey centre (ice hockey), centre. Playing career Whitfield was drafted in the fourth round, 100th overall, by the Boston Bruins in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. He refused to si ...

, 2008–2009 *

Yan Stastny Yan Pavol Stastny (born September 30, 1982) is a Canadian-born American former professional ice hockey centre. He comes from the Slovak Stastny ice hockey family, and is the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Šťastný (one of the first star ...

, 2009–2010 *

Dean Arsene Dean Arsene (born July 20, 1980) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey defenceman. While he played the majority of his AHL career with the Hershey Bears, he last played with the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League (AHL). He play ...

, 2010–2011 *

Adam Cracknell Adam Cracknell (born July 15, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who is currently playing with the Tucson Roadrunners in the American Hockey League (AHL) Playing career Junior Cracknell played junior hockey for the Kootenay ...

, 2011–2012 * Scott Ford, 2012–2013

Coaches

*2005–2006: Steve Pleau *2006–2008: Dave Baseggio *2008 – Jan 2, 2010:

Davis Payne Davis Payne (born September 24, 1970) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger who played in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins, and is the former head coach of the St. Louis Blues. He was an assistant coach with the Los ...

*January 2, 2010 – April 2010:

Rick Wamsley Richard James Wamsley (born May 25, 1959) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was the goaltending ...

*2010–2012:

Jared Bednar Jared Bednar (born February 28, 1972) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously coached the Lake Erie Monsters of the ...

*2012–2013:

Dave Allison David Bryan Allison (born April 14, 1959) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman and coach. He played three games with the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL) during the 1983–84 season and was head coach of ...

References

{{Defunct AHL St. Louis Blues Ice hockey teams in Illinois Defunct ice hockey teams in Illinois St. Louis Blues minor league affiliates Ice hockey clubs established in 2005 Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 2013