NORFOLK, VA – Familiar surroundings always seem to be comforting, especially after a long time away. For the Norfolk Admirals, they are about to find out that even after a long absence, you can always go home again.
After a 15-year tour in the American Hockey League, the Admirals are set to begin their return to the ECHL thanks to a major shakeup in the world of minor league hockey. The return gets underway Friday night when the Wheeling Nailers visit the Norfolk Scope at 7:30 pm.
Since 2000, the Admirals have been residing in the AHL, starting as the affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks before joining the Tampa Bay Lightning organization. The AHL run was a successful one that included a 2012 Calder Cup championship. The very next season, the Lightning and Anaheim Ducks traded cities as the Ducks moved into Norfolk while Tampa headed north to Syracuse.
When the AHL decided to allow many of the NHL’s west coast teams’ affiliates to head to California, it meant that Norfolk was now available. Enter the Edmonton Oilers who jumped in and struck a deal to move their ECHL franchise in Bakersfield to Norfolk while Bakersfield headed to the AHL.
Hall of famer Blake Cullen founded the original East Coast Hockey League Admirals team in 1989. In seven season,s the Admirals drew more than 1.8 million fans and led the ECHL in attendance twice. The Admirals, who were known as the Hampton Roads Admirals while in the ECHL, were the pride of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Newport News, Hampton, and the northeastern North Carolina metropolitan area.
The Admirals were coached by John Brophy, a legend of the game and the man for whom the current ECHL coach of the year award is named after. Brophy led the Admirals to two Jack Riley cups and one Patrick. J. Kelly cup in eleven seasons. While in the ECHL the Admirals were proudly affiliated with the Washington Capitals, and the Detroit Red Wings.
Several players who made their mark on the NHL honed their skills in Hampton Roads. Olaf Kolzig, Byron DaFoe and long tim NHLer Andrew Brunette along with ECHL Hall of Famers Phil Berger, Al MacIssac, Steve Poapst, Nick Vitucci and Bob Woods were just a few of the players who wore the Admirals jersey. “Rocket” Rod Taylor, the all time ECHL goal leader (368) and holder of the record for most 30-goal seasons (8) wore the Hampton Roads colors. Denis McEwen, considered by many as the “original” Admiral is still with the team in the front office and as part of the broadcast team.
The current Norfolk team is coached by Eric Veilleux who was an assistant with the AHL team a year ago. How this season goes only time will tell but if history is any indicator, it will not be long before the Admirals once again become a threat to the rest of the ECHL
John and Jeremy Ramey cover Norfolk for Pro Hockey News.
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