Tuesday, July 17, 2001
Cyclones join division with Dayton, Toledo
The Cincinnati Cyclones on Monday officially rejoined the East Coast Hockey League. Last Friday the ECHL board of governors approved transfer of the Miami home territory to Cincinnati.
The Cyclones will be a member of the Northwest Division of the Northern Conference, with Dayton, Johnstown, Peoria, Toledo and Wheeling. The Cyclones are owned by David LeFevre and Hall of Famer Phil Esposito. They will be coached by Ray Edwards, who most recently coached the ECHL Huntington Blizzard during the 1999-2000 season.
The Cyclones will play their 36 home games at 12,056-seat Firstar Center. They were initially members of the ECHL from 1989-92, when they switched to the International League. Still to be finalized was the team's NHL affiliation with the Nashville Predators, spokesman Joe Shields said.
When the former owner of the Cyclones and the arena filed bankruptcy this spring, coinciding with the IHL folding, the franchise's future was clouded.
In addition to Cincinnati, the Double-A minor league ECHL welcomes new teams in Atlantic City, N.J.; Columbia, S.C.; Columbus, Ga.; Macon, Ga., and Reading, Pa. A total of 29 teams in 14 states will play a league-record 1,044 games in the 2001-02 season.
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Cyclones join division with Dayton, Toledo
