ECHL Returns to Cincinnati

[VodkaFish]

PRINCETON, N.J. - The ECHL announced on Thursday that the Cincinnati Cyclones have informed the Board of Governors that they will return to the ice at US Bank Arena for the 2006-07 season.

The team told the Board that preparations are already underway and playing dates have previously been submitted to the League office.

"The ECHL is pleased to welcome Cincinnati back into the fold," said ECHL Commissioner Brian McKenna. "The inclusion of the Cyclones is an important component of our Midwest geography and our North Division."

The Cyclones requested and were granted a Voluntary Suspension by the Board for the 2004-05 and the 2005-06 seasons. Cincinnati reached the Kelly Cup Playoffs two of its three seasons from 2001-04, including losing in Game 7 of the Northern Conference Finals to Kelly Cup champion Atlantic City in 2003.

The Premier 'AA' Hockey League, the ECHL began in 1988 with five teams in three states and will play with 27 teams in 15 states and one Canadian province in 2006-07, including all 25 teams that operated in 2005-06.

The ECHL has affiliations with 25 of the 30 teams in the NHL and there are more than 100 players in the ECHL under contract to NHL teams. There have been 300 players who have gone on to play in the NHL after playing in the ECHL, including a record 44 in 2005-06, and each of the past five Stanley Cup winners have had a former ECHL player.

[kuech13]

Minor league hockey at major league inconveniences.

I had season tickets when the Cyclones played at the Gardens all the way until they moved to the US Bank arena which to me is still Riverfront Coloseum. I drove down from Dayton each night even after the Bombers came to town. Cincinnati had a better product and Johnny Walker didn't care if Dayton had hockey or not.

Parking at the Gardens was close and cheap. It was a great atmosphere for minor hockey. Then they decided to upscale to the IHL (intermittent hitting league). Then Management decided to move to the River. It added 10 miles onto my trip. Add that onto downtown traffic, getting in and out of the parking garage, and the 45 minute drive to the Gardens turned into an hour and 15 minutes. Parking instead of $3 or $5 was now $10. It was no longer worth the inconvenience associated with the move. I wasn't the only one to keep away. The Cyclones went from near sellouts at the Gardens to sparse crouds sometimes resembling a small college crowd.

I wish the Cyclones luck because I still have some great memories of them. If I return it'll probably be to see the Rail Raiders of the AHL at the Gardens.

[Captain Crunch28]

Their Attendance will suck.

[Maine Mariner]

It better than nothing. I'm glad to see hockey return to Cincinnati.