Kalamazoo Wings

For the K-Wings franchise that played in the original IHL, see Kalamazoo Wings (1974–2000).
Kalamazoo Wings
2015–16 ECHL season
City Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States
League ECHL
Conference Eastern
Division North
Founded 1999 (in the UHL)
Home arena Wings Event Center
Colors Red, white, blue
              
Owner(s) William D. Johnston
Head coach Nick Bootland
Captain Tyler Shattock
Media The Fan AM 1660 WQLR
Kalamazoo Gazette
Affiliates Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL)
Lake Erie Monsters (AHL)
Franchise history
1999–2000 Madison Kodiaks
2000–present Kalamazoo Wings
Championships
Regular season titles 1 UHL 2005–06
Division Championships 1 UHL 2005–06
4 ECHL 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14
Conference Championships 2 UHL 2005–06, 2006–07
1 ECHL 2010–11
Colonial Cups 1 UHL 2005–06
Kelly Cups 0 ECHL

The Kalamazoo Wings, nicknamed the K-Wings, are a mid-level professional ice hockey team in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A member of the ECHL's Eastern Conference, North Division,[1] they play in the 5,113-seat Wings Event Center.

Kalamazoo is home to the "Green Ice Game". Played since 1982 on St. Patrick's Day, it is one of the most celebrated games in minor league hockey. The team has sought to duplicate the game's success with the Pink Ice Game (Valentine's Day), the Orange Ice Game (Halloween) and a new creation, the Blue Ice Game (sponsored by Bell's Brewery).

History

On road October 2012 vs. Toledo Walleye.

The team began in the 1999–2000 season as the United Hockey League's Madison Kodiaks in Madison, Wisconsin. After one season in Madison, the franchise moved to Kalamazoo, where it renamed itself the Wings in honor of the original Wings that had played in the International Hockey League from 1974 through 2000. The new Wings obtained the right to use the old Wings' name and logo.

The K-Wings played in the UHL from October 2000 until June 1, 2009, when they withdrew because of concerns that the league, which had renamed itself the International Hockey League in 2007, might go bankrupt. Eight days later, the K-Wings joined the ECHL. From September 13, 2012 until the end of the 2014–15 season, the Wings had an affiliation with the American Hockey League's Chicago Wolves.[2][3] They were also affiliated with the National Hockey League's Columbus Blue Jackets and Vancouver Canucks as well as their AHL affiliates the Springfield Falcons and Utica Comets, respectively.[4]

Prior to the 2015–16 season, the ECHL required teams to only have one official NHL/AHL affiliate, leading to the K-Wings only keeping their Columbus affiliation and the Blue Jackets' new AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters.

Season records

Season GP W L T/OTL Pts GF GA Pct Regular Season Finish Playoffs
United Hockey League
2000–01 74 37 31 6 80 220 220 .541 3rd Southwest, 9th of 15 Lost Play-in game vs. Muskegon Fury
2001–02 74 27 37 8 66 213 277 .446 6th Western, 11th of 14 Did not qualify
2002–03 76 29 39 8 66 210 282 .434 5th Western, 10th of 10 Did not qualify
2003–04 76 45 22 9 99 281 207 .651 4th Western, 4th of 12 Lost Quarterfinal series vs. Fort Wayne Komets, 2-3
2004–05 80 50 24 6 100 257 204 .663 2nd Central, 3rd of 14 Lost Semifinal series vs. Fort Wayne Komets, 3-4
2005–06 76 52 17 7 111 332 183 .730 1st Central, 1st of 14 Won Colonial Cup Final series vs. Danbury Trashers, 4-1
2006–07 76 47 23 6 100 251 191 .658 2nd Eastern, 4th of 10 Lost Colonial Cup Final series vs. Rockford IceHogs, 3-4
International Hockey League
2007–08 76 31 34 11 73 242 252 .480 5th of 6 IHL Did not qualify
2008–09 76 44 29 3 91 274 253 .599 4th of 6 IHL Lost Semifinal series vs. Fort Wayne Komets, 3-4
ECHL
2009–10 72 42 20 10 94 273 243 .653 1st North, 3rd of 20 Lost Quarterfinal series vs. Reading Royals, 2-3
2010–11 72 40 24 8 88 255 225 .611 1st North, 4th of 19 Lost Kelly Cup Final series vs. Alaska Aces, 1-4
2011–12 72 38 26 8 84 264 237 .583 1st North, 8th of 20 Lost Eastern Conference Final series vs. Florida Everblades, 1-4
2012–13 72 34 30 8 76 205 215 .528 3rd North, 14th of 23 Did not qualify
2013–14 72 42 22 8 92 224 197 .639 1st North, 4th of 21 Lost Quarterfinal series vs. Greenville Road Warriors, 2-4
2014–15 72 36 30 6 78 226 233 .542 3rd North, 16th of 28 Lost Division Semifinal series vs. Fort Wayne Komets, 1-4
2015–16 72 38 28 6 82 233 230 .569 3rd North, 13th of 28 Lost Conference Quarterfinal series vs. South Carolina Stingrays, 1-4

Players

Updated October 15, 2015.[5]
# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Contract
25 Canada Archibald, DarrenDarren Archibald LW L 26 2015 Newmarket, Ontario Wings
23 Sweden Blomstrand, LudwigLudwig Blomstrand W L 23 2013 Uppsala, Sweden Canucks
35 Canada DeMelo, RyanRyan DeMelo G L 25 2015 Brampton, Ontario Wings
10 Canada Gilbert, DavidDavid Gilbert C L 25 2015 Chateauguay, Quebec Wings
5 United States Kaunisto, StevenSteven Kaunisto D L 29 2015 Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan Wings
15 United States Kattelus, EricEric Kattelus (A) LW L 28 2011 Houghton, Michigan Wings
17 United States Kovacs, JustinJustin Kovacs F L 24 2015 Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan Wings
19 Canada Mallet, AlexAlex Mallet RW R 23 2015 Amqui, Quebec Wings
34 United States Martin, JoelJoel Martin G L 33 2012 Fort Worth, Texas Wings
6 Canada McCarthy, SteveSteve McCarthy D L 35 2015 Trail, British Columbia Wings
12 Canada Murray, ColinColin Murray F L 26 2015 Oshawa, Ontario Wings
27 United States Phillips, AdamAdam Phillips D R 25 2015 Farmington Hills, Michigan Wings
28 Canada Ponich, BrettBrett Ponich (A) D L 25 2015 Edmonton, Alberta Wings
7 Canada Pritz, CoryCory Pritz D L 28 2015 Red Deer, Alberta Wings
21 Canada Scheidl, LaneLane Scheidl LW R 24 2014 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Wings
16 Canada Shattock, TylerTyler Shattock (C) RW R 26 2015 Salmon Arm, British Columbia Wings
9 United States Sorenson, TannerTanner Sorenson C R 23 2015 Anchorage, Alaska Wings
93 Canada Taylor, JustinJustin Taylor C L 27 2013 Mindemoya, Ontario Wings
11 United States Vasaturo, CharlieCharlie Vasaturo D R 25 2015 Sewell, New Jersey Wings
14 Canada Wilson, BenBen Wilson D R 25 2013 Calgary, Alberta Wings

Retired numbers

Team records

Kalamazoo Wings playing against the Chicago Express in 2011

Single season

Goals: 46 Canada Nick Bootland (2007–08)
Assists: 70 Canada Daniel Carriere (2005–06)
Points: 94 Canada Kory Karlander (2007–08)
Penalty minutes: 344 Canada Tyler Willis (2003–04)
GAA: 2.02 Canada Ryan Nie (2006–07)
SV%: .929 Canada Ryan Nie (2006–07)

Career

Career goals: 183 Canada Kory Karlander (2004–13)
Career assists: 269 Canada Kory Karlander (2004–13)
Career points: 452 Canada Kory Karlander (2004–13)
Career penalty minutes: 1,463 Canada Tyler Willis (2003–10)
Career goaltending wins: 152 Canada Joel Martin (2004–15)
Career shutouts: 18 Canada Joel Martin (2004–15)
Career games played: 468 Canada Kory Karlander (2004–13)

References

  1. ↑ "ECHL ANNOUNCES REVISIONS TO DIVISIONAL ALIGNMENT AND PLAYOFF FORMAT". ECHL. October 9, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Wolves Enter Affiliation Agreement with Kalamazoo". Chicago Wolves. September 13, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Wolves Extend Affiliation with Kalamazoo". Chicago Wolves. August 19, 2014. Retrieved October 16, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Kalamazoo renews affiliation with Vancouver and signs new agreement with Columbus". Kalamazoo Wings. August 20, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  5. ↑ ":: kwings.com: Roser ::". Retrieved 2015-03-15.

External links

Media related to Kalamazoo Wings at Wikimedia Commons

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