Quad City Mallards

For the original Mallards franchise, see Quad City Mallards (1995–2007).
Quad City Mallards
2015–16 ECHL season
City Moline, Illinois
League ECHL
Conference Western
Division Midwest
Founded 2009 (In the IHL)
Home arena i wireless Center
Colors Black, green, orange, white
                   
Head coach Terry Ruskowski[1]
Captain Darren McMillan
Affiliates Minnesota Wild (NHL)
Iowa Wild (AHL)
Franchise history
2009–present Quad City Mallards

The Quad City Mallards are a minor league professional ice hockey team based in the Quad Cities area of Illinois and Iowa. The Mallards are a member of the ECHL.[2][3] Named in honor of the Mallards team that played in the United Hockey League from 1995 to 2007, the current Mallards debuted in 2009 in the International Hockey League before joining the CHL for the 2010–11 season after the CHL and IHL merged.[4] The Mallards play their home games at i wireless Center in Moline, Illinois.

On May 11, 2011 the Mallards originally ceased operations due to a lack of funding, but almost a month later, Club 9 Sports, a consortium between Chicago-based investment bank Prometheus Capital Partners, LLC, management and consulting firm Tobacco Road Capitalists and sports management and marketing firm ScheerSports, Inc. (headed by former National Basketball Association general manager Carl Scheer) bought the team from former owner Eric Karls and announced the team would return for the 2011–12 Central Hockey League season.[5]

History

The original Mallards franchise played in the Quad Cities from the 1995–96 season through the 2006–07 season. Their first two seasons of existence were played in the Colonial Hockey League, which was renamed the United Hockey League (UHL) in 1997. The Mallards were an overwhelming success in their first few years, with attendance figures that regularly topped 6,000 per game. Attendance peaked in the 1997–98 season at over 8,500 fans per game, and while it declined, average attendance remained over 6,000 fans per game through the 2001-2002 season. It continued to drop, though, until it reached a low of 3,120 fans per game in the Mallards' final UHL season in 2006–07.

The Mallards franchise was historic in several ways. The team won three league championships and became the first North American professional hockey team to record 5 straight seasons of 50 or more wins; the Mallards went on to achieve 6 straight 50+ win seasons. In 1996–97, the team's second year of existence, the Mallards won the Colonial Hockey League championship. The next year, they won the United Hockey League championship. After losing in the finals in 1998–99 and 1999–00, the Mallards won their third championship in the 2000–01 season.

On August 27, 2013 a new affiliation agreement was announced between the National Hockey League Minnesota Wild, its American Hockey League affiliate Iowa Wild, and the Mallards.

On October 7, 2014, soon before the 2014–15 Central Hockey League season was set to begin, it was announced that the Central Hockey League ceased operations and the Mallards, along with the Allen Americans, Brampton Beast, Missouri Mavericks, Rapid City Rush, Tulsa Oilers and Wichita Thunder, were all approved the expansion membership application into the ECHL for the 2014–15 season.[2][3]

Current roster

Updated February 29, 2016.[6][7]
# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Contract
19 Canada Archambault, OlivierOlivier Archambault LW L 23 2015 Le Gardeur, Quebec Iowa
5 Canada Baker, JakeJake Baker D L 24 2015 New Westminster, British Columbia Mallards
28 Canada Bussieres, RaphaelRaphael Bussieres LW L 22 2015 Longueuil, Quebec Minnesota
27 Canada Carey, MattMatt Carey LW L 24 2015 Hamilton, Ontario Iowa
7 United States Coldwell, AustinAustin Coldwell D L 26 2015 Vancouver, Washington Mallards
48 Canada Collins, AnthonyAnthony Collins RW R 26 2015 Langley, British Columbia Mallards
10 Canada Eberle, TannerTanner Eberle LW L 22 2015 Regina, Saskatchewan Iowa
11 Canada Eviston, PearcePearce Eviston RW R 23 2014 Vancouver, British Columbia Mallards
20 United States Follmer, KyleKyle Follmer F/D L 28 2015 St. Paul, Minnesota Mallards
23 United States Gibson, KevinKevin Gibson D L 26 2015 Grosse Pointe, Michigan Mallards
25 Canada Gudbranson, AlexAlex Gudbranson D R 21 2015 Orleans, Ontario Minnesota
30 Canada Hoffman, BrodyBrody Hoffman G L 25 2015 Wilkie, Saskatchewan Minnesota
11 United States Knight, JaredJared Knight RW R 24 2016 Battle Creek, Michigan Minnesota
6 Canada McMillan, DarrenDarren McMillan (C) D R 35 2010 Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Mallards
4 United States Monfredo, MikeMike Monfredo (A) D R 26 2012 Shirley, New York Mallards
1 United States Musico, P.J.P.J. Musico G L 25 2016 Orange, California Mallards
8 Canada Neal, MattMatt Neal (A) C L 24 2015 Minesing, Ontario Mallards
71 United States Nikiforov, VladimirVladimir Nikiforov W L 28 2015 Elektrenai, Lithuania Mallards
13 United States Pochiro, ZachZach Pochiro LW R 22 2015 St. Louis, Missouri Blues
14 United States Warning, SamSam Warning W L 23 2015 Chesterfield, Missouri Mallards

References

  1. ↑ The Official Web Site - Quad City Mallards: Coaches & Staff
  2. 1 2 "CHL Clubs Join ECHL for 2014-15 Season". Central Hockey League. October 7, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  3. 1 2 "ECHL Accepts Seven Members". ECHL. October 7, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  4. ↑ "It's 'Quack to the Future' as Professional Hockey Returns to the Quad Cities", from Central Hockey League press release
  5. ↑ DeVrieze, Craig (June 11, 2011). "Chicago-based group saves Q-C Mallards". Quad-City Times. Retrieved June 11, 2011.
  6. ↑ "The Official Web Site - Quad City Mallards: Roster". Quad City Mallards. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Elite Prospects - Quad City Mallards". Elite Prospects. Retrieved March 1, 2016.

External links

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