History of the Cincinnati Cyclones
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There have been three separate entities, or franchises, known as the Cincinnati Cyclones. All three franchises have been hockey teams, two in the ECHL and one in the IHL.
[edit] Franchise One: 1990-1992
The first franchise to use the name Cincinnati Cyclones was founded in 1990. The team played their games during this time period at the Cincinnati Gardens. They lost in the first round of the playoffs in the 1990-1991 season. In the 1991-1992 season, the Cyclones lost in the Kelly Cup semi-finals. The team's owner at the time, Doug Kirchoffer, was granted an IHL franchise who chose to move the Cyclones name to that franchise and sell the ECHL franchise to the ownership group that moved the franchise to Birmingham, Alabama to form the new Birmingham Bulls.
Since moving to Birmingham, this franchise has seen stints in three cities across the United States. The franchise played in Birmingham from the 1992-1993 season until the 2000-2001 season. Following the completion of the 2000-2001 season, the franchise moved to Atlantic City, New Jersey to become the short-lived Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies. The Boardwalk Bullies played for four seasons, the 2001-2002 season through the 2004-2005 season, before being moved to another city. While in New Jersey, the franchise won a Kelly Cup Championship in the 2002-2003 season, defeating the Columbia Inferno in the finals. Despite the success on ice, the Boardwalk Bullies were unable to draw much of a crowd, and as a result, were sold to the current ownership group. This ownership group moved the team to Stockton, California and changed the name to the Stockton Thunder. The franchise has been in Stockton since 2005-2006 and are coached by a former Cincinnati Cyclones player, Chris Cichocki.
[edit] Franchise Two: 1992-2001
The first season in the IHL, Cincinnati failed to qualify for the post-season, which would be the first of only two seasons where they did not qualify. Paul Lawless, who would eventually be Head Coach and Vice President of Player Development and have his number 13 retired, began his first a several stints with the team in the 1992-1993 season. On Friday, April 2, 2004, during his number retirement ceremony, he was singled out as a reason for the team's success, both on the ice and in attendance. During the IHL years, the Cyclones set a team record of 8 consecutive 90+ Point Seasons, ending with the IHL itself folding. During the Cyclones 9 years in the IHL, they won their only Division Championship and Conference Championship, both in the 1995-1996 season, but lost in a seven-game semi-final series to the Orlando Solar Bears.
In 1997, the Cyclones' lease agreement with the Cincinnati Gardens came to an end and the two sides were unable to reach an agreement for a new contract. It was at this time that team owner, Doug Kirchoffer purchased what then was known as Riverfront Coliseum in downtown Cincinnati, re-named it The Crown, renovated the arena, and moved the team there. During the seven seasons the Cyclones were in the arena, the venue was re-named the Firstar Center and now is known as U.S. Bank Arena. The team has since been unsuccessful in reclaiming the higher attendance numbers from the Cincinnati Gardens.
On June 4, 2001, the International Hockey League ceased operations.
[edit] Franchise Three: 2001-Present
The third franchise with the name Cyclones started in the 1995-1996 ECHL season as the Louisville River Frogs, playing in Louisville, Kentucky. After three years in Louisville, the team moved to Miami, Florida. After the lone season, 1998-1999, as the Miami Matadors, the franchise eventually came into the ownership of a group in Birmingham, Alabama. Upon the IHL fold, the Cyclones name was sold to this ownership group who moved the franchise to Cincinnati to become the new Cincinnati Cyclones.
The first year back in the ECHL ended the team's streak of 90+ Point seasons with the Cyclones finishing just 12 points shy despite a 10 game fewer season length. During this first season back in the ECHL is when former Cyclones player Paul Lawless became head coach, as a mid-season replacement for Ray Edwards.
Many Cyclones fans were happy at the start of the 2003-2004 season, as former Cyclones player and assistant coach, Chris Cichocki left the Arkansas RiverBlades in order to return as the Cyclones head coach. Despite his success with Arkansas, though, Cichocki led the team to their worst season in points at 54 (previous low being the 61 points in their first IHL season) and finishing shy of the playoffs for the second time in team history.
Shortly after ending the season without a playoff berth, in April of 2004, the Cyclones suspended operations. This suspension in operations was mainly due to lack of revenue brought on by a lack of safe access to the arena. Safe access was limited by construction in Downtown Cincinnati. This dormancy left Cincinnati hockey to the cross-town, Cincinnati Gardens-based AHL rival, Cincinnati Mighty Ducks and stopped the city's record of two minor league hockey teams in the same city for consecutive years.
The second year of the Cyclones hiatus, saw the Mighty Ducks leave the city altogether, for Portland, Maine to continue that city's Portland Pirates. With minor league hockey dormant in Cincinnati for a year, and plans for the proposed AHL Cincinnati RailRaiders franchise scrapped for 2006-07, on April 21, 2006 the Cyclones announced that they would participate in the upcoming 2006-2007 ECHL season. They returned in the American Conference, North Division of the ECHL and continue to play their home games at U.S. Bank Arena, joining their two ECHL, Ohio rivals, Dayton Bombers and Toledo Storm.
On July 18, 2006, the Cyclones announced their affiliation with the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL and the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL. The Cyclones won their first game back in the ECHL on October 20 against the Pensacola Ice Pilots at U.S. Bank Arena with a score of 3 to 1.
