Chicago Express

Chicago Express
City Hoffman Estates, Illinois
League ECHL
Conference Eastern
Division North
Operated 2011-2012
Home arena Sears Centre
Colors Navy, Gray, Sky Blue
              
Owner(s) Craig Drecktrah
Head coach Steve Martinson
Affiliates

Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL)

Springfield Falcons (AHL)
Franchise history
2011-2012 Chicago Express

The Chicago Express was a professional ice hockey team located in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, serving the Chicago market. The Express was a member of the North Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference.[1] The team played its home games at the Sears Centre.[2]

The Express were owned by Craig Drecktrah, who formerly owned the United Hockey League's Chicago Hounds and Rockford IceHogs.

It was announced on July 13, 2011 that the Express would be affiliated with the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets and the AHL's Springfield Falcons.[3]

On April 6, 2012, it was announced that the Chicago Express would cease operations due to poor attendance numbers and lack of support.[4] The Express finished last in the league for average attendance with 2,508.[5] On some nights, the Express, which also had AHL and NHL competition in the same market, was struggling to get 1,000 spectators at its games.

Team history

The Express' mascot, Traxx the horse

Inception

The team formed out of talks between owner Craig Drecktrah and officials at the Sears Centre. On the heels of the Chicago Hounds folding in 2009 after only playing one season (2006–07) at the Sears Centre, Drecktrah worked with arena and Hoffman Estates village officials to bring in an ECHL franchise.[2] The league approved the franchise's application at the ECHL's annual Board of Governors Meeting in June 2010.[6]

Team name

Express center ice logo during their 1st and only ECHL season in 2011-12

To name the new franchise, the team held a special name the team contest that eventually received over a thousand unique name suggestions. On July 22, the four finalists for the team name were unveiled. They were The Chicago Blizzard, Hoffman Estates Hammers, Chicago Knights and Chicago Express. Voting for the team's name closed on August 4, with Express announced as the winner on September 21. The final four portion of the contest received a total of 20,000 votes.[7]

Mascot

The mascot for the Chicago Express was "Trax" the Horse.

Players

Chaz Johnson finished as Chicago's all-time leader in goals scored with 20.
Tyler Donati led the Express with 47 assists and 61 points.
Devin DiDiomete was the Express' all-time leader in penalty minutes.
Allen York played for both the Express and the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2011–12 season.
Nathan Lutz was the captain of the Express.
Skaters
Player # Pos GP G A Pts PIM
Akins, DrewDrew Akins20F1610113
Burrows, JoshJosh Burrows4D43381125
Campbell, DarcyDarcy Campbell6D618293787
Cucci, JoeJoe Cucci14C1414511
Delisle, StevenSteven Delisle5D3813420
DiDiomete, DevinDevin DiDiomete27LW41111627277
Donati, TylerTyler Donati19RW4614476129
Ellington, TaylorTaylor Ellington4D17561114
Embach, MikeMike Embach16F6013132641
Faubert, Pierre-LucPierre-Luc Faubert72RW7219254470
Gingera, MattMatt Gingera26F61012
Grantham, RyleyRyley Grantham71F19651175
Gratchev, MaximeMaxime Gratchev93F278202838
Henningson, DanDan Henningson12D2712310
Johnson, ChazChaz Johnson98RW64201535132
Johnson, TylerTyler Johnson18C203368
Lehman, ScottScott Lehman7D110227
Lutz, NathanNathan Lutz44D726713121
Maiani, AnthonyAnthony Maiani7F394141810
Marvin, AaronAaron Marvin17C6511273849
Moje, KylerKyler Moje15F20000
Motherwell, BrettBrett Motherwell42D2508820
Ostrow, KyleKyle Ostrow9F5911203123
Painchaud, ChadChad Painchaud27LW2711112229
Palm, TrentTrent Palm5D40000
Paquette, DanickDanick Paquette20F13741127
Paris, DrewDrew Paris2D2236910
Riley, BlairBlair Riley22LW1579168
Robins, BobbyBobby Robins25F287815123
Romano, TonyTony Romano15C30000
Ryd, JohanJohan Ryd26F30000
Spencer, TimTim Spencer21F801142
Stephens, EvanEvan Stephens24D483161922
Thomas, MikeMike Thomas7F20004
Tifu, YannickYannick Tifu10C17381119
Tomassoni, MattMatt Tomassoni24D30000
Wietecha, ScottScott Wietecha3D5414132769
Zion, JonathanJonathan Zion8D4010152529
Goaltenders
Player # GP MIN W L OTL GAA SV% SO
Dainton, PaulPaul Dainton31187946323.25.8961
Madore, RobRob Madore31127228312.41.926 1
Mannino, PeterPeter Mannino3122133410823.15.8991
Nolan, RobRob Nolan 47168446812.99.8960
Ostergard, BrooksBrooks Ostergard471650014.65.8440
York, AllenAllen York30116044413.28.8920

All player statistics taken from the ECHL.com.[8]

Team captain

References

  1. ↑ Press release (August 1, 2011). "Annual ECHL Board of Governors Meeting concludes". ECHL. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Selvam, Ashok (June 19, 2010). "Sears Centre to house new hockey team". Daily Herald. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
  3. ↑ Press release (July 13, 2011). "Columbus Blue Jackets Announce ECHL Affiliation Agreement Chicago Express for 2011-12". Columbus Blue Jackets. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
  4. ↑ http://echl.com/chicago-withdraws-membership-from-echl-p176989
  5. ↑ http://echl.com/stats/schedule.php?view=attendance&season_id=22
  6. ↑ Press release (June 24, 2010). "Expansion membership approved for Chicago". ECHL. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
  7. ↑ Selvam, Ashok (February 8, 2011). "Sears Centre welcomes new hockey team to town". Daily Herald. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
  8. ↑ "2011–12 Season Statistics - Chicago Express". ECHL. Retrieved 2012-04-26.

External links