2000 Lewis Cup Finals

There was no shortage of motivation for either participant entering the 2000 Lewis Cup Finals. The Washington Generals had a history of incredible runs ending in disappointment. In the early 80s, the Generals lost two consecutive finals, while more recently, in 1998, they lost again to the Minnesota Lumberjacks. “I was in the building for all three losses” said 62-year-old Martin Ryan, a Generals fan since the first season. “I don’t intend to see them lose again.” For the Twisters, it a beloved veteran player without a championship that gave them all the motivation they needed. Dave Mack had played 20 seasons in the PHL with Nova Scotia and Kansas City. He played in two finals in 1987 and ’97 but had never won a cup. Not only were the fans in Kansas City cheering him on, fans across Atlantic Canada, and specifically Nova Scotia also cheered on their hometown hero.

Game one in Washington was hard-hitting right from the start as both teams tried to establish themselves early. “You usually don’t see physical play like this at the start of the final, these teams are both showing us how much they want it” said CBC play-by-play man Graham Helm. The Twisters would draw first blood, winning game one 4-2. Washington would then even it up again in game two thanks to two goals from Igor Zharkov. Jason Lind was the hero for Kansas City in game three, as the veteran goaltender earned a shutout to give his team a 2-1 series lead at home. Washington now felt the pressure. Desperate to avoid heading home down 3-1, the Generals came out hitting once again in game four. Their physical play would cost them, as captain Rob Wentzel went down awkwardly after hitting KC defenseman Brady Kyle in the second period. Wentzel left the game and did not return while the Twisters took the game 3-1 to lead the series by the same score. “We have to find a way to score goals” said Washington head coach Doug Sharp.

The Generals took their coach’s words to heart in game five, with the Lewis Cup in their building. Wentzel still suffered from a lower body injury but played anyway, scoring Washington’s second goal. The game was tied 2-2 when Dave Mack gave the Twisters the lead. As the minutes wound down, the commentators talked about the possibility that Mack could have the cup winner in his final game. Then, with just 1:34 left in regulation, Brant Brown deflected Justin Hill’s point shot into the net to tie the game. The Twisters were devastated at being so close, and were unable to recover in time for overtime. Just 22 seconds into the extra period, Geoff Collier scored for Washington to send the series back to Kansas City for game six.

The KC Sportsplex was packed for game six. The last time the Lewis Cup had been in the building, The fans had to watch the New York Civics carry it around the ice. Now their team had an opportunity to win it all at home. Washington, meanwhile, was determined to spoil the party. Four minutes into the game, Scott Whitmore gave the Generals a 1-0 lead. The lead held until the third period and it looked like the series could go to a seventh game, when JC Girard, another Twister veteran potentially playing his final game, beat Jake Borman to tie it up. Only a minute after Girard’s goal, Brett Delaney, who had been Kansas City’s best player throughout the playoffs, gave the Twisters the lead. With just over a minute left, Washington pulled Borman, desperate to tie the game. After Lind was forced to make a few big saves to preserve the lead, Travis Watson found himself on a 2-on-1 with Dave Mack heading for the empty net. Watson slid the puck to Mack, who sealed the win and the championship with 18 seconds left. The Twisters spilled off the bench and mobbed Mack while the officials scrambled to get things back in order so they could play the final seconds. When the puck finally dropped, the crowd counted down the last ten seconds as the Twisters celebrated a second time. Delaney was named playoff MVP, while captain Scott Drayton immediately handed the cup to Mack, who took it for a lap with tears running down his face. “I can’t imagine a better way to end my playing career” said Mack, confirming his retirement. In only eleven seasons, the Twisters had gone from lowly expansion team to Lewis Cup champions.

2000 Playoffs

Appearing in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, the Dallas Desperados really did not expect to get very far. Dallas had finished 26 points behind their opponent, the Los Angeles Wizards, and even their own fans were just happy to be there. “Realistically, this team will be lucky to win a game” said analyst Kevin Williams. After dropping the first two games in Los Angeles, the Desperados did indeed earn their first playoff win in game three thanks to a big third-period goal from Kyle Clark in front of an excited sell-out crowd. In game four, AJ Vernon was the hero in overtime when he beat Jim Cochran from a tough angle to tie the series at 2-2. Heading back home, the Wizards now felt the pressure. “We just need to stick to our game and we’ll be fine” said Adam Lawless. Cochran’s shutout in game five was exactly the response needed for LA, as the Wizards now had a chance to take the series in Dallas. Game six was a tight one, with LA severely outplaying the Desperados through two periods, but goaltender Alexei Rolonov kept turning them away. Finally, rookie Antti Pulkkinen scored on a breakaway to give Dallas the lead. Rolonov continued to shut the door as the Desperados held on to force a game seven in Los Angeles. The Wizards once again stepped up their game in game seven, as Viktor Skogg scored twice in a 4-1 LA win. Despite losing the series, the Desperados had pushed the Wizards farther than anyone had anticipated, and in the process, created a buzz throughout the city. “I think what we accomplished here was huge for this franchise” said veteran Jeff Jones. Elsewhere in the Western Conference, the Kansas City Twisters had to overcome an early deficit against the Seattle Grey Wolves, but Brett Delaney turned in one of the most dominating performances ever in a playoff series, scoring 12 points in seven games as the Twisters outlasted Seattle in seven games, while Minnesota spoiled Milwaukee’s return to the post-season in six games, and Chicago defeated California in five to end the Nuggets’ time at the Golden State Coliseum.

In the Eastern Conference, the New York Civics were a confident team entering their first-round matchup against Detroit, a team making their first playoff appearance since 1992. But the Mustangs quickly shattered that confidence with two big wins at Broadway House to take an unexpected 2-0 series lead. Back in Detroit, the Civics scored early in game three, only to give up three fast goals early in the third period as the Mustangs won the game 3-1 to take a chokehold on the series. “We didn’t expect to be in this position” said captain Aaron Duplacy. “No team has ever come back from 3-0 before but that doesn’t mean we can’t be the first one.” In game four, Duplacy backed up his words with a two-goal performance in a 2-1 New York victory to salvage the series. The Civics were still alive and had a chance to extend it to six when game five went to overtime. Through two extra periods in game five, goaltenders Jason Wyley and Jeff Pelton turned the contest into a goaltending duel. Early in the third overtime, Andrei Alexeev finally ended the marathon when he knocked in a rebound to complete the upset for Detroit.  It was the first playoff series victory for the Mustangs since 1989.

In other Eastern Conference action, Washington took six games to eliminate Carolina, Philadelphia upset Toronto in five games, while the defending champion Royale took out Pittsburgh in five games.

After defeating the Racers in five games, The Redshirts moved on to face the Vincent Ducharme and the defending champion Montreal Royale. Powered by Brendan Carnes’ two goals, the Redshirts stunned the Royale in game one with a 3-2 victory. The Royale bounced back, however, taking games two and three before the Redshirts tied the series with a 4-3 overtime win in game four. The Royale suffered a devastating loss in game four, as Ducharme suffered a knee injury on a hit from Alex Leblanc. Though it was a clean hit, Montreal still hinted that they would go after Leblanc. Game five went into overtime once again, with Jared Baxter proving to be the hero for Philadelphia, giving them a 3-2 series lead and a chance to complete the upset at home in game six. With his team facing elimination in game six, Ducharme attempted to return to the lineup, but only played seven minutes before having to call it a night. Baxter, Leblanc, Jeff Waters, and Jonathan Stafford all scored while Ben Kerrigan made 49 saves in a 4-1 Philadelphia win to send the Redshirts to the Eastern Conference Finals to face the Washington Generals after the Generals defeated the Detroit Mustangs in six games.

In the west, the Kansas City Twisters faced their Midwest rivals, the first-place Chicago Shamrocks. Kansas City went right to work, jumping to a 3-1 series lead after the first four games. With their season on the line in game five, Chicago made a change in net, swapping out Dan Pilford for rookie Jake Likens. Likens played admirably in goal but the Shamrocks once again could not come up with enough offence. The Twisters won 3-1 to advance to the Western Conference Finals. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Lumberjacks faced the Los Angeles Wizards. Viktor Skogg suffered an concussion early in game one and the Wizards managed only four goals all series, as the Lumberjacks headed to the West final for the fourth time in five years.

The Western Conference Finals would be a showdown for the ages, as the Kansas City Twisters met the Minnesota Lumberjacks. Minnesota, the favorites to win the series, took the first two games at home with Jason Crowley continuing his career year with four goals in the two games. In Kansas City, the Twisters also took advantage of home ice, winning game three in overtime, then taking game four in a 5-0 blowout. In game five, Brett Delaney was at it again for the Twisters, scoring a hat-trick while Jason Lind made 38 saves as the Twisters found themselves just one win from the Lewis Cup Finals. With their backs against the wall for game six, the Lumberjacks once again leaned on their captain. Crowley scored twice as Minnesota forced a game seven at home. Game seven was a classic. Lind and Christian Grayson both made save after save as the game remained scoreless after three periods. Late in the third, Jeremy Kitchen took a penalty, giving Minnesota a powerplay. Lind was forced to make nine big saves including a nearly impossible glove save on Brendan Marlo as the Twisters killed the penalty. The game went to double overtime, where Dave Mack, likely playing in his final PHL season, finally ended the game for Kansas City, sending them to the Lewis Cup Finals for the second time in franchise history.

The Twisters would face the Washington Generals, who ended Philadelphia’s magical run in six games. Jake Borman was spectacular in net, while star forwards Igor Zharkov and Rob Wentzel carried the offence. It would be Washington’s second time in the Championship round in three years. “I think this team has grown up a lot and I think we’ll be ready for it this time” said Wentzel.

1999-00 Regular Season

As the 20^th century drew to a close, the Minnesota Lumberjacks finally moved into their new home. The Oval Center opened on November 8, 1999 as the ‘Jacks faced the Denver Bulls. In front OF 22,000 fans, the Lumberjacks won the opening game 4-0. “It’s a great building” said captain Jason Crowley. “It’s like something from the future, just in time for the year 2000.” Crowley enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career, winning the league scoring title with 117 points and climbing to ninth on the all-time scoring list. Brendan Marlo also had a breakout season for Minnesota with 91 points. The Lumberjacks finished second in the Western Conference with 107 points. First place in the conference and the league went to the Chicago Shamrocks, thanks to a 110 point effort from Sergei Krayev. Goaltending was a big question mark for Chicago entering the season but the duo of Dan Pilford and rookie Jake Likens performed admirably in net. With the team in first place and favoured to win the Lewis Cup, 74-year-old longtime head coach/GM Don Saleski announced he would retire at season’s end after 31 years at the helm for the Shamrocks.

1999-00 was a big year for a few teams who had been down on their luck during the 1990s. The Milwaukee Choppers finally returned to the post-season for the first time since 1994 thanks to strong seasons from Brent Zahorsky and Marc Brunelle. In Dallas, the Desperadoes finally reached the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, finishing sixth in the Western Conference. The Desperadoes clinched the playoffs on March 28, and the fans gave the team a standing ovation. “It’s been a long time coming” said GM Ross Becker. “I’ve said all along that the success will come and our patience has finally paid off.”

The Los Angeles Wizards got off to a slow start in 1999-00, until they pulled the trigger in November on a blockbuster deal with St. Louis, acquiring Spirits captain Adam Lawless in exchange for young Czech star Petr Slavik. The deal gave the Wizards another veteran with championship experience, as Lawless was one of the few remaining pieces of the Spirits’ dynasty of the 1980s. After the trade the Wizards went on a tear, winning eleven games in a row in January and ultimately taking the Pacific Division.

In the east, Washington finished first in the conference despite Igor Zharkov missing ten games with a knee injury. Tomas Axelsson stepped up big for the Generals, who also relied heavily on defensemen Justin Hill and Brendan O’Connor and of course, goaltender Jake Borman. The Generals became one of the tightest teams to play against, taking the division thanks to their ability to shut down other teams’ offense. The defending champion Montreal Royale won the Northeast Division with Vincent Ducharme finishing second in league scoring. Former Calgary Wranglers defenseman Jonathan Adams provided a big physical presence on the blueline, while new head coach Todd Beirness picked up right were Don Shelburne had left off, coaching the team to 45 wins.

After missing out on the Lewis Cup Playoffs for the better part of a decade, and after two very disappointing finishes in 1998 and 1999, the Detroit Mustangs finally returned to the post-season. Igor Kharitanov scored 93 points, but the big hero was veteran goaltender Jeff Pelton, who finished second in Whyte Trophy voting, earning 34 of Detroit’s 37 wins. Carolina also returned to the playoffs, while Cleveland dropped out of contention. Miami appeared to be on track to make the playoffs until February when defenseman Theo Sprouse went down with a severe back injury, forcing him to miss the remainder of the season. The Stingrays lost 20 games down the stretch, falling out of playoff contention.

On New Years’ Eve, one of the most bizarre instances in PHL history occurred in a game between the California Nuggets and LA Wizards. Only five minutes after Midnight, Eastern time, the power went out in the Golden State Coliseum, leading to a near-panic from the 17200 fans in attendance, many of whom believed it was the anticipated “Y2K Bug”. After a twenty minute delay, the power was restored in the building, and order was restored as well. The incident served as a reminder that it was definitely time for the Nuggets to move into their new home. As one millennium closed and another began, three players from the late 70s hit the four-decade mark. Toronto’s Stuart Burns and Philadelphia’s Jeff Waters had both begun their careers in 1979, while Kansas City’s JC Girard had made his debut in 1978. Burns announced he would retire at seasons’ end, while Girard and Waters both indicated they could keep playing. “I’ve been in Philly for over two decades, I have never won a championship” said Waters. “I still feel like I can play.” Waters’ Redshirts’ team had a solid year in 1999-00, finishing fifth in the Eastern Conference, just half a game out of fourth. Facing the Toronto Racers in the first round, the team was confident they could make a big run. “We have a great team” said head coach Clint Allen. “I think we can surprise some people.”

Portland, Atlanta Welcomed as PHL Franchises

Beginning in October, 2001, the cities of Portland, Oregon, and Atlanta, Georgia will be home to PHL franchises. The PHL expansion committee voted Portland, Atlanta, and Houston as the top three candidates with Portland receiving the most votes. The three cities then went to a league vote among the 28 owners where Atlanta was unanimous and Portland barely edged out Houston. "We're very excited to welcome these two great communities to our league" said commissioner Darryl Byrd. "I believe these markets have a lot to offer to the league and the game itself." Even Portland's biggest opponent, Seattle owner Kevin Emms, welcomed the new franchise to the league. "We want to give a big welcome to the city of Portland" said Emms. "We couldn't defend our territory in the boardroom so I guess now we'll just have to do it on the ice. I can't wait to see how this rivalry develops." For Atlanta, the announcement marks the end of a long road that began during the 70s, when the city seemingly did not stand a chance against the likes of Edmonton, Long Island, or Washington to get a franchise. With the PHL boldly moving more into the south during the 1990s, the dream was suddenly in reach for the city.

The Eastern Conference will not be realigned, Atlanta will be inserted right into the now-four-team South Division. In the West, Denver will move back to the Central in time for 2000-01 while Portland will play in the Pacific. No team names have been settled on yet,

1999 Off-Season

1999 Entry Draft

The 1999 draft was projected to be a fairly strong one. Brad McNair became the first Newfoundland native ever drafted first overall, going to the New Orleans Sound. McNair was a superstar in the Atlantic Junior league, scoring 67 goals for the Cape Breton Scotties in 1998-99. The Denver Bulls selected Danny Brassard second out of the Quebec Hockey League, while Boston took Swedish defenseman Matt Andersson third. The Redshirts were particularly busy at the draft, selecting Russian Alexei Ivanov 20^th, then trading Gustav Mattsen to Chicago for Ben Kerrigan and the 22^nd pick, which they used on American defenseman Ryan Schwimmer. Only one player with PHL bloodlines was selected. Jefferey Ricketts was chosen by Carolina at number 10. Ricketts is the son of Calgary Wranglers head coach and former center Bruce Ricketts.

1.      New Orleans – Brad McNair, F, CAN

2.      Denver – Danny Brassard, D, CAN

3.      Boston – Matt Andersson, D, SWE

4.      Edmonton - Brandon Kelso, F, CAN

5.      St. Louis – Stanislav Lukin, F, RUS

6.      Milwaukee – Henrik Akerman, F, SWE

7.      Calgary – Vincent Cote, D, CAN

8.      Quebec – Jay Phoenix, F, USA

9.      Dallas – Antti Pulkkinen, F, FIN

10.   Carolina – Jeffrey Ricketts, F, CAN

11.   Miami – Ryan Woods, F, USA

12.   Detroit – Patrick Tremblay, D, CAN

13.   Vancouver – Philippe Gagnon, G, CAN

14.   Long Island – Nikolai Nazakov, F, RUS

15.   Seattle – Oskar Sandin, D, SWE

16.   Cleveland – Blair Kelsey, G, USA

17.   Pittsburgh – Shane Phillips, F, CAN

18.   Winnipeg – Justin Powell, F, USA

19.   California – Luca Schober, D, SWZ

20.   Philadelphia – Alexei Ivanov, F, RUS

21.   Toronto – Chris Kolakowski, D, CAN

22.   Philadelphia (from Chicago) – Ryan Schwimmer, D, USA

23.   Los Angeles – Kevin Bishop, F, CAN

24.   Kansas City – Josh McKenzie, F, CAN

25.   New York – Brad Carroll, F, USA

26.   Washington – Damian Lewicki, D, CAN

27.   Montreal – Scott Dixon, F, CAN

28.   Minnesota – Petr Martinek, CZE

Notable Retirements:

Don Shelburne, Head Coach, LA, MTL, 1975-1999

Arguably the greatest head coach in PHL history, Don Shelburne began his career with three consecutive Lewis Cup victories with the LA Wizards from 1976-1978. As the Wizards began to rebuild during the 1980s, Shelburne left Los Angeles, taking a job with the Montreal Royale. Under Shelburne’s guidance, the Royale also became a dynasty, winning three titles in the 1990s while playing in five Lewis Cup Finals. Shelburne retires as one of the winningest coaches of all time.

Vladimir Gaganov, F, CHI, 1979-1999

The greatest European player ever to play the game, Vladimir Gaganov certainly had one of the most dramatic backstories of any PHL player. Growing up in the Soviet Union, Gaganov’s father spent time in the Gulag and his family was poverty stricken. Still, Gaganov went on to become one of the brightest hockey stars in the Soviet system and turned in an incredible performance at the 1976 World Hockey Challenge at only 16 years of age. In 1979, with help from Chicago Shamrocks staff, Gaganov defected to Chicago and went on to play 20 years for the Shamrocks, leading them to the Lewis Cup in 1983 and 1994. Gaganov retires as the third all-time leading PHL scorer, with 1844 points.

Dwayne Ingram, D, EDM, WSH, 1980-1999

One of the most feared hitters in PHL history, Dwayne Ingram patrolled the Edmonton blueline for the better part of two decades, helping lead them to a Lewis Cup Finals appearance in 1993. Though suspensions and a few ugly incidents put somewhat of a black mark on the hard-nosed defender’s reputation, he is remembered fondly by Edmonton fans, who gave him a 15-minute standing ovation when he returned to Edmonton for the first time as a Washington General in 1999.

Harry Hayes, F, NS, MIL, 1983-1999

Born in Manchester, England, Harry Hayes was one of the first Brits to make a significant impact in the PHL. Hayes played for the Nova Scotia Claymores for ten seasons, playing a big role in their Lewis Cup Final run in 1987. In 1993, Hayes signed with the Milwaukee Choppers. Despite the Choppers’ struggles through the late ‘90s, Hayes was seen as a leader and a fan-favorite. With a degree in business, Hayes will now focus his time on entrepreneurial endeavors and has spoken frequently about his dream to someday attempt to bring big-league hockey back to Halifax.

Notable Trades

St. Louis trades F Shawn Marchinski to Calgary in exchange for D Ali Leino.

Leino is on the move again as the Wranglers begin their rebuild. Marchinski hopes to be a key centerpiece after struggling in St. Louis.

Philadelphia trades F Gustav Mattsen to Chicago in exchange for G Ben Kerrigan and 1^st round pick.

Disappointed in his role in Philly, Mattsen demands a trade after just one season. Chicago picks him up with the hope he will serve as Gaganov’s replacement. The Redshirts get minor league MVP Kerrigan in return as well as a pick.

Denver trades F Alex Leblanc to Philadelphia in exchange for G Nathan Bowman.

With the acquisition of Ben Kerrigan, Bowman becomes expendable in Philly but will become Denver’s future in net. Feisty Leblanc will add grit and scoring up front for the Redshirts.

Kansas City trades F Blair Horton to Vancouver in exchange for D Brady Kyle.

In a cap move, the Twisters manage to also add a solid prospect in Kyle. Vancouver adds secondary scoring.

Toronto trades F Greg Parker to New Orleans in exchange for F Chad Mclean.

The Racers once again face major cap issues in 1999. Toronto begins the off-season by trading the horribly overpaid Parker to the Sound, a team needing to reach the salary floor.

Toronto trades F Alexei Yolkin to Denver in exchange for F Taylor Coldwell.

The Racers rid themselves of another albatross contract, sending the former Russian superstar to the Bulls for young, scrappy forward Coldwell.

Key Free Agents

Jared Baxter signs new 12-year deal with Philadelphia worth $9 Million/year.

Alexei Rolonov signs new 10-year deal with Dallas worth $8 Million/year.

Joe Murdock signs new 8-year deal with Toronto worth $7 Million/year.

Brendan Marlo signs new 6-year deal with Minnesota worth $7 Million/year.

JP Belanger signs new 7-year deal with Dallas worth $6 Million/year.

Shawn Marchinski signs new 6-year deal with Calgary worth $6 Million/year.

Lamar Jackson signs new 4-year deal with New York worth $5 Million/year.

Stuart Burns signs new 1-year deal with Toronto worth $4 Million/year.

Jonathan Adams (CGY) signs 3-year deal with Montreal worth $5 Million/year.

The hard-hitting star defenseman gives a huge boost to the defending champions’ blueline.

Trevor Ramsey (CAR) signs 2-year deal with Edmonton worth $1 Million/year.

Ramsey becomes the first player ever to play for both Alberta franchises.

JC Girard (MTL) signs 1-year deal with Kansas City worth $1.5 Million/year.

The 21-year veteran will play into his fourth decade with the hopes of winning one last ring.

Scott Whitmore (TOR) signs 3-year deal with Washington worth $4 Million/year.

Whitmore is released by the Racers, and will now face immense pressure in Washington after the Generals had to move key pieces to fit Whitmore under the cap.

News

The summer of 1999 began with three teams announcing new arenas. Milwaukee would finally move out of the 52-year-old Milwaukee Arena and in to a new 18,500-seat arena in the fall of 2001, with the St. Louis Spirits moving into a new arena as well the same year. The Seattle Grey Wolves also finally secured a new building to replace the 39-year-old Emerald Forum. The arena will be built in downtown Seattle and will open in the fall of 2002.

In coaching news, the Quebec Nationale fired head coach Jacques Colette, replacing him with former winger Dennis Lambert. Colette found a new job as the new coach of the Denver Bulls, who had fired Grant Dunlop after seven seasons behind the Bulls’ bench. Meanwhile, New Orleans fired longtime head coach Randy Kane and replaced him with minor league coach Garth Cullins. Kane had coached the Sound/Claymores franchise since 1977. Finally, Montreal replaced Don Shelburne with former Toronto Racers captain Todd Beirness. Beirness had been coaching the Racers’ minor league affiliate since his retirement, leading them to two championships during the ‘90s.

One of the biggest stories of the year in 1999 was the anticipated expansion announcement. Darryl Byrd would announce the two newest PHL cities on September 1, 1999. Representatives from Houston, Portland, Phoenix, Tampa, Atlanta, and Baltimore, as well as several important people from around the hockey world all gathered in Toronto for the final vote. “I can’t comment on the process itself until it is complete” said Byrd. “All I can say is we have some fine cities to choose from and some solid bids. We’ll just have to see what happens.”

Mustangs Update Logo, Uniforms

After a decade of teams making significant changes to their identities, things slowed down a lot in the summer of 1999. The Detroit Mustangs were the only team to make any changes at all to their primary logo or home and away jerseys. The logo still features the classic white horse but with some detailing added. On the uniforms, the colors have been updated, featuring a darker blue, while the team has also added collar laces to both sweaters, a feature not seen on a home or away uniform since the Philadelphia Redshirts last used it in the early 1980s.

Though there were no other changes made to any home or away uniforms for the 1999-00 season, two teams added new alternate jerseys, while another decided to retire theirs. The Milwaukee Choppers scrapped their orange third jersey, used since 1995, opting to go with only the black road and white home uniforms. The team suggested it may look into another alternate in the future. Meanwhile, the Vancouver Bighorns and New Orleans Sound both unveiled new third jerseys. The Bighorns' black jersey features the same "V" logo found on its' secondary logo, as well as a v-shaped striping pattern on the bottom. The Sound will wear a third jersey unlike any uniform ever seen in the PHL. The jersey is two colors, green on the front and black on the back, with a purple stripe across the shoulders and down the arms, separating the two main colors.

Finally, to commemorate the fast-approaching new millennium, all teams in the PHL will wear a special "PHL2K" patch on the upper-right chest of their uniforms this season. It will mark the first time since the 50th anniversary in 1989 that a commemorative logo will be worn league-wide.