1998-99 Regular Season

The 1998-99 PHL regular season got off to an unusual start, as six teams opened the season abroad. On opening night the Chicago Shamrocks and Toronto Racers played the first of a home-and-home series against each other in Moscow. It was the first time ever that the league played regular season games in Europe and it was a big success, as over 16,000 fans turned out to see the games. Just prior to the second game, Vladimir Gaganov took the opportunity to announce his retirement at season’s end. Gaganov was given a standing ovation after the game from the Russian fans. Two weeks into the season, Montreal and New York faced off in Stockholm, Sweden. 14,000 fans packed into the arena as the Royale defeated the Civics in both games. In December, Los Angeles and Minnesota completed the Europe Series in Prague, where the teams split the home-and-home and Minnesota’s Pavel Vana treated his hometown to a two-goal performance in the second game. Overall, the games in Europe were considered a big success, immediately leading to fan speculation about possible expansion overseas. Darryl Byrd quickly dismissed the rumours, saying it was more likely the league would continue to send teams over for a series each year then actually add franchises in Europe.

As his final season continued, Vladimir Gaganov inched closer and closer to two important milestones. On December 9, Gaganov became the third player in PHL history to scored 800 goals. Then, just three weeks later, he scored point number 1812 to pass Stuart Holly for third place on the all-time scoring list and confirm his status as the greatest European player in the league’s history.

The regular season belonged to the reigning Lewis Cup Champions, as the Minnesota Lumberjacks took first place overall with 112 points, as the only team in the league to win 50 games. Jason Crowley and Pavel Vana finished 1^st and 2^nd in league scoring, marking the first time ever that teammates took the top two spots. After an underachieving year in ’97-98, the Kansas City Twisters won the Central Division with 101 points as Brett Delaney enjoyed a 93-point season. Despite Gaganov’s successful fairwell season, Chicago slid to fourth, their lowest finish since 1992.

For the first time in their brief history, the Dallas Desperadoes looked like a playoff contender throughout the year. AJ Vernon had a breakout season with 36 goals while Alexei Rolonov finished third in Whyte Trophy voting in only his third season. The Desperadoes were engaged in a tight race with the Vancouver Bighorns throughout the final weeks of the regular season. Dallas held the final playoff spot until an 8-game winning streak for the Bighorns put them in eighth place. After winning their final game of the season in Denver, Dallas only needed a Vancouver loss. The Bighorns trailed Los Angeles until the third period, when Tory Partridge tied the game. Early in overtime, Andrei Yegorov scored to send Vancouver back to the post-season and eliminate the Desperadoes from playoff contention. It was a disappointing end for what was a breakout season in Dallas, but the Desperadoes remained optimistic about their future. “As disappointing as this is, we made some huge steps as a franchise, next year, the playoffs will be our goal” said GM Ross Becker.

In the East, the Philadelphia Redshirts were celebrating a century of hockey. On opening night, several Redshirt legends were honoured in a pre-game ceremony including Gil Parsons, David Zimmer, Gary Johnson, Tom Lapin, and Ben Jenkins, the oldest living player from the team’s history. The Redshirts also wore three retro jerseys throughout the season from different periods of the teams’ history and held special “Vintage Nights” were all the food prices reflected those of the era being celebrated. “I think the fans really enjoyed the five cent beers in 1940s night” said team president Bob Wells Jr. The Redshirts’ performance on the ice was solid throughout the year. Jared Baxter led the team in scoring while Jonathan Stafford’s veteran leadership also came with 67 points as Philly took second place in the Atlantic.

 In Montreal, the talented Royale were enjoying a strong year when in late November, New Orleans forward Chad McLean attacked Vincent Ducharme with a vicious cross-check to the face. Ducharme suffered a fractured cheekbone and missed only two games, returning with a full-facemask, but head coach and GM Don Shelburne had seen enough. Tired of seeing Ducharme targeted night after night, Shelburne made a trade with St. Louis, acquiring 6’6”, 246 lb tough guy Ryan McCarthy to act as Ducharme’s “bodyguard”. In McCarthy’s first game with the Royale, he immediately dropped the gloves with Washington defenseman Dwayne Ingram, sending a clear message to the league that Montreal would not be pushed around. No longer having to look over his shoulder all the time, Ducharme won the Cleveland Cup as the league’s top scorer and the Royale took first place in the Eastern Conference, just barely edging out Washington and New York. The Toronto Racers, despite losing some talent to the new salary cap, still managed a fourth-place finish as Joe Murdock proved his incredible rookie season was no fluke, leading the team in scoring once again with 91 points.

Heading towards the end of the regular season, the Eastern Conference once again saw one of the tightest playoff races ever. Long Island, Detroit, Miami, and Carolina all battled for the eighth and final spot with Quebec also emerging as a dark horse as the season drew to a close. Carolina, bogged down by injuries all year, was the first to fall out of the race with two tough road losses in early April. Miami held the final position with the Concordes and Mustangs in close pursuit. The Stingrays needed only a win in their final game against Washington to clinch the spot, but lost in a heartbreaker as the Generals, involved in a race of their own for first place, won with just six minutes left. Now the Rays needed help form two teams as Detroit faced Cleveland and Long Island faced Boston. If Detroit won, their record would be identical to Miami’s but they would get in as they had swept the season series. The Mustangs fought hard to come back from a 3-1 deficit to tie the Cosmos, before receiving the devastating news that Long Island had beaten the Bulldogs, clinching the final playoff position. As the heartbroken Mustangs prepared for overtime, head coach Cliff Lyle spoke up. “We still need to win this game, for our fans and for each other” said Lyle. Eric Thorn was the hero for Detroit, scoring with 20 seconds remaining in overtime to end the season with a win. Meanwhile, the Concordes were ecstatic to be returning to the post-season for the first time in five years. Their chances were slim facing the powerful Royale in the first round, but the team was just proud to be back. “This is the best moment of my career!” said star forward Ryan Shelton, who had yet to play in a playoff game. “I’m just excited to finally play some playoff hockey.”

Redshirts Prepare For Centennial Celebration

The oldest hockey franchise in the United States, the Philadelphia Redshirts, will celebrate one hundred seasons of existence in 1998-99. The team was founded in 1899 as the Philadelphia Hockey Club and dominated the amateur hockey leagues in the eastern United States until 1924, when the team went professional as a member of the American Professional Hockey Association. In 1939, the team was one of the founding members of the Professional Hockey League.

For their 100th anniversary celebration, the Redshirts will bring back several important players from their history, including the oldest surviving player in franchise history, 87-year-old Ben Jenkins. "This is an important season in our history" said franchise owner Bob Wells Jr. "We have a lot to be proud of as a franchise and we look forward to celebrating it with our fans."

1998 Off-Season

1998 Entry Draft

The 1998 Entry Draft was historical for a few reasons. Fewer Canadians were selected in the first round than ever before in the PHL draft. Only nine were picked, while Americans outnumbered their Northern neighbors in the first round for the first time ever. Mikael Malmberg was selected first overall out of the Swedish Elite League. Malmberg, a late 1979 birthday, was able to play pro a year early. Big forward Kyle Mathis went second to Edmonton, his hometown team, while Plattsburgh, NY native and former high school star Darren Reid was selected third by New Orleans. Other interesting pics included Anders Almgren, whose father was one of the greatest coaches in Swedish Elite league history, and goaltender Mark Davis, selected 26^th by Toronto. Davis had suffered two broken legs at age 13 and was told he would never play competitive sports again. After two years of intense rehab, Davis returned in time to dominate in high school, then play a year in the NCAA, where he shot up the draft rankings.

1.      DEN – Mikael Malmberg, D, SWE

2.      EDM – Kyle Mathis, F, CAN

3.      NOS – Darren Reid, F, USA

4.      BOS – Igor Nokavich, D, RUS

5.      DAL – Shawn Marchinski, F, CAN

6.      MIL – Riko Nokalainen, F, FIN

7.      VAN – Pascal Lemaire, F, CAN

8.      CGY – Justin Timmins, F, CAN

9.      LI – Trevor Keller, F, USA

10.   CHI (From MIA) – Alan Morrow, D, USA

11.   QUE – Todd McDonald, F, CAN

12.   DET – Kevin Smith, D, USA

13.   KC – Paul Hrlac, F, CZE

14.   STL – Anders Almgren, F, SWE

15.   PHI – Brett Zink, D, CAN

16.   WPG – Joni Kita, F, FIN

17.   CAR – Chris May, D, CAN

18.   SEA – Sergei Kruev, F, RUS

19.   PIT – Adam Tanzer, F, GER

20.   CLE – Ryan Hardy, G, USA

21.   LA – Patrick Gaines, F, USA

22.   MTL – Jean Pierre Cote, D, CAN

23.   WSH – Luke Moyer, D, CAN

24.   MIN – Jozef Banik, F, SVK

25.   CAL – Ted Brown, D, USA

26.   TOR – Mark Davis, G, USA

27.   NYC – Alexei Bobarov, F, RUS

28.   CHI – Jared Young, F, USA

Notable Retirements:

Niklas Ekberg, F, STL, 1979-1998

Though he was largely overshadowed by David Appleby and Grant Millen, Ekberg still played an important depth role in the St. Louis dynasty of the 1980s, even scoring the winning goals in the 1984 and 86 finals. After other key parts of the dynasty left during the 1990s, Ekberg remained in St. Louis for the remainder of his career, seriving as an important leader and mentor to the younger players on the team.

Jakob Martensson, G, PIT, DEN, 1982-1998

Martensson backstopped one of the more powerful franchises through the 1980s. The Pittsburgh Stingers appeared in four Lewis Cup finals through the decade and won it all in 1985 with Martensson playing an important role each time. In 1996, Martensson left Pittsburgh and signed with the Denver Bulls, where he would finish his career.

Magnus Swedberg, F, PHI, TOR, KC, 1982-1998

One of the most talented European players in PHL history, Magnus Swedberg played a big role on all three teams he played for. Swedberg helped Philadelphia to a Lewis Cup finals appearance in 1989, but never returned to the championship, playing nine more seasons in Toronto and Kansas City before retiring.

Notable Trades

Chicago trades D Theo Sprouse to Miami in exchange for 1^st round pick.

The Shamrocks make the first in a slew of cap-related trades over the summer. Sprouse’s departure gets Chicago under the new salary cap while the Stingrays hope his arrival in Florida will mean a return to the playoffs.

Washington trades F Maxime Trepanier to Calgary in exchange for D Ben Parsons.

Parsons’ entry-level cap hit is more manageable for the Generals than Trepanier’s $2 Million. Trepanier will give the Wranglers some much-needed depth.

Los Angeles trades F Gustav Mattsen to Philadelphia in exchange for F Owen Betts.

In another cap move, the Wizards are forced to part ways with one of their star forwards. Betts adds size and grit to the LA offense, while Mattsen brings speed and a natural scoring ability to Philly.

Seattle trades D Olle Ragnarsson to Dallas in exchange for D Luke Ferguson.

In a last-minute move to get under the cap, the Wolves move Ragnarsson to Dallas at the conclusion of the pre-season. Ragnarsson is expected to significantly improve the Desperadoes defense.

Key Free Agents

AJ Vernon signs new 10-year deal with Dallas worth $8 Million/year.

Igor Zharkov signs new 6-year deal with Washington worth $7 Million/year.

AJ Devries signs new 12-year deal with Vancouver worth $6 Million/year.

Jeremy Kitchen (NYC) signs 4-year deal with Kansas City worth $5 Million/year.

The Twisters replace Magnus Swedberg with star veteran Kitchen, who was forced out of New York when the Civics couldn’t afford to re-sign him.

Ali Leino (CAL) signs 7-year deal with Calgary worth $5 Million/year.

The Wranglers continue to improve their roster with the addition of Leino, who will be looked at as a leader on the Calgary blueline.

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 biggest news item in 1998 was the announcement of six cities applying for expansion. Houston, Phoenix, Portland, Atlanta, Tampa, and Baltimore would all be reviewed by an expansion committee beginning in the summer of 1999. Byrd stated that preferably, one western city and one eastern city would be chosen. Among the rejected cities were Las Vegas, San Antonio, Anaheim, Orlando, Memphis, Newark, and Ottawa, where a new arena will finally be built in 2002. Tampa expressed interest at the last minute but submitted a bid that was too impressive for Byrd to turn down. “I believe any of these six markets would serve our league well” said Byrd. “We’ll let the expansion committee decide it from here.”

In California the Nuggets finally secured a new arena in the Bay area. The team announced it would be relocating to Oakland in time for the 2000-01 season. The city of Oakland agreed to pay for 60 percent of the construction costs with several conditions, most notably that the team be renamed the Oakland Nuggets.

In other arena news two teams announced plans for new buildings. Los Angeles Wizards President Stuart Holly announced plans for a new arena to be built across the parking lot from Inglewood Colosseum. The arena would open in the spring of 2001 with the Wizards moving in in time for the 2001-02 season. The St. Louis Spirits also secured financing for a new arena with the hope it would be built in time for 2001-02.

When the 1998-99 schedule was released, the league announced six regular season games to take place in Europe early in the regular season. The Toronto Racers and Chicago Shamrocks would play two games in Moscow, the Montreal Royale would play the New York Civics twice in Stockholm, and the Los Angeles Wizards and Minnesota Lumberjacks would play two games in Prague. “These games will play a big role in expanding our global footprint” said commissioner Darryl Byrd.

There was also sad news out of Minnesota, as Bobby Sorel, the legendary Lumberjacks goaltender, was diagnosed with Cancer. In July, doctors determined that Sorel was terminally ill and likely had less than two years to live. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Bobby and his family during this time. Bobby has meant a lot to this organization and this community over the years.” said Lumberjacks owner Gil McCarthy. Sorel stated that he would continue as the team’s goaltending coach as long as he could.

1998 Realignment

In the summer of 1998, the PHL finally underwent a divisional realignment to properly  accommodate franchise relocation and expansion through 1990s as well as future expansion. In the new configuration, each conference will now feature three divisions. Four divisions will include five teams while two will include four teams. The Western Conference will feature the North Division, Pacific Division, and Central Division, while the Eastern Conference will feature the Northeast Division, the Atlantic Division, and the South Division.

Grey Wolves, Twisters Unveil New Uniforms

Since taking over as General Manager of the Seattle Grey Wolves in 1991, Bobby Vail  had always wanted to update the team's look. The opportunity finally came in 1998 as Seattle unveiled a new logo and new uniforms for the first time in franchise history. The new logo features a snarling wolf while the uniforms retain the Grey and Green color scheme with Black added. "The new look is definitely more aggressive and intimidating, I think it suits the group we have very well" said Vail.

Kansas City also updated their uniforms as part of their tenth anniversary celebration. The logo remains similar to the original with the colors rearranged and the text removed. The uniforms have been updated to feature a unique striping pattern on each shoulder meant to resemble a tornado. 

The Twisters also unveiled a tenth anniversary logo, which will be worn on the front corner of the jersey. The Miami Stingrays also unveiled their tenth anniversary logo, which will also be worn on the front corner of the uniform.

Finally, three more teams unveiled third jerseys for the 1998-99. The Toronto Racers, Dallas Desperadoes, and Edmonton Northern Lights all added alternate uniforms. Meanwhile, the California Nuggets retired their black road uniforms, making their popular teal alternates the new road jerseys.

1998 Lewis Cup Finals

Deep into June, 1998, the Lewis Cup Finals were set to begin later than ever before. The Minnesota Lumberjacks were making their third appearance of the decade, while the Generals appeared in their first final since making it to two consecutive finals in 1980 and ’81.

Game one took place on June 16 at JFK Arena. Tomas Axelsson opened the scoring for Washington before Minnesota scored three in the second period and held on for a 3-1 win to steal home ice advantage. In game two, it was Washington who exploded offensively with four goals from Axelsson, Igor Zharkov, Rob Wentzel, and Geoff Collier. The series was now tied heading to Minnesota.

Game three was very close. The teams skated to a 3-3 tie and the game went into overtime. About two minutes into overtime, Geoff Collier took a penalty and Minnesota went on the powerplay. With the top unit of Crowley, Vana, and Greg Willis peppering the Generals with shots, Jake Borman had to play at the top of his game, meeting every challenge. After killing the penalty, the Generals began to make a push themselves. They would finally be rewarded when Rob Wentzel beat Christian Grayson to give Washington a 4-3 win and a 2-1 series lead.

Game four would be the first-ever PHL game played in the summer and the Lumberjacks badly needed a win. “We know what we need to do, it’s just a matter of executing” said Jason Crowley. Crowley himself would step up in game four, scoring a goal and assisting on Pavel Vana’s winning goal as the Lumberjacks tied the series. Washington had an opportunity at home in game five to regain the series lead. It seemed like the momentum shifted when tough defenseman Dwayne Ingram caught star Lumberjacks forward Stanislav Zykov with his head down and laid him out with a devastating hit. Zykov laid on the ice for several minutes before being helped off. Washington then scored two goals just minutes later. Halfway through the game, Greg Willis challenged Ingram and fought him, shifting the momentum in Minnesota’s favour. Shortly after the fight, Pavel Vana scored two goals at the end of the second period. Two minutes into the third period, Vana scored again to complete the hat-trick. With the ‘Jacks leading 3-2, Washington pulled Borman. After Grayson made several big saves in the dying seconds, Brendan Marlo scored on the empty net to seal a 4-2 Lumberjacks win and give them an opportunity to win the Lewis Cup at home in game six.

Prior to game six in Minnesota, the twin cities were buzzing with anticipation. The Lumberjacks were just one win away from winning another championship, but Washington had plans of their own. Game six would go on to be a classic. The Generals jumped to a 2-0 lead on goals from Maxime Trepanier and Brendan O’Connor. At the end of the first period, Vana scored to bring Minnesota to within one. Just three minutes into the second period, Crowley scored to tie the game, but the Generals were quick to respond, re-taking the lead on a goal from Igor Zharkov. It appeared that the series was destined to go to a seventh game, until Stanislav Zykov, who returned despite still feeling the effects of a concussion, scored to tie the game. Washington nearly took the lead again late in the third period, but Trepanier’s shot hit the post. The game went into overtime, where Christian Grayson and Jake Borman both played very well, until finally, early in the second OT, Pavel Vana beat Borman to end the game. Vana threw his gloves off as the Minnesota players spilled off the bench. The Lumberjacks were Lewis Cup Champions for the second time in three years. Vana, who had scored the first overtime Lewis Cup winner since 1984, was named playoff MVP. One of the most bizarre seasons in PHL history was over as the league entered a new era.

1998 Playoffs

Just three days after clinching a playoff spot in dramatic fashion, the Philadelphia Redshirts faced the New York Civics in the first round. Riding on the momentum of the regular season, the Redshirts managed to bring the Civics to a 2-2 tie after dropping the first two games on the road. In a pivotal game five, Jared Baxter’s late-third period goal eventually proved to be the winner in a 4-2 victory and Philadelphia had a chance to upset the defending champions in six games. In game six, Aaron Duplacy scored twice as the Civics forced game seven with a 5-2 win. In game seven, back at Broadway House, the game went into overtime, where Nathan Bowman and Jason Wyley both played spectacularly in net. Nearing the end of the first overtime, Jeremy Kitchen scored to give the Civics the win and send them to the second round.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, The Toronto Racers defeated the Carolina Raiders in six games, Washington eliminated Pittsburgh for the third straight year, while the Montreal Royale never really allowed the Cleveland Cosmos into the series, wining in five games.

Out west, The Los Angeles Wizards faced a scrappy Seattle Grey Wolves team on the rise. Seattle won the first game, with Drake Klausen scoring the winner in OT. LA tied it before Seattle moved ahead with a win at home. Suddenly feeling desperate, the Wizards eked out a win in game four. The series was now tied 2-2. In Los Angeles for game five, the Grey Wolves played a strong road game, with 37-year-old Craig Bush proving to be the hero, scoring the winner early in the third period. Facing elimination in game six, the Wizards were in desperation mode. Gustav Mattsen scored twice in a 4-3 win to force game seven back home at Inglewood Coliseum. Game seven would be a classic. Both Jim Cochran for LA and Sean Harrington for Seattle stood on their heads in a 0-0 tie that went into overtime with no score. After nearly five periods with no scoring, Drake Klausen ended the game and the upset for Seattle.

In other Western Conference action, Minnesota swept their expansion cousins, the Winnipeg Pioneers, while California spoiled the St. Louis Spirits’ return to the post-season in five games. The Chicago Shamrocks, led by the new-look Russian Connection Line with Sergei Krayev taking the place of Alexander Orlov, jumped to a 2-0 series lead over Kansas City, only to lose the next four as the Twisters redeemed themselves after a tough regular season and advanced to the second round.

Two of the top teams in the league would clash in the second round as the New York Civics met the Montreal Royale.  The series was evenly matched, as the teams skated to a 2-2 series tie after the first four games. In game five, the Royale completely fell apart late in the third period of a 0-0 game. Lamar Jackson, Tobias Krause, and Darian Higgins all scored within seven minutes in what would be a 3-0 win for the Civics. Jonathan Bouret would bounce back in game six with the Royale facing elimination, stopping 39 shots in a 4-2 Montreal win to force game seven. In game seven, Vincent Ducharme turned in one of his famous clutch performances, scoring two goals and two assists as Montreal won the game 5-3 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

In the west, California would face Kansas City for the third straight year in the playoffs. The Twisters had been the monkey on the Nuggets backs since 1996, knocking them out of the playoffs in the first round the previous two years. The Nuggets got off to a bad start, going down 2-1 in the series, then 3-2. Once again, the Twisters were on the brink of ending the Nuggets’ season. Game six was in Kansas City, where the Twisters came out strong, opening the scoring, then peppering Bradley Pope with shots, but the 29-year-old was up to the challenge. Pope stopped 42 shots while Kevin Hoyle and Teppo Saari each scored in a 2-1 win to force a seventh game. In game seven, the teams were tied 2-2 entering the third period, when Ryan Lockhart scored to break the tie and give California the lead. Pope would turn in another strong performance as the Nuggets held on to win and finally eliminate the Twisters and advance to the Western Conference Finals. “It’s a relief to finally reach this point” said Hoyle. “We still have a few steps to go.” In other second-round action, Jason Crowley scored six goals in five games as Minnesota ended Seattle’s run in five games, while Washington continued to roll, beating the Toronto Racers in six games.

In the Western Conference Finals, the red-hot California Nuggets clashed with Jason Crowley and the Minnesota Lumberjacks. Minnesota appeared to be the better team, winning the first two games on the road. The Nuggets responded, winning two games in Minnesota to tie the series. After four games, the road team had won every game. Game five would finally break that trend when the Nuggets earned a 6-1 win to take a 3-2 series lead with an opportunity to advance to the Lewis Cup Finals for the first time since winning the title in 1980. In Minnesota for game six, California played hard, leading the game twice, but Pavel Vana and Greg Willis each scored to tie the game, before Vana scored again midway through the third period to put the ‘Jacks ahead. Ultimately, Minnesota hung on for a 4-2 win to force game seven. In the deciding game, Jason Crowley and Pavel Vana each scored to make it 2-0 while goaltender Christian Grayson closed the door on the Nuggets right through to the final minutes, when Ulf Linden scored to bring the game to within a goal. Grayson then had to stand tall as the Nuggets pressed hard for the tying goal. The Nuggets failed to score and Minnesota returned to the Lewis Cup Finals for the second time in three years.

Meanwhile, the Montreal Royale found themselves down 2-0 against Washington. At home for games three and four, Vincent Ducharme continued his strong play again in game three, scoring twice in a 3-1 win. In game four, veteran Sylvain Landry scored the winner as the Royale tied the series. Washington, having given up the series lead, was determined not to let the opportunity slip away this time. “We need to step up our play in game five” said Rob Wentzel. The Generals would indeed step up their game. Maxime Trepanier beat Bouret just two minutes into overtime to give Washington a 3-2 win and a 3-2 series lead. Game six in Montreal was all Washington. Checked tightly by Dwayne Ingram and Justin Hill, Ducharme and the Montreal offence was completely shut down. Jake Borman earned a shutout as the Generals advanced to the Lewis Cup Finals for the first time since 1981.