2006-07 Regular Season

The PHL entered a new era as the 2006-07 season began. For the first time since the 1989-90 season the league had a new commissioner, Greg Nolan. The Nolan era began with a special tour in which the commissioner attended a home game in all thirty PHL cities over the first half of the season, addressing each fanbase and dropping a ceremonial puck. “We have a lot of work to do as a league” said Nolan in his first address in Toronto. “But I assure you the future of the PHL is bright.” Part of that bright future made his debut in Detroit. Rookie Nathan Sibley led the Mustangs in scoring with 91 points, claiming rookie-of-the year honours. The son of former LA Wizard Jason Sibley, Nathan proved to be more of a skilled player than his gritty father. He was placed on a line with veteran Dominik Musil and together they finally gave Detroit fans a reason to get excited for the first time in years despite a last-place finish in the east.

The Eastern Conference was dominated by Atlantic Division teams, as Boston took the top spot thanks in part to the solid play of 39-year-old Jason Crowley. Crowley, who had all but confirmed he was playing in his final PHL season, had 22 goals and another 27 assists for 49 points, playing mostly in a second-line role alongside rookie Jordan Mclean, who was born during Crowley’s second season in Minnesota. On January 8, Boston visited Minnesota on what Crowley knew would be an emotional night. The longtime Lumberjacks captain skated out to a standing ovation at the Oval Center that lasted 12 minutes. Not surprisingly, the tears flowed from number 90. “I didn’t plan on having that reaction but I was okay with it” said Crowley. “This whole state means so much to me. Not every player gets to win championships in the same place they learned to skate. I’ll always be grateful to the Lumberjacks organization.” Crowley would establish himself as the almost undisputed greatest American player in league history, passing Vincent Ducharme and George Allen to reach fifth on the all-time scoring list with 1756 points. The Bulldogs also solidified their goaltending after a rocky start for Chad Cohen, sending defenseman Travis Tearney to Toronto in a big trade for former college star Mark Davis.

2006-07 was an important year for the Houston Roughnecks. In their second season in Texas, the franchise finally began to make some strides. Petr Kaleek finally enjoyed a career season, leading the league in shutouts and claiming the Whyte Trophy as the league’s top goalie as well as the Ridley Trophy for League MVP. Second-year forward Derek Ewin led the Roughnecks in scoring, but the team was mostly noted for a hard-working, tight defensive style introduced by second-year head coach Joe Fletcher. The team would go up by a goal or two, then clog up the middle of the ice, forcing teams to the boards. If other teams did manage to get into the Houston end, they were forced to shoot from the perimeter, as the slot would be inaccessible. Fans around the league complained that Houston games were incredibly boring to watch but Roughneck fans certainly weren’t complaining as their team clinched a playoff spot for the first time since the move.

A string of wins at the end of the season helped the Roughnecks avoid a four-team scramble for the last playoff spot in the east. Quebec, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Miami all found themselves vying for the final spot with a couple of games remaining on the schedule. Miami was eliminated quickly after a loss to Carolina, while Cleveland defeated arch-rival Pittsburgh to claim the 8^th spot. All the Cosmos needed was a Montreal win over Quebec to clinch. The Royale led near the end of the game but with only 12 seconds left Jake Wilson scored his second of the night to tie the game and send it to overtime. It would be a big night for the former Minnesota State Screaming Eagle, as he would score just 29 seconds into OT to complete the hat-trick and send Quebec to the playoffs.

If fans thought the Eastern Conference playoff race was exciting, it had nothing on the battle out west. On the final night of the season, Portland faced Seattle, while Denver faced St. Louis. Of the four teams, only Seattle had been eliminated, after losing to LA two nights earlier. The winner of Denver/St. Louis would claim the final spot if Seattle could beat Portland. The Bulls and Spirits would trade leads all game long. Denver led entering the third period, just as the Grey Wolves and Cascades were entering the second tied in Portland. A goal early in the third period gave Denver a 5-4 lead as both teams tried hard not to think about the game on the West coast. Martin Barker had to make some big saves in the dying seconds but the Bulls held on for a 6-4 win. After saluting their fans, the Bulls retreated to the dressing room where they nervously watched the third period of the Cascades/Wolves game, now tied 2-2. The 2006-07 season was a coming-of-age season for the Cascades, who had finally found a way to overcome injuries and off-ice drama to find themselves one goal away from their first-ever playoff berth. Seattle would jump to a 4-2 lead early in the third, but Portland didn’t panic. A goal from veteran Chris Cassidy brought the game within reach again for the Cascades. With three minutes left and nothing to lose, Portland pulled Daniel Boivre for the extra attacker. The move backfired, as Matt Pope scored with 43 seconds left to seal the win for the Grey Wolves. But the referee waved off the goal. The Wolves had six skaters on the ice. Seattle was penalized and the Cascades now had 6-on-4 powerplay with Boivre pulled. The Cascades peppered Dan Pilford with shots, and finally Kris Lukowich found the back of the net to tie the game with 8 seconds left. The Cascades were still alive. It looked like the game would go to overtime, but when Portland won the faceoff, Patrick Diaz took the puck down the wing and with less than four seconds on the clock, flipped it toward the Seattle goal. Pilford thought he had it between his pads, but it fell out behind him and rolled into the net as the buzzer went off. The play had to be reviewed to determine if time had run out. The referee discussed the play on the phone for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, he hung up the phone, turned and pointed to center ice. Indicating a goal. The Cascades poured off the bench like they had won the Lewis Cup. Portland would finally make its post-season debut. “It doesn’t get more dramatic than that” said head coach Rick Camford.

Two players in the Western Conference reached important milestones in 2006-07. In November, 22-year-veteran Randy Fernandez became only the second defenseman in PHL history to reach 1000 points. Fernandez, playing in his second season with the Dallas Desperados was frequently asked about retirement throughout the year as he was set to become a UFA again in the summer. But the 40-year-old insisted that as long as someone was willing to sign him he had no intention of retiring. Meanwhile, in Edmonton, Kris Nazarenko got halfway to Fernandez in only less than a quarter of the time. Nazarenko scored his 500^th career point on a goal in a 3-0 win over Oakland in late march.

The Milwaukee Choppers once again led the charge out west with a 109-point season. Brad McNair won the Cleveland Cup with 106 points while his linemate, Adam Wyrzykowski, also finished in the top ten with 92. It looked like the Chops would have no issue coming out of the West for the third straight season. Milwaukee would face Portland in the first round and the Choppers were confident they would return to the finals for the third consecutive season. “I think we just keep getting better as a team” said McNair. “Every year we get more confident, we’re excited about the playoffs this year.”

2006 Off-Season

2006 Entry Draft

The Detroit Mustang’s rebuild continued at the 2006 draft, with the selection of high-scoring winger Nathan Sibley. The son of former LA Wizard Jason Sibley, Nathan was the first of several players with PHL bloodlines drafted in 2006. After Calgary took 6’7” behemoth defenseman Jordan Foster second, Swede Mats Ossler was the first goaltender selected, taken by Vancouver at number three. Bryce Hawkins, son of former Milwaukee Chopper Terry Hawkins, was selected sixth by the Washington Generals, while Devan Chadwick, son of former Nuggets captain Alan Chadwick, was picked next by the Portland Cascades.  To cap off an interesting first round, two identical twins were selected, Stingers’ pick Josh McBride at number four, and his brother Dan, who went to Carolina at number 20.”It should be interesting when we play the Raiders” said Stingers GM Craig Perry. “I hope we can tell them apart.”

1.      DET – Nathan Sibley, F, CAN

2.      CGY – Jordan Foster, D, CAN

3.      VAN – Mats Ossler, G, SWE

4.      PIT – Josh McBride, F, CAN

5.      HOU – Ari Aaltonen, D, FIN

6.      WSH – Bryce Hawkins, D, USA

7.      POR – Devan Chadwick, D, USA

8.      MIA – Gavin Day, D, CAN

9.      MTL – Jakub Cermak, D, CZE

10.   DEN – Evgeni Egorov, F, RUS

11.   QUE – Mario Jacques, D, CAN

12.   STL – Garret Cain, F, USA

13.   WPG – Elias Edlund, F, SWE

14.   BOS(From MIN) – Taylor Gibbs, D, CAN

15.   ATL – Igor Vasiliev, F, RUS

16.   OAK – Cedric Fournier, F, CAN

17.   CHI – Antero Honka, F, FIN

18.   NYC – James Duckett, D, USA

19.   DET(From KC) – Aaron Bowman, F, CAN

20.   CAR – Dan McBride, F, CAN

21.   LA – Evan Cross, F, CAN

22.   DAL – Bryce Waters, F, USA

23.   BOS – Anders Sparre, F, SWE

24.   CLE – Darren Robertson, D, CAN

25.   TOR – Jordan McLean, D, CAN

26.   EDM – Radek Simek, F, CZE

27.   PHI – Luke Bowers, G, CAN

28.   LI – Bryan Yates, F, USA

29.   SEA – Ville Peltola, G, FIN

30.   MIL – Vaclav Kubik, D, SVK

Phenom Alert: He won’t be eligible for the draft until 2008, but already Erik Camden is already considered a lock for the 1^st overall pick. After a record-breaking 2004-05 season in the Ontario Midget league, Already 6’3”, 212 pounds, Camden was allowed to play major junior a year early at 15, where he scored 60 goals playing for the Guelph Royals. “He’s already miles ahead of the rest of the 1990 draft class, he could play next season if he was allowed” said one scout.

Notable Retirements:

Pavel Vana, F, MIN, 1990-2006

Pavel Vana first arrived on the hockey scene when he wowed everyone as a 17-year-old at the 1988 World Hockey Challenge. Just over a year later, Vana was finally allowed to leave his native Czechoslovakia and join the Minnesota Lumberjacks, a team on the rise. In only his first few months with the team, he helped them all the way to the Lewis Cup Finals, where they ultimately lost to Long Island. The deep run was a sign of things to come for Vana and the Lumberjacks, as Minnesota would win two championships in 1996 and 1998 with Vana capping off a playoff MVP performance with the Cup-clinching OT goal in ’98. Despite offers from other PHL teams, Vana decided to return to the Czech Republic to finish his playing career.

Rob Wentzel, F, WSH, SEA, 1988-2006

Drafted eighth overall by the Generals, Rob Wentzel came with big expectations after leading the BCHL’s Chilliwack Night Flyers to a national major junior championship in 1988. The Generals sent Wentzel back to junior early in the 1988-89 season, where he led Chilliwack to a second consecutive title. In 1989-90 Wentzel finally joined Washington for good. Though he was not the flashiest player of his time, Wentzel’s leadership, grit, and expert two-way play led the Generals to two Lewis Cup Finals appearances in 1998 and 2000. In the hopes of finally winning a championship, Wentzel left the rebuilding Generals for the Seattle Grey Wolves in 2003. Unfortunately, that opportunity never came for Wentzel, who admits that missing out on the Lewis Cup is his biggest career regret.

Christian Grayson, G, MIN, CGY, 1990-2006

At the conclusion of his first season as a number one goaltender, newly crowned Lewis Cup Champion Christian Grayson received perhaps the highest honour any goaltender could hope for, Bobby Sorel, regarded as the greatest netminder in PHL history, said that Grayson’s performance in the 1996 playoffs was “the greatest goaltending I have ever seen”. Grayson’s cool head and quick glove helped the Lumberjacks to a second title two years later, while Grayson took home the Whyte Trophy as the league’s top goaltender. In 2004, Grayson signed with Calgary, where he played his final two seasons.

Notable Trades

Seattle trades F Randy McAllen to Long Island in exchange for F Patrick Murphy.

Two underachieving forwards are swapped in the hopes that new scenery could motivate them.

Winnipeg trades F Dan Crow to Cleveland in exchange for F Tyler Petrie.

The Pioneers trade their captain to a Cosmos team that hopes to contend again. 19-year-old Petrie hopes to turn pro with Winnipeg after spending 2005-06 with the Cosmos’ farm team in Columbus.

Long Island trades F Nikolai Nazakov to Los Angeles in exchange for F Owen Betts.

The Concordes deal Nazakov to get under the salary cap, while also adding some toughness. LA gets more skilled up front as they continue to transition from rebuilder to contender.

Key Free Agents

RFAs:

F Kris Lukowich signs new deal with Portland worth $8 Million/year.

D Thomas Sandberg signs new deal with Pittsburgh worth $8 Million/year.

D Noah Brewer signs new deal with Cleveland worth $6 Million/year.

F Evan Long signs new deal with Quebec worth $6 Million/year.

F Ilya Zhinovjev signs new deal with Oakland worth $5 Million/year.

G Jussi Miettinen signs new deal with St. Louis worth $4 Million/year.

F Jordan Goode signs new deal with Calgary worth $3 Million/year.

UFA Signings:

F Dominik Musil (CGY) signs 6-year deal with Detroit worth $10 Million/year.

Detroit’s new management sends a message to their fans that they’re serious about winning, signing the Czech star to a huge, $80 Million deal after bonuses and incentives.

F Darren Reid signs new 10-year deal with Toronto worth $8 Million/year.

Reid earned big money after helping deliver another cup to TO, but there are now concerns about signing franchise player Murdock in 2007.

D Scott Drayton (KC) signs 3-year deal with Long Island worth $5 Million/year.

Though Drayton is well past his prime, he is seasoned and has a ring. He will bring valuable experience to an already solid Concorde blueline.

F Jason Crowley (DAL) signs 1-year deal with Boston worth $1 Million/year.

After considering retirement, the future hall-of-famer was convinced by former teammate and Boston captain Brendan Marlo to give it one more shot at a third title.

News

It didn’t take long for the first coaching change of 2006 to come about. Just days after losing the Western Conference Finals, the Dallas Desperados fired head coach Willy Rowe. In June, the Desperados replaced Rowe with former St. Louis enforcer Ryan McCarthy. McCarthy had retired as a player in 2002 and invested in a major junior franchise along with Grant Millen and Shannon Michaels, the Brampton Rink Rats. Known as a popular player’s coach, McCarthy coached the Rats to a Dominion Cup appearance in only their second season in 2004. Rowe found a new job by summer’s end with Seattle, after the retirement of Wolves’ coach Bruce Dickenson.

Big news came out of Toronto in July, as the Racers announced plans for a new arena, set to open in time for the 2009-10 season. The team had played in the Queen Elizabeth Arena since 1956 and the building was considered a Canadian landmark. In other news, Ottawa was named host of the 2008 World Hockey Challenge. The city will be the first non-PHL city in North America to host the tournament and was selected largely due to the brand new arena.

After a year of speculation and suspicion, the hockey world seemed to be forgetting about the FBI investigation of commissioner Darryl Byrd and his involvement with mobster Eddie Garofalo amidst an exciting 2005-06 season followed by a flurry of off-season moves. On July 29, PHL fans everywhere woke up to stunning news, Byrd had been arrested after the interrogation of one of Garofalo’s associates. The man named Byrd as one of several business lawyers Garofalo had paid off while orchestrating a variety of white-collar crimes through the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Byrd would stand trial in 2007 but the league could not wait for a verdict. In an emergency meeting of the PHL owners, Byrd was removed as PHL commissioner on July 31, 2006. After being cleared of any involvement in the mess, deputy commissioner Neil McCormick was named interim commissioner. But the 76-year-old’s tenure would not be a long one. On August 25, the league presented its new commissioner, Greg Nolan. A native of Ottawa, Nolan was a former junior hockey star and was even drafted by the LA Wizards in 1982. After failing to stick with the Wizards, Nolan quit hockey to study law at Dalhousie University in Halifax. At 42, Nolan became the youngest man ever to lead the PHL, and he faced a multitude of challenges. Between the Byrd scandal, the recent New Orleans situation, and a once-again broken economy, the league’s image was in tatters. Just two decades after failing to make the PHL as a player, Greg Nolan was now tasked with saving the league as its new commissioner.

Nine Teams Unveil Third Jerseys

The PHL took a year off from alternate uniforms while switching over to the Duke FitLite uniform system in 2005-06. In 2006-07, alternates returned in a big way, with nine teams introducing new sweaters in the summer of 2006.

Boston, St. Louis, and Oakland's new uniforms are similar to what was worn before the switch. Kansas City's new duds are similar to the previous alternates, but with a new logo. Carolina will wear red for the first time, with a pirate flag stretched across the front, while Edmonton's new jersey is unlike any ever seen in the league, featuring a neon/purple pattern up the left arm with a new logo on the front. Atlanta and Washington will wear alternates for the first time ever, with Atlanta wearing a copper colored jersey with the wordmark "Atlanta" stretched over a red forked tongue, while the Generals will wear camo uniforms. Seattle is the only team to unveil a retro jersey, bringing back their popular Holiday Classic design based on the uniform worn from 1974-1998.

More teams are expected to unveil alternate uniforms for the 2007-08 season.

2006 Lewis Cup

The Toronto Racers’ appearance in the 2006 Lewis Cup Final was thanks in large part to the play of 20-year-old Mark Davis. However, the Championship series did not start out as planned for Davis or the Racers. Game one in Milwaukee was one of the largest blowouts ever for an opening game in the Finals, as the defending champs took it 8-1. Despite the loss, Davis was given the starting job again in game two, but after the Choppers lit him up again for two goals on their first two shots, Rex Hull had enough and but Jussi Sykko back in. Sykko, determined to regain the starter’s job permanently, played one of the best games of his career, while Murdock, Reid, MacDonald, and Igor Kharitonov each scored in what turned out to be a 4-3 Toronto win.

Though he confirmed Sykko would have the net for Game three, Rex Hull still defended his young goalie, Davis. “He is clearly a very talented goalie, I think the pressure maybe got to him a little bit.” Game three in Toronto saw a packed Queen Elizabeth Arena that seemed to be shaking from the noise. Just prior to the playoffs, the Racers’ ownership announced they were in the beginning stages of securing a new home for the team by decade’s end, making every big game at the “Q” even more special. The crowd didn’t seem to faze the Choppers early on, as Adam Wyrzykowski opened the scoring on a breakaway. Milwaukee had a chance to increase the lead just a minute later, when Brad McNair had a breakaway of his own, but Sykko stretched out his left pad to make an incredible save. It would be a key moment, as the Racers began the onslaught early in the second period. Darren Reid scored, followed by Andrew Cox. Sean MacDonald scored after that to make it 3-1. Milwaukee pulled Matt Darwin with nearly two minutes left, when Murdock scored on the empty net to seal the win. Game four was a scoreless tie right through regulation, as Darwin and Sykko were both spectacular. The game remained scoreless going into overtime. Both teams traded chances back and forth, until unlikely hero Theo Galvin finally beat Darwin to give Toronto a 1-0 win and a chance to win a championship in game five.

With the cup in the building, game five went into overtime again. Milwaukee was desperate for a goal to stay alive. Joe Murdock nearly had the cup winner near the end of the first overtime, but it was Darwin’s turn to make a spectacular save. In the second extra frame, Brad McNair beat Sykko just under the glove to keep the defending champs in the series.

Game six was back in Toronto with the cup in the building once again and the Choppers remained confident. “We’ve been here before, we just need to find a way to get back into this.” Said McNair. Despite the confidence, the Choppers were simply out of gas. Sykko came up big once again, while Murdock and Chris Falkner each scored as Toronto took a 2-0 lead. With 20 seconds to go, Milwaukee pulled Darwin, but it was too late. Sykko made two more big saves and the clock ran out as the Racers poured off the bench. For the second time in four years, the Toronto Racers were the Lewis Cup champions. Despite his struggles in the Eastern Conference Finals, Jussi Sykko took the playoff MVP award with six shutouts. “He was unbelievable” said Murdock. “He came up big when we needed it most.”

2006 Playoffs

Round One

Eastern Conference

Long Island (1) vs Atlanta (8)

The Copperheads’ second appearance in the playoffs was short-lived as Ilya Rusakivich scores six points for the Concordes. Long Island advances in five.

Philadelphia (2) vs New York (7)

For the first time in PHL history, every game in this series was decided by a single goal. With the teams tied 2-2 after four games, the Redshirts pulled ahead in game five thanks to an overtime goal from Alex Leblanc. In game six, Greg Willis earned a shutout while Tobias Krause scored the game’s only goal as the Civics forced game seven. Game seven nearly went into overtime, but Jared Baxter scored with only 1:21 left in regulation to give Philly a 2-1 lead. Goaltender Steve Christie had to make a few big saves in the final moments as the Redshirts held on to advance to the second round.

Toronto (3) vs Carolina (6)

After putting everything towards making a long run, Carolina’s post-season ended in disaster thanks to a rash of injuries. Gus Avery was knocked out of the series in game one with a torn ACL, in game three, Andrei Alexeev separated his shoulder. Goaltender Kevin Stroud played most of the series, but was hampered by back problems. The 36-year-old announced his retirement immediately after game six as Toronto finished off the series with a 3-0 victory.

Cleveland (4) vs Boston (5)

Boston overcomes a 3-2 deficit, sending the series to a game seven in Cleveland. Ice problems at Colonial Airlines Arena delayed the deciding game until the night after it was originally scheduled. Ice conditions weren’t much better when the puck finally dropped but it didn’t slow either team down. The game was tied 2-2 entering the third when veteran Matt Pope passed the puck to Brendan Marlo, who beat Blair Kelsey to give Boston the lead. The Bulldogs managed to shut the Cosmos down toward the end of the game, preserving the lead and sending the Bulldogs to the second round.

Western Conference

Milwaukee (1) vs Oakland (8)

After another dominant regular season, the defending champion Choppers received the first of what would be a few scares over the 2006 playoffs. Oakland goaltender Travis Sweet continued his outstanding play as the Nuggets took a surprising 2-1 lead. In game four, the Nuggets nursed a 1-0 lead well into the third period, when Brad McNair took over, tying the game to send it to OT, then winning it with his second goal of the game. The Choppers had narrowly avoided going down 3-1, then won game five 3-0 for an opportunity to close out the series. Game six was close, as Milwaukee simply could not solve Sweet. Finally, Adam Wyrzykowski scored to give the Choppers a 1-0 lead. After Oakland sent it to overtime, Brendan Bittner beat Sweet on a breakaway to send Milwaukee to the next round.

Seattle (2) vs Chicago (7)

Jonathan Wheatley scores seven points in the first true upsets in the playoffs, as the Chicago Shamrocks beat Seattle in a physical five-game series.

Edmonton (3) vs Kansas City (6)

Edmonton wins a hard-fought battle thanks to a point-per-game performance by Kris Nazarenko. Game six in KC had an emotional tone as it was likely Scott Drayton’s final game as a Twister.

Dallas (4) vs Los Angeles (5)

The series was closely played with the teams playing to a 2-2 tie. In game five, AJ Vernon’s two goals led Dallas to a 4-1 win as the Desperados took a 3-2 series lead. LA forced game seven with a 3-2 overtime win and Jason Crowley finally returned to the Dallas lineup for the deciding game. The Desperados dominated game seven, jumping to a 3-0 lead. Isaac Hart scored for LA with five minutes left but it was too little too late, as Dallas advanced to the next round.

Round Two

Long Island vs Boston

Perhaps the greatest rivalry of the past 20 years, the Concordes meet the Bulldogs in the playoffs for the fourth year in a row. Game one was dominated by the Bulldogs, who won 7-2. After the Concordes won game two, Boston won again in game three as tempers flared at the end of the game. Fights broke out and over 80 minutes in penalties were handed out in the final minutes. Game four was hard-hitting and tense, as the teams skated to overtime. In OT, Ryan Shelton beat Chad Cohan to give the Concordes a win and tie the series. After a 2-0 win at home, Long Island had an opportunity to finally put the Bulldogs away in game six. Once again, it would go to overtime, and once again, it was the Concordes’ captain, Ryan Shelton, who would be the hero. The Concordes finally defeated Boston after losing to them three years in a row.

Milwaukee vs Chicago

Chicago’s 2-1 series lead is erased, as Milwaukee recovers from a 2-1 deficit for the second time in the post-season. McNair leads the way once again, scoring five points in the series as Milwaukee advances to the Western Conference Final.

Philadelphia vs Toronto

Injuries to key Redshirt players including captain Jared Baxter result in a quick series win for Toronto. Joe Murdock scores a hat-trick in game five as Toronto moves on to the Eastern Conference Final.

Edmonton vs Dallas

With a berth in the Western Conference Finals on the line, two teams looking for a breakout met in a hard-fought six-game series. With some lingering concussion symptoms, Jason Crowley missed the first two games, which Dallas won on the road to take a 2-0 series lead. Crowley returned for game three and had an assist, but the Northern Lights won 4-2, then took game four 3-2 to tie the series. Needing another road win in game five, Dallas came out strong in game five, taking a 5-0 lead and ultimately winning 5-2. Game six in Dallas was tight, tied 2-2 through two periods. Midway through the third, Kyle Clark scored for Dallas, giving them a 3-2 lead. Edmonton pulled Brent Maloney in an attempt to tie the game, but Shawn Marchinski scored the empty netter to seal the win and send Dallas to the Western Conference Finals.

Conference Finals

Long Island vs Toronto

After some frustrating years on Long Island, the Concordes finally had a true opportunity to win a championship, with their first Eastern Conference Final appearance since 1992. Early in the series, the Concordes came out strong, winning game one with a late third period goal from Ilya Severov. In game two, Ryan Shelton continued his strong play with a hat-trick in a 7-4 victory. Heading to Toronto, the Racers made a change, putting Mark Davis in net for game three. Davis earned a shutout in a 2-0 win, then stopped 39 shots in game four in a 4-1 win to tie the series. Davis’ solid play continued in game five while Sean Macdonald scored in overtime to give Toronto the series lead. The Concordes could not solve the Racers’ young goaltender. In game six, Long Island opened the scoring on a goal from Severov, but Darren Reid, Joe Murdock, and Chris Falkner each scored to give the Racers a 3-1 win and send them to the Lewis Cup Finals.

Milwaukee vs Dallas

In what turned out to be a series for the ages, the Dallas Desperados faced the defending champion Milwaukee Choppers. The series was close early on, as the teams were tied 2-2 after four games, with three of those games decided by one goal. In game five, Jason Crowley proved to be the hero, scoring the winner, while AJ Vernon added an empty-netter in a 5-3 win. The Desperados once again found themselves one win away from the Lewis Cup Finals. Game six went into overtime, with the Choppers needing a goal to survive. Late in the first overtime period, Shawn Marchinski had a breakaway, with an opportunity to send Dallas to the championship. Matt Darwin came up with a huge save to preserve the game, then Brent Zahorsky took a clearing pass from JP Laporte and got on a breakaway of his own. Zahorsky beat Alexei Rolonov to send the series to a deciding game. Game seven was another close one, as 39-year-old Randy Fernandez opened the scoring for Dallas. The Desperados clung to a 1-0 lead until the final minute, when the Choppers pulled Darwin. Henrik Akerman beat Rolonov in a crease scramble to tie the game. Seconds into overtime, Akerman scored again, sending Milwaukee back to the Lewis Cup Finals. For Dallas, the loss was absolutely devastating, as the Desperados once again found themselves eliminated in game seven.

2005-06 Regular Season

The 2005-06 season began full of intriguing storylines, mainly surrounding the league’s front office, where commissioner Darryl Byrd was still under investigation for potential mob connections. However the focus was on the ice as the season began, particularly on the west coast, where the Oakland Nuggets took huge strides in their rebuild. In his second season, Justin Ramsey scored 91 points while Andreas Ekbom enjoyed a successful rookie season. The big moment for the Nuggets came in November, when goaltender Kevin Washer broke his ankle, forcing the Nuggets to start undrafted rookie Travis Sweet. Sweet was spectacular, turning in one of the best goaltending performances in league history with an incredible 16 shutouts. Sweet went on to win rookie of the year, becoming the first goaltender to do so since John Gage in 1982. The Nuggets finished eighth in the Western Conference to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2001. Meanwhile, just south of the Nuggets, the Los Angeles Wizards also made their triumphant return to the post-season thanks largely to an early season trade that saw longtime Wizard Ilya Sakharov dealt to the Cleveland Cosmos in exchange for defenseman Hendrik Soderstrum. Soderstrum, just entering his prime at 25 years old, anchored the LA blueline while superpest Isaac Hart amped up his antics in his first season in purple and orange. Hart terrorized the stars across the Western Conference, at one point drawing a two-game suspension for tossing Randy McAllen’s stick into the crowd in a game against Seattle. Hart also embraced the LA life, hanging out with celebrities and even appearing on talk shows. Hart would even dance for the crowd after a win, instantly making him a fan-favorite. In the middle of all this, he also managed 43 points to finish second in team scoring as LA finished fifth in the West.

In Edmonton, Kris Nazarenko was feeling the pressure after signing one of the richest deals in PHL history. Nazarenko struggled early on, scoring only three assist in his first ten games, leading to scathing scrutiny from commentators across the country. His frustration boiled over in a game in Vancouver. After fighting Vancouver’s Devan Wolfe, Nazarenko engaged in a yelling match with some Bighorns fans and drew a one-game suspension after spraying water at them. Something seemed to click for the big center after the suspension, he finally scored his first goal of the year on November 4, launching a goal streak that would last into January, one of the longest in league history. Nazarenko finished with 92 points, fifth in the league, as Edmonton won the North Division.

Out East, the Long Island Concordes enjoyed a big year from Ilya Rusakivich. Rusakivich finished second in PHL scoring with 100 points while leading the Concordes to first place in the Eastern Conference, their first time winning the conference in 16 years. Goaltender Chris McNally played a big part as well, making his first career all-star appearance and finishing second in Whyte Trophy voting. The Cleveland Cosmos returned to the post-season thanks in large part to the acquisition of Ilya Sakharov from LA, while Jason Ferland rebounded from his personal problems to lead Atlanta back to the playoffs for the second time in franchise history. Ferland’s big year was remarkable after he had spent half of the 2004-05 season serving a jail sentence. The team arranged for him to live with veteran winger and team captain Alyn Bryant, who proved to be a valuable mentor. Ferland played the entire season sober, earning him the Fred Garfield trophy for dedication to the game.

Despite Ferland’s strong play, the South Division was won by Carolina, while the newly relocated Houston Roughnecks failed to climb out of the division basement. The year had had an interesting start for the Roughnecks, who were still in the process of moving from New Orleans when Louisiana was hit by Hurricane Katrina. With the Jewel Center being used as a relief facility, many of the Rounghneck players who were still in New Orleans eagerly helped out around the community. The team actually delayed the start of its training camp so the players could settle into their new home after staying behind to help out. In the midst of a difficult first season in Texas, there were some bright spots. Rookie Derek Ewin scored 36 goals and appeared in the all-star game. Ewin played on a line with team captain Mike Bidden, who, having begun his career in Halifax in 1992, was the only player to play for the franchise in all three locations. In Detroit, the Mustangs endured their worst season in years, but there was a certain optimism around Motor City, as the fans knew the team had to bottom out so it could be rebuilt. The Mustangs held a fire sale at the trade deadline, dealing almost anyone of value. Star forward Andrei Alexeev was traded to Carolina for goaltender prospect Cameron Carr and forward Brandon Sweetwater, while veteran defenseman Magnus Olsson was dealt to Milwaukee for two promising young players, Jonathan Keller and Luke Wilkerson. Finally, the Mustangs sent Mikael Forsberg to Kansas City for a first round draft pick. “We made some tough decisions and said goodbye to some beloved players, but I think we’re setting ourselves up for a bright future” said GM Jack McCoy.

The Minnesota Lumberjacks were accused of being too sentimental during the off-season, especially after signing longtime captain Jason Crowley to another deal when many felt the team should rebuild.

The Lumberjacks believed they could chase one last title if they kept the team intact, but age had finally caught up to them. The ‘Jacks sat six points out of a playoff spot at the trade deadline. Though the playoffs were in reach, a championship seemed extremely unlikely. On the eve of the deadline, Crowley approached GM Paul Wilson and requested a trade. Crowley wanted Minnesota to be able to acquire assets to start a rebuild, while he would chase one last cup. Wilson agreed and began shopping his franchise player around. The Dallas Desperados won the sweepstakes, acquiring Crowley for a first round pick and center Alexander Andreyev. Crowley and Wilson were both overcome with emotion at the farewell press conference. “I never wanted to leave here” said Crowley. “But I love this team and for them to have a chance to win in the future, I had to go.” Over 3,000 Minnesota fans showed up at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to say goodbye to their captain. Two nights later, the hockey world witnessed a bizarre sight, as Crowley donned black and yellow for the first time, scoring the opening goal in a 3-1 win over St. Louis. Unfortunately, Crowley was injured in his fourth game with the Desperados and would miss the remainder of the regular season, though he was hopeful to return in time for the playoffs. “Jason was a big addition for us” said Dallas coach Willy Rowe. “We know these things take time but we hope he returns soon. I think he has another run left in him.”

2005 Off-Season

2005 Entry Draft

After a rough decade in New Orleans, the newly relocated Houston Roughnecks got off to a great start in their new city, selecting junior superstar Derek Ewin first overall. Ewin, a big center with great hands, had led the Canadian National team to gold at the world under 18 challenge, then helped his Chilliwack Night Flyers to a national championship while leading the Canadian Junior Hockey Association in points. Pittsburgh selected Finnish winger Joni Kita second, while LA continued their rebuild with the selection of D-man Kerry Briggs, who some thought could have competed for the number one spot. The rest of the draft featured a record number of players whose fathers had played in the PHL. With the 8^th pick, Atlanta took Alex Buchanan, son of former Claymore captain Russell Buchanan, Pittsburgh selected Todd Trainor, son of former LA Wizard Kevin Trainor, with the 23^rd pick, Long Island took Mario Renaud, son of former Quebec star JP Renaud, with the 25^th pick, and perhaps most notably, Denver selected Eric Millen, the son of St. Louis Spirits legend Grant Millen, with the 17^th pick.

1.      HOU – Derek Ewin, F, CAN

2.      PIT – Joni Kita, F, FIN

3.      LA – Kerry Briggs, D, USA

4.      POR – Alexander Zverev, F, RUS

5.      STL – Jake Harvey, F, USA

6.      WSH – Devan Fryer, D, CAN

7.      CGY – Kyle Chisholm, F, CAN

8.      ATL – Alex Buchanan, D, CAN

9.      OAK – Andreas Ekbom, F, SWE

10.   MTL – Evgeni Mednikov, D, RUS

11.   CLE – Tyler Petrie, F, CAN

12.   VAN – Adrian Pond, D, CAN

13.   CAR – Sammi Jussila, G, FIN

14.   WPG – Luke Crawford, F, CAN

15.   DET – Josh Beck, D, USA

16.   MIA - Oskar Edstrom, D, SWE

17.   DEN – Eric Millen, F, CAN

18.   QUE – Jaromir Havlek, F, CZE

19.   CHI – Matt Rawlings, F, USA

20.   KC – Kris Foster, F, CAN

21.   NY – Gordon Hayes, D, CAN

22.   EDM – Patrick Sparks, D, CAN

23.   PIT(From MIN) – Todd Trainor, F, USA

24.   SEA - Jyrki Jussila, F, FIN

25.   LI – Mario Renaud, F, CAN

26.   DAL – Garret Dennis, F, CAN

27.   MIL – Luke Bass, G, CAN

28.   HOU (From BOS) – Jake Stewart, G, USA

29.   TOR – Ryan Kosowski, F, CAN

30.   PHI – Oleg Vasiliev, F, RUS

Notable Retirements:

Aaron Duplacy, F, NYC, MTL, MIN, 1986-2005

Selected third overall in the legendary 1986 draft, Duplacy made his debut in the big shadow of fellow rookies Vincent Ducharme and Jason Crowley. However it didn’t take long before Duplacy made an enormous impact on broadway. In 1994, Duplacy won the league MVP, scoring 50 goals before leading the Civics to a Lewis Cup in 1997. In 2001, Duplacy signed with Montreal, where he would play nearly four seasons before being traded to Minnesota where he would retire at the end of the 2004-05 season.

Adam Lawless, F, STL, LA, BOS, TOR, 1985-2005

The last great player from the powerful St. Louis dynasty of the 80s, Adam Lawless played alongside PHL legend David Appleby for ten seasons, playing a key role in three of the Spirits’ five Lewis Cups. Known as “The Kid” during St. Louis’ legendary run, Lawless soon became a leader for the Spirits once Appleby retired, taking over as captain in 1995. However, his stint as the captain would not last long, as he was dealt to Los Angeles in 1999. Lawless would play six more seasons between LA, Boston, and Toronto.

Sergei Krayev, F CGY, CHI, 1991-2005

Through the 1980s, Sergei Krayev was a valuable young star for the Soviet National Team. Krayev made his debut during the 1984 World Hockey Challenge, finishing third in tournament scoring. However, his greatest performance was at the 1988 tournament, where he scored an incredible 13 goals in six games, with at least two goals in each game. In 1991, Krayev finally made his PHL debut at the age of 26. In 1996, Krayev’s career was in serious jeopardy after he sustained an eye injury, leaving him nearly blind in one eye. But Krayev returned a year later with the Chicago Shamrocks, where he finished his career in 2005.

Kim Brodie, F, DET, LI, PHI, KC, TOR, 1986-2005

One of the more underrated players in the league, Kim Brodie spent the first decade of his career in Detroit with a struggling Mustangs team before moving on the Long Island Concordes. The Concordes also struggled mightily and after five years, Brodie was on the move again, signing with the defending champion Philadelphia Redshirts. It was in Philly where Brodie came the closest to winning a championship, but unfortunately, he just missed out. He had arrived a year after the Redshirts had won in 2001, and left just before they won in 2004. Brodie would also play for Kansas City and Toronto before retiring.

Notable Trades

Winnipeg trades F Dan Crow to Carolina in exchange for D Evgeni Babkin and F Matt Wells.

In the biggest deal of the summer, the Pioneers trade their captain, sending him to the Raiders. The Raiders, hoping to contend for a title, send two prospects the other way. The highly anticipated Babkin finally decides to leave Russia and signs with the Pioneers.

Edmonton trades F Brendan Carnes to Philadelphia in exchange for F Joey Hamilton.

For the Northern Lights, this move is primarily about cap space, as Edmonton entered training camp over the $50 Million salary cap.

Boston trades F Chris Haines to Minnesota in exchange for 1^st round draft pick.

Minnesota adds another piece for what they hope will be one last title run, Boston clears cap space.

Key Free Agents

RFAs:

F Kris Nazarenko signs new 13-year deal with Edmonton worth $12 Million/year.

F Jason Ferland signs new 10-year deal with Atlanta worth $10 Million/year.

D Kyle Logan signs new 8-year deal with Calgary worth $10 Million/year.

F Jonathan Wheatley signs new 8-year deal with Chicago worth $9 Million/year.

F Jamie Moore signs new 5-year deal with Winnipeg worth $8 Million/year.

G Kari Nurminen signs new 4-year deal worth $7 Million/year.

D Sean MacDonald signs new 5-year deal with Toronto worth $7 Million/year.

F Mats Johnsson signs new 6-year deal worth $6 Million/year.

UFA Signings:

F Igor Kharitonov (DET) signs 6-year deal with Toronto worth $7 Million.

After receiving offers from 13 teams, the biggest name in free agency is scooped up by the Racers, who have cap space to spend after the retirements of Kim Brodie and Adam Lawless.

F Isaac Hart (BOS) signs 4-year deal with Los Angeles worth $4 Million.

The Wizards sign the league’s most hated agitator, hoping to add some physicality to their lineup. GM Stuart Holly says he wants his team to be “edgier” and that the signing of Hart, who wants to be an actor someday, will make the Wizards harder to play against.

D Randy Fernandez (TOR) signs 2-year deal with Dallas worth $2.5 Million.

After 20 years in double blue, “Big Tex” returns home to finish his career.

D Lamar Jackson (DAL) signs 2-year deal with Chicago worth $2 Million.

With his eventful career winding down, Jackson is persuaded to join the Shamrocks by his former junior coach Brian Cullen. Jackson has high hopes of winning one more championship in the Windy City.

F Jason Crowley signs new 1-year deal with Minnesota worth $1 Million.

In a surprising move, the Lumberjacks bring their captain back for one more season. GM Paul Wilson insists the move is not just a sentimental one, that Crowley can still help Minnesota win a title.

News

The summer of 2005 was a busy one for the PHL. In June, the league and the players’ association voted to make visors mandatory for all players entering the league. The decision came in the wake of several horrific eye injuries through the late 90s and early 2000s, the most notable being Sergei Krayev’s injury in 1996. Union president Brian Hunt said that PHL veterans used to playing without facial protection were resistant to a full mandate but agreed to grandfather the rule in for new players.

Another rule change that was discussed at the annual owners’ meetings in 2005 was the addition of the shootout to end tied games. The PHL-affiliated Pacific Hockey League had experimented with the shootout in 2004-05 and the Can/Am league announced it would follow suit in ’05-06. At the conclusion of the meetings, one owner said there was “a very, very good chance” that the shootout would be introduced in time for 2006-07.

In front office news the Detroit Mustangs fired both GM Bob Gill and head coach Cliff Lyle after 11 seasons. Out of respect for Lyle’s contributions to the Mustangs over the years, the team offered him a consulting job until he found another coaching opportunity. It wouldn’t be necessary, however, as Lyle was immediately hired by the Miami Stingrays, who had dismissed Craig Mitton from his position behind the bench at the end of the season. The Mustangs, looking to finally build a true contender, hired Jack McCoy as their new GM. McCoy, 68, was the architect behind the St. Louis Spirits’ dynasty in the 1980s, and the Mustangs hoped he would be the man to turn things around in Mo-town as well. McCoy then replaced Lyle with Lynn Sanders, a former Calgary draft pick who would be coaching in the PHL for the first time.

As the summer was winding down, the hockey world was hit with an earthquake. On August 23, notorious mobster Eddie Garofalo was arrested in Boston. When police searched his phone records, one recurring name stood out right away; Darryl Byrd. Speculation about Byrd’s future as PHL commissioner was a hot topic across the hockey world leading right into the 2005-06 season, but he was allowed to maintain his post as the police did not have enough evidence to charge him though the investigation would be ongoing.