Cleveland Monsters

Cleveland Monsters
2016–17 AHL season
City Cleveland, Ohio
League American Hockey League
Conference Western
Division Central
Founded 1994 (In the IHL)
Operated 2007–present
Home arena Quicken Loans Arena
Colors Black, wine, gold, white, blue
                        
Owner(s) Dan Gilbert
General manager Bill Zito[1]
Head coach John Madden
Media Radio: WMMS-HD2
TV: WUAB, Fox Sports Ohio, SportsTime Ohio
Affiliates Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL)
Franchise history
1994–1995 Denver Grizzlies
1995–2005 Utah Grizzlies
2007–2016 Lake Erie Monsters
2016–present Cleveland Monsters
Championships
Conference Championships 1 (2015–16)
Calder Cups 1 (2015–16)

The Cleveland Monsters - previously known as the Lake Erie Monsters - are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The team began play in 2007 and since 2015 has served as the top affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Monsters play home games at Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland and have one Calder Cup championship, after winning their first title in 2016.

Franchise history

Early years

The Monsters began in 2006 when the dormant Utah Grizzlies AHL franchise was purchased on May 16, 2006, by a Cleveland ownership group led by Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Quicken Loans. A new AHL team was awarded to Cleveland following the departure of the Cleveland Barons to Worcester, Massachusetts, after the 2005–06 season. With Quicken Loans Arena established as the team's home venue, the Colorado Avalanche was announced on December 17, 2006, as the franchise's first NHL parent club with a five-year agreement.[2]

The franchise was officially announced on January 25, 2007, as the Lake Erie Monsters, referring to Bessie, a creature of local folklore. The name was chosen from researching focus groups around the Cleveland area and the logo incorporated the geographical connection in the region with Lake Erie.[3] The Monsters do not recognize any past links to the Grizzlies (including the Grizzlies' two Turner Cups) and promote themselves as having begun in 2007.

Former NHL player Joe Sacco was named as the Lake Erie Monsters first head coach. The Monsters opened their inaugural 2007–08 campaign at home against the Grand Rapids Griffins on October 6, 2007, with Craig Billington acting as the Monsters General Manager.[4]

At the end of the 2010–11 season, the Monsters qualified for the Calder Cup playoffs for the first time in team history. After gaining a 3-1 series lead over the Manitoba Moose in the opening round, the Monsters proceeded to lose the next three consecutive games, losing the series 4-3[5]

Blue Jackets era

It was announced on April 17, 2015, that the Monsters had signed a multi-year agreement to become the AHL affiliate for the Columbus Blue Jackets, which took effect in the 2015–16 season. The affiliation was among several that offseason that brought AHL and NHL franchise affiliations geographically closer together.[6]

The Monsters finished the 2015–16 season by setting a franchise record in points (97) and qualified for the playoffs for the second time in team history. On April 23, 2016, the Monsters defeated their first round opponent, the Rockford IceHogs 5–3, capping a three-game sweep of their opponent in a best-of-five series. The Monsters advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals to play the Grand Rapids Griffins in a best-of-seven series, defeating them 4–2 in six games. They then swept the defending Calder Cup Champion Ontario Reign in the Western Conference Finals to reach their first Calder Cup Final in franchise history.[7] On June 11, 2016, the Monsters won the franchise's first Calder Cup in a four-game sweep of the Hershey Bears, with Oliver Bjorkstrand scoring the Cup-winning goal in overtime.

This marked Cleveland's first AHL title since the Barons won their last Calder Cup in 1964, and 10th overall for a Cleveland-based AHL team. The Monsters won Game 4 before a sellout crowd of 19,665 people at Quicken Loans Arena—the second largest crowd ever to see a professional hockey game in Ohio behind the 19,941 who witnessed the Cleveland Lumberjacks square off against the Minnesota Moose on 2/3/96, and the second largest in Calder Cup playoff history behind the 20,103 who saw the Philadelphia Phantoms win Game 4 of the 2005 Calder Cup Finals over the Chicago Wolves.[8]

On August 9, 2016, the Lake Erie Monsters changed their name to the Cleveland Monsters.[9]

Cleveland hockey history

The following teams have previously played in Cleveland. The Monsters recognize and honor past Cleveland teams with commemorative banners at Quicken Loans Arena:[10]

Season-by-season results

This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Monsters. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Cleveland Monsters seasons

Players

Current roster

Updated November 28, 2016.[12]

# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Contract
21 United States Bittner, PaulPaul Bittner LW L 20 2016 Crookston, Minnesota Blue Jackets
29 Denmark Bjorkstrand, OliverOliver Bjorkstrand RW L 21 2015 Herning, Denmark Blue Jackets
25 United States Broadhurst, AlexAlex Broadhurst C L 23 2015 New Lenox, Illinois Blue Jackets
17 Canada Brookbank, SheldonSheldon Brookbank D R 36 2016 Lanigan, Saskatchewan Monsters
12 Canada Craig, RyanRyan Craig (C) LW L 34 2015 Abbotsford, British Columbia Monsters
31 Sweden Forsberg, AntonAnton Forsberg G L 24 2015 Härnösand, Sweden Blue Jackets
44 Canada Gallant, BrettBrett Gallant LW L 27 2015 Summerside, Prince Edward Island Blue Jackets
34 Canada Graves, JacobJacob Graves D R 21 2016 Barrie, Ontario Blue Jackets
37 Finland Hannikainen, MarkusMarkus Hannikainen (A) LW L 23 2015 Helsinki, Finland Blue Jackets
3 Canada Heatherington, DillonDillon Heatherington  D L 21 2015 Calgary, Alberta Blue Jackets
70 Finland Korpisalo, JoonasJoonas Korpisalo G L 22 2015 Pori, Finland Blue Jackets
14 Switzerland Kukan, DeanDean Kukan D L 23 2015 Zürich, Switzerland Blue Jackets
64 Canada Maletta, JordanJordan Maletta C R 21 2016 St. Catharines, Ontario Blue Jackets
22 United States Milano, SonnySonny Milano LW L 20 2015 Massapequa, New York Blue Jackets
7 Canada Moutrey, NickNick Moutrey RW L 21 2015 Shelburne, Ontario Blue Jackets
8 United States Palushaj, AaronAaron Palushaj RW R 27 2016 Livonia, Michigan Monsters
5 United States Ramage, JohnJohn Ramage (A) D R 25 2015 Chesterfield, Missouri Blue Jackets
96 Canada Salituro, DanteDante Salituro RW R 20 2016 Willowdale, Ontario Blue Jackets
20 Canada Scott, JustinJustin Scott RW L 21 2016 Burlington, Ontario Blue Jackets
4 United States Siebenaler, BlakeBlake Siebenaler D R 20 2016 Fort Wayne, Indiana Blue Jackets
26 United States Sifers, JaimeJaime Sifers (A) D R 33 2015 Stratford, Connecticut Blue Jackets
Canada Stanton, RyanRyan Stanton D L 27 2016 St. Albert, Alberta Blue Jackets
39 Canada Thiessen, BradBrad Thiessen G L 30 2015 Aldergrove, British Columbia Monsters
18 United States Tynan, T. J.T. J. Tynan (A) C R 24 2015 Orland Park, Illinois Blue Jackets
24 Belarus Yevenko, OlegOleg Yevenko D L 25 2015 Minsk, Belarus Blue Jackets
27 Sweden Zaar, DanielDaniel Zaar RW R 22 2015 Helsingborg, Sweden Blue Jackets

Captains

Name Years
Mark Rycroft 2007–2008
Wyatt Smith 2008
Brian Willsie 2008–2010
David Liffiton 2010–2012
Bryan Lerg 2012–2014
Brian Sutherby 2013
Bruno Gervais 2014–2015
Ryan Craig 2015–

Retired numbers

No Monsters player has had his number retired. However, the team has retired the numbers of players who have played on past Cleveland franchises to honor the city's hockey history.[10]

Name Number
Johnny Bower 1 (Barons)
Fred Glover 9 (Barons)
Jock Callander 15 (Lumberjacks)

Team records

Single season

Goals: 30, Andrew Agozzino (2014–15)
Assists: 50, T.J. Hensick (2009–10)
Points: 70 T.J. Hensick (2009–10), Ben Walter (2010–11)
Penalty Minutes: 215, Daniel Maggio (2014–15)
Wins: 23 Jason Bacashihua (2010–11), Calvin Pickard (2014–15), Anton Forsberg (2015–16)
GAA: 2.11, Cedrick Desjardins (2011–12)
SV%: .932, Cedrick Desjardins (2011–12)
Shutouts: 8, Tyler Weiman (2008–09)

Playoffs

[13][14]

Goals: 10, Oliver Bjorkstrand (2016)
Assists: 10, Ryan Craig (2016)
Points: 16 (tie), Oliver Bjorkstrand and Lukas Sedlak (2016)
Penalty Minutes: 26, Kerby Rychel (2016)
Wins:9, Anton Forsberg (2016)
GAA: 1.34, Anton Forsberg (2016)
SV%: .949, Anton Forsberg (2016)
Shutouts: 2, Anton Forsberg (2016)

Career

Career Goals: Andrew Agozzino, 67
Career Assists: Andrew Agozzino, 98
Career Points: Andrew Agozzino, 165
Career Penalty Minutes: Daniel Maggio, 522
Career Goaltending Wins: Calvin Pickard, 60
Career Shutouts: Tyler Weiman, 13
Career Games: Andrew Agozzino, 225

Firsts and franchise records

Media

All Monsters radio broadcasts will air on WMMS 100.7 FM HD-2/W265BT 99.1 FM (collectively known as 99X). Tony Brown serves as the announcer.

Select Monsters games will be televised, with WUAB channel 43, Fox Sports Ohio, and SportsTime Ohio serving as the outlets. The broadcast team consists of play-by-play announcer Tony Brown, former Cleveland Lumberjacks player Jock Callander as analyst, and WHBC afternoon host Kenny Roda as rink side/locker room reporter. All televised games are also simulcast on the radio.[15]

Mascot and entertainment

The Monsters' official mascot is a seagull character named "Sullivan C. Goal" (aka "Sully").[16] Other aspects of the in-game entertainment include the "Mullet Brothers" (characters based on the Hanson Brothers from the movie Slap Shot),[17] and the "Monsters Hockey Girls" cheerleaders.[18]

References

  1. ↑ "Blue Jackets assistant G.M. Bill Zito named Monsters GM". Columbus Blue Jackets. 2015-06-23. Retrieved 2015-06-23.
  2. ↑ "Lake Erie Monsters history". Case Western Reserve University. 2013-02-03. Retrieved 2013-02-03.
  3. ↑ "Famous sea monsters". Sea Monster.org. 2013-04-05. Retrieved 2013-04-05.
  4. ↑ "Monsters front office". Lake Erie Monsters. 2014-10-10. Retrieved 2014-10-10.
  5. ↑ "Monsters' stats". JustSportsStats.com. 2011-04-28. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
  6. ↑ "Monsters affiliate with the Columbus Blue Jackets". Lake Erie Monsters. 2015-04-17. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  7. ↑ "Monsters Move On With 4-3 OT Win". BlueJackets Xtra. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  8. ↑ Record full house at the Q for Lake Erie Monsters' Calder Cup bid - Cleveland.com (Plain Dealer)
  9. ↑ "Lake Erie Monsters change name, get new uniforms". KLTV. August 9, 2016.
  10. 1 2 3 "Quicken Loans Arena hockey banners". Stadium Journey.com. 2014-06-07. Retrieved 2014-06-07.
  11. ↑ "Cleveland hockey history". Lake Erie Monsters. 2013-02-03. Retrieved 2013-02-03.
  12. ↑ "Cleveland Monsters – Team roster". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
  13. ↑ http://theahl.com/stats/statdisplay.php?type=top_scorers&season_id=53&tournament_id=0&division_id=-1
  14. ↑ http://theahl.com/stats/statdisplay.php?type=top_goalies&season_id=53&tournament_id=0&division_id=-1
  15. ↑ Monsters broadcast schedule - Cleveland Monsters.com
  16. ↑ "Sully, the Monsters official Mascot". Lake Erie Monsters. 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  17. ↑ "Mullet Bros game entertainment". Lake Erie Monsters. 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
  18. ↑ "Monsters Hockey Girls". Lake Erie Monsters. 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2013-10-02.
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