Florida Everblades

Florida Everblades
City:	Estero, Florida
League:	ECHL
Conference:	Eastern Conference
Division:	South Division
Founded:	1998
Home Arena:	Germain Arena
Colors:	Navy blue, green and white
General Manager:	Craig Brush
Head Coach:	Tad O' Had
Affiliates:	Carolina Hurricanes / Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL), Charlotte Checkers / Norfolk Admirals (AHL)
Franchise history
1998–present:	Florida Everblades
Championships
Regular Season Titles:	1999–00, 2008–09, 2017-18
Division Championships:	1999–00, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2017-18
Conference Championships:	2003–04, 2004–05, 2017-18
Kelly Cups:	None

The Florida Everblades are an ECHL ice hockey team playing in the Southeast Division. The team is based in Estero, Florida and plays at Germain Arena (Formerly Teco Arena). The team has existed since 1998. The Everblades are affiliated with the Charlotte Checkers and the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL), the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and with the Carolina Hurricanes and the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Everblades are thought of as a model franchise for the ECHL, as they have not missed the playoffs in any of their eleven seasons and have made two appearances in the Kelly Cup Finals. The Everblades' fanbase is also considered to be one of the best in the league, as many games at Germain Arena sell out, especially Saturday night games. Many fans of different NHL and minor-league teams, as well as international fans, come out to watch the Everblades.

The team was founded by current owner Craig Brush in 1998. Prior to the building of the Germain Arena, the arena sat on an empty cow pasture on what is now Everblades Parkway near Interstate 75 in Estero. Brush was said to be reading a free copy of a National Geographic magazine that featured articles on the Florida Everglades, when he envisioned the idea to bring a minor-league hockey team to Southwest Florida. The team's name derives from the former Kentucky Thoroughblades AHL franchise.

The Everblades' logo features a gator-head design fused in the form of an ice skate. The logo was designed by a Vancouver graphic design company affiliated with Carolina Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos, who came up with the idea of choosing the Everblades colors as blue and green, in tribute to the Hartford Whalers team that Karmanos moved to Raleigh, North Carolina. The Everblades' inaugural home opener featured a pre-game ceremony in which a large alligator was brought onto the ice to pay tribute to the team's name and logo, as well as Florida's vast population of reptile species.

As of March 15, 2009, the Everblades are currently in first place in both the Southeast Division as well as the entire ECHL, followed in second by the Alaska Aces, who lead the Western Division. Both teams have secured a postseason in the playoffs.

Awards and Trophies

E.A. Gingher Memorial Trophy

The Everblades have won the E.A. Gingher Memorial Trophy in 2004,2005, and 2018. In 2004, the trophy was given to the champion of the Eastern Conference and to the American Conference champion in 2005. In both years, the Everblades lost to the winners of the Bruce Taylor Trophy. In 2004 the loss was to the Idaho Steelheads of the Western Conference and to the Trenton Titans of the National Conference in 2005.

Brabham Cup

In the 1999–2000 season, the Everblades won the Brabham Cup. This trophy is given to the team that has the best position in the standings for the entire league. The Everblades took the trophy with 108 points (53-15-2), but fell in the first round to the Augusta Lynx. In the ECHL in 2000, there was no overtime period, with play going directly to a shootout. Therefore all losses in a shootout are designated as ties. The team would win the award again in 2018 when they finished atop the league standings with 112 points.

Historic games in Everblades History

2005 Playoff Brawl

One famous event that stands out among Blades' fans was during the 2005 ECHL playoffs.

With the Everblades hosting the Greenville Grrrowl on April 22, 2005 for the first game of the American Conference Semifinals, the Everblades and Grrrowl would engage in a third-period line brawl that would see both teams combine for 197 minutes in penalties.

The brawl stemmed from previous incidents throughout the game. Prior to the brawl, then-Everblades forward Greg Hornby checked Greenville's Vladimir Gusev hard into the boards behind the net. Gusev would leave the game injured, and as a result, the pace of the game as well as checking, would pick up.

With the Blades up 4-1 with under six minutes to play in the third period, then-Greenville pest Krys Barch would screen the net during a Greenville shooting attempt. Everblades defenceman Tim O'Connell checked Barch from behind numerous times, hoping to clear him from in front of the net. Barch, having been fed up with being pressured, turned around hoping to sucker-punch O'Connell. Instead, O'Connell quickly skated away from the crease before Barch turned around, and Barch would end up punching Everblades goalie Tyler Mackay. O'Connell jumped on top of Barch, resulting in a dog pile.

All players on the ice dropped the gloves for a wild line brawl that would see Florida goalie Tyler Mackay and others getting ejected for fighting.

After all the mayhem, Craig Kowalski would take Mackay's place as netminder. Shortly thereafter, the Everblades' Simon Tremblay would scrap with Greenville's Adam Nightingale to end the fiasco. The Everblades would go onto win the game, 4-1, and sweep the series, three games to none.

Ironically, game 2 featured no fights as the Everblades won an overtime thriller by a score of 3-2.

2004 American Conference Finals

Game 5 in the 2004 American Conference Finals was quite a memorable series for the Everblades. The Blades would face the Reading Royals in five games in what would be an epic series. Reading evened the series at home, winning Game 3 and Game 4, respectively. With the score knotted at two for Game 5, the game was sent to overtime.

Jon McNabb of the Everblades would score on a breakaway goal to defeat the Royals in front of a record crowd of 7,080 fans at Germain Arena.

Season-by-season record

Season	Conference	Division	Regular season										Playoffs	Individual and team honors
			GP	W	L	OL	SL	Pts	Pct	GF	GA	Head coach
1998–99	Southern	Southeast	70	45	20	0	5	95	0.679	253	180	Bob Ferguson	Won conference quarterfinal 3–0 vs. Birmingham Lost conference semifinal 0–3 vs. Mississippi	John Brophy Award (Bob Ferguson)
1999–00	Southern	Southeast	70	53	15	0	2	108	0.771	277	181	Bob Ferguson	Lost conference quarterfinal 2–3 vs. Augusta	Brabham Cup John Brophy Award Bob Ferguson Plus Performer Award (Andy MacIntyre)
2000–01	Southern	Southeast	72	38	26	0	8	84	0.583	236	242	Bob Ferguson	Lost conference quarterfinal 2–3 vs. Pee Dee	Executive of the Year (Craig Brush)
2001–02	Southern	Southeast	72	37	27	0	8	82	0.569	207	221	Gerry Fleming	Won division wildcard 1–0 vs. South Carolina Lost conference quarterfinal 2–3 vs. Greenville
2002–03	Southern	Southeast	72	35	23	0	14	84	0.583	239	243	Gerry Fleming	Lost division wildcard 0–1 vs. Greenville
2003–04	Eastern	Southern	72	37	25	0	10	84	0.583	239	221	Gerry Fleming	Won division semifinal 3–2 vs. Roanoke Won Division Finals 3–0 vs. South Carolina Won conference final 3–2 vs. Reading Lost Kelly Cup final 1–4 vs. Idaho	Gingher Memorial Trophy
2004–05	American	South	72	42	20	4	6	94	0.653	237	192	Gerry Fleming	Won conference quarterfinal 3–1 vs. South Carolina Won in Conference Semifinals 3–0 vs. Greenville Won conference final 4–2 vs. Charlotte Lost Kelly Cup final 2–4 vs. Trenton	Gingher Memorial Trophy Reebok Goaltender of the Year (Chris Madden)
2005–06	American	South	72	48	20	3	1	100	0.694	267	208	Gerry Fleming	Won division semifinal 3–1 vs. Greenville Lost division final 1–3 vs. Gwinnett	Sportsmanship Award (Steve Saviano) Reebok Equipment Manager of the Year (John Jennings)
2006–07	American	South	72	44	22	4	2	94	0.653	272	212	Gerry Fleming	Won division semifinal 3–0 vs. Charlotte Won division final 4–2 vs. Texas Lost conference final 3–4 vs. Dayton
2007–08	American	South	72	39	25	4	4	86	0.597	230	198	Gerry Fleming	Lost division quarterfinal 0–3 vs. Columbia
2008–09	American	South	71*	49	17	2	3	103	0.725	269	187	Malcolm Cameron	Won division semifinal 4–1 vs. Gwinnett Lost division final 2–4 vs. South Carolina	Brabham Cup CCM U+ Most Valuable Player (Kevin Baker) Leading Scorer (Kevin Baker)
2009–10	American	South	72	38	25	4	5	85	0.590	234	221	Malcolm Cameron	Won conference quarterfinal 3–2 vs. Elmira Lost conference semifinal 0–4 vs. Reading
2010–11	Eastern	South	72	37	30	1	4	79	0.549	236	222	Greg Poss	Lost conference quarterfinal 1–3 vs. Kalamazoo
2011–12	Eastern	South	72	39	26	2	5	85	0.590	260	218	Greg Poss	Won conference quarterfinal 3–0 vs. Greenville Won conference semifinal 4–1 vs. Elmira Won conference final 4–1 vs. Kalamazoo Won Kelly Cup final 4–1 vs. Las Vegas	Gingher Memorial Trophy Kelly Cup Kelly Cup Playoff's Most Valuable Player (John Muse)
2012–13	Eastern	South	72	39	22	4	7	89	0.618	260	241	Greg Poss	Won conference quarterfinal 4–2 vs. Elmira Lost conference semifinal 3–4 vs. Reading	Leading Scorer (Mathieu Roy)
2013–14	Eastern	South	72	37	27	3	5	82	0.569	240	222	Greg Poss	Did not qualify for 2014 Kelly Cup playoffs
2014–15	Eastern	East	72	49	16	2	5	105	0.729	267	208	Greg Poss	Won division semifinals 4–2 vs. Orlando Lost division final 2–4 vs. South Carolina
2015–16	Eastern	South	72	46	23	1	2	95	.660	226	175	Greg Poss	Lost conference quarterfinals 2–4 vs. Wheeling	ECHL CCM Rookie of the Year (Matt Willows) ECHL Community Service Award (Rob Florentino)
2016–17	Eastern	South	72	46	21	2	3	97	.674	275	219	Brad Ralph	Won division semifinals 4–3 vs. Orlando Lost division finals 1–4 vs. South Carolina
2017–18	Eastern	South	72	53	13	2	4	112	.778	261	171	Brad Ralph	Won division semifinals 4–0 vs. Atlanta Won division finals 4–1 vs. Orlando Won conference finals 4-1 vs. Adirondack Lost 3-4 vs Colorado Eagles in Kelly Cup Final	Brabham Cup John Brophy Award (Brad Ralph)
2018–19	Eastern	South	72	50	16	5	1	106	.736	276	181	Brad Ralph	Won division semifinals 4-2 vs. Jacksonville Won Div. Final 4-1 vs Orlando TBD, Conf Final vs TBD ||
Totals			1507	901	459	43	104	0.647		5261	4363	—	99–73 in playoffs	1 Kelly Cup 3 Brabham Cups 3 Gingher Memorial Trophies 3 John Brophy Awards

* The 2008–09 team played 71 games because of scheduling changes caused by the Augusta Lynx and Fresno Falcons ceasing operations mid-season. Four of the five teams (Florida, Charlotte, South Carolina, Mississippi) played 71 games, with Gwinnett playing 72.

Current roster

As of October 21, 2009.

GOALTENDERS
#		Player	Catches	Date of birth	Place of birth
30		Mike Morrison	R	July 11, 1979	Medford, MA, USA
33		Chris Beckford-Tseu	L	June 22, 1984	Toronto, ON, Canada

DEFENSEMEN
#		Player	Shoots	Date of birth	Place of birth
2		Matt Duffy	R	February 21, 1986	Windham, ME, USA
4		Peter Metcalf	L	February 25, 1979	Pembroke, MA, USA
6		Brad Zanon	R	April 29, 1983	Port Moody, BC, Canada
19		Scott Hotham	R	July 19, 1984	Barrie, ON, Canada
22		Cleve Kinley	R	January 3, 1984	Surrey, BC, Canada
24		Elgin Reid	L	February 23, 1987	Milton, ON, Canada
49		A.J. Thelen	L	March 11, 1986	Savage, MN, USA

FORWARDS
#		Player	Position	Shoots	Date of birth	Place of birth
7		Milan Gajic	RW	R	June 1, 1981	Burnaby, BC, Canada
9		Ernie Hartlieb	RW	R	April 11, 1979	Warren, MI, USA
11		Jacob Micflikier	LW	L	July 11, 1984	Winnipeg, MB, Canada
12		Jordan Morrison	C	L	June 6, 1986	Uxbridge, ON, Canada
15		Mathieu Roy	LW	L	November 14, 1986	Amos, QC, Canada
16		Colin Nicholson	C	R	January 7, 1983	Dartmouth, NS, Canada
17		Rob Hennigar	C	L	April 4, 1983	Jordan, ON, Canada
18		Brandon Buck	LW	L	August 16, 1988	Delaware, ON, Canada
21		Steve McJannet	RW	L	January 11, 1982	Kanata, ON, Canada
27		Ross Carlson	C	R	February 21, 1982	Duluth, MN, USA
71		Kevin Baker	RW	R	June 15, 1979	Kingston, ON, Canada

Staff
Title	STAFF MEMBER
Head Coach	Malcolm Cameron
Athletic Trainer	Todd Wisocki
Equipment Manager	Rusty Aldridge