Topeka RoadRunners

Topeka RoadRunners
City Topeka, Kansas
League NAHL
Division South
Founded 2003
Home arena Landon Arena
Colors Navy Blue, Red, White
              
Owner(s) Barbara & Donald Stone
General manager Joe Clark
Head coach Josh Kamrass
Media Topeka Capital-Journal
KSNT-TV 27
WIBW-TV 13
KTKA ABC
KTMJ-FOX
Franchise history
2003–2004 Lone Star Cavalry
2004–2007 Santa Fe RoadRunners
2007–present Topeka RoadRunners

The Topeka RoadRunners are a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's South Division. The team's home arena is the 7,773-seat Landon Arena in Topeka, Kansas.

History

Lone Star Cavalry

The Lone Star Cavalry were granted an expansion franchise in the America West Hockey League in March 2003. They stayed in the league when it merged with the North American Hockey League for the 2003–04 season. The Cavalry played out of the Blue Line Ice Complex in North Richland Hills, Texas and served the immediate "Mid-Cities" area of Metro Dallas-Fort Worth. The Cavalry were part of the NAHL’s new South Division along with the Central Texas Blackhawks, Fairbanks Ice Dogs, Springfield (MO) Spirit, Texas Tornado, Texarkana Bandits, and Wichita Falls Rustlers.

Santa Fe RoadRunners

After financial difficulties caused the Cavalry’s home rink, the Blue Line Ice Complex, to close, the Cavalry were left without a home. Due to this and other factors, the Cavalry ended up being sold and relocated to Santa Fe, New Mexico. The team was granted membership on September 20, 2004, and began play on September 25, 2004, under their new identity as the Santa Fe RoadRunners. The Santa Fe RoadRunners played out of the Genoveva Chavez Community Center in Santa Fe. In their inaugural season in New Mexico, the RoadRunners played in the South Division, against the Central Texas Marshals, Springfield (IL) Jr. Blues, Springfield Spirit, Texarkana Bandits, Texas Tornado, and the Wichita Falls Wildcats, finishing with a 33-15-8 record, good for 3rd place in the division. The following season they finished dead last in the South Division behind the Tornado, Bandits, Jr. Blues, and the Wildcats. The third and final season in Santa Fe saw the RoadRunners finishing with a 41-17-4 record for 2nd place in a South Division which consisted of the St. Louis Bandits, Texas Tornado, Fairbanks Ice Dogs, Wichita Falls Wildcats, and the Alaska Avalanche.

Topeka RoadRunners

On February 26, 2007, the team announced their move to Topeka, Kansas from Santa Fe, New Mexico, due to claims of poor attendance. Santa Fe ranked 17th out of 18 teams in attendance.

The move to Topeka was initiated by a grass roots effort, led by hockey fans from Topeka. In their first season in Topeka, 2007–08, they were third in league attendance. That season the team won the NAHL South Division and South Division Playoffs. They finished in third place at the Robertson Cup competition. The 2008–09 season saw the RoadRunners finishing fourth in league attendance and 2nd in the South Division. The team lost in the second round of the South Division playoffs. In 2009–10 The RoadRunners finished first in the South Division, and they were second in attendance. The 2010–11 season saw the RoadRunners claim the NAHL President's Cup as the league's regular season champions.

On January 7, 2016, the RoadRunners fired long-tenured head coach and general manager Scott Langer, who had been with the team since their days as the Cavalry and the head coach since their first season in Santa Fe.[1] He was hired immediately after the season ended by the Aberdeen Wings.

Season-by-season records

Season GP W L OTL Pts GF GA PIM Finish Playoffs
Lone Star Calvary
2003–04 56 28 22 6 62 158 171 1,504 5th, South Did not qualify
Santa Fe Roadrunners
2004–05 56 33 18 5 71 201 163 1,602 3rd of 7, South Lost in 1st Round
2005–06 58 24 28 6 54 182 205 1,418 5th of 5, South Did not qualify
2006–07 62 41 17 4 86 221 154 1,240 2nd of 6, South Lost in 1st Round
Topeka RoadRunners
2007–08 58 39 11 8 86 242 137 1,509 1st of 6, South Lost in Robertson Cup Semifinal
2008–09 58 42 11 5 89 204 138 1,545 2nd of 4, South Lost in 2nd Round
2009–10 58 44 9 5 93 254 147 1,500 1st of 5, South Lost in 2nd Round
2010–11 58 43 12 3 89 237 146 1,706 1st of 6, South Lost in Div. Finals
2011–12 60 38 18 4 80 197 152 1,247 2nd of 7, South Lost in Div. Finals
2012–13 60 39 14 7 85 190 146 1343 2nd of 6, South Lost in Div. Semifinals
2013–14 60 39 15 6 84 180 122 1090 2nd of 7, South Lost in Robertson Cup Semifinals
2014–15 60 39 15 6 84 199 140 837 2nd of 8, South Lost in Robertson Cup Quarterfinals
2015–16 60 34 24 2 70 190 154 1044 3rd of 6, South Lost in Div. Finals

Playoffs

First Round – Texarkana Bandits defeated Santa Fe Roadrunners, 3-games-to-1
First Round – Texas Tornado defeated Santa Fe Roadrunners, 3-games-to-2
Division Semifinals – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Texas Tornado, 3-games-to-0
Division Final – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Fairbanks Ice Dogs, 3-games-to-2
Robertson Cup Round Robin – Topeka RoadRunners (2-1) - Advance to Semifinal, (W, 3-2 vs. Phantoms; W, 4-2 vs. Blizzard; L, 2-5 vs. Bandits)
Robertson Cup Semifinal Game – Mahoning Valley Phantoms defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 5-2
Division Semifinals – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Wichita Falls Wildcats, 3-games-to-2
Division Finals – St. Louis Bandits defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 3-games-to-1
Division Semifinals – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Springfield Jr. Blues, 3-games-to-1
Division Finals – St. Louis Bandits defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 3-games-to-2
Division Semifinals – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Wichita Falls Wildcats, 3-games-to-2
Division Finals – Amarillo Bulls defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 3-games-to-2
Division Semifinals – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Texas Tornado, 3-games-to-0
Division Finals – Amarillo Bulls defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 3-games-to-1
Division Semifinals – Texas Tornado defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 3-games-to-0
Division Semifinals – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, 3-games-to-0
Division Finals – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Amarillo Bulls, 3-games-to-2
Robertson Cup Semifinals – Austin Bruins defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 2-games-to-1
First Round – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Wichita Falls Wildcats, 3-games-to-1
Robertson Cup Quarterfinals – Lone Star Brahmas defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 3-games-to-1
Division Semifinals – Topeka RoadRunners defeated Lone Star Brahmas, 3-games-to-1
Division Finals – Wichita Falls Wildcats defeated Topeka RoadRunners, 3-games-to-0

Players

Team captains

Honored members

Retired numbers: The Topeka RoadRunners have officially retired two numbers in their franchise history, the 11 of forward and team captain John Stoddard, and the 21 of Peter Halash.

On January 6, 2014, Topeka Roadrunner Peter Halash died in a car wreck. The Roadrunners team had a jersey retirement ceremony before a game against the Springfield Jr. Blues on March 23, 2014 where all of his family and friends came to remember the life of Peter Halash.

Alumni

The RoadRunners have had a number of alumni move on to NCAA Division I, NCAA Division III, ACHA Division I and II, higher levels of junior ice hockey, and professional ice hockey, including:

References

  1. ↑ http://cjonline.com/sports/2016-01-07/topeka-roadrunners-fire-scott-langer-coach-general-manager
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