Hampton Roads Rhinos
| Hampton Roads Rhinos | |
|---|---|
 2024-25 Hampton Roads Rhinos SEASON | |
| File:Hi | |
| City | Norfolk, Virginia |
| League | NHL |
| Conference | Eastern |
| Division | Metropolitan |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Operated | Hampton Roads Rhinos 1997–present |
| Home arena | Harvey's Coliseum |
| Colours | Teal, purple, orange, black |
| Owner(s) | Norfolk Sports & Entertainment |
| General manager | (TBA) |
| Head coach | (TBA) |
| Captain | (TBA) |
| Media | WNVT |
| Affiliates | N/A |
| Championships | |
| Division Championships | 0 |
| Conference Championships | 0 |
| Stanley Cups | 0 |
The Hampton Roads Rhinos (commonly referred to as the Rhinos) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Rhinos compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, and have played their home games at Harvey's Coliseum since 1997. The club was founded in 1994, when the NHL granted an expansion franchise to George Shinn, with the team beginning play in the 1998–99 NHL season. In 2008, ownership of the team was transferred from Shinn to a locally based ownership group.
History
The prospect of attracting an NHL franchise to Norfolk was initially explored in the early 1990s. An NHL franchise became the best option in attracting a professional sports team to the region based on its lower expansion fee (approximately $50 million in 1994) and the success of the Hampton Roads Admirals of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) during the late 1980s and early 1990s.[1] In November 1994, the Hampton Roads Sports Authority released a report indicating the region could support an NHL franchise and that in order to attract one a 20,000-seat arena would have to be constructed as both the Norfolk Scope and Hampton Coliseum were too small to host an NHL team.[2]
By 1996 George Shinn, owner of the then Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA), indicated that he was looking to the Hampton Roads as a potential location for an NHL expansion team.[3] Shinn met several times with local officials and indicated that he was looking at both Norfolk and Raleigh, North Carolina as potential cities to develop an expansion bid.[3] Shinn indicated that if awarded a franchise it would be called the Rhinos with the team colors being teal, purple and orange.[4] On November 1, 1996, Shinn officially submitted an application to the NHL for one of the four expansion franchise slots to play in Norfolk.[5][6][7][8] At the time of application the Hampton Roads was the largest metropolitan area in the United States without a major professional sports franchise and was in competition with Atlanta, Houston, Nashville, Columbus, Louisville, Hamilton, St. Paul, Oklahoma City and Raleigh for a franchise.[9] At this time Shinn also indicated if an expansion franchise was not awarded to the city, he would look to relocate an existing franchise to Norfolk if an arena was constructed and season ticket sales were positive.[10] Following the announcement of the bid, Shinn initiated a season ticket drive with the stated goal of selling 10,000 with deposits of $100 per ticket.[11] Although season ticket sales only reached 5,160 sold of the stated goal of 10,000 by January 1997, Rhinos officials remained optimistic about their chances of securing an expansion franchise.[12] With an agreement in principle for the construction of an arena, Shinn and the Rhinos ownership met with Gary Bettman and other NHL officials in New York City to make their official pitch for one of the expansion franchises. In June, the league granted conditional franchises into Nashville, Atlanta, St. Paul, Columbus, Las Vegas, Seattle, Houston, Norfolk, Louisville, and Hawaii.
The Nashville team would begin play in 1997 if they met the NHL requirement of selling 12,000 season tickets before 31 March 1996. Of the six cities, Norfolk and Atlanta completed their arenas in 1999, following the Nashville Predators beginning play the year before; therefore, both expansion teams within those areas began play in the 1999–00 NHL season.
Members
| No. | Player |
|---|---|
| 8 | Ben Neunie |
| 18 | Andrew Caph |
| 37 | James Rzeznik |
| 93 | Alexander Lass |
| 14 | Robby Fabbero |
| 36 | Cody Taylor |
| 41 | Shawn Ghost |
| 3 | Vincent Huan |
| 88 | Paul Fazaka |
| 71 | Dylan Nook |
| 34 | Mark Raleigh |
| 2 | Owen Prithwi |
| 57 | Ryan Lacroix |
| 46 | David Okalik |
| 27 | Michael Pekka |
| 39 | Brian Guess |
| 23 | Leon Polhill |
| 47 | William Sarnia |
| 53 | Kevin Eklund |
| 17 | Ethan Tkachuk |
| 90 | Thomas Oluwa |
| 96 | Abby Shanahan |
Trivia
(TBA)
- ↑ Robinson, Tom (June 22, 1994). "And our best bet to return to the bigs might be with the NHL". The Virginian-Pilot. p. C4.
- ↑ Mangalindan, Mylene (November 19, 1994). "Study says new arena could draw a NHL team". The Virginian-Pilot. p. C1.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Minium, Harry (October 16, 1996). "NBA owner mulls trying to bring NHL to Hampton Roads". The Virginian-Pilot. p. C1.
- ↑ "Shinn almost set to pick NHL site". The Virginian-Pilot. October 22, 1996. p. C5.
- ↑ Geroux, Bill (January 15, 1997). "Shinn makes pitch to NHL Rhinos would play in Norfolk Arena". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. E.1. Retrieved July 26, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "The Rhinos if Hockey comes, it should call home 'Hampton Roads'". Daily Press - Newport News, Va. Nov 18, 1996. p. A.6. Retrieved July 26, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ Minium, Harry (November 2, 1996). "Area gets a shot at NHL team". The Virginian-Pilot. p. A1.
- ↑ Reilly & Schweihs 1999, p. 393
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedNovember 2, 19962 - ↑ Minium, Harry (November 4, 1996). "Shinn says he'll move a team here if expansion bid fails". The Virginian-Pilot. p. A1.
- ↑ Minium, Harry (November 6, 1996). "Shinn, Rhinos goal: 10,000 season tickets". The Virginian-Pilot. p. C1.
- ↑ Minium, Harry (January 11, 1997). "Rhinos' ticket sales fall short of Shinn's goals". The Virginian-Pilot. p. A9.
