Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 16, 1995 TAG: 9505160104
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The vote, which is expected to be announced by the ECHL today, came during the league meetings last week in New Orleans.
``The Greensboro franchise was terminated,'' said Pierre Paiement, the Roanoke Express' general manager. ``There were some conditions laid out for them to meet, but they were not met.''
Paiement would not elaborate on what those conditions were, but it has been known for several months that many of the ECHL owners were angry with the Monarchs. The league believed Greensboro officials secretly were attempting to take the ECHL's top home draws - Hampton Roads, Charlotte, Richmond and South Carolina - with them to the AHL.
The Monarchs' ownership group attempted to purchase the ECHL's Raleigh IceCaps in March, but the deal fell through when the AHL returned the teams' franchise applications. Raleigh has announced it will stay in the ECHL. Greensboro still is considering a move to the AHL.
Pat Kelly, the ECHL's commissioner, was unavailable for comment Monday.
The Monarchs did not send a representative to the ECHL meetings.
``Everything is still up in the air,'' said Howard Cornfield, a Monarchs spokesman. ``We will do whatever is best for our organization. They [the ECHL owners] can vote on whatever they want. We're unaware of any action they took.''
OTHER BUSINESS: Last week's meetings produced a few other announcements. The league decided not to add any more expansion teams for the 1995-96 season, but it granted a franchise to Greenville, S.C., for '96-97. The league will expand by four teams this year with the addition of Mobile, Ala.; Lafayette, La.; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Louisville, Ky. ...
The ECHL also realigned its three divisions for the '95-96 season. Roanoke, Richmond, Hampton Roads, Raleigh, Charlotte and South Carolina will be in the East Division; Nashville, Knoxville, Birmingham, Mobile, Tallahassee, Jacksonville and Lafayette will be in the South Division; and Erie, Toledo, Columbus, Dayton, Wheeling, Johnstown, Huntington and Louisville will be in the North Division. The playoffs will include 16 teams - the top five from each division, plus one wild-card team.
Carl Scheer, the Charlotte Checkers' owner, was elected league president.
COACH TORTY: John Tortorella, a one-time Virginia Lancers coach, is being mentioned as one of the leading candidates for the head coach's position with the AHL's Rochester Americans.
Tortorella, fellow Buffalo Sabres assistant coach Don Lever and Rochester assistant Terry Martin reportedly are the finalists for the job that opened when John Van Boxmeer left the Americans to become the coach and general manager of the expansion Los Angeles IceDogs of the International Hockey League.
The Americans are expected to hire a new coach - most likely Tortorella - after Buffalo is eliminated from the NHL playoffs.
BERTHIAUME'S WALL: After leaving Roanoke following the Express' second-round ouster from the ECHL playoffs, goalie Daniel Berthiaume played well for the Detroit Vipers in the IHL playoffs.
The Vipers were upset by the Kansas City Blades three games to two in a first-round series, but Berthiaume stood out. He played all five games and compiled a goals-against average of 2.53 and a save percentage of .926.
Berthiaume may be spending the summer in Florida. Roller Hockey International's Orlando Rollergators picked up Berthiaume's rights from the Portland (Ore.) Rage.
BACK TO SCHOOL: The Express will operate its 1995 hockey school for youngsters Aug.7-11 at the Roanoke Civic Center. Coach Frank Anzalone will be the director of the school, which is open to boys and girls ages 7-17. The fee is $200.
Anzalone announced last week that popular Express forward Jason Clarke will be an instructor at the school. Other guest instructors will be named later.
Applications and brochures can be obtained by calling the Express office at 989-4625, or by writing to: Roanoke Express Hockey School, 4502 Starkey Road SW Suite 211, Professional Park Building, Roanoke, 24014.
AROUND THE ECHL: The Erie Panthers will be staying put for at least one more season. The Panthers were expected to move either to West Palm Beach, Fla., or Towson, Md., but the team chose to honor its lease with Erie's Civic Center Authority. ... The Johnstown Chiefs will be starting next season with new ownership and a new coach. A local group bought the team in April and immediately announced that head coach/general manager Eddie Johnstone's contract would not be renewed. The team will begin to interview coaching candidates next week. ... The Raleigh IceCaps fired Rick Barkovich, who had been head coach for one season. The IceCaps were 23-39-6 under Barkovich and did not make the playoffs for the first time. ... The Birmingham Bulls gave head coach Phil Roberto a two-year contract extension. ... Game 4 of the Greensboro-Richmond Riley Cup championship series drew a playoff-record crowd of 10,019.
by CNB