Elmira Jackals

History

The Jackals were born as a member of the United Hockey League before the 2000–2001 season, as an affiliate of the National Hockey League's Columbus Blue Jackets. Eventually, they severed ties with the Blue Jackets and became an independent operation for the rest of their years in the league. During their tenure in the UHL, their average attendance was 3,080 per game, which included 31 sellouts. Their largest crowd was a standing-room of 4,000, on October 13, 2006.

2000–01 season

As the Elmira Jackals prepared for their first season, in the fall of 2000, the biggest question had nothing to do with starting goalies, or first line combinations or even play off predictions. Rather, it was simply if their home arena would be ready in time. As workers raced to complete the then-named "Coach USA Center", the Jackals spent the first 10 games of their inaugural season on the road. The Jackals returned to their unfinished arena in Elmira for their first ever home game, on November 11, 2000. The arena was "ready enough" to welcome a crowd of 3,378 to cheer the Jackals to a 5-2 win. Overall, the Jackals finished that season 32-33-9 for second place in the Northeast Division and a berth in the UHL playoffs. Elmira was named franchise of the year for the UHL. The Jackals lost in the first round.

2001–02 season

The Jackals completed the season with a 45-21-8 record with 98 points for first in the East in the regular season. In Elmira's second season of operation the team won the Eastern Conference Championship, however they fell to the Muskegon Fury in the Colonial Cup finals four games to two.

2002–03 season

After falling to the Muskegon Fury in the finals the previous season, Todd Brost led the team to a 41-28-7 record and a third-place finish in the Eastern Conference. The Jackals clinched a UHL playoff berth for the third consecutive season but Lost in the second round four games to none.

2003–04 season

The Jackals finished with a 33-34-9 for only 75 points on the season, however it was good enough to grab a playoff spot for the 2004 UHL playoffs. The Jackals met the Muskegon Fury in the Colonial Cup finals for the second time in three years, but were swept in four games.

2004–05 season

The Jackals celebrated their fifth anniversary in '04-'05. The Jackals' coach Todd Brost was fired and replaced mid-season after posting a 19-35-5 record. Brost was replaced by former Philadelphia Flyers tough guy Dave Schultz. The coaching changed did not go over as well hoped, as the team posted a 5-16-0 record under Schultz. The Jackals completed the season with a 24-51-5 record for only 53 points and a last place position in the Eastern Division. The Jackals did not qualify for the playoffs for the first time in their five years of existence.

2005–06 season

After not making the playoffs the previous season the Jackals named a new coach in Perry Florio. Florio was not successful in bringing a winning record back to the Jackals, posting a 27-42-7 for 61 points and missing out on the playoffs again.

2006–07 season

The Jackals hired a new general manager, Robbie Nichols, and a new coach, Kris Waltze, who had proven successful elsewhere and signed a few solid players, giving the team hope for a return to the playoffs. Waltze posted a 13-13-0 record before being demoted to the assistant coach position and Robbie Nichols was named head coach of the team. Nichols led the team to a 9-12-1 before he suffered a minor stroke during an away game. Later that month the United Hockey League rebranded as the International Hockey League.

2007–08 season

The Elmira Jackals joined the ECHL in the summer of 2007 with a new logo, jerseys and coach Steve Martinson. They became affiliates of the National Hockey League's Columbus Blue Jackets and American Hockey League's Syracuse Crunch. They were members of the North division. Returning from a loss in Cincinnati, the team bus was involved in crash on Interstate 90 in Pennsylvania early in the morning of November 29, 2007, where several players sustained minor injuries. After three seasons of being out of playoff contention in the United Hockey League, the Elmira Jackals qualified for the 2008 Kelly Cup playoffs. The Jackals completed the season with a 41-24-0-7 with 89 points to finish second in the North Division. However, their success was short lived as they lost in the conference quarterfinals to the Reading Royals, 4-games-to-2.

2008–09 season

The Jackals severed ties with the Blue Jackets and Crunch at the conclusion of the 2007–08 season and became the affiliates of the NHL's Ottawa Senators and AHL's Binghamton Senators. During the 2008–09 regular season, the Jackals went 39-26-2-5 for 85 points to finish third in the North Division on the season. The Jackals were able to clinch a playoff berth but fell in the second round to the Cincinnati Cyclones, 4-games-to-0.

2009–10 season

During the team's tenth anniversary, 2009–10 regular season, the Jackals finished with a 37-26-6-3 good for 83 points on the season to finish 1st in the East, and making the ECHL playoffs for the third straight season. The Jackals went on to fall in the first round to the Florida Everblades, 4-games-to-1.

2010–11 season

In 2010, the Jackals affiliated with the NHL's Anaheim Ducks and their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, giving the Jackals a dual NHL affiliation for the first time (as they were still affiliated the Senators).

Head coach Steve Martinson, who had been with the franchise since its inaugural year in the ECHL, signed with the Chicago Express, a new expansion team of the ECHL. He left Elmira with a 117-76-23 record. On August 23, 2010, the Jackals announced that Malcolm Cameron would succeed Martinson as head coach for the 2010–11 season. Cameron was replaced mid-season by former coach and general manager Robbie Nichols. The Jackals finished the 2010–11 ECHL season with a 32-30-7-3 record with 74 points and a third-place finish in the North Division. The Jackals clinched their fourth consecutive ECHL playoff berth but fell in the first round to the Greenville Road Warriors, 3-games-to-1.

2011–12 season

In 2011, the Jackals agreed to an affiliation with the lower-level Danbury Whalers of the Federal Hockey League for the 2011–12 season.

The Jackals announced that Pat Bingham with be behind the bench for the 2011–12 season. On February 21, 2012, the Jackals season was threatened after the Arena owner failed to pay $136,234 in taxes for three years and being hit with a foreclosure order by Chemung County. The Jackals continued to play not knowing if or when they would be locked out by the County. Jackals and First Arena's general manager, Robbie Nichols, and assistant general manager, Don Lewis, were fired in January 2012 and replaced by Matt Hufnagel. The operator of First Arena filed two lawsuits, one against Nichols and Lewis and the other against Chemung County, the County Executive, County Treasurer and Southern Tier Economic Development. This statement by the owner's lawyers was released: "The truth will come out. Fact of the matter is the money was here to pay the taxes. And the fact is Robbie Nichols told the Afrs it was paid." Afr, the Jackals and First Arena owner requested that the Legislature hold off their vote until June 30, 2012, to continue the foreclosure proceedings. On the ice, the Jackals had a record breaking season, Bingham led the Jackals to a 45-22-5 record, good for 95 points in the 2011–12 season and captured the Eastern Conference regular season title. The Jackals advanced to the 2012 Kelly Cup playoffs for their fifth straight season, falling in the second round to the Florida Everblades, 4-games-to-1.

2012–13 season

The Jackals and the Anaheim Ducks ended their affiliation prior the 2012–13 season and they added to their FHL Danbury Whalers' affiliation with the Williamsport Outlaws (until the Outlaws folded in January 2013).

On May 30, 2012, the County entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Elmira Downtown Arena and Southern Tier Economic Development to allow Elmira Downtown Arena to continue operating the First Arena for the 2012–13 season. The Legislature ratified the agreement on July 9, 2012. On July 24, 2012, the County announced that First Arena would be sold to local businessman Tom Freeman, at the completion of the 2012–13 season. On September 8, 2012, Jackals head coach Pat Bingham resigned with only one month before the season started. The Jackals were able to find a quick replacement by announcing Dwight Mullens as the team's new coach. The Jackals finished the regular season with a 40-25-3-4 record with 87 points on the season and a second-place finish in the Atlantic Division. The Jackals fell in the first round of the 2013 Kelly Cup playoffs to the Florida Everblades, 4-games-to-2.

On April 10, 2013, the Jackals held a press conference to name Tom Freeman and Nathan Cook the new owners of the First Arena and Elmira Jackals.

2013–14 season

The Jackals again had a dual NHL affiliation for the season, now with the Senators and New Jersey Devils (as well as their AHL affiliates the Binghamton Senators and the Albany Devils, respectively).

In the 2013–14 season, the Jackals completed the season with a 24-40-3-5 record with 56 points and finished the season in third place in the Atlantic Division and twelfth in the Eastern Conference, but missed the playoffs for the first time since joining the ECHL in 2007. During this season, the Jackals' total roster consisted of 55 players, including goalies, which is the third-most in the team's ECHL history.

2014–15 season

The Devils decided to not renew their affiliation with the Jackals for the 2014–15 season. On April 16, 2014 the Jackals announced that they would also not renew their affiliation agreement with the NHL's Ottawa Senators and instead signed a multi-year agreement to be the ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and the AHL's Rochester Americans. At the start of the season, the Jackals announced that they are now "community owned." Any profit above operating cost would be turned over to a local board of directors who would decide how the money should be invested in the community. However, despite an increase in average attendance from 2,200 in 2013–14 to 2,557 in 2014–15, the team still lost money. The owner indicated that 3,200 is the breakeven point. Freeman donates the team to a Community non-profit organization Twin Tiers Economic Development TTED.

2015–16 season

The Jackals set a team record of 21 road wins during the season, but missed the playoffs for the third straight year. The average attendance was 2,500 per game and the team again lost money. The Chemung County Executive hinted at big changes to come.

On April 28, 2016 the Chemung County Executive announced that the Chemung County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) is assuming temporary ownership of the First Arena and the Jackals until a new owner can be found. The move was made due to the ongoing team losses and the ability to pay rent to the Arena combined with the County's interest in maintaining the viability of the Arena and the team. The IDA will use $1 million to pay off team debts so any new owner can have a nearly clean financial slate.

2016–17 season

On June 16, 2016, head coach Jamie Russell left the organization after two seasons. On July 25, the Jackals announced David Leger as the new head coach. Under Leger, the team struggled and was in last place in the league leading management to releasing Leger on January 13, 2017. He was replaced by assistant coach Mike Duco on an interim basis.

Season-by-season record

The complete seasonal records throughout team history.

National Hockey League

American Hockey League

Federal Hockey League