Norfolk Admirals

NORFOLK ADMIRALSFounded 1989Arena:  Norfolk ScopeECHL:  1989-2000, 2015-PresentAHL: 2001-2015Championships:  ECHL – 1991, 1992, 1998                            AHL – 2012

In the Spring of 1989, Blake Cullen purchased an ECHL franchise to be located to Norfolk, Virginia and would be named the Hampton Roads Admirals The team would compete at the Norfolk Scope Arena.  The Name the Team Contest was won by Betty Decker who names the team the “Admirals” to honor the large Navy and military presence in the region. In the Spring of 1989, the Washington Capitals (NHL) entered into an affiliation agreement with the Admirals.  Former Toronto Maple Leafs coach John Brophy was named the team’s head coach.

On October 28, 1989, the Admirals defeated the Virginia Lancers 6-3 in the first game in team history.  Steve Greenberg recorded a hat trick in the victory.

On April 11, 1991, the Admirals won their first ECHL championship and the Jack Riley Cup with a 6-3 victory over Greensboro at the Norfolk Scope to take the series 4-1.  The Admirals went 11-3 during the lengthy playoff run. Dave Gagnon and Dave Flanagan were both named playoff MVPs.

The Admirals claimed their second consecutive ECHL championship on April 17, 1992 with a decisive 8-3 victory over Louisville.  Hampton Roads went 12-2 during the playoffs, while goaltender Mark Bernard was named playoff MVP.

The Admirals claimed a third ECHL title, claiming the Kelly Cup with a 4-1 win over Pensacola after entering the playoffs as the eighth seed in the conference and 16th overall in the entire playoff field.  The Admirals improbable playoff run began when the team had to win its final three games of the regular season, while needing the Columbus Chill to drop its final games in order to clinch a playoff berth.  The stars aligned and the Admirals knocked off the top-seeded Peoria Rivermen in the first round, and rallied from a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-five series against Roanoke in the second round before dispatching the Wheeling Nailers in the conference finals.  Sebastien Charpentier was named MVP of the playoffs as the Admirals earned their third ECHL Championship. 

The Admirals’ first stint in the ECHL ended in 2000 when the team was granted admission to the American Hockey League (AHL) as an expansion franchise and would become the primary affiliate for the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks.  The team would be renamed the Norfolk Admirals.As the team made the jump to the AHL, Head Coach John Brophy retired from the Admirals after 11 seasons at the helm.  Brophy brought three ECHL titles to Hampton Roads. Brophy’s 1,027 career coaching wins are second most in all of professional hockey behind Scotty Bowman.  Years later, the ECHL would name its Coach of the Year Award in Brophy’s honor. 

In April of 2006, the Admirals qualified for the playoffs for the 18th consecutive season (ECHL & AHL).   On March 28, 2007, the organization entered into an affiliation agreement with the Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL).On February 10, 2012, the Admirals began their North American Hockey record, 28-game winning streak.  The record was culminated with an AHL Calder Cup Championship on June 9, 2012 as the Admirals defeated the Toronto Marlies 6-1.  Alexandre Picard was named playoff MVP, while Cory Conacher was named regular season MVP.

The following summer, the Admirals entered in an affiliation agreement with the Anaheim Ducks.  On April 17, 2015, the Admirals played their final game as a member of the American Hockey League and the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL relocated to Norfolk and took on the Admirals name. 

In October of 2015 the Admirals made their official return to the ECHL as an affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers. The Admirals became the ECHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators in July of 2017.

In February of 2018, the City of Norfolk and Admirals agreed to a three-year lease agreement to keep the team at the Scope.   The 2018-19 season will mark the 30th in Admirals history, and Norfolk will serve as the ECHL affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes.