By N.G. Kennedy, Columbus Wired Contributing Columnist

First Edition: NGK’s History of Hockey in Columbus

First, introducing N.G. Kennedy…..

First off, who is this hack who thinks he can write?

N.G. Kennedy, a former announcer at WCVO 104.9, wrote for the Cincinnati Cross Examiner. It is the student newspaper for Cincinnati Bible College and Seminary.  This was for the 1991-1992 year. He has also worked for WCVO radio as a weekend overnight announcer. He assisted the station in promotions and production from 1996-1998.

He has writing various commentaries for newsletters. But this is probably the first he has written anything in a major web paper or newspaper. (Plug for Columbus Wired)

This 31-year-old is a Customer Service Representative for Valvoline Instant Oil Change. He is currently at the Westerville location, but is known to help out at other locations throughout Metro Columbus.

He attends Vineyard Church of Columbus and an active leader in Joshua House, the young adult ministry.  He resides next to Vineyard in Westerville with his friend and fellow Browns fan Ron Hall. Since you know he’s a Browns fan, you know N.G. has much faith and patience. That could be a stretch. But, it’s the Browns.

Now, CAN WE GET TO THE ARTICLE?

The Sixties and Seventies…Short and Sweet.

From 1966 to 1970, we had the Columbus Checkers. They were the first. Playing in the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum, they racked up not many wins. For four seasons, they were the Chicago Blackhawks affiliate in the International Hockey League (IHL). Due to lacking attendance, they folded in the spring of 1970.

*All teams from 1966 to 1977 were part of the IHL. The IHL folded a few years ago, formerly the AAA class hockey league. It was a step away from the majors. All teams that were in the IHL moved over to the American Hockey League. That in itself is another rant.

The Golden Seals came into town via Oakland A’s boss Charlie Finley and his ownership group for the California Golden Seals of the NHL. (This NHL team is obviously not around anymore.)  They did not far much better for wins, however their tough-style play and crazy promos kept fans respectively showing up. Alas, the California Seals faded, so did Columbus’ version after three seasons.

The most successful franchise out of this era was the Columbus Owls. From 1973 to 1977, they made post season two times. The 1974-75 season brought 40 wins, 32 losses and 4 ties. The final season in 1976-77 brought 35-30-11 as the record.

Bit of a problem for the wise Owls.

Same problem that plague the Chill club.

A thing called the Ohio State Fair Board. Due to conflicts in scheduling, the Owls had to play their playoff games and some home dates in…anyone, anyone, Buehler?  Troy, Ohio! The owner moved the team to Dayton in 1978 for that reason.

Overall, it got the bug planted for hockey fans. However, fans for 14 years had travel to see the Cleveland Barons, Dayton Owls, Toledo Cherokees, Cincinnati Stingers, and the later ECHL teams of the 1990’s

Which bring us to one the most popular minor league teams in history.

(All facts on this era of hockey gathered for the Columbus Hockey history on the Blue Jackets website. Pretty cool write up and goes into details about famous players who skated in Columbus. Why did I not write aboot them, eh? Dude, the website is copyrighted. I am all aboot keeping this legal, hoser.)

THE CHILL 1991-1999

This part of Columbus hockey as was part of. As a fan, a reporter, and a rabid hockey lunatic. (I was going to be the fan of the game at the April 99 game against the Richmond Renegades. We lost that game. Ask my friend Scott Sloan at AEP. I was bummed, but happy at the same time.)

All info has been taken from the Chill’s “Last Call: 98/99” yearbook. I still hold this in my possession. No way this book is going on E-bay!

November 1^st, 1991. A day that will live in hockey infamy. At least in Columbus. The Erie Panthers of the ECHL christened the “Barn” with the first home opener against our beloved Chill. I just so happened to win tickets to the game. May I say, the feel of the crowd, the sound of the boards, I was hooked.

I had already gotten a taste of hockey with my friend Tony Bonsingore. He made me a Penguins fan overnight. But, when I went to the game…it was excellent.

The Chill remained a freezing presence in the East Coast Hockey League, now simply know as ECHL. (They absorbed the West Coast Hockey League. Hence just ECHL.) They headed the minor league record books for attendance every year in existence.

Terry Ruskowski has the first coach of the Chill. If you lose a game, Terry would not be happy.  Fury would seize his face, passion would carry over to the bench, and if you were a player…you better win the next game. He was as animate as Scotty Bowman and as loud as a freight train.

He was also a drill sergeant. Think of R. Lee Armey with a business suit. If you were unfortunate to lose a game, you would be rewarded afterwards with more skating drills.

Win, not so bad. Players respected Terry and the Columbus fans loved him even more. The care he had for his team carried over to the rapid success of local support. The first three seasons were his.

1994-1996 was the Moe years.  Mantha, that is. Although not the passion filled expressions showed by Terry, Moe won the players respect, full hearted. He was more of an ice field general.  Moe wasn’t a fan favorite due to records and a great lost to rival and 1995 ECHL champ Richmond.

But, Moe was the coach…as far as hockey experts were concerned.

Brian McCutceon was not only a championship coach, but he was the most underrated.

Considering he helped beat Toledo in the 1997 playoffs, assembling the best record for the Chill to that date, 44-21-5. The lowest call-ups on any Chill squad. He wasn’t the best coach Columbus saw. He most certainly was not the worst.

A great hockey player and a great hockey family grace the final moments of the Chill.

Don Granato, brother of the first woman’s pro goalie Cammie Granato, coached the last two seasons. He was the best of all the coaches before. Then, in the 1998-99 season, the most famous player with the Chill franchise came back.

Jason “Smurf” Christie came from the Hamilton Bulldogs to play and help coach the Chill. Sending the Chill with these guys was a class act itself.

We went one year without pro hockey. We were ready for ‘The Show’. THE NHL.

THE BLUE JACKETS   2000-present

I am not going to touch so much on recent history. I will touch that we could have had the Hartford Whalers… that turned into the Carolina Hurricanes. This team won the 2002 Eastern Conference title and went on to the Stanley Cup

NOT THAT I AM BITTER!!!  Just kidding.

The nickname “blue jackets” is officially derived from the union soldiers from Ohio, and Columbus had a factory produced the uniforms.

Not that I am upset because I had submitted “Aces”, “Thunderhawks”, “Roadblox”, or “Jets”.

Seriously, Columbus embraced the Chill, Ohio has embraced the Blue Jackets. They have become Ohio’s team.  With a statewide radio network, two farm teams located in-state, (Dayton Bombers and the new Columbus Stars) and more than enough cross-promotion to choke a NHL sized horse, the Blue Jackets have become Ohio’s hockey passion. (Except in Toledo and the Ohio Valley area near Wheeling. Hey, that’s Red Wing and Pens territory.)

Blue Jackets President/GM/Head Coach and all around good guy Doug McLean has had some tough choices to make. Axing head coach Doug King, letting Tuggy, Whitney, and others go. But, he stands by them.

The ownership group has hooked up with many local sponsors and groups to get the word out. All the promotional stuff the Chill done in the past, the Blue Jackets have learned and amped up the stuff. People loved going to a Jackets game.

Many Jackets names fill the mouths of Central Ohio hockey fans.  Jean-Luc Grand Pierre, tough guy Jody Shelley, Marc Denis and last year’s rookie Rick Nash. People are becoming rabid at the sound of a victory over Detroit or a loss against the mighty Habs (Canadians, to those who don’t know hockey) of Montreal.

 The past three seasons have been great…but the people crave more…Great hockey for affordable prices.

Yes, Columbus, there is a Santa Claus. And he has a great place to celebrate when we win.

THE STARS ARE BORN 2003!

Joe Milano, Jr. has been a long time resident of Columbus. The owner of Villa Milano Party and Banquet Center has been a staple for weddings, proms, and other gatherings. How about a birth?

Oh, here he comes. It’s a bouncing baby United Hockey League franchise. And look, the Ohio Expo Center has renovated the barn. (O.K., enough of the baby talk!)

Seriously, Joe has had stake in amateur youth and adult hockey, soccer, and volleyball for several years. He also owns the minor league PDL Stars men’s soccer and W-League women’s teams. He like many Central Ohioans loves the Blue Jackets, but still miss the Chill.

The United Hockey League was founded in 1991, formerly the Colonial Hockey League. The Championship bears the former league’s name to show homage. The UHL was looking to expand two new cities, Richmond, Virginia and Columbus. Oh, do I smell a rekindled rivalry from the ECHL days?

April 23^rd was the official day Joe and the UHL made the announcement. It was like writing on the wall. Central Ohio loves hockey. We still love the Jackets, but we want more!

The Stars names their new GM, Robb King. He was a former VP/GM with the Flint Generals and the vice president of operations of the Muskegon Fury. Both teams in the very league the Stars will be competing in. Malcolm Cameron was recently named the head coach of the Stars. He is from Canada. Doug McLean is from Canada. If you have hockey, you must have a Canadian coach. Great formula for success.

Don’t think Joe and the Stars management are serious about hockey? Just ask the former CSHL Junior B class Columbus Crush. The gang at Milano Sports Enterprises just bought the team. So, with the Junior B Stars, the amateur youth and adult leagues, and the new UHL Stars, we will be Hockeytown Ohio!

Now, when can we see the team?

The first two games will be away playing the Adirondack Icehawks on October 24^th and the Elmira Jackals on October 25^th. The Stars return home for their first home gig on Halloween Night, October 31^st.

The Stars will have a galactic battle with last year’s UHL champs, the Fort Wayne Komets. I am sure some UFO gag or promo will ensue. Info for tickets, call the Stars ticket office at 614-985-STAR. If you wish to surf the web for more info check columbusstars.com or the UHL website, uhl.com