From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Lake Erie Vikings |
|
|
| City: |
Auburn Township, Ohio |
| League: |
Mid-Atlantic Hockey League |
| Founded: |
2007 |
| Home Arena: |
The Pond |
| Colors: |
navy blue, light blue, gold |
| Owner(s): |
Vikings Professional Hockey Club, LLC |
| Franchise history |
| 2007-2008: |
Jamestown Vikings |
| 2008-present: |
Lake Erie Vikings |
| Championships |
| Regular Season Titles: |
0 |
The Lake Erie Vikings are an ice hockey team that plays in the Mid-Atlantic Hockey League. The team was originally named the Jamestown Vikings, located in Jamestown, New York at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena.
The league canceled the remainder of the 2007-08 season and suspended operations on February 12, 2008. The MAHL hopes to return with teams in new locations in 2008-09. The Vikings and Valley Forge Freedom, the league's two most fiscally solvent franchises, were expected to remain in the league if and when the league returns.[1] After the season ended, several Vikings players went on a drunken rampage at a local lodge in Jamestown, believing that league owner Andrew Haines (who also owned the team at the time) owned the lodge (he did not) and causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage.[2] League officials originally said that they fully expected the Vikings to be a part of a renewed league in 2008-09.[3] However, on March 18, the league announced that the Jamestown team would move to Ohio, and play as the Lake Erie Vikings, citing the vandalism incident as the primary reason for the departure.[4] It was later revealed that the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena had revoked the Vikings' lease because of the league's financial problems.[5] While the team has yet to make an official announcement naming a home city or an arena, the league's website lists Vikings tryouts at The Pond in Auburn Township, Geauga County, Ohio, unofficially announcing that as the team's home for the upcoming season.
To replace the Vikings, the Jamestown area has secured a junior "A" hockey franchise, which has been named the Jamestown Jets.[5]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
