Topeka ScareCrows

The Topeka Scarecrows were a professional ice hockey team located in Topeka, Kansas, playing their home games at Landon Arena. The team was a member of the Central Hockey League from their founding in 1998 until 2001 when there franchise was terminated by the league midseason.

Topeka Scarecrows
CityTopeka, Kansas
LeagueCentral Hockey League
Operated1998–2001
Home arenaLandon Arena
ColorsBlack, red, yellow

After the professional team folded, the ownership group would then start a new junior hockey team with the same name in the Tier I Junior A United States Hockey League playing from 2001–2003. The team was then sold and moved to St. Louis, Missouri and became the St. Louis Heartland Eagles.

Facts

Founded: 1998–1999 season
Arena: Landon Arena (capacity 7,777)
Uniform colors: black, red, and yellow
Local Media: Topeka Capital-Journal

History/Milestones

  • November 13, 1997 CHL commits itself to the goal of having a franchise in Topeka for the 1998–1999 season. Co-Founders Arnold Diamond and Ed Levy begin team development beginning in 1996 and making way for team and league expansion.
  • February 23, 1998 Shawnee County commissioners sign a contract with Flying Cross Check, L.C.C., the company that will own and operate the CHL expansion team. The five-year pact has options for two three-year extensions.
  • April 30, 1998 The Topeka ScareCrows unveil their nickname and logo.
  • June 10, 1998 Construction begins on the ice installation at Landon Arena (seating capacity 7,777).
  • July 20, 1998 Installation of Landon Arena ice equipment is finished.
  • August 6, 1998 The Topeka ScareCrows pick their first 10 players in the Central Hockey League expansion draft, then execute the franchise's first trade to secure the rights to left wing Doug Lawrence, a six-year veteran who, should he sign, would come to Topeka from the Tulsa Oilers.
  • September 1, 1998 Haywire, the mascot for the Topeka Scarecrows is born.
  • October 16, 1998 The CHL Topeka Scarecrows play their first game ever in a sold out Landon Arena (capacity 7,777), a 7–3 loss to the Wichita Thunder.
  • November 6, 1998 The CHL Topeka Scarecrows win their first game, a 4–3 triumph over the San Antonio Iguanas at Landon Arena.
  • November 20, 1998 The CHL Topeka Scarecrows earn their first shootout win,4–3, in a game against the Wichita Thunder in the Kansas Coliseum (seating capacity 9,600).
  • December 20, 1998 The CHL Topeka Scarecrows beat the San Antonio Iguanas 5–4 to end an eight-game losing streak.
  • January 19, 1999 Brett Seguin is the first Topeka Scarecrow to play in CHL All-Star game.
  • February 3, 1999 Rod Branch records the first shutout in CHL Topeka Scarecrows history.
  • March 18, 1999 Brett Seguin records the first hat trick in CHL Topeka Scarecrows history, against the Wichita Thunder in a 4–0 win.
  • April 10, 1999 The Topeka ScareCrows end their season after losing in the first round of their first-ever Central Hockey League playoff appearance after three one-sided games against the Oklahoma City Blazers. Before going three-and-out in the playoffs, the ScareCrows finished the last half of the season with a winning record. Topeka was 18–16–1 from January through the end of the regular season after posting a 10–22–3 mark from October through December. They finished with a 28–38–4 record and averaged 4,793 fans a game.
  • October 15, 1999 The CHL Topeka Scarecrows begin their second season in a 3–1 loss against the San Antonio Iguanas, in front of a La(o)ndon Arena crowd of 7,156.
  • January 25, 2000 Brett Seguin, John Vary and Bill Monkman are selected to play in the CHL all-star game.
  • April 2, 2000 The CHL Topeka ScareCrows' second Central Hockey League season ends with a 35–27–8 record, with eight shootout losses, just 3 points short of making the playoffs. They finished third in attendance, averaging 4,991 fans a game.
  • May 3, 2000 Topeka ScareCrows general manager Chris Presson accepts position as general manager of the United Hockey League expansion club in New Haven (the New Haven Hurricanes). He is replaced by ScareCrows former assistant general manager Doug Miller.
  • October 13, 2000 The CHL Topeka Scarecrows begin their third and final season at home against the Wichita Thunder 3–2 in a shootout at Landon Arena in front of 4,789 fans.
  • February 20, 2001 The CHL's board of governors decides to terminate the Topeka Scarecrows season with 21 games remaining—10 of which were scheduled for Landon Arena. Saying that the ScareCrows and the Border City Bandits, of Texarkana, Texas, "breached multiple financial obligations under their sanction agreements with the CHL," the Indianapolis-based league terminated the participation of both franchises for the remainder of the 2001 season.
  • February 22, 2001 The Topeka ScareCrows returned to the ice in Tulsa, Oklahoma, ending a 13-day layoff that included three days in limbo following their suspension Tuesday from the Central Hockey League, with the help of a temporary restraining order issued in Shawnee County District Court on February 16, 2001 that blocked the league from ending the ScareCrows' season.
  • March 8, 2001 U.S. District Judge Sam Crow filed an 18-page ruling in which he denies the Central Hockey League's request to lift a temporary restraining order keeping the ScareCrows on the ice.
  • March 29, 2001 The ScareCrows' end their third and final home season at Landon Arena with a 4–1 loss to the Wichita Thunder.
  • April 10, 2001 The CHL ScareCrows end the franchise's three-year history as a minor-league professional program by ending their best-of-five Central Hockey League playoff series in a 5–3 loss to San Antonio in front of 2,121 fans. The Iguanas' victory, which the visitors claimed with a three-goal third period that wiped out a 3–2 deficit, gave San Antonio a 3–1 series victory and advanced the Texans to the Western Conference finals against Oklahoma City.

Season-by-season records

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes

SeasonGPWLOTLPtsGFGAPIMFinishPlayoffs
1998–9970283846018925115844th, WesternLost in Round 1
1999-0070352787824524315335th, WesternOut of Playoffs
2000–0169382388425624515333rd, WestLost in Round 1

All-Time Roster

# Player Name Pos Seasons Yrs Games Played Birthplace Birthdate
2Alex MotleyC1998–1999125Pleasanton, CAOct 1, 1974
2Alex MukhanovD1999–2000116Moscow, RussiaMay 17, 1976
Andre QuesnelR1999–2000117Ottawa, ONTJanuary 26, 1977
Andy AdamsG1998–199912Thornhill, ONTOct 2, 1976
6Anthony ZurfluhD2000–2001114Soldotna, AKJanuary 24, 1977
10Bill MonkmanR1999–20001151Tara, ONTMay 16, 1975
16Blair ManningC1999–20012124Vancouver, BCMay 27, 1975
Blake SheaneR2000–200118Virden, MANMay 5, 1977
44Bob BergL2000–2001198Beamsville, ONTFeb 7, 1970
Bob PardyD1998–199916St. John\'s, NFJuly 28, 1974
Brad KlynD1998–199914Surrey, BC
40Brett SeguinC1998–2000282St. Mary\'s, ONTFebruary 20, 1972
44Chad AntonishynD1998–1999189Regina, SASKMay 25, 1974
Chris BelangerD1998–1999127Welland, ONTApril 4, 1972
33Chris BowenL1998–1999196Barrie, ONTJul 3, 1976
9Chris BurkeL2000–200110Winona, MNAug 9, 1976
23Chris FelixD2000–20011100Bramalea, ONTMay 27, 1964
Chris KingG1998–199910Braintree, MAFeb 7, 1974
21Chris MailletD2000–2001189Moncton, NBJanuary 28, 1976
29Dale LafranceR1999–200017Sudbury, ONT
Dave GregoryD1998–1999139Woodstock, ONTJan 5, 1967
22David \"Duke\" BouskillL1999–2001288Glen Williams, ONTSep 11, 1976
6Gary CoupalR1999–2000160Sudbury, ONTSeptember 16, 1974
12 & 14Grady MansonC1999–2000131Brandon, MANMay 26, 1975
29Jan MelicharD1998–2000228Trebic, CzechFebruary 24, 1978
32Jason GirodatF1999–200010Shaunavon, SASK
14Jason LafreniereC1999–200012St. Catharines, ONTJun 12, 1966
27Jay HernL2000–20011151Medicine Hat, ALTAJun 12, 1976
11Jeff GoldieL2000–2001143Owen Sound, ONTMay 27, 1974
27Joe CoombsL1998–20002116Brantford, ONTJan 6, 1975
16Joey BeaudryR1998–20002155Prince Albert, SASKAug 6, 1976
32John GibsonD1999–2000113Kingston, ONTSeptember 30, 1970
17John McCabeW2000–20011148Sudbury, ONTMay 30, 1974
4John VaryD1999–20012154Owen Sound, ONTNov 2, 1972
19Jordan ShieldsL1998–1999116Gloucester, ONTApril 27, 1972
Ken EddyD1998–199910Rochester, MNAug 4, 1969
Kevin FrickeD1999–2000110Edina, MNApril 18, 1974
Kevin LuneD1998–1999175Brantford, ONTAug 6, 1971
19Kirk LLanoD1999–2000183Calgary, ALTAOct 1, 1973
7Kyle HavilandD1998–20002182Windsor, ONTOct 8, 1971
Lannie McCabeD2000–20011118Sudbury, ONTJuly 13, 1977
33Luciano CaravaggioG2000–2001117Toronto, ONTMar 10, 1975
Marco EmondG1998–199910Valleyfield, PQNovember 20, 1977
Marcus NilssonR1998–199912
10Mark EdmundsonC2000–2001165London, ONTNov 3, 1975
39Michal PodolkaG1998–200024Most, Czech Rep.Nov 8, 1977
33Mike DegurseL1999–2000115Amajinnang, ONTApr 10, 1974
44Mike HiebertD1999–2000193Winnipeg, MANApril 16, 1975
Mike MigenD1998–199910
28Mike RuskD1998–20002127Milton, ONTApril 26, 1975
Mike TilsonD1998–19991Pickering, ONTJune 28, 1978
9Oleg TsirkounovF1998–20002131Kiev, UkraineMarch 15, 1977
Paul GodfreyR1998–199916Sault Ste. Marie, ONTOctober 30, 1976
61Paul StrandL2000–20011170Sudbury, ONTJan 12, 1971
20Peter BrearleyR2000–2001140Chatham, ONTJune 27, 1975
14Randy BestD1999–2000112Woodsbury, MNMay 3, 1974
23Rod BranchG1998–2000228Fort St. John, BCApril 14, 1975
4Roy GrayD1998–199914Toronto, ONTApril 22, 1976
7Ryan HartungD2000–2001140St. Paul, MNMay 26, 1977
21Ryan McCormackR2000–200112Thunder Bay, ONTApr 3, 1978
Ryan PhillipsL1998–1999140North Vancouver, BCAug 7, 1975
33Scot BellR1999–200018Ottawa, ONTApril 18, 1972
Scott DicksonC1998–1999148Brandon, MANMay 12, 1976
31Scott HayG2000–2001133Scarborough, ONTMar 4, 1975
11 & 63Sergei DeschevyD1999–20012302Kiev, UkraineJune 25, 1977
47Sergei OlympievL1998–2000259Lipetski, RussiaDec 1, 1975
12Shawn GervaisR2000–20011103St. Albert, ALTADec 7, 1976
26Shawn RandallR1998–19991136Montrose, MINovember 13, 1972
77Stephane DesjardinsD1998–19991123Anjou, PQJune 23, 1972
Steve AdamsD1998–1999110Edmonton, ALTANov 4, 1975
Steve MooreC1999–2000199Gardiner, MEJune 21, 1971
Sylvain ThibeaultD1999–2000110St. Jerome, PQOctober 30, 1970
24Tom GomesR1999–2000186Harrow, ONTApril 29, 1972
Tom StewartR1998–1999150Brantford, ONTMay 19, 1975
Travis RigginF1998–1999117Kincardine, ONTApril 26, 1977
Travis SindenG1998–199910Phoenix, AZMarch 31, 1976
21Trevor HanasR1998–20002167Regina, SASKJanuary 20, 1975
10Troy FrederickL1998–1999187Virden, MANApril 4, 1969
9Virgil RutiliD1998–199910Addison, ILFebruary 17, 1973
17Yuri MoscevskyW1999–200017Milwaukee, WIOctober 20, 1978
8 & 25Zbynek NeckarD1998–2000210Pisek, CzechSeptember 22, 1978
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