Miami Matador Resources

Miami Matadors General Information

Who were the Miami Matadors? The Miami Matadors were an ECHL ice hockey team, formerly known as the Louisville (Kentucky) River Frogs. Many seats went for well under $10; the idea being the whole family could attend games without going broke. In addition, one could easily afford season tickets.

SEATING PRICES (INDIVIDUAL GAMES)
UPPER BOWL (rows D through V)           $8
UPPER BOWL (rows A through C)           $10
LOWER BOWL (rows P through V)           $10
LOWER BOWL (rows B through N)           $15
LOWER BOWL (row A)                      $24
Upper Bowl tickets were never made available for sale.

Home Ice:

The Miami Arena (14,823 capacity) 305-530-4444 (200' x 85')
701 Arena Blvd
Miami, FL 33136
[Lower Bowl sell-out capacity was 6,351 -- never reached]

Brief Statistics:

First and only Year: 1998-1999 Inaugural Season

MANAGEMENT (initial):

President: Robert M. Snyder (pictured above)
Head Coach & VP Hockey Operations: Terry Christensen.
General Partners: Davis-Snyder Sports Managment, Inc.
VP Communications: Michele Dannin (wife of Mr. Snyder)
Box Office & Business Manager/Comptroller: Kelly Murrell
Director Corporate Relations: Robert A. Murray, Jr.
Corporate Sales/Assistant GM: Jim Paradise
Director Media Relations/Communications Asst: Jamie Fabos
Manager Ticket Sales: Sean Hughes
Ticket Sales Associates: Jason Lambert, Traciann McKenzie
Sales Coordinator: Ana Santos
Broadcaster: Tom Sye
(3-4-03; Tom Sye now works for the Miami Manatees) 
Assistant Coach: Reijo Ruotsalainen
Public Address Announcer: Doug Turkel
Executive Assistant/Office Manager: Nora Rojas
Head Trainer: Greg Richardson
Equipment Manager: Chris Higham

Miami Matador Resources

RELATED MAILING LISTS (where one might discuss the Matadors):

The Matadors may still be discussed on the Miami Hockey list at http://www.panthershockey.net/mailing.html

RELATED USENET GROUPS (where one might discuss the Matadors):

rec.sport.hockeyFans of all hockey in general
alt.sports.hockey.echlFans of ECHL hockey in general

MATADOR RELATED WEB SITES:

MIAMI MATADORS 1998-1999 SCHEDULE

All homes games were played at the Miami Arena. All home games started at 7pm except Sunday which started at 5pm. Games on 10-18 and 1-8 started at 1pm.


     DATE   OPP TEAM  H/A
     ====== === ===== ==
     ---- 1998 ----
     OCT 11 JAX MAT   H (Pre-Season at Pines Ice Arena in Pembroke Pines, FL)
     OCT 16 SC  MAT   H
     OCT 18 SC  MAT   H
     OCT 22 AUG MAT   A
     OCT 24 GVL MAT   A
     OCT 30 JAX MAT   H
     NOV 03 SC  MAT   A
     NOV 05 TAL MAT   A
     NOV 07 JAX MAT   H
     NOV 10 MOB MAT   A
     NOV 11 NO  MAT   A
     NOV 13 LA  MAT   A
     NOV 14 BAT MAT   A
     NOV 18 FTM MAT   H
     NOV 21 CHA MAT   H
     NOV 22 TAL MAT   H
     NOV 25 FTM MAT   A
     NOV 27 CHA MAT   A
     NOV 28 SC  MAT   A
     NOV 29 AUG MAT   H
     DEC 03 TAL MAT   H
     DEC 05 JAX MAT   A
     DEC 09 BAT MAT   H
     DEC 11 JAX MAT   A
     DEC 13 PEN MAT   H
     DEC 17 PEN MAT   A
     DEC 18 TAL MAT   A
     DEC 19 PEN MAT   A
     DEC 23 FTM MAT   A
     DEC 26 FTM MAT   A
     DEC 27 AUG MAT   A
     DEC 29 SC  MAT   A
     DEC 31 GVL MAT   A
     ---- 1999 ----
     JAN 02 PD  MAT   A
     JAN 03 PD  MAT   A
     JAN 05 CHA MAT   A
     JAN 08 BHM MAT   H
     JAN 10 MIS MAT   H
     JAN 15 TAL MAT   A
     JAN 16 FTM MAT   H
     JAN 18 PD  MAT   H
     JAN 22 GVL MAT   H
     JAN 23 JAX MAT   A
     JAN 24 GVL MAT   H
     JAN 26 SC  MAT   H
     FEB 02 MBL MAT   H
     FEB 05 FTM MAT   A
     FEB 07 FTM MAT   H
     FEB 10 PEN MAT   H
     FEB 12 TAL MAT   H
     FEB 13 FTM MAT   H
     FEB 14 LA  MAT   H
     FEB 19 BHM MAT   A
     FEB 20 MIS MAT   A
     FEB 24 CHA MAT   H
     FEB 26 CHA MAT   H
     MAR 03 PD  MAT   H
     MAR 05 PD  MAT   H
     MAR 07 AUG MAT   H (Played at Coral Springs, 1pm)
     MAR 12 JAX MAT   A
     MAR 13 AUG MAT   H
     MAR 19 NO  MAT   H
     MAR 21 JAX MAT   H
     MAR 23 GVL MAT   A
     MAR 26 AUG MAT   A
     MAR 27 PD  MAT   A
     MAR 28 CHA MAT   A
     MAR 31 GVL MAT   H (Played at Coral Springs, 1pm)
     APR 02 JAX MAT   H
     APR 03 FTM MAT   A
     APR 04 FTM MAT   H (changed to away game)

Significant Matador Dates

05-18-98 Terry Christensen named first head coach
08-17-98 Sheldon Gorski signed as the first Matador player.
10-11-98 Matadors win first preseason home game against Jacksonville 4-3.
10-16-98 Matadors lose their first regular season game against the Stingrays 5-2.
10-16-98 Wes Swinson, D, introduced as first team captain.
12-13-98 Brent Belecki, G, named Rookie of the week becoming the first Matador so honoured.
12-30-98 The Matadors hired former Edmonton Oiler defenseman Reijo Ruotsalainen. Jimmy Paradise promoted to assistant GM.
01-04-99 Brent Belecki named Goaltender of the Week.
01-11-99 Brent Belecki named Goaltender of the Week again!
01-12-99 Sheldon Gorski and Jeff Kostuch were traded to Pensacola in exchange for D Kelly Hultgren. Hultgren did not report to Miami thinking the struggling franchise was beneath his dignity, and was suspended for the remainder of the season by the Matadors. (He is not listed as a Matador on this site since he never played a game for the team.) To complete the trade wth Pensacola, the Matadors subsequently acquire defenseman Eon MacFarlane.
01-17-99 Terry Lindgren goes to ECHL All-Star game. First and only Matador so honoured.
04-02-99 The Matadors play their final home game.
04-02-99 Brent Belecki makes a 50 save game in final home game to guarantee the victory.
04-04-99 The Matadors play their final game which was originally a home game, as an away game in Fort Myers.
06-06-99 The Official Matadors page is removed.
07-16-01 Confirmation is received that the Matadors will return as the ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones, replacing the recently folded IHL team of the same name.

Where Are They Now?
(Players with an asterisk did not finish the season with the team)

Matadors playing hockey and their last known locations:
This doesn't mean they're still playing there, just that it's the last time we heard about their whereabouts. I've put dates when I know the last time the information was verified.

Pasi Nielikäinen (F) -- Playing in Helsinki, Finland 03-04
Jed Fiebelkorn -(LW) - TEV Miesbach, Germany 99-00
Konstantin Sidulov (D) -- Chelyabinsk Mechel Russia 01-02
Chris Rowland (F)-- WPHL Lubbock Cotton Kings 00-01
David Bell (D) --UHL Port Huron Beacons 04-05
Darren Meek (D) -- IHL Detroit Vipers 00-01
Wes Swinson* (D) -- ECHL Augusta Lynx 03-04
Dave Duerden (LW) -- ECHL Charlotte Checkers 01-02
Lance Ward* (D) -- NHL Ducks 03-04
Brent Belecki (G)-- UHL Muskegon Fury 04-05
Andrew Long* (C) -- UHL Missouri River Otters 03-04
Jan Jas* (F) -- CHL Fort Worth Brahams 03-04
Jeff Kostuch* (LW) -- UHL Muskegon Fury 99-00
Sheldon Gorski* (RW) -- UHL Rockford IceHogs 99-00
John Finstrom* (C) -- UHL Port Huron Border Cats 01-02
Greg Clancy (C) -- Sheffield Steelers 99-00
Paul Doherty (D) -- CHL Corpus Christi Ice Rays 99-00
Kevin Powell* (LW) -- CHL Wichita Thunder 99-00
Jason Carriere (D/LW) -- ECHL Greensboro Generals 99-00

Matadors not playing hockey and their last known locations:
I've put dates when I know the last time the information was verified.

Eon MacFarlane (D) -- Currently employed at a Fiber Optics company in Canada.
Aaron MacDonald (G) -- Retired and is now in school getting his teaching degree.
Rob Kenny (LW)-- Currently coaching in South Florida.
Matt Redmond (RW) -- Working as Retail Sales Manager for Incredible Ice, Coral Springs, FL (Oct 2009)
Terry Christensen (Coach) --Running a hockey school at Teco Arena (Everblades)
John Badduke (F) -- Playing for a senior hockey team called the drake canucks in Drake, SK
Dan Lupo (LW) -- Retired. Works at Kendall Ice Arena in Miami, FL
Terry Lindgren (D) --Assistant Coach (ECHL Everblades) 03-04
Thom Cullen (D) -- Retired and attending University of Miami; Official for WHA2 Manatees
Mike Sancimino* (C) -- Retired to Canada
Mike Flynn (C) -- Married, living in Boston. Equities broker for SBS. 2003
Jack Kowal (RW) -- Living in Anchorage, AK. Assistant coach at UAA. 03-04

If you find a link that is not working, please e-mail me and let me know which one is broken. If you have a link you would like me to add, or know of a link that should be here, feel free to e-mail me with that information as well. Please, feel free to e-mail me comments or information for inclusion. This is now a fan-run page and is no longer affiliated with the now defunct Miami Matadors or Miami Hockey Partners, LP in any way, shape, or form. All team logos and photos used with permission of the Miami Matadors and Bob Snyder.

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