C&S FAMILY SPORTS WELCOMES “CHICAGO EXPRESS” TO SEARS CENTRE ARENA FOR 2011 SEASON
STEVE MARTINSON NAMED HEAD COACH
C & S Sports, the ownership behind Chicago’s expansion ECHL Hockey team, announced in a press conference that it will be the ‘Chicago Express’ that will make its home at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, IL beginning with the 2011 season. Former NHL and AHL player and most recently head coach of the Elmira Jackals, Steve Martinson, brings championship experience along with an unblemished playoff qualification record to the team.
The Chicago Express train logo was chosen in tribute to Chicago’s long history with railways and the manufacturing of train cars. The secondary brand marker is an active train whistle. The colors of both logos include navy, grey, and sky blue.
In 15 seasons as a head coach, Steve Martinson has never missed the postseason. His teams have taken advantage of their playoff opportunities, winning six championships. Martinson recently finished guiding the Elmira Jackals through their first three ECHL seasons, winning the American Conference’s East Division this past year. During their run to their first ECHL division title, Martinson’s Jackals led the league with 275 goals scored, a club record, while also sporting the league’s best penalty kill, successful 86.4% of the time. The Jackals also topped the ECHL in 2009-2010 with 23.90 penalty minutes per game and 89 major penalties. Elmira went 117-76-11-12 in the regular season under Martinson. With the Jackals, Martinson coached two future NHL players, goaltender Dan LaCosta and defenseman Bryan Rodney.
In 2007, Martinson brought a championship to northern Illinois when his Rockford IceHogs won the UHL’s Colonial Cup in the league’s final season, defeating the Kalamazoo Wings in seven games. In his three seasons as Rockford’s coach, his teams finished with no worse than a .631 winning percentage.
Prior to his time with the IceHogs, Martinson coached the San Diego Gulls to five championships in nine seasons, eight in the WCHL and the last in the ECHL. His first three seasons with the Gulls saw Martinson bring three WCHL championships to Southern California. In his lone ECHL season with San Diego of 2003-2004, Martinson’s Gulls won the Brabham Cup championship with a 49-13-10 record, setting the league record for most wins by a first-year team as the Gulls became only the second expansion team to win the ECHL’s regular-season points title.
As a player, Martinson skated for 12 professional seasons and won two championships. He played in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings, the Montreal Canadiens and the Minnesota North Stars. In 1985-1986, he recorded 432 penalty minutes with the AHL’s Hershey Bears, a league record at the time. He also set the AHL single season major penalty mark of 49 in the 1985-86 season. A native of Minnetonka, Minn., Martinson was a two-time NCAA All-Star selection at St. Cloud State University.
Fans had the opportunity to submit their suggestions for the team’s name during the “Name Your Hockey Team” promotion this summer. Four finalists were selected followed by a final round of voting. The lucky fan, Marc Johnson, from Bartlett, IL, submitted Chicago Express will receive four complimentary season tickets and a special prize on Opening Night. All four fans, who submitted the final four team names, will receive four VIP tickets to Opening Night. And all submitters will be entered into a raffle to win others great prizes. The three additional finalists included: Hoffman Hammers: Jeff Latzko (Streamwood, IL); Chicago Blizzard: Mike Kuecker (Streamwood, IL); and Chicago Knights: Chris Bond, (no city indicated).
The Chicago Express will offer affordable family-friendly buzzer-to-buzzer excitement to hockey enthusiasts of all ages. Season ticket packages are now on sale by calling 224-220-1333. Season ticket holders receive various benefits including access to exclusive parties and events, free “Friend Tickets”, discounted merchandise and concessions, playoff ticket priority purchasing, discounted parking, and best of all- never waste a ticket; exchange unused tickets during any 2011-2012 game.
The ECHL is a Premier AA hockey league and feeder for the National Hockey League and American Hockey League teams. It boasts 19 teams in 15 US states plus Canada; 443 former ECHL players have played in the National Hockey League. For the 10th consecutive year, the ECHL is represented by the 2010 Stanley Cup Champions with Chicago Blackhawks assistant coaches Mike Haviland and John Torchetti.
CLICK HERE - Official Chicago Express Website