2000–01 IHL season

2000-01 IHL season
LeagueInternational Hockey League
SportIce hockey
DurationOctober 6, 2000 – May 26, 2001
Number of games82
Number of teams11
Regular season
Fred A. Huber TrophyGrand Rapids Griffins
Season MVPNorm Maracle (Solar Bears)
Top scorerSteve Larouche (Wolves)
Derek King (Griffins)
Playoffs
Playoffs MVPNorm Maracle (Solar Bears)
Turner Cup
ChampionsOrlando Solar Bears
  Runners-upChicago Wolves
Seasons

The 2000–01 IHL season was the 56th and final season of the International Hockey League, a North American minor professional league. Eleven teams participated in the regular season, and the Orlando Solar Bears won their first Turner Cup. Following the season, six teams (Admirals, Aeros, Griffins, Grizzles, Moose and Wolves) joined the American Hockey League as expansion teams. The Cyclones rejoined the East Coast Hockey League where they had previously played from 1990 to 1992. The remaining teams ceased operations.

Regular season

Eastern Conference

GP W L SOL GF GA Pts
Grand Rapids Griffins (OTT) 82 53 22 7 279 196 113
Orlando Solar Bears (ATL) 82 47 28 7 241 193 101
Cincinnati Cyclones (CAR) 82 44 29 9 267 258 97
Cleveland Lumberjacks (MIN) 82 43 32 7 270 258 93
Milwaukee Admirals (NSH) 82 42 33 7 244 217 91
Detroit Vipers (TBL) 82 23 53 6 184 311 52

Western Conference

GP W L SOL GF GA Pts
Chicago Wolves (NYI) 82 43 32 7 267 249 93
Houston Aeros 82 42 32 8 229 245 92
Manitoba Moose (DET) 82 39 31 12 222 230 90
Utah Grizzlies (DAL) 82 38 36 8 208 220 84
Kansas City Blades (VAN) 82 37 42 3 239 273 77

Turner Cup Playoffs

Turner Cup-Quarterfinals Turner Cup-Semifinals Turner Cup-Final
         
E1 Grand Rapids 4
E4 Cleveland 0
E1 Grand Rapids 2
Eastern Conference
E2 Orlando 4
E2 Orlando 4
E3 Cincinnati 1
E2 Orlando 4
W1 Chicago 1
W1 Chicago 4
E5 Milwaukee 1
W1 Chicago 4
Western Conference
W3 Manitoba 2
W2 Houston 3
W3 Manitoba 4

Quarterfinals

(E1) Grand Rapids Griffins vs. (E4) Cleveland Lumberjacks

April 20 Cleveland Lumberjacks 1–5 Grand Rapids Griffins Van Andel Arena
April 21 Cleveland Lumberjacks 4–7 Grand Rapids Griffins Van Andel Arena
April 23 Grand Rapids Griffins 2–1 Cleveland Lumberjacks Gund Arena
April 25 Grand Rapids Griffins 3–0 Cleveland Lumberjacks Gund Arena
Grand Rapids wins series 4–0


(E2) Orlando Solar Bears vs. (E3) Cincinnati Cyclones

April 19 Cincinnati Cyclones 5–2 Orlando Solar Bears TD Waterhouse Centre
April 22 Cincinnati Cyclones 1–2 OT Orlando Solar Bears TD Waterhouse Centre
April 24 Orlando Solar Bears 4–2 Cincinnati Cyclones Firstar Center
April 26 Orlando Solar Bears 4–2 Cincinnati Cyclones Firstar Center
April 28 Orlando Solar Bears 4–2 Cincinnati Cyclones Firstar Center
Orlando wins series 4–1


(W1) Chicago Wolves vs. (E5) Milwaukee Admirals

April 20 Milwaukee Admirals 2–4 Chicago Wolves Allstate Arena
April 21 Milwaukee Admirals 1–5 Chicago Wolves Allstate Arena
April 24 Chicago Wolves 2–3 Milwaukee Admirals Bradley Center
April 26 Chicago Wolves 3–2 Milwaukee Admirals Bradley Center
April 27 Milwaukee Admirals 2–5 Chicago Wolves Allstate Arena
Chicago wins series 4–1


(W2) Houston Aeros vs. (W3) Manitoba Moose

April 20 Manitoba Moose 1–5 Houston Aeros Compaq Center
April 21 Manitoba Moose 2–1 Houston Aeros Compaq Center
April 26 Houston Aeros 2–1 Manitoba Moose Winnipeg Arena
April 27 Houston Aeros 3–2 OT Manitoba Moose Winnipeg Arena
April 29 Houston Aeros 2–3 OT Manitoba Moose Winnipeg Arena
May 1 Manitoba Moose 3–2 OT Houston Aeros Compaq Center
May 2 Manitoba Moose 3–1 Houston Aeros Compaq Center
Manitoba wins series 4–3


Semifinals

(E1) Grand Rapids Griffins vs. (E2) Orlando Solar Bears

May 3 Orlando Solar Bears 4–3 OT Grand Rapids Griffins Van Andel Arena
May 5 Grand Rapids Griffins 4–2 Orlando Solar Bears TD Waterhouse Centre
May 6 Grand Rapids Griffins 3–5 Orlando Solar Bears TD Waterhouse Centre
May 9 Orlando Solar Bears 4–3 OT Grand Rapids Griffins Van Andel Arena
May 10 Orlando Solar Bears 3–8 Grand Rapids Griffins Van Andel Arena
May 12 Grand Rapids Griffins 0–2 Orlando Solar Bears TD Waterhouse Centre
Orlando wins series 4–2


(W1) Chicago Wolves vs. (W3) Manitoba Moose

May 4 Manitoba Moose 4–1 Chicago Wolves Allstate Arena
May 5 Manitoba Moose 0–5 Chicago Wolves Allstate Arena
May 10 Chicago Wolves 3–4 OT Manitoba Moose Winnipeg Arena
May 11 Chicago Wolves 4–1 Manitoba Moose Winnipeg Arena
May 13 Manitoba Moose 0–1 Chicago Wolves Allstate Arena
May 15 Chicago Wolves 6–4 Manitoba Moose Winnipeg Arena
Chicago wins series 4–2


Turner Cup Final

(E2) Orlando Solar Bears vs. (W1) Chicago Wolves

May 19 Chicago Wolves 2–7 Orlando Solar Bears TD Waterhouse Centre
May 20 Chicago Wolves 1–5 Orlando Solar Bears TD Waterhouse Centre
May 23 Orlando Solar Bears 1–3 Chicago Wolves Allstate Arena
May 25 Orlando Solar Bears 2–1 OT Chicago Wolves Allstate Arena
May 26 Chicago Wolves 1–5 Orlando Solar Bears TD Waterhouse Centre
Orlando wins series 4–1


Player statistics

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Derek King Grand Rapids Griffins 76 32 51 83 19
Steve Larouche Chicago Wolves 75 31 52 83 78
Brett Harkins Houston Aeros 81 16 64 80 51
Brian Bonin Cleveland Lumberjacks 72 35 42 77 45
Rob Brown Chicago Wolves 75 24 53 77 99
Niklas Andersson Chicago Wolves 66 33 39 72 81
Greg Koehler Cincinnati Cyclones 80 35 36 71 122
Vyacheslav Butsayev Grand Rapids Griffins 75 33 35 68 65
Christian Matte Cleveland Lumberjacks 58 38 29 67 59
Gilbert Dionne Cincinnati Cyclones 80 23 43 66 46

Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts

Player Team GP MIN GA GAA W L T SO
Norm Maracle Orlando Solar Bears 51 2,963 100 2.02 33 13 3 8
Richard Shulmistra Kansas City Blades/Chicago Wolves 33 1,855 64 2.07 21 11 0 4
Mike Fountain Grand Rapids Griffins 52 3,005 104 2.08 34 10 6 6
Chris Mason Milwaukee Admirals 37 2,226 87 2.35 17 14 5 5
Rick Tabaracci Utah Grizzlies 30 1,648 67 2.44 14 13 1 1

Awards

AHL Awards
Turner Cup Orlando Solar Bears
Fred A. Huber Trophy
(Best regular-season record)
Grand Rapids Griffins
Commissioner's Trophy
(Best coach)
Peter Horachek, Orlando Solar Bears
Leo P. Lamoureux Memorial Trophy
(Player with most points)
Steve Larouche, Chicago Wolves and
Derek King, Grand Rapids Griffins
James Gatschene Memorial Trophy
(Most valuable player, regular season)
Norm Maracle, Orlando Solar Bears
Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy
(Most valuable player, playoffs)
Norm Maracle, Orlando Solar Bears
Gary F. Longman Memorial Trophy
(Best first-year player)
Brian Pothier, Orlando Solar Bears
Ken McKenzie Trophy
(Best American-born first-year player)
Brian Pothier, Orlando Solar Bears
Larry D. Gordon Trophy
(Best defenceman)
Brett Hauer, Manitoba Moose
James Norris Memorial Trophy
(Goaltender(s) of team with fewest goals against)
Norm Maracle and Scott Fankhouser, Orlando Solar Bears
John Cullen Award
(Perseverance, Sportsmanship, and Dedication)
Rusty Fitzgerald, Manitoba Moose
Ironman Award
(Played all team's games while showing offensive and defensive skills)
Brian Chapman, Manitoba Moose
IHL Man of the Year
(Leadership and community activities)
Wendell Young, Chicago Wolves

All-Star teams

First team Position   Second team
Norm Maracle, Orlando Solar Bears G C Brian Bonin, Cleveland Lumberjacks
Curtis Murphy, Orlando Solar Bears D C Greg Koehler, Cincinnati Cyclones
Brett Hauer, Manitoba Moose D LW Derek King, Grand Rapids Griffins