The 2009–10 Southern Professional Hockey League season was the sixth season of the Southern Professional Hockey League. The season began October 22, 2009, and ended April 17, 2010, after a 56-game regular season and a six-team playoff. The Huntsville Havoc captured their first SPHL championship.
Preseason The Richmond Renegades and Twin City Cyclones franchises folded during the off-season. The Louisiana IceGators, Mississippi Surge, and Pensacola Ice Flyers joined the league, after each of those markets had recently lost an ECHL team.
Teams 2009-10 Southern Professional Hockey League Team City Arena Columbus Cottonmouths Columbus, Georgia Columbus Civic Center Fayetteville FireAntz Fayetteville, North Carolina Cumberland County Crown Coliseum Huntsville Havoc Huntsville, Alabama Von Braun Center Knoxville Ice Bears Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville Civic Coliseum Louisiana IceGators Lafayette, Louisiana Blackham Coliseum Mississippi Surge Biloxi, Mississippi Mississippi Coast Coliseum Pensacola Ice Flyers Pensacola, Florida Pensacola Civic Center
Map of teams
Regular season
Final standings Team Mississippi Surge‡ 56 34 14 8 210 165 76 Huntsville Havoc 56 31 16 9 199 178 71 Fayetteville FireAntz 56 31 22 3 231 213 65 Knoxville Ice Bears 56 30 23 3 228 199 63 Pensacola Ice Flyers 56 25 23 8 176 205 58 Columbus Cottonmouths 56 22 27 7 171 207 51 Louisiana IceGators 56 23 31 2 175 223 48
‡ William B. Coffey Trophy winners Advanced to playoffs
Attendance Team Total Games Average Fayetteville 102,243 28 3,651 Huntsville 98,365 28 3,513 Pensacola 96,804 28 3,457 Knoxville 91,304 28 3,260 Columbus 78,331 28 2,797 Mississippi 74,223 28 2,650 Louisiana 54,779 28 1,956
President's Cup playoffs
* indicates overtime game.
Finals All times are local (CDT)
Awards The SPHL All-Rookie team was announced March 25, 2010, followed by the All-SPHL teams on March 26, Rookie of the Year on March 29, Coach of the Year on March 30, Defenseman of the Year on March 31, Goaltender of the Year on April 1, and MVP on April 2. President's Cup: Huntsville Havoc Coffey Trophy: Mississippi Surge League MVP: Rob Sich (Fayetteville) Rookie of the Year: Jesse Biduke (Fayetteville) Defenseman of the Year: Steve Weidlich (Mississippi) Goaltender of the Year: Bill Zaniboni (Mississippi) Coach of the Year: Steffon Walby (Mississippi)
All-SPHL selections
1st Team All-SPHL F Chris Leveille (Fayetteville) F Rob Sich (Fayetteville) F Kevin Swider (Knoxville) D Mark Van Vliet (Knoxville) D Steve Weidlich (Mississippi) G Bill Zaniboni (Mississippi)
2nd Team All-SPHL F Lorne Misita (Pensacola) F Michael Richard (Mississippi) F Matt Zultek (Mississippi) D Kevin Harris (Knoxville) D Jeff White (Huntsville) G Ian Vigier (Columbus)
All-Rookie Team F Jesse Biduke (Fayetteville) F Jesse Cole (Columbus) F Levi Lind (Columbus) D Mark Hinz (Pensacola) D Dean Petiot (Huntsville) G Mark Sibbald (Huntsville)
References