The Las Vegas Wranglers were a professional ice hockey team based in Las Vegas Valley. The Wranglers were members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League). The Wranglers were founded as an expansion franchise in 2003 following the ECHL's takeover of the West Coast Hockey League.
In May 2014, the team suspended operations for the 2014–15 ECHL season, allowing it time to secure a new home arena. In 2015, the team withdrew from the ECHL after being unable to find a home arena for the 2015-16 season.
The Wranglers won many accolades over their time in the league. They have the highest winning percentage in ECHL history and hold six other ECHL records. The Wranglers made two appearances in the Kelly Cup Finals, in 2008 and 2012 and won the Brabham Cup once and the Pacific Division title twice. Former Wranglers who have reached the National Hockey League (NHL) include Brent Krahn, Adam Pardy, Dany Sabourin, Tyson Strachan, and Tyler Sloan. From 2003 to 2014, the Wranglers played their home games on the west side of the city at the Orleans Arena. The team's lease with Orleans Arena ended after the 2013–14 season.
The Wranglers had been the ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Calgary Flames since the team's inaugural season in 2003 until 2009 before announcing that they were switching their affiliation to the Phoenix Coyotes for the 2009–10 ECHL season.
The Wranglers garnered many accolades from the local media, including the Las Vegas Review-Journal naming the Wranglers "Best Local Sports Team" three times (2005, 2006, 2009) and head coach Glen Gulutzan "Best Local Coach" (2007, 2009).
Franchise history
Return of ice hockey to the desert
With the Las Vegas Thunder of the International Hockey League folding following the 1998–99 IHL season, the West Coast Hockey League (WCHL) announced its intentions to keep ice hockey in the Las Vegas Valley when they granted expansion rights to the city in 1999, with plans for the team to start competing in the 2000–01 WCHL season. The Wranglers team name and logo were announced shortly before what was supposed to be the franchise's inaugural season in 2000, but the team had to suspend its entrance into the WCHL for three seasons due to the lack of a suitable arena for the team to play in. Deciding to not miss out on another season, the Wranglers announced in October 2002 that they planned to play at the proposed Las Vegas Events Center in Downtown Las Vegas and share the arena with the Community College of Southern Nevada's men's and women's basketball teams. The Events Center was to be paid for and operated by a non-profit organization that was supported by Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman.
With no progress on the proposed Events Center, the franchise announced in September 2002 that it was moving to the Orleans Arena that was under construction at The Orleans Hotel and Casino. The Orleans Arena became the home of the Wranglers beginning with the 2003–04 WCHL season. Later in September 2002, a planned merger between the WCHL and the East Coast Hockey League was announced that would have the WCHL's six active franchises and three expansion franchises (including the Wranglers) join the ECHL for the 2003–04 season.
Early years
On May 29, 2003, in place of owner Charles Davenport, IV, actor Ricky Schroder introduced former Fresno Falcons player/coach Glen Gulutzan as the franchise's first head coach and general manager. Within four months, Gulutzan came to terms with Calgary Flames general manager Darryl Sutter to make the Wranglers the ECHL affiliate of the Flames and Lowell Lock Monsters. The first two players that Gulutzan signed were brothers and former NHLers Jason and Mike McBain and added veteran ECHL goaltender Marc Magliarditi shortly thereafter. Before the Wranglers inaugural season, Gulutzan named Jason McBain the franchise's first captain. The Wranglers started off their season going 9–1–3 in their first 13 games and they didn't lose a home game in regulation until a 1–0 loss to the San Diego Gulls on December 27, 2003, going 13–1–1 at home over the stretch. The Wranglers finished their first season with a record of 43–22–7 (93 points), second in the Western Conference's Pacific Division (15 points behind Brabham Cup winner San Diego). The Wranglers faced the Idaho Steelheads in the best-of-five Pacific Division Semifinals and despite overtaking Idaho in the first two games, the Steelheads won the remaining three games on their way to their first Kelly Cup championship.
Entering the 2004–05 season, Gulutzan and the Wranglers were expected to compete again for the division crown, but instead the team suffered the worst season in franchise history. Due to the 2004-05 NHL Lockout, local media believed that the team would be stronger as many Calgary Flames players decided to play for the team's affiliate in Lowell, sending multiple top prospects and former NHLers to the team including goaltender Sébastien Centomo. The 2004–05 Wranglers ended up being more remembered for their lack of discipline as forward Adam Huxley set a team record for penalty minutes and Centomo became better known for fighting than stopping the puck. Wranglers fans showed their disdain through chants and signs that called for the dismissal of Gulutzan as head coach. The Wranglers finished the season a disappointing 31–33–8 (70 points) and seventh place in the West Division, failing to capture a playoff spot for the only time in franchise history.
Rise to prominence Before the 2005–06 season, Wranglers captain Jason McBain announced his retirement and the team's captaincy was given to his brother Mike as the Wranglers looked to shake off the disappointing performance of their sophomore season. The Wranglers started the season on a rocket pace losing only four games in the first three months of the season. This included the Wranglers besting their home mark to start a season, as they did not lose at home in regulation until January 3, 2006, 3–2 to the Reading Royals. Before the loss to Reading, the Wranglers had gone 12–0–2 during the time. Along with the 14-game unbeaten streak at home to start the season, the Wranglers also tied the league record for most consecutive road wins with ten from November 22, 2005 to December 31, 2005. One of the most memorable moments during the 2005–06 season came during the Wranglers' 5–2 win on November 8 as head coach Glen Gulutzan challenged Fresno's head coach Matt Thomas to a fight because Fresno goons Brad Both and Fraser Clair instigated fights with Wranglers rookies Tim Hambly and Lee Green with 11 seconds left in the game. Several Wranglers set team records during the 2005–06 season, including goaltender Marc Magliarditi for most games played by a goaltender (51) and most wins by a goaltender (34). Centre Matt Dzieduszycki set the team record for most points in a season with 78 and Dan Tudin set team records for highest plus/minus with +38, shots on goal with 256 and shorthanded goals with seven.
The Wranglers ended the season with their best record at 53–13–6 (112 points), only one point behind the Alaska Aces for the West Division title and the Henry Brabham Cup. The 53 wins in 2005–06 were the most in franchise history and the 20-win turnaround led to head coach Glen Gulutzan being awarded the John Brophy Award as the league's top coach. The Wranglers would take on the Idaho Steelheads in the best-of-seven West Division semifinals. The Wranglers found themselves trailing Idaho three games to one, but pulled off what only one other team in the ECHL's history were able to do, winning the best-of-seven series after trailing 3–1. The Wranglers faced the Alaska Aces in the West Division finals, ultimately falling in six games.
Seeking to improve on a great year, the Wranglers were placed in the National Conference's Pacific Division following a league wide realignment. The Wranglers had their best chance to capture their first banner as they did not have to compete with Alaska or Idaho for the division title. The Wranglers had to begin the season without veterans goaltender Marc Magliarditi and Mike McBain but still had a good start, earning points in all of their first eight games, going 3–0–5. The Wranglers relied heavily on new goaltender Mike McKenna and returning stars Shawn Limpright and Marco Peluso for leadership during the time in which the team lost its most veteran players. Magliarditi himself retired in the middle of the season, leaving as the franchise's career leader in minutes played (8517), games played by a goaltender (146), wins (83) and shutouts (7). Despite injuries and being left with only one player from the inaugural 2003–04 franchise, the Wranglers paced themselves to their first ever banner, winning the Pacific Division title on April 4, 2007 with a 4–2 victory on the road against the Long Beach Ice Dogs at Long Beach Arena. Three days later the Wranglers clinched the Brabham Cup title when they defeated the Stockton Thunder 2–1 in the last game of the season, just edging out heated rival, the Alaska Aces by one-point, reminiscent of the Brabham Cup race the two teams had just one year before.
The Wranglers finished the 2006–07 regular season with a 46–12–14 record (106 points) and set the league record for fewest road defeats in a single season with five. Wranglers rookie goalie Mike McKenna would finish second in the race for the Reebok Goaltender of the Year award, finishing behind Adam Berkhoel of the Dayton Bombers, and set single season team records in shutouts (five) and lowest goals against average (2.21). The Wranglers also entered the Kelly Cup playoffs on a 13-game winning streak when they took on the 8th-seeded Phoenix RoadRunners in the National Conference quarterfinals. The Wranglers swept the 'Runners in four games and take on the Idaho Steelheads in the National Conference semifinals. The Wranglers won game one of the series to extend their league record winning streak to 18 games, tying the 1991 Peoria Rivermen of the International Hockey League for the longest winning streak in professional hockey history. The streak ended in game two and Idaho eventually took the series in six games on the way to their second Kelly Cup title in four years.
Five years in Las Vegas, the Kelly Cup Finals and after
As the Wranglers were set to begin their fifth season in the ECHL many changes had come around the team. After coming out of nowhere to fill in for Wranglers legend Marc Magliarditi, Mike McKenna left Las Vegas, signing with the Portland Pirates of the AHL and Mike McBain was not expected to play much of the season before he retired. In turn, Gulutzan signed rookie goaltenders Daniel Manzato and Kevin Lalande, as well as signing twins and former NHLers Chris and Peter Ferraro. Two games into the season, Mike McBain announced his retirement and Peter Ferraro was named as his replacement as captain. Despite having two untested goaltenders and a team that didn't have a single original Wrangler, the team shot out of a cannon during the early part of the season, going 15–2–0 after two months into the season. By mid-season, the Wranglers were comfortably settled into first place in the Pacific Division and coach Gulutzan was named head coach of the National Conference All-Stars for the third straight year, tying the league record for most appearances at the ECHL All-Star Game by a coach. The Wranglers clinched their second straight Pacific Division crown and National Conference regular season championship on March 26, 2008 with a 3 – 2 overtime victory on the road against the Utah Grizzlies. The win also made the Wranglers the first team in ECHL history to have three consecutive seasons with at least 100 points.