Phoenix Roadrunners were a professional ice hockey team that called the US Airways Center home. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because there used to be another Phoenix Roadrunners hockey team in town.
A Brief History of the Phoenix Roadrunners
In 1967, the WHL Phoenix Roadrunners became Arizona’s first professional sports team. They played ice hockey at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix. The Roadrunners were the WHL champions in both 1973 and 1974. The WHL was disbanded in 1974, but the Roadrunners became part of the WHA and later the Pacific Hockey League. The PHL ceased operations in 1979.
Ten years later, in 1989, the Roadrunners returned as part of the International Hockey League. They became the “farm team” for the Los Angeles Kings in 1990. When the Phoenix Coyotes came to town from Winnipeg in 1996, the Roadrunners were unable to compete with the NHL franchise. The Phoenix Roadrunners, once again, left the city.
The Phoenix Coyotes moved to Gila River Arena in Glendale, AZ. Then, in 2005, the same people who own the Phoenix Suns, Arizona Rattlers and Phoenix Mercury announced that they had bought an ECHL hockey franchise. They also got the rights to the name, so Phoenix could have its Roadrunners once again. They now play at the Talking Stick Resort Arena (formerly known as the US Airways Center and America West Arena) in downtown Phoenix. They changed the name of the hockey club to the Arizona Coyotes in 2014.
The ECHL (used to stand for the East Coast Hockey League, but now it’s not an acronym for anything!) Is AA hockey. There are two conferences, each divided into two divisions. The Phoenix Roadrunners played in the National Conference, Western Division. Other teams in our division included Alaska Aces, Utah Grizzlies, Victoria Salmon Kings, and Idaho Steelheads.
Fans were happy that the popular Rocky Roadrunner was returning as the team’s mascot!
In April 2009, at the end of the regular season, it was announced that the team would cease operations.
