Victoria Salmon Kings
| Victoria Salmon Kings | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| City | Victoria, British Columbia |
| League | ECHL |
| Operated | 2004-2011 |
| Home arena | Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre |
| Colours |
Navy blue, gold, silver, white |
| Owner(s) | Graham Lee |
| Affiliates | Independent (2004-2005) Vancouver Canucks (NHL) (2006-11) |
| Franchise history | |
| 1988–1996 | Erie Panthers |
| 1996–2003 | Baton Rouge Kingfish |
| 2004–2011 | Victoria Salmon Kings |
| Championships | |
| Regular season titles | none |
| Division Championships | 2007–08 |
| Conference Championships | none |
| Kelly Cups | none |
Navy blue, gold, silver, white
The Victoria Salmon Kings were a professional ice hockey team based in Victoria, British Columbia. They were members of the Mountain Division of the Western Conference of the ECHL, debuting in the 2004–05 ECHL season and folding after the 2010–11 ECHL season as the Chilliwack Bruins WHL franchise relocated to Victoria and they couldn't simultaneously operate. They played at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
Despite its long and distinguished hockey history (the Victoria Cougars won the Stanley Cup in 1925) Victoria was the largest Canadian city without either professional or Major-Junior hockey when the WHL Victoria Cougars (a team with no connection to the aforementioned Cougars) moved to Prince George in 1994. This was a crippling blow to Victoria hockey fans, whose highest-level remaining local team was the Tier II Junior 'A' Victoria Salsa, which later became the Victoria Grizzlies.
By this time, it had become evident that the 50-year-old Victoria Memorial Arena, seating only 4,000 for hockey, would have to be replaced if Victoria expected to be able to attract a new hockey club. After several years of discussion, the construction of a new arena was approved by Victoria voters in a 2002 referendum, with one key condition being that its construction was dependent on Victoria securing a WHL team.
When the private-sector partner, RG Properties, was unable to secure a WHL club, the company bought the rights to the defunct ECHL Baton Rouge Kingfish, formerly the Erie Panthers, a charter member of the ECHL, and announced that Victoria's new team would be named the Salmon Kings. Reaction in the community was somewhat mixed. The acquisition of the franchise meant that construction of the new arena could begin, but many were troubled by the perception that they would be receiving hockey that was inferior to the major-junior WHL. In addition, the ECHL was virtually unknown in Canada: Victoria was to be the first Canadian team in league history. The Salmon Kings responded by marketing the team and the league as high quality. Controversy remains, however. While some have embraced the third-tier professional hockey, believing it superior to the WHL, others say they would prefer the WHL if they had a choice.
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