NSHL.com > GM Page > League Archives & History >

The Illustrated History of the NSHL

The official NSHL logo



HLS2



Cam Neely



The Neely Cup



Friendly Competition



The Neely Cup



NSHL 2000



Introduction

What would an archive be without a little history? Below you will find season-by-season highlights as well as interesting and unusual facts about the NSHL. Included are links to other parts of NSHL.com that may have more indepth background information. Finally, at left we've put our favorite pics. If we've missed something, or your want your NSHL story added send a message to the webmaster and we'll let you make history too! Don't forget to check out our Credits page.

NSHL1

The NSHL was started way back in 1996 by no one less than Matt Pitt. The league name was chosen as the Net Surfer's Hockey League (NSHL) for probably no better reason than it just made sense, even though Adam Tabor (Bushmen/Infantry) suggested it. But the name fit in with the cliché of surfing the 'Net which was a groundswell of activity by late summer 1996. Probably as well, the fledgling league's acronym of NSHL was almost the same as NHL, another popular hockey league.

Matt got the word out to some other Internet fantasy hockey leagues around at the time (including the ISHHL) as well as to newsgroups and IRC, announcing that he was going to start a new league, the NSHL, with himself as the Commissioner and the need for 23 other hockey fanatics. The NSHL was to have all the usual features of an Internet fantasy hockey league using Bethesda Software's Hockey League Simulator 2 (HLS2).

A constitution was plagiarized, drafted and adopted, the initial player draft was held to fill out the 24 teams' rosters, and the teams were assigned nicknames. Games were to be played 7 days a week with the game results e-mailed to the GMs and posted on the original NSHL web site. Both the mailing list and web site were hosted by UltraNet through the benevolence of Ryan Thieme (GM, Stranglers).

Before the first fantasy puck could be dropped though a few GMs, including the league commissioner, backed out. Matt was unable to make the time commitment required for the league commissioner's duties. Replacements were quickly found after Gord "Ace" Payne decided to take on the mantle of leadership. Ace continues to work in the dual capacities of Commish and GM with his original enthusiasm.

The league finally got underway in September 1996 and the list of firsts begun. But the first trade is all we have to offer in the regular season. The regular season game summaries for NSHL1 were lost in a tragic accident during a routine procedure on the League Commissioner's computer. This same accident also forced the end of the regular season at 70 games, with the results of the remaining 10 games being determined by the HLS2 simulator. Alas, these games are lost forever, unless someone out there has kept copies of those e-mails or made other records that could be used to reconstruct these games. Not even the schedule remains.

Franchise changes:

  • Matt Pitt ducked out before the season began handing over the Cannons to Jeffrey Kohut.
  • Jim Hasson turtled on the league before game one, leaving the Aurora Eagles to GM Artur Roytburg.
  • During the season, the Jasper Geronimo's management was taken over by Larry Lavitt.

NSHL2

The second season began with lessons learned in early 1997, after a round robin European exhibition series featuring 5 NSHL teams.

Franchise changes:

  • Larry Lavitt moved the Jasper Geronimo to Winnipeg renaming them the Red River Sun Dogs.
  • Todd Lancaster changed his franchise name from the Fiends to the Clash City Rockers.
  • Trevor Peterson changed his franchise name from the Renton Jets to the Saskatoon Stompers.
  • The Snipers lost their aim and moved to Ontario to become the Oakville Blades with new GM Craig Swistun.
  • Jeffrey Kohut renamed the Cannons the Winnipeg Windchill.
  • Artur Roytburg's Aurora Eagles moved to Toronto.
  • Aaron Price's Honalee Magic Dragons were advised to quit smoking and move closer to the sea. Chris Carman took over as GM, renaming the franchise the White River Spirit.
  • Chris Smith moved his Outlaws from Royal City to Vancouver, renaming them the Blazers.
  • Winnipeg Bushmen GM Adam Tabor renamed his troops the Winnipeg Infantry.

NSHL3

Season three had the NSHL going full steam ahead. The first NSHL All Star Game was held featuring the Pepsi versus the Coke conferences.

Franchise changes:

  • The Cooper City Icers changed hands and became the Gears under new GM Mike Yoshioka.
  • The Philadelphia Vipers moved to Manitoba and became the Brandon Booze Hounds with new GM Mike "Stome Cold" Porter.
  • The Winnipeg Windchill couldn't stand the cold and became Fusster's Foomanchu with new GM Glenn Passey.
  • The Red River Sun Dogs needed more space so they gave up one, changing their name to the SunDogs.
  • The Swift Current Cobras bit the big one. New GM Alan MacDonald took over with the Halifax Seamen.
  • The Halifax Explosion riped out into Manitoba and landed as the Silver Heights Ice Terrors with new GM Dave McCann.
  • Charleswood DeadBoys GM Gord "Ace" Payne renamed his team the Charleswood Hanson Brothers.

NSHL4

Season four. February 14, 1998 saw a GM meeting that starts at Hooters, continued with an IHL game and ended with the world's largest hat trade at Georgies.

Franchise changes:

  • The Clash City Rockers unplugged and became the Rabbit Lake Thistles under new GM Jim Hanstead.
  • The Rapists finally got locked up and the franchise moved, becoming Chrispy's Crunch with new GM Chris "Chrispy" Sage.
  • The Vancouver Canucks got hosed. New GM Sam Spiropoulos renamed the team the Ontario Muskie Hunters.
  • The Halifax Seamen were lost at sea. New GM Egg Eggelson took the helm after setting a course for the South Park Cows.
  • Charleswood Hanson Brothers GM Gord "Ace" Payne renamed his team the Charleswood Muffs after everyone confuses his Hansons with something else besides just "good old time hockey."
  • North Dakota Sham69 GM Terry Dean quit the commute and renamed his team the North Kildonan Useless Twits.

NSHL5

The fifth season kicked off with a party at the Punk House, the International Head Quarters of the NSHL, on July 12, 1998. This was also the day of the final of soccer's World Cup between France and Brazil. A unique feature of this event was that to attend, you had to bring a beer that was brewed in one of the countries participating in the World Cup. Foreign brands brewed in Canada didn't count. Again, a hat trade was featured. The surprise of the event was courtesy of Glenn Passey (GM, Foomanchu) who presented the Neely Cup to Ace who won it the previous season. Glenn purchased the Cup and had it engraved with the team names and GMs of previous seasons who had won it. Glenn's generousity made the NSHL the first and only fantasy hockey league in the universe with an actual championship trophy.

Franchise changes:

  • The New York Rockets moved with a burning hunger to Manitoba and became the Windsor Park Fat Guys with John Milton as GM.
  • Egg Eggleson gave up on the South Park Cows part way through the season. Something about not having a cow. New GM David Easton took over.
  • The Lorette Clash just couldn't fit in and became the Left Coast Psychosis with new GM Darryl Chase.
  • The Battleford Butchers left the twin cities (of Battleford and North Battleford, Saskatchewan) for greener pastures in Sweden. New GM Jonas Strandell called his franchise the Springfield Icecats.

NSHL6

Season six began in January 1999 and saw an early season GM meeting in Toronto. The Road Crew took in the NHL game between the Leafs and Bruins at the old Maple Leaf Gardens, managing to appear on CBC TV's Hockey Night in Canada broadcast. The next day saw Ryan finally holding the Neely Cup that he won in NSHL1, and eventually taking the now customary drink from the Cup. In two taxis, the GMs sped off to the Hockey Hall of Fame to while away the afternoon. Two cabs later, the gang arrives at Wayne Gretzky's for dinner, or at least beer and wings.

On January 19th, Ryan announced that he had acquired the domain name NSHL.com for the league along with cool @NSHL.com e-mail address aliases for all the GMs.

Franchise changes:

  • Larry Lavitt packed up his Red River SunDogs and moved them 2219 kilometers (1131 miles) east to BarrHaven.
  • David Easton renamed the South Park Cows to the Ping Tung Lizards.

NSHL7

Season seven started off in August 1999 amid controversy. Debated on and off for most of the previous six seasons, the HLS2's "streaks and slumps" feature was turned off after a close vote in the off season. As well, "team quality" was used for the new waiver draft.

A Neely Cup presentation party was held at Georgies and it was soon discovered that the Cup could safely hold the equivalent of ten bottles of beer.

Franchise changes:

  • The Ontario Muskie Hunters couldn't decide whether to fish or cut bait. New GM Ted Strey took over and moved the team south west, renaming them the Phoenix Scorpions.
  • The Springfield Icecats airlift over the North Atlantic to Manitoba and transform into the Transcona Buzzards with Denis Leonard as GM.

NSHL8

All seemed well in the NSHL as the season started, but ten games in to the season was a flashback to season one. The game files had been inadvertantly erased! However, thanks to the previous publication of the game results, the HLS2 files were completely rebuilt by Eagles GM Artur Roytburg, saving the season. A different controversy was later rampant and the GM of the Lizards was officials relieved of his managerial duties. Everyone else (almost) was just plain relieved. The most important function of the season was the GM meeting held August 12 and 13, 2000 in Winnipeg.

Franchise changes:

  • The Brandon Booze Hounds were colder than stone. Returning (!) Warren Wojnowski brought back his Lorette Clash.
  • The Windsor Park Fat Guys ate their last donut leaving new GM Rich Tarsio to leash in his Ft. Collins Beagles.
  • The Hawkesbury Highlanders hung up their kilts and passed their collective sporins to new GM Travis Chorostkowski and his Las Vegas Icerays.
  • The Ping Tung Lizards were keel hauled and relocated to Regina. It was quite the Riot, just ask new GM Colin Reid.

NSHL9

Season nine was relatively uneventful.

The Traders made it to the finals, again, but this time even with no Curse of the Neely Cup to hinder them they couldn't snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The Toronto Eagles captured their first Neely Cup and promptly changed their name to the Jets.

The Wrecking Crew was out in full force at the end of March 2001 to watch Cam Neely in his first return to the Fleet Center since being traded to the Avs. The Crew then followed the Bees to NYC to witness the Rangers and Bruins face off.

Franchise changes:

  • For the first time in League history, there was not a single, sole, or solitary team that changed ownership before, during or after the season.

NSHL10

What's in store for season ten?

Franchise changes:

  • For the second time in League history, there was not a single, sole, or solitary team that changed ownership during the off season.
  • The Toronto Eagles got a deal on used jerseys and as a result changed their nickname to the Jets. This may have been just a feeble attempt to avoid the Curse of the Neely Cup which has struck all previous Neely Cup Champions. This may now introduce a new curse, the First Round Flop, as previous Jets teams have discovered.