Mississippi Sea Wolves

The Mississippi Sea Wolves are a professional hockey team based in Biloxi, Mississippi, and play in the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. The Sea Wolves are members of the FPHL. They are former members of the ECHL.

Mississippi Sea Wolves
CityBiloxi, Mississippi
LeagueECHL (1996-2009)
FPHL (2022-)
ConferenceAmerican
DivisionSouth
Founded1996
Home arenaMississippi Coast Coliseum
ColorsRed, Blue and White
     
Head coachPhil Esposito
Championships
Regular season titles2002–03
Division Championships2002–03
Kelly Cups1998–99

The Sea Wolves were founded in 1996 and had considerable success over their 10 seasons in the ECHL. They reached the playoffs in five of their first seven years and a league championship in 1999, when they defeated the Richmond Renegades in a best of seven series to claim the Kelly Cup.

Damages from Hurricane Katrina to the Mississippi Coast Coliseum forced the team to suspend operations for the 2005–06 and 2006–07 seasons under the ECHL's hardship provisions. Hurricane Katrina resulted in extensive damage to the team’s home arena, including flood damage to team offices and locker rooms as well as the ice-making equipment and two Zambonis. During the 2006–07 ECHL All-Star Game, the league officially confirmed the Sea Wolves would return in 2007–08.[1]

On March 30, 2009, the Sea Wolves announced that the organization would be suspending operations again for the 2009–10 season, but a little more than a month later the team's management announced that professional hockey would continue to be played on the Mississippi Gulf Coast in the form of the Mississippi Surge in the Southern Professional Hockey League. The Surge played at the Coast Coliseum from the 2009–10 season through 2013–14.[2] In 2021, the Federal Prospects Hockey League hosted three neutral site games in Biloxi and an ownership group announced a new Sea Wolves team would begin playing in the 2022–23 season.[3] On April 27th, 2022 the team announced Phil Esposito will serve as the teams first head coach in its FPHL history. [4]

History
League champions Division champions Playoff berth
Season Division Regular season Statistics Postseason results Coach
WLTOTLSOLPtsPct.GFGAPIM
1996–97South342610——78.5572412452082Lost First Round, 0–3 vs. BirminghamBruce Boudreau
1997–98Southwest34279——77.5502252241909Did not qualifyBruce Boudreau
1998–99Southwest41227–—89.6362512151357Won Conf. Quarterfinals, 3–0 vs. South Carolina
Won Conf. Semifinals, 3–0 vs. Florida
Won Conf. Finals, 4–1 vs. Pee Dee
Won Kelly Cup, 4–3 vs. Richmond		Bruce Boudreau
1999–00Southwest35278——78.5572412211773Won Wildcard, 2–1 vs. Pensacola
Lost Conf. Quarterfinals, 1–3 vs. Louisiana		Marc Potvin
2000–01Southwest34335——73.5072212181310Did not qualifyAl Pedersen
2001–02Southwest41265——87.6042512321706Won Div. Semifinals, 3–0 vs. Pensacola
Won Div. Finals, 3–0 vs. Jackson
Lost Conf. Finals, 1–3 vs. Greenville		Bob Woods
2002–03Southwest4424—4—92.6392502112159Won Div. Semifinals, 3–0 vs. Pensacola
Lost Div. Finals, 0–3 vs. Louisiana		Bob Woods
2003–04Central4520—7—97.6742562001632Lost Div. Semifinals, 2–3 vs. GwinnettBob Woods
2004–05South3924—4587.6042232151372Lost Conf. Quarterfinals, 1–3 vs. GwinnettBob Woods
2005–06Inactive due to arena damages from Hurricane Katrina
2006–07
2007–08South2940—1261.4242042621462Lost First Round, 1–3 vs. TexasSteffon Walby
2008–09South2835—7164.4512032561242Did not qualifySteffon Walby

References
  1. "The ECHL officially announces the Sea Wolves return". ECHL. January 22, 2007. Archived from the original on February 28, 2008. Retrieved February 28, 2008.
  2. "SOUTHERN PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE COMES TO THE COAST". Southern Professional Hockey League. May 7, 2009. Retrieved May 11, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. "Professional hockey team returning full-time to Biloxi". supertalk.fm. January 3, 2022.
  4. "Sea Wolves announce Phil Esposito as new head coach". wlox.com. April 27, 2022.
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