Hall of Fame

The center from Winnipeg, Manitoba, played four seasons in Toledo, helping the Mercurys win the 1948 and 1951 International Hockey League’s Turner Cup, as well as the U.S. Amateur Championship in 1951. While an integral member of the 1948 championship team, O’Connell missed the Turner Cup playoffs that season due to a severe head injury which nearly ended his life. He recovered and returned to the ice the following season. His record included 92 goals and 118 assists in 181 regular season games and 11 goals and 20 assists in 28 playoff appearances.

Barney O’Connell was inducted as a member of the Toledo Mercurys.

The center from Kirkland Lake, Ontario, played three seasons with the Goaldiggers, helping Toledo win the 1983 International Hockey League’s Turner Cup when he was named the recipient of the James Gatschene Memorial Trophy as the IHL’s most valuable player. Noel ranks ninth on the all-time Goaldiggers scoring list with 59 goals and 145 assists in 168 regular season games while adding four goals and 17 assists in 17 playoff games. Returning to Toledo for the 2002-03 season as coach of the Toledo Storm, Noel led the club to the Brabham Cup and he was named the ECHL’s Coach of the Year. He later became head coach for Columbus and Winnipeg in the National Hockey League.

Claude Noel was inducted as a member of the Toledo Goaldiggers.

The left winger from Toronto, Ontario, skated four seasons with Winnipeg of the National Hockey League (1986-89, 1990-91), before playing three seasons as captain of the ECHL’s Toledo Storm. Under his leadership, the Storm won Riley Cups in 1993 and 1994. An NCAA national champion as a freshman at Bowling Green State University, the four-year letterwinner with the Falcons (1983-87) went immediately to the NHL at the conclusion of his collegiate career. Duncan was named to the NHL all-rookie team in 1987-88. Known as a hard hitter who could play as the game dictated, he scored 55 goals with 92 assists in 95 regular season games with the Storm, while adding 16 goals and 32 assists in 34 playoff games.

Iain Duncan was inducted as a member of the Toledo Storm.

One of the earliest ECHL’ers to advance to the National Hockey League, the gritty left winger from Calgary, Alberta, played two seasons in Toledo, helping the Storm capture back-to-back Riley Cup titles in 1993 and 1994. Hicks scored 57 goals along with 83 assists in 112 regular season games, adding 15 goals and 20 assists in 30 games of Riley Cup play. The product of the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire went on to play 258 regular season games in the NHL between 1995-2000 with Anaheim, Pittsburgh, San Jose, and Florida. Hicks was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2019.

Alex Hicks was inducted as a member of the Toledo Storm.

An NCAA national championship goaltender at Michigan State University in 2007, Lerg backstopped the Toledo Walleye to the greatest turnaround by a team in ECHL history. In the 2014-15 season, the Walleye won the Brabham Cup as he finished first in the league in wins with 32 and in the top four in goals against average and save percentage. Lerg followed in the 2015-16 season by tying for the league-lead in victories with 28 while tying for second in save percentage and in the top five in goals against average. He was named a post-season second team all-star both years. Lerg backstopped the 2015 and 2017 Walleye to the Conference finals. The acrobatic netminder relied on quickness and reflexes to make highlight reel stops. None was better than his two-on-one twisting save against Fort Wayne on February 14, 2016, which was selected as the Play of the Day by ESPN. In a Toledo career covering four seasons, he finished with a record of 63-22-6 and a 2.37 goals against average.

Jeff Lerg was inducted as a member of the Toledo Walleye.

The all-time leading scorer for a defenseman in Toledo ECHL history, Corriveau recorded 63 goals and 144 assists for 207 points in 191 games for the Storm between 1992 and 1996. A key component of Toledo's Riley Cup championships in 1993 and 1994, he averaged more than a point per game in 26 post-season appearances (7 goals, 25 assists). Named a first team ECHL all-star for the 1994-95 campaign, the second round draft pick of the St. Louis Blues in 1989 became only the second defenseman in the history of the Ontario Hockey League to score 300 points before coming to Toledo.

Rick Corriveau was inducted as a member of the Toledo Storm.

One of the greatest defensemen in the 56-year history of the International Hockey League, Gravel is the all-time leading scorer among defensemen in Toledo hockey history. He played three seasons for the Toledo Blades and four seasons for the Toledo Hornets, appearing in 456 games, scoring 77 goals and adding 299 assists for 363 points. Recipient of the Governors' Trophy as the IHL's best defenseman in 1969-70, five times he was a first or
second team IHL all-star. As a backliner, he was second in team scoring with 14 points in 13 games, as the 1963-64 Blades won the Turner Cup.

John Gravel was inducted as a member of the Toledo Hornets.

A heart and soul player who captained the Toledo Goaldiggers to the International Hockey League's Turner Cup championship in 1978, MacPhee was also a key member of the 'Diggers 1975 Turner Cup squad. Inch-for-inch and pound-for-pound arguably the toughest player in Toledo hockey history, the 5'6”, 195-pound MacPhee was a fan favorite who played in 377 regular season games, scoring 140 goals, 193 assists and recording 855 penalty minutes. Third all-time in Goaldiggers' scoring with 333 points, MacPhee added 55 points in 61 playoff appearances.

Ian MacPhee was inducted as a member of the Toledo Goaldiggers.

The all-time leading goal scorer in the 15-year history of the Toledo Mercurys/Buckeyes, Maisonneuve found the back of the net 161 times in International Hockey League play. Amazingly, despite ranking just sixth in all-time games played for the Mercs (253), he also added 161 assists, which is the third best total in franchise history. His 322 points ranks second all-time for the club, an average of 1.27 points per game. Known for his accurate wrist shot that was harder than some slap shots, Maisonneuve would go on to play for the U.S. National Team.

Roger Maisonneuve was inducted as a member of the Toledo Mercurys.

Considered one of the greatest goalies in the history of the International Hockey League, Molleken played three full seasons in Toledo, backstopping the Goaldiggers to back-to-back Turner Cup championships (1981-82, 1982-83) and then leading the team to the finals (1983-84). A three-time recipient of the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the top goaltender in the IHL, Molleken won the award twice during those championship seasons in Toledo
while under contract to the National Hockey League's New York Islanders. Known as “Mooner”, he went on to become the head coach of the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks and had a lengthy coaching career in the Western Hockey League where he became the second head coach in league history to reach 600 victories.

Lorne Molleken was inducted as a member of the Toledo Goaldiggers.

One of the most decorated players/coaches in the history of the East Coast Hockey League, Vitucci is a five-time ECHL champion who was a member of the league's inaugural Hall of Fame class in 2008. With the Toledo Storm, he was the ECHL's goaltender of the year in 1998 and a key member of the 1994 Riley Cup team. As Storm goalie, Vitucci was 77-38-12. He holds the ECHL record for most games, minutes and wins by a netminder in the regular season. Vitucci was the ECHL coach of the year in 2004-05 when he led Toledo to a record of 41-26-5, an improvement of 30 points from the previous season. He helped establish the Toledo Walleye franchise as its first head coach and director of hockey operations, serving for five seasons. In nine seasons total as Storm and Walleye bench boss, Vitucci was 294-275-56.

Nick Vitucci was inducted as a member of the Toledo Walleye.

A three-time International Hockey League Turner Cup Champion in Toledo, Westbrooke was a member of the 1964 and 1967 Blades title teams, as well as the Miracle on Main Street Goaldiggers in 1975. He played seven seasons in Toledo, totaling 380 games played, 159 goals, 204 assists and 363 points. The IHL Rookie of the Year in 1964, he led the 1975 Goaldiggers with 16 goals and 13 assists in 19 playoff games. Westbrooke is the only five-time winner of the Turner Cup, victorious twice more in Dayton where he was a two-time winner of the IHL most valuable player award.

Don Westbrooke was inducted as a member of the Toledo Blades.

Voted the greatest defenseman in the history of the International Hockey League, Benoit joined the Toledo Blades as player-coach during the 1963-64 season and guided the team to an IHL Turner Cup championship. He served as player-coach the following season, and then was a player only with the Blades during the 1965-66 season.

With the Blades, he played in 187 regular season games, scoring 42 goals with 108 assists. In 17 playoff games with Toledo, Benoit scored 4 goals with 6 assists.

Benoit went on to play with the Dayton Gems from 1966-70, as was part of Dayton’s Turner Cup championship team in 1969.

Before coming to Toledo, the defenseman from Valleyfield, Quebec was a member of the Canadian Olympic Hockey Team, which won the silver medal in the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California.

The left winger from Winthrop, Massachusetts played four seasons at Boston University from 1973-77, and was drafted by the New England Whalers in the second round of the 1974 World Hockey Association Amateur Draft before coming to Toledo.

Eruzione played two seasons with the Toledo Goaldiggers from 1977-79, and was part of the 1978 International Hockey League Turner Cup championship team. He was awarded the IHL’s Ken McKenzie Trophy in 1978 as the outstanding American-born rookie.

With the Goaldiggers, he played in 150 regular season games, scoring 57 goals with 101 assists. In 20 playoff games with Toledo, he scored 9 goals with 15 assists.

Eruzione then joined the U.S. Olympic team in 1979, and was captain of the 1980 Olympic Gold Medal squad. He’s best known for scoring the famous game-winning goal against the Soviet Union in the medal round of the Olympics.

The defenseman from Hibbing, Minnesota played with the Hibbing Saints of the Northern Hockey League, a senior amateur hockey league, during the 1946-47 season before coming to Toledo.

McGrath played five seasons with the Toledo Mercurys (1947-49, 1950-53), and was a member of International Hockey League Turner Cup championship teams in 1948, 1951 and 1952. He was awarded the IHL’s James Gatschene Memorial Trophy in 1951 as the league’s most valuable player. He also served as captain of the Mercurys.

In 239 regular season games with the Mercurys, the forward who also played defense scored 97 goals with 116 assists. In 41 playoff games with the Mercurys, he scored 16 goals with 14 assists.

McGrath also played with the Toledo Buckeyes of the Eastern Hockey League during the 1949-50 season, scoring 13 goals with 16 assists in 37 games.

The Hamilton, Ontario native played with the Dundas-Hamilton Tigers of the Ontario Hockey Association during the 1983-84 season before coming to Toledo.

McSorley played two seasons with the Toledo Goaldiggers from 1984-86, scoring 40 goals with 40 assists and recording 798 penalty minutes in 117 regular season games. His 545 penalty minutes during the 1985-86 season remains an all-time high in Toledo hockey history and ranks as one of the highest totals in the history of the International Hockey League.

McSorley was head coach of Winston-Salem (1989-90) and Richmond (1990-91) of the ECHL before he returned to Toledo, becoming the first head coach of the Toledo Storm. He coached three seasons in Toledo (1991-94), winning the Brabham Cup in 1992 and back-to-back Riley Cup championships in 1993 and 94.

McSorley went on to coach the Las Vegas Thunder in the IHL. He has spent more than a decade with Geneve Servette of the Swiss-A League, where he serves as general manager and coach.

The center from Fort William, Ontario played four seasons at Wilfrid Laurier University of the Ontario University Athletic Association and for Ohio University’s club program before coming to Toledo.

Puhalski played three seasons with the Toledo Storm from 1991-94, also serving as assistant coach during the 1993-94 season. He helped Toledo win back-to-back ECHL Riley Cup titles in 1993 and 1994.

Fourth on all-time Storm scoring list, Puhalski scored 70 goals with 155 assists in 123 regular season games. In 35 playoff games, he scored 20 goals with 33 assists. Puhlaski then became Storm head coach for four seasons from 1994-98, leading Toledo to four straight playoff appearances.

Puhalski went on to coach nine seasons in the United Hockey League with Port Huron, Fort Wayne and Chicago, as well as three seasons as head coach of Wheeling in the ECHL. For the past eight seasons, he has served as head coach of his alma mater, Wilfrid Laurier.

The defenseman from Red Deer, Alberta racked up more points in a Goaldiggers jersey than any other player (177 g, 261 a, 438 pts). Played seven seasons in Toledo, and helped the Goaldiggers win back-to-back Turner Cups in 1982 and 1983.     

The Ottawa, Ontario native played in 36 career NHL games, and was Buffalo Sabres head coach during the 1978-79 season. Inglis guided the Toledo Goaldiggers as head coach for four seasons (1980-84), including back-to-back Turner Cup Championships in 1982 and 1983. The quest for three straight fell short in the 1984 Turner Cup Finals. 

The center from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario played six seasons in Toledo (1974-79), helping the Goaldiggers win Turner Cup titles in 1975 and 1978. McCabe is second on the all-time Goaldiggers scoring list, with 169 goals with 236 assists in 429 regular season games. 

The defenseman from Port Dalhousie, Ontario played 13 seasons in Toledo (Mercurys 1952-62, Blades 1964-68, Hornets 1970-71). He scored a total of 110 goals with 249 assists in a Toledo uniform. Mitchell also served as head coach of the Toledo Blades in 1969-70 and Toledo Hornets in 1970-71.

The Winnipeg, Manitoba native is considered one of the “founding fathers” of hockey in Toledo. Played one season with the Toledo’s first semi-pro team, the Babcocks. Was the first head coach and longtime general manager of the Toledo Mercurys, building three IHL Turner Cup Championship teams (1948, 1951, 1952). Served as commissioner of the IHL from 1962 until 1967.

The Stratford, Ontario, native arrived in Toledo in 1963 when the Omaha Knights relocated to the Glass City to become the Blades.  No one thought Chick would play hockey in Toledo.  In between playing with Omaha and Toledo Chalmers was diagnosed with cancer.  But when it came time for training camp who shows up but Chick Chalmers.

A 15-year International Hockey League veteran who spent a total of seven seasons with the Blades and Hornets, Chalmers totaled 562 points – the second highest amount in Toledo hockey history. He was named the second-greatest center in the history of the International Hockey League. Chalmers ranks third overall in the history of the IHL with 843 career assists and fifth all-time in points with 1,235.

Chalmers appeared in one National Hockey League game with the New York Rangers. During that game, in 1953-54 season, Chick was tripped and went head-first into the boards, fracturing his skull.

A member of the Blades’ Turner Cup championship teams in 1964 and 1967, he won the James Gatschene Memorial Trophy as the IHL’s most valuable player during Toledo’s 1964-65 season.

Nicknamed “The Diesel” for his imposing 6-4, 237-pound frame, the Toronto, Ontario-born Deazeley was an integral part of the Toledo Storm’s 1993 and 1994 East Coast Hockey League Riley Cup championship teams with his scoring touch around the net and bruising style of play. 

In fact, “The Diesel” scored one of the most famous goals in Toledo hockey history, the winning goal in the 1993 playoffs to help the Storm win the first of two Riley Cups. During those title runs, he scored 24 goals and added 16 assists in 29 post-season games, while adding 103 minutes in penalties. 

His 16 playoff goals in 1994 is the second-highest total in the history of the ECHL, and earned him a contract with the National Hockey League’s Winnipeg Jets. 

Deazeley played a total of six seasons for the Storm, recording 120 goals, 85 assists and 1,002 penalty minutes in 258 regular season and playoff games.

Acquired on waivers from the Fort Wayne Komets in 1980, Graham played on the Goaldiggers’ Turner Cup championship teams in 1982 and 1983, before appearing in more National Hockey League games than any other player in Toledo hockey history. 

Signed to an NHL contract by the Minnesota North Stars during the 1982-83 season when he scored 70 goals and was named a first team International Hockey League all-star for Toledo, the Regina, Saskatchewan, native would go on to play a total of 862 regular season and playoff games over 13 seasons in the NHL, primarily with the Chicago Blackhawks. 

Nicknamed “Magic” for the things he could do on the ice, Graham became the first player of African descent to serve as captain of the Blackhawks (1988-95) and later as Chicago’s head coach.

He scored 182 goals and 174 assists for 356 points in 235 games in Toledo.

Mr. Nice Guy. 

A self-proclamation from the all-time leading point scorer in Toledo hockey history. Jablonski was a model of consistency in his 10-year career, never posting less than 40 points per season for the Blades and Hornets, while providing outstanding two-way play. 

Raised in Selkirk, Manitoba, Jablonski scored 281 goals and 365 assists, for a total of 646 points in 742 Toledo regular season and playoff games during a decade-long run which saw him make Toledo his home. He ranks fourth in number of games played in the history of the International Hockey League.

Tendered by the Detroit Red Wings as a junior, Jablonski was a gentlemanly skater who was a leader on the Blades’ 1964 and 1967 Turner Cup title teams. He never recorded more than 18 penalty minutes in a season for Toledo.

When you think of “one of the most beloved figures” in Toledo hockey history, Paul Tantardini immediately comes to mind.

The National Hockey League’s California Golden Seals assigned the left winger to the expansion Goaldiggers in 1974, and, along with Doug Mahood and Willie Trognitz, formed a line dubbed “Murder, Inc.” for its physical style of play.

The Guelph, Ontario, native racked up 338 penalty minutes in just 38 regular season games for that club - known as the ‘Miracle on Main Street’ – which won the International Hockey League’s Turner Cup.

Tantardini went on to play 471 games during eight seasons in Toledo and was a member of all four of the Goaldiggers’ Turner Cup teams. He posted 134 goals, 235 assists, 369 points and a whopping 1,958 minutes in penalties in his Toledo career. 

His two goal, five assist game versus Milwaukee in May of 1983, ranks as the best individual playoff point performance in the modern history of the IHL, with the five assists also a league record.

The native of Sarnia, Ontario was named the greatest coach in the 50-plus year history of the International Hockey League. His illustrious coaching career included six seasons with the Toledo Goaldiggers, with two Turner Cup titles for Toledo in 1975 and 1978.

Garvin played as a pro for Philadelphia and Washington of the Eastern Hockey League between 1943 and 1946, as well as with Detroit and Sarnia of the International Hockey League between 1947 and 1951.

After coaching at the junior level for several years, Garvin became a professional coach in 1968 with Port Huron in the IHL. His five seasons behind the bench in Port Huron resulted in two Turner Cup wins and two other finals appearances. That drew the attention of the Detroit Red Wings.

In 1973, Garvin became coach of the Red Wings, but was fired after only 11 games. Detroit’s loss turned into Toledo’s gain, when he was hired as the first coach of the IHL’s expansion franchise, the Toledo Goaldiggers in 1974.

In Toledo, Garvin became an instant hit with the fans for having a tough team on the ice. That included a forward line dubbed “Murder Inc.”, of Willie Trognitz, Doug Mahood and Paul Tantardini. Early struggles that season turned into post-season success, as Garvin guided the team which became known as the “Miracle on Main Street” to winning the Turner Cup in 1975.

Under Garvin, the Goaldiggers lost in the finals in 1977, but won their second Turner Cup in 1978. Following the 1978-79 season, Garvin went on to coach in Muskegon and Flint before coming back in a mid-season coaching change during the 1984-85 season.

Garvin was known as a great promoter of hockey and creating a carnival-like atmosphere at the Toledo Sports Arena. Players and fans expected the unexpected from Garvin, and they got plenty of that during his time in Toledo.

It’s hard to imagine how or if pro hockey in Toledo would have developed without the contributions of the native of New Haven, Indiana.

Virgil Gladieux moved to Toledo at the age of 17, and quickly became a successful entrepreneur with the Buddy Box Lunch company, selling boxed lunches to workers at industrial sites. More than a decade after moving to Toledo, Gladieux made his first foray into the hockey business.

Teaming up with Emery Gilbert, a former business rival turned friend, Gladieux built the Ice House in 1940 located next to the Babcock Dairy in order to share the same cooling system. From 1940-43, the Ice House was home to the Toledo Babcocks of the Michigan-Ontario Hockey League, a senior amateur league.

That business experiment motivated Gladieux and Gilbert to team up once again to build the Toledo Sports Arena on Toledo’s east side, which opened in 1947 at a cost of $1.5 million. Gladieux also paid $1,000 for a team to join the International Hockey League, a minor professional league which was expanding out of Canada. That team became known as the Toledo Mercurys, which played at the Toledo Sports Arena from 1947 until 1962 (with the exception of the 1949-50 season which saw the Toledo Buckeyes play in the Eastern Hockey League).

Two other hockey franchises played at the Toledo Sports Arena which Gladieux owned and operated: the Toledo Blades from 1963-1970 and the Toledo Hornets from 1970-1974. Then in 1974, Gladieux lead a group of investors which bought an expansion IHL franchise, to be called the Toledo Goaldiggers, which played at the Toledo Sports Arena until 1986.

Gladieux would see a total of 11 minor pro hockey titles won at the Toledo Sports Arena (Mercurys-3, Blades - 2, Goaldiggers - 4, Storm - 2) before his death in 1997.

In the 16-year history of the Toledo Storm, the Lambertville, MI native is the all-time team leader in games played (455), goals (197), assists (244) and points (points).  Judson played a total of ten seasons in Toledo and was a member of the back-to-back Riley Cup Championship teams in 1993 and 1994.

Drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the tenth round in 1989, Judson played four years at the University of Illinois-Chicago between 1988 and 1992. In college, Judson scored 74 goals with 87 assists in 154 games played. His pro career started in Toledo in 1992, appearing in two games and scoring a goal for the Storm in its inaugural year, a team which won the Brabham Cup.

In 1992-93, Judson played in 7 games with Adirondack of the AHL, but spent most of the season with the Storm, helping the team capture the first of two Riley Cups and was also named the ECHL playoff MVP. Judson followed that up by having his most productive offensive season of his pro career, scoring 39 goals with 49 assists, and helping the Storm win its second Riley Cup in 1994.

Judson’s passion for hockey also took him to the west coast, playing roller hockey for Anaheim in a summer pro league between 1994 and 1997. Between 1995 and 1997, Judson had stints in Utah, Michigan, Minnesota and Las Vegas of the IHL before finishing the 1997 season in Toledo.

His pro hockey travels also took him to Manchester, England, as well as Greenville, Port Huron and Fort Wayne, but Judson wrapped up his career playing for the Storm between 2003 and 2006. He also served a year as an assistant coach with the Storm.

The native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario was named the greatest goaltender in the 50-plus year history of the International Hockey League. His illustrious career included 12 seasons in Toledo and backstopping the Toledo Blades to two Turner Cup titles in 1964 and 1967.

After playing two seasons in juniors with Guelph of the Ontario Hockey League between 1953 and 1955, Ramsay turned pro and played two seasons with Cincinnati before making his first appearance in Toledo, that being a brief stint with the Toledo Mercurys in 1959.

Ramsay would become a five-time winner of the IHL’s James Norris Memorial Trophy before coming back to Toledo in 1963 with the Toledo Blades. In 1964, he won his sixth and final Norris Trophy as well as helping the Blades win the Turner Cup.

In 1965, Ramsay played 9 games with Springfield of the AHL before returning to Toledo. He once again helped to bring the Turner Cup back to Toledo in 1967. After 7 seasons with the Blades, the team folded. However, Ramsay was back in Toledo when the Hornets franchise played at the Toledo Sports Arena from 1970 until 1974.

For most of his career, the NHL was a 6-team league, which made it hard for goalies to make it up to the major pro level. He also started in an era where goalies played without a mask. Over the years protective equipment developed to help protect goaltenders from puck-flying injuries. Ramsay’s job was always to protect the net, and in Toledo, nobody has done it better than Glenn Ramsay.

When the Erie, PA native retired following the 2014-15 season, Kyle Rogers retired as the Toledo Walleye all-time leader in games played (319), goals (69), assists (108) and points (177). He was also captain of the Walleye for three of its first six seasons, becoming the face of the franchise, as well as its leader on the ice.

Kyle developed his skills and built up his passion for the game of hockey playing for Georgetown, Collingwood and Buffalo of the Ontario Junior Hockey League between 2000 and 2005. That led to an offer to play at Niagara University.  Playing at Niagara for three seasons between 2005 and 2008, Kyle played in 97 games, scored 18 goals with 22 assists. In 2008, Kyle left college and become a pro hockey player.

After wrapping up the 2007-08 season at Niagara, Kyle appeared in two games with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. He then spent the next two years in Toronto, appearing in 138 games, scoring 9 goals and adding 12 helpers. His path as a pro would then bring him to playing T-Town Hockey.

In 2010-11, Kyle played in one game with Grand Rapids before coming to Toledo where he would play the next five seasons in a Walleye uniform. He also had a brief stint with St. John’s in 2011-12.

In Toledo, Kyle would captain the Walleye between 2011 and14, helping to guide the team into the playoffs in 2013, as well as being part of the 2014-15 Brabham Cup Championship team which made it to the Eastern Conference Finals of the playoffs.