Bakersfield Condors (1998–2015)

The Bakersfield Condors were a minor league ice hockey team based in Bakersfield, California in the Pacific Division of the ECHL's Western Conference. The Condors played home games at Rabobank Arena.

For the American Hockey League team that began play in the 2015–16 season, see Bakersfield Condors.
Bakersfield Condors
CityBakersfield, California
LeagueECHL
ConferenceWestern
DivisionPacific
Founded1995
Operated1995–2015
Home arenaRabobank Arena
ColorsBlack, maroon, silver, white
       
MediaFox Sports 970
AffiliatesAnaheim Ducks
Edmonton Oilers
Franchise history
1995–1998Bakersfield Fog
1998–2015Bakersfield Condors
2015–presentNorfolk Admirals
Championships
Division titles1 2009–10

History

Originally known as the "Bakersfield Fog", the team was founded in 1995 as a charter member of the West Coast Hockey League. They replaced the Bakersfield Oilers of the Pacific Southwest Hockey League when that league folded in 1994. The team became the "Condors" in 1998 when it moved into the new Centennial Garden. The Condors, and other West Coast Hockey League teams, joined the ECHL in 2003.

For the 2008–09 season, the Condors announced an affiliation with the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League on May 21, 2008. They became the Ducks' secondary affiliate, after the Iowa Chops of the American Hockey League.[1] In the following season, the Condors became the Ducks' primary affiliate after the Chops were suspended from operations. As a result, the Condors started the season with a handful of the Ducks' prospects and finished the season first in the Pacific to capture their first division title. On July 12, 2010, the Ducks opted to move their ECHL affiliate closer to their East Coast AHL affiliate and cut ties with the Condors after two seasons.[2]

On July 18, 2013, the Condors announced an affiliation with the Edmonton Oilers.[3]

On January 23, 2014, it was announced that the team was purchased by the Daryl Katz-owned Oilers Entertainment Group, which also owns the Edmonton Oilers.[4] In January 2015, it was announced that the ECHL incarnation of the Condors would be relocating to Norfolk, Virginia and become the Norfolk Admirals after being displaced by the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League relocating to become the new Bakersfield Condors for the 2015–16 season. The original Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League were also relocated following the 2014–15 season to San Diego, California.[5][6]

Season-by-season record
SeasonLeagueDivisionGPWLTOTLSOLPtsPCTGFGAPIMCoach(es)Result
1995–96WCHLWCHL582429005530.4572713231439Keith GretzkyOut of playoffs
1996–97WCHLWCHL643326005710.5553453252061Keith GretzkyLost in round 1
1997–98WCHLWCHLS642237005490.3832263301949Keith GretzkyLost in round 1
1998–99WCHLWCHLS702140009510.3642133082010Kevin MacDonaldLost in round 1
1999–00WCHLWCHLS723429009770.5352442722343Kevin MacDonaldLost in round 1
2000–01WCHLWCHLS7226360010620.4312202732147Kevin MacDonaldLost in round 1
2001–02WCHLWCHLS723235005690.4792132371377Paul KellyLost in round 1
2002–03WCHLWCHL724122009910.6322531861625Paul KellyLost in round 1
2003–04ECHLPacific722538009590.4102012361750Paul Kelly,
Marty Raymond		Out of Playoffs
2004–05ECHLWest724022055900.6252322051691Marty RaymondLost in round 1
2005–06ECHLPacific724026024860.5972212221814Marty RaymondLost in round 3
2006–07ECHLPacific724119039940.6532702361556Marty RaymondLost in round 3
2007–08ECHLPacific722637027610.4242302801772Marty RaymondLost in round 2
2008–09ECHLPacific723331035740.5142462631250Marty RaymondLost in round 1
2009–10ECHLPacific723829041810.5632322431270Marty RaymondLost in round 2
2010–11ECHLPacific724127022860.5972222101528Marty RaymondLost in round 1
2011–12ECHLPacific722441043550.3821992411356Matt O'DetteOut of playoffs
2012–13ECHLPacific722244024500.3471712471292Matt O'DetteOut of playoffs
2013–14ECHLPacific723630024780.5421972021184Troy MannLost in round 3
2014–15ECHLPacific722638035600.4172022651047Jean-Francois HouleOut of playoffs

Records as of May 15, 2015. [7]

Players

Notable NHL alumni

List of Bakersfield Condors alumni who played more than 25 games in Bakersfield and 25 or more games in the National Hockey League.

Notable players

Known for his journalistic contributions, Ken Baker, played one game as goaltender for the Condors in the 2001–02 season, finishing with a win, a 5.00 GAA and a 0.857 save percentage.[8] Baker's dreams of playing professional hockey were cut short due to a tumor that inhibited his ability to build enough muscle for the sport. However, his book They Don't Play Hockey in Heaven tells the story of his experience with the Condors.

Moreover, Canadian singer and songwriter, Justin Bieber, was also offered a tryout contract by the Bakersfield Condors in September 2012.[9][10] The Condors released their entry level offer after stating that "Bieber has some hockey skills".[11]

Retired numbers
  • 16 – Paul Willett
  • 17- Paul Rosebush
  • 26 – Glen Mears
  • 28 – Jamie Cooke
  • 74 – Steve Dowhy

Team highs

The Condors advanced past the first round of the playoffs for the first time in their history in the 2005–06 season. They defeated the Long Beach Ice Dogs in seven games. The Condors lost in the seventh game of the next round against the Fresno Falcons, making it the longest playoff run in Condors history at the time. The Condors did it again the following year, defeating Fresno, but then lost in the second round to the Alaska Aces in four games. However, in the 2013–14 season, the Condors had their furthest playoff run in team history, getting to the Western Conference Finals, where they lost to the Alaska Aces in six games.

Controversy

In the 2004–05 ECHL playoffs, Condor Ashlee Langdone checked Alaska Ace Scott Gomez (who was playing that season in the ECHL due to the NHL lockout) hard, sending him hip first into the sharp opening of the bench door at the exact moment the trainer opened it for a line change. The resulting injury, a broken pelvis, knocked Gomez out of the rest of the playoffs, and resulted in Langdone being given a boarding penalty and an eight-game suspension. The incident drew a rather negative reaction due to Gomez's status as an NHL all-star.[12]

In March 2011, the Condors held "Charlie Sheen Night" which garnered national media attention as one of the best promotions in minor league sports history. The promotion, based on the antics of the Two and a Half Men actor, offered fans free admission with proof of a clean drug test, "tiger's blood" margaritas, Charlie Sheen heads on sticks, and if anyone had the money, they could buy the team for $2 million outright. That was Sheen's annual salary for the show he was eventually fired from.[13]

Lawsuit

Head coach Marty Raymond and former assistant coach Mark Pederson were briefly suspended in 2009 for an "internal matter", which was reported at the time to be due to anti-Semitic comments made by both men toward then-Condor Jason Bailey, a Jewish player.[14] The team did not publicly acknowledge the reason for the suspensions until after the season, when GM Matthew Riley stated that "all parties involved were satisfied with the action that was taken."[15] However, in January 2011, the Anaheim Ducks, Condors, Raymond and Pederson were named in a lawsuit filed by Bailey's lawyer, Keith Fink, alleging that his client faced "a barrage of anti-Semitic, offensive and degrading verbal attacks regarding his Jewish faith" during this time with the team.[16] On January 27, ESPN.com released details of court documents in which Fink alleges that Condors' owner Jonathan Fleisig failed to take action after being informed of the issue: promising Bailey's father that the Raymond and Pederson would both be fired, but then failing to do so. The documents also allege that Raymond told Bailey his ex-wife was Jewish and that she was "a 'bitch' for taking all of his money."[17]

References
  1. "Condors join Ducks organization". KGET-TV. May 21, 2008. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2008.
  2. Zupke, Curtis (July 12, 2010). "Ducks to get new ECHL partner". Orange County Register. Archived from the original on July 15, 2010. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
  3. "Condors secure NHL affiliation with the Edmonton Oilers". Bakersfield Condors. July 18, 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-07-23. Retrieved July 18, 2013.
  4. Griffith, Mike (January 22, 2014). "Condors sale to Oilers approved". The Bakersfield Californian. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  5. "Bakersfield will join the American Hockey League in 2015–16". Bakersfield Condors. January 29, 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-01-31. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
  6. "Admirals announce sale to Anaheim, ECHL affiliation with Edmonton". Norfolk Admirals. January 30, 2015. Archived from the original on January 31, 2015. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
  7. "Bakersfield Condors season statistics and records 1995–2015". HockeyDB. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
  8. "Ken Baker Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com". HockeyDB. Archived from the original on 2009-01-05.
  9. Justin Bieber career statistics at EliteProspects.com
  10. "Condors Offer Contract to Justin Bieber". Bakersfield Condors. California. September 11, 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-09-13. Retrieved July 20, 2016. The Bakersfield Condors (@Condors) and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Matt O'Dette (@BigOdie2) announced today that they have offered hit recording artist RW Justin Bieber an amateur tryout contract for the upcoming 2012–13 season.
  11. Baker, Ken (September 11, 2012). "Justin Bieber offered contract by ECHL Condors". National Hockey League. Retrieved July 20, 2016. Yes, we would play him if he was up for it," coach Matt O'Dette told NHL.com. "I have seen video on him and he does have some hockey skills.
  12. "ECHL bans Langdone 8 games for hit on Gomez". CBC.ca. April 23, 2005. Archived from the original on 2021-10-31. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  13. "Condors announce Charlie Sheen night". Bakersfield Condors. March 9, 2011. Archived from the original on 2013-04-16. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  14. Rodriguez, Sabrina (May 29, 2009). "Racist comments may have led to Condors coaches' suspension". Bakersfield Now.
  15. Baxter, Kevin (January 26, 2011). "Former Ducks minor league player says he faced anti-Semitic remarks". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  16. "US Jewish ice hockey player sues club for anti-Semitism". BBC News. January 27, 2011. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  17. Burnside, Scott (January 28, 2011). "Details emerge of Jason Bailey's suit". ESPN. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
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