Las Vegas Thunder

The Las Vegas Thunder were a professional ice hockey team competing in the International Hockey League. The team's home rink was at the Thomas & Mack Center. They began play in the 1993–1994 season, folding on April 18, 1999. The demise of the franchise was precipitated by the refusal of UNLV officials to negotiate with team owners regarding a new agreement to continue playing at the Thomas & Mack Center after the 1998–1999 season. Without a facility that was suitable even for temporary use, the Thunder were forced to shut down.

Las Vegas Thunder
CityLas Vegas, Nevada
LeagueIHL
ConferenceWestern
DivisionPacific; Southwest
Founded1993
Home arenaThomas & Mack Center
ColorsTeal, black, silver, white
Owner(s)Hank and Ken Stickney
MediaLas Vegas Review-Journal
AffiliatesPhoenix Coyotes (NHL), Knoxville Cherokees and Mississippi Sea Wolves (ECHL), and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (RSL)
Franchise history
1993–1999Las Vegas Thunder
Championships
Regular season titles1993–94, 1995–96
Division titles1993–94, 1995–96

History

The Thunder made a strong showing in their first season, finishing with the best record in the league: 115 points and a 52–18–11 record. They topped that performance in 1995–1996 when they again finished with the league's best record (122 points, 57–17–8). The Thunder lost in the conference finals that season.

Throughout the team's history they garnered player development deals with the Phoenix Coyotes of the NHL, the ECHL's Knoxville Cherokees and Mississippi Sea Wolves and Russian side Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.

The Thunder's main rivals included the Denver/Utah Grizzlies, Los Angeles/Long Beach Ice Dogs, San Diego Gulls, and Phoenix Roadrunners. These rivalries later saw a rebirth in the ECHL with the Las Vegas Wranglers.

The team's mascot was "Boom-Boom", a polar bear.

The franchise was replaced by:

The Golden Knights later acknowledged their Thunder predecessors by basing their 2020–21 Reverse Retro jerseys off of the Thunder's "V-stripe" pattern.

Notable alumni

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes

Turner Cup Champions Huber Trophy Champions Division Champions
Season Conference Division Regular Season Post Season
Finish GP W L T Pts GF GA GP W L GF GA Result
1993-94 Western Pacific 1st 81 52 18 11 115 319 282 5 1 4 14 20 Lost in Quarterfinals, 1-4 (San Diego)
1994-95 Western Southwest 2nd 81 46 30 5 97 328 278 10 4 6 27 35 Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 3-1 (Atlanta)
Won in Conference Semifinals, 4-1 (Milwaukee)
Lost in Conference Finals 0-4 (Denver Grizzlies)
1995-96 Western Southwest 1st 82 57 17 8 122 380 249 15 9 6 59 53 Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 3–1 (Phoenix)
Won in Conference Semifinals, 4–1 (Chicago)
Lost in Conference Finals, 2-4 (Utah)
1996-97 Western Southwest 4th 82 41 34 7 89 287 299 3 0 3 4 9 Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 0-3 (Houston)
1997-98 Western Southwest 4th 82 33 39 10 76 260 305 4 1 3 9 16 Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 1-3 (Long Beach)
1998-99 Western Southwest 4th 82 35 39 8 78 247 307 did not qualify
Totals 490 264 177 49 .589% 1821 1720 37 15 22 113 133


Head coaches

Honors
Division titles : 2 – 1994, 1996
Turner Cups : 0
Regular Season Titles : 2 – 1994, 1996
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