The search is finally over for a bench boss as Bruce Cassidy was chosen to be the Trenton Titans' first Head Coach. So who exactly is Bruce Cassidy? Here's the scoop: Bruce "Butch" Cassidy was born on May 20, 1965 in Ottawa, Ontario. He began playing junior hockey for the Hawkebury Hawks of the Ontario Junior Hockey League in 1981/1982. The following season, Bruce tallied 111 points in 70 games with the Ontario Hockey League's Ottawa 67's. In the NHL's 1983 Entry Draft, Cassidy was a first round selection (18th overall) by the Chicago Black Hawks. He spent most of the 1983/1984 season with the Ottawa 67's, but made his NHL debut in one game with the Black Hawks.

Bruce spent the entire 1984/1985 season with the Ottawa 67's, helping them win a Memorial Cup Championship. He returned to the NHL for a single game with the Black Hawks in 1985/1986, also appearing in 4 games for the AHL's Nova Scotia Oilers that year. In 1986/1987, Bruce played 2 games with the Blackhawks, 19 games with Nova Scotia, 12 games with the Canadian National Team, and 10 games with the IHL's Saginaw Generals.

Cassidy saw the most ice time with the Blackhawks in 1987/1988, appearing in 21 games and collecting 3 of his 4 career NHL goals. He spent most of that season and the following season with the IHL's Saginaw Hawks while appearing in another 9 games with the Blackhawks in 1988/1989. He played in his last two NHL games in the 1989/1990 season with the Blackhawks, spending most of the season with the IHL's Indianapolis Ice. His final NHL tallies: 36 games, 4 goals (3 on the power play), 13 assists, and 10 penalty minutes. Bruce's small size for a defenseman (6' 0'' 190lbs., even smaller by some estimates) and many knee surgeries prevented him from enjoying a longer stay in the NHL. In 1989 and 1990, he was selected to the IHL's First All-Star Team, and was an assistant captain when the Ice captured the 1989/1990 Turner Cup Championship.

Bruce Cassidy spent the next three seasons playing hockey in Italy (helping his team to an Alpine League Championship in 1993) and the 1993/1994 season in Germany. In 1994/1995, Bruce returned to play three final seasons with the IHL's Indianapolis Ice. During his final season as a player, 1996/1997, Cassidy began his coaching career as an assistant coach for the Ice. Part way into the season, Bruce received his first big coaching break when he was named as the Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations for the ECHL's Jacksonville Lizard Kings.

The Jacksonville Lizard Kings were 17-25-10 with Cassidy at the helm during for the duration of the 1996/1997 season. The following season, he led the Lizard Kings to a franchise best record of 35-29-6. In 1998/1999, Bruce returned to his former team, the IHL's Indianapolis Ice, as Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations. He led the league-youngest Ice to a 33-37-12 regular season record despite having to contend with one of the league's lowest payrolls. In the first round of the Turner Cup Playoffs, the Ice upset the heavily favored Cincinnati Cyclones, but went on to drop to the Detroit Vipers in the second round.

With the Indianapolis Ice leaving the IHL for the lesser Central Hockey League next season, Cassidy chose to seek a coaching and/or general manager position elsewhere for 1999/2000. A good indication of the high esteem that the hockey world already has for Cassidy can be found in a recent Indianapolis Ice press release quoting Indianapolis General Manager Brad Berry: "He is an excellent coach and an even better person. I'll be looking for a Bruce Cassidy clone to be the next coach in Indianapolis."

Cassidy was a contender for several other ECHL coaching vacancies as well as an assistant coaching position for the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers. The 34-year-old coach brings to New Jersey a perfect blend of youth and experience for the Titans' inaugural season. Both Cassidy and the Titans feel that he is the right person for the job in Trenton, but acknowledge that his stay may be brief if bigger opportunities become available. His two-year contract allows him the option to depart early if opportunity knocks. Accompanying Bruce when he comes to New Jersey will be Lisa, his wife of nine years, and their two dogs Jasmine and Bailey.

With the ECHL's Expansion and Dispersal Drafts now in the books, the Trenton Titans have eight potential players on the roster for their inaugural season, provided they all sign contracts. The Titans' five picks in the Expansion Draft on June 30th: Troy Mann, Jeff Corbett, Jay McGee, Jon Gurskis, and Tony McCauley. Mann (5'10'' 180lbs.) is a left wing who played for the Kelly Cup Champion Mississippi Sea Wolves last season. He has played with three ECHL teams (Sea Wolves, Admirals, Tiger Sharks) since 1996, compiling 74 goals and 66 assists in 177 ECHL games. His ice time last season was shortened by a broken thumb. Corbett (6' 200lbs.) is a right wing 'goon' (and we mean that in a good way) who played 68 games with the Hampton Roads Admirals over the last two seasons, collecting few goals but 300 penalty minutes. McGee (6'1'' 225lbs.) is a defenseman with 126 games of ECHL experience in two seasons with the Birmingham Bulls and Huntington Blizzard. Gurskis (5'11'' 190lbs.) is a center who played for the Columbus Chill and Charlotte Checkers last season, tallying 11 goals and 8 assists in 55 games. McCauley (6'2'' 215lbs.) is a defenseman who appeared in 18 games with the Chesapeake Icebreakers last season.

The Titans' three picks in the Dispersal Draft on June 30th: Dan Lupo, Jay Pecora, and Eon MacFarlane. Lupo (5'10'' 185lbs.) is a left wing from the Miami Matadors. He has played 3 seasons in the ECHL, notching 54 goals and 63 assists in 124 games with the Matadors and Tallahassee Tiger Sharks. He only played in 32 games last season due to a back injury the occured while playing hockey in Germany. Pecora (6' 200lbs.) is a defenseman who notched 12 goals and 15 assists in 50 games with the Columbus Chill last season. MacFarlane (5'11'' 190lbs.) is a defenseman who played for the Pensacola Ice Pilots and Miami Matadors last season, tallying 7 goals and 10 assists in 57 games. Check out the Titans' Roster!

After years of rumors, minor league hockey is now slated to return to Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Hampton Roads Admirals intend to transfer their ECHL franchise to Atlantic City after they move to the American Hockey League. For the 1999/2000 season, the three-time Champion Hampton Admirals will play their eleventh and final season in the ECHL. In 2000/2001, the Admirals will join the AHL while their ECHL franchise suspends operations for a season. The ECHL franchise is scheduled to resume operations at the Boardwalk Convention Hall in Atlantic City for the 2001/2002 season. The renovated Hall will feature a bowl-shaped arena that is expected to hold 8800 fans for hockey. The Atlantic City team is expected to be affiliated with the AHL Admirals and the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks.

The multi-million dollar question: Is this a very wise move for the ECHL? NHL competition will not be a major problem in Atlantic City as it has been recently for other ECHL franchises. The New Jersey Devils are the state's NHL team, but are far enough away that the Philadelphia Flyers seem to have a much stronger fan base in the area. Neither team is too close for comfort. NHL competition shouldn't be a problem, however, fan base and business support will be. The Atlantic City Seagulls of the United States Basketball League have won the last three league championships. Ironically, they are ceasing operations due to diminishing fan support. Will hockey do any better?

It is fairly useless to discuss the success or failure of Atlantic City's former hockey team, also called the Atlantic City Seagulls. It's been nearly half a century since the last incarnation of hockey's Seagulls played, and the entire Atlantic City area has changed enormously. Only recent history will provide a fair indication of what is in store for the new team. One definite advantage the new hockey team will have over the Seagulls basketball team is playing at the Convention Hall in an arena (near the beach and casinos) rather than playing at Atlantic City High School's gym. However, don't expect the casino crowds to boost the attendence at the hockey games. Atlantic City is certainly not Las Vegas, with thousands of families in town for their annual vacation. A census of the Atlantic City casino crowd would most likely paint a much different picture that would not mesh well with hockey demographics. A quick look around the casino floor would not round up many potential hockey fans. Even in Vegas, minor league hockey has not survived for long.

Putting the casinos aside, can Atlantic City rely on it's surrounding community for support? Hockey season is the New Jersey Shore's off-season, so an Atlantic City team will have a much smaller 'community' for hockey than for the fairly successful Atlantic City Surf minor league baseball team. Certainly, the Trenton Titans, only an hour-and-a-half away, are building a tidal wave of support for their ECHL expansion franchise with well over 4000 season ticket sales and enthusiastic support from all corners of the community. Atlantic City is no Trenton. The Trenton area has a much larger population base than the Atlantic City area, and is far more accessible to fans. Once again, the demographics of the surrounding communities would paint a very different picture of the two New Jersey cities and their surroundings. In addition to the larger resident population, the Trenton area also benefits from a large college population during hockey season.

Consider the differences between Trenton and Atlantic City, but then consider the differences between hockey and basketball. The Trenton Shooting Stars minor league basketball expansion franchise in the International Basketball League has only captured a minute fraction of the support that the Titans have. If this scenario unfolds in Atlantic City as well, maybe a hockey team will receive far more support than the USBL's Atlantic City Seagulls did. I wish Atlantic City hockey the best of luck, but the odds are pretty harsh. The ECHL will be placing everything on the table and praying for a blackjack.

This has been a big year for franchise changes in the East Coast Hockey League, so a recap is in order. After much speculation about other scenarios, the Hampton Roads Admirals will remain in the ECHL for a final season in 1999/2000 before moving to the AHL. The ECHL franchise is slated to re-surface in Atlantic City, New Jersey for the 2001/2002 season. The Columbus Chill have ceased operations for 1999/2000 due to the impending arrival of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets in 2000/2001. The franchise is expected to relocate, but where and when remain unknown. The Miami Matadors have ceased operations due to dismal fan support and have not announced plans for the franchise's future. The Chesapeake Icebreakers also ceased operations due to lagging support, but late developments have transferred the franchise to Jackson, Mississippi for the 1999/2000 season. The Trenton Titans and Arkansas RiverBlades expansion teams are both joining the ECHL in 1999/2000 as scheduled. Meanwhile, a Greensboro, North Carolina expansion franchise is another last minute surprise addition to the ECHL's 1999/2000 team roster. Other than the finishing touches (such as team names) for Jackson and Greensboro, the team roster should remain stable from now until the pucks are dropped on October 14th.

The ECHL is not the only league that has experienced a flurry of franchise activity over the summer. Starting with the top: the NHL will add the Atlanta Thrashers expansion team as planned. The Pittsburgh Penguins franchise has been rescued from the brink of oblivion by Super Mario (Lemieux) and is hanging around for a while. The teams north of the border and the New York Islanders seem to be staying put for another season despite the rumbling and grumbling. The International Hockey League is losing three teams this season with the Las Vegas Thunder ceasing operations, the Indianapolis Ice dropping down to the CHL, and the Fort Wayne Komets (after 47 seasons in the IHL) dropping down to the UHL. The American Hockey League will lose two franchises, move one, and add two for the 1999/2000 season. The Beast of New Haven have ceased operations while the Adirondack Red Wings suspend operations for a season before re-surfacing in Rossford, Ohio. The Federicton Canadiens have become the Quebec Citadelles while the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Louisville Panthers expansion teams join the AHL.

The United Hockey League is also busy shuffling franchises: the Madison Monsters have become the Knoxville Speed, the Thunder Bay Thunder Cats have become the Rockford IceHogs, and the Winston-Salem IceHawks have relocated to Glens Falls, New York to become the Adirondack IceHawks. In addition to the Fort Wayne Komets arrival from the IHL, the UHL will also add the expansion Missouri River Otters and a new Madison, Wisconsin expansion franchise, the Madison Kodiaks, for the 1999/2000 season. The relatively stable Central Hockey League loses the Fort Worth Fire (ceased operations) but fills the void with the IHL-abandoning Indianapolis Ice. Meanwhile, the Western Professional Hockey League welcomes the Lubbock Cotton Kings for 1999/2000. The West Coast Hockey League bids farewell to the Tucson Gila Monsters. Don't be surprised if something else changes on the franchise carousel before the pucks drop in the Fall!