The Topeka Scarecrows were a professional ice hockey team located in Topeka, Kansas, playing their home games at Landon Arena. The team was a member of the Central Hockey League from their founding in 1998 until 2001 when there franchise was terminated by the league midseason.
After the professional team disband, the ownership group would then start a new junior hockey team with the same name in the Tier I Junior A United States Hockey League playing from 2001 to 2003. The team was sold and then moved to St. Louis, Missouri and became the St. Louis Heartland Eagles.
Facts Founded: 1998–1999 season Arena: Landon Arena (capacity 7,777) Uniform colors: black, red, and yellow Local Media: Topeka Capital-Journal
History/Milestones
November 13, 1997: CHL commits itself to the goal of having a franchise in Topeka for the 1998–1999 season. Co-founders Arnold Diamond and Ed Levy begin team development beginning in 1996 and making way for team and league expansion. February 23, 1998: Shawnee County commissioners sign a contract with Flying Cross Check, L.C.C., the company that will own and operate the CHL expansion team. The five-year pact has options for two three-year extensions. April 30, 1998: The Topeka ScareCrows unveil their nickname and logo. June 10, 1998: Construction begins on the ice installation at Landon Arena (seating capacity 7,779). July 20, 1998: Installation of Landon Arena ice equipment is finished. August 6, 1998: The Topeka ScareCrows pick their first 10 players in the Central Hockey League expansion draft, then execute the franchise's first trade to secure the rights to left wing Doug Lawrence, a six-year veteran who, should he sign, would come to Topeka from the Tulsa Oilers. September 1, 1998: Haywire, the mascot for the Topeka Scarecrows is born. October 16, 1998: The CHL Topeka Scarecrows play their first game ever in a sold out Landon Arena (capacity 7,777), a 7–3 loss to the Wichita Thunder. November 6, 1998: The CHL Topeka Scarecrows win their first game, a 4–3 triumph over the San Antonio Iguanas at Landon Arena. November 20, 1998: The CHL Topeka Scarecrows earn their first shootout win, 4–3, in a game against the Wichita Thunder in the Kansas Coliseum (seating capacity 9,600). December 20, 1998: The CHL Topeka Scarecrows beat the San Antonio Iguanas 5–4 to end an eight-game losing streak. January 19, 1999: Brett Seguin is the first Topeka Scarecrow to play in CHL All-Star game. February 3, 1999: Rod Branch records the first shutout in CHL Topeka Scarecrows history. March 18, 1999: Brett Seguin records the first hat trick in CHL Topeka Scarecrows history, against the Wichita Thunder in a 4–0 win. April 10, 1999: The Topeka ScareCrows end their season after losing in the first round of their first-ever Central Hockey League playoff appearance after three one-sided games against the Oklahoma City Blazers. Before going three-and-out in the playoffs, the ScareCrows finished the last half of the season with a winning record. Topeka was 18–16–1 from January through the end of the regular season after posting a 10–22–3 mark from October through December. They finished with a 28–38–4 record and averaged 4,793 fans a game. October 15, 1999: The Topeka ScareCrows begin their second season in a 3–1 loss against the San Antonio Iguanas, in front of a Landon Arena crowd of 7,156. January 25, 2000: Brett Seguin, John Vary and Bill Monkman are selected to play in the CHL all-star game. April 2, 2000: The Topeka ScareCrows' second Central Hockey League season ends with a 35–27–8 record, with eight shootout losses, just three points short of making the playoffs. They finished third in attendance, averaging 4,991 fans a game. May 3, 2000: Topeka ScareCrows general manager Chris Presson accepts position as general manager of the United Hockey League expansion club in New Haven (the New Haven Hurricanes). He is replaced by ScareCrows former assistant general manager Doug Miller. October 13, 2000: The CHL Topeka Scarecrows begin their third and final season at home against the Wichita Thunder 3–2 in a shootout at Landon Arena in front of 4,789 fans. February 20, 2001: The CHL's board of governors decides to terminate the Topeka Scarecrows season with 21 games remaining—10 of which were scheduled for Landon Arena. Saying that the ScareCrows and the Border City Bandits, of Texarkana, Texas, "breached multiple financial obligations under their sanction agreements with the CHL," the Indianapolis-based league terminated the participation of both franchises for the remainder of the 2001 season. February 22, 2001: The Topeka ScareCrows returned to the ice in Tulsa, Oklahoma, ending a 13-day layoff that included three days in limbo following their suspension Tuesday from the Central Hockey League, with the help of a temporary restraining order issued in Shawnee County District Court on February 16, 2001, that blocked the league from ending the ScareCrows' season. March 8, 2001: U.S. District Judge Sam Crow filed an 18-page ruling in which he denies the Central Hockey League's request to lift a temporary restraining order keeping the ScareCrows on the ice. March 29, 2001: The ScareCrows' end their third and final home season at Landon Arena with a 4–1 loss to the Wichita Thunder. April 10, 2001: The CHL ScareCrows end the franchise's three-year history as a minor-league professional program by ending their best-of-five Central Hockey League playoff series in a 5–3 loss to San Antonio in front of 2,121 fans. The Iguanas' victory, which the visitors claimed with a three-goal third period that wiped out a 3–2 deficit, gave San Antonio a 3–1 series victory and advanced the Texans to the Western Conference finals against Oklahoma City.
Season-by-season records Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes Season GP W L OTL Pts GF GA PIM Finish Playoffs 1998–99 70 28 38 4 60 189 251 1584 4th, Western Lost in Round 1 1999–00 70 35 27 8 78 245 243 1533 5th, Western Out of Playoffs2000–01 69 38 23 8 84 256 245 1533 3rd, Western Lost in Round 1
All-Time Roster # Player name Pos Seasons Yrs Games Played Birthplace Birthdate 2Alex MotleyC1998–1999119Pleasanton, CAOct 1, 1974 2Alex MukhanovD1999–2000124Moscow, RussiaMay 17, 1976 Andre QuesnelR1999–200013Ottawa, ONTJanuary 26, 1977 Andy AdamsG1998–199919Thornhill, ONTOct 2, 1976 6Anthony ZurfluhD2000–2001113Soldotna, AKJanuary 24, 1977 10Bill MonkmanR1999–2000165Tara, ONTMay 16, 1975 16Blair ManningC1999–20012131Vancouver, BCMay 27, 1975 Blake SheaneR2000–2001111Virden, MANMay 5, 1977 44Bob BergL2000–2001169Beamsville, ONTFeb 7, 1970 Bob PardyD1998–199918St. John\'s, NFJuly 28, 1974 Brad KlynD1998–199913Surrey, BC 40Brett SeguinC1998–20002140St. Mary\'s, ONTFebruary 20, 1972 44Chad AntonishynD1998–1999147Regina, SASKMay 25, 1974 Chris BelangerD1998–1999110Welland, ONTApril 4, 1972 33Chris BowenL1998–1999147Barrie, ONTJul 3, 1976 9Chris BurkeL2000–200114Winona, MNAug 9, 1976 23Chris FelixD2000–2001168Bramalea, ONTMay 27, 1964 Chris KingG1998–199911Braintree, MAFeb 7, 1974 21Chris MailletD2000–2001146Moncton, NBJanuary 28, 1976 29Dale LafranceR1999–2000113Sudbury, ONT Dave GregoryD1998–1999123Woodstock, ONTJan 5, 1967 22David "Duke" BouskillL1999–20012121Glen Williams, ONTSep 11, 1976 6Gary CoupalR1999–2000120Sudbury, ONTSeptember 16, 1974 12 & 14Grady MansonC1999–2000123Brandon, MANMay 26, 1975 29Jan MelicharD1998–2000244Trebic, CzechFebruary 24, 1978 32Jason GirodatF1999–200013Shaunavon, SASK 14Jason LafreniereC1999–200013St. Catharines, ONTJun 12, 1966 27Jay HernL2000–2001158Medicine Hat, ALTAJun 12, 1976 11Jeff GoldieL2000–2001158Owen Sound, ONTMay 27, 1974 27Joe CoombsL1998–20002106Brantford, ONTJan 6, 1975 16Joey BeaudryR1998–2000259Prince Albert, SASKAug 6, 1976 32John GibsonD1999–200019Kingston, ONTSeptember 30, 1970 17John McCabeW2000–2001167Sudbury, ONTMay 30, 1974 4John VaryD1999–20012138Owen Sound, ONTNov 2, 1972 19Jordan ShieldsL1998–1999144Gloucester, ONTApril 27, 1972 Ken EddyD1998–199913Rochester, MNAug 4, 1969 Kevin FrickeD1999–2000125Edina, MNApril 18, 1974 Kevin LuneD1998–1999121Brantford, ONTAug 6, 1971 19Kirk LLanoD1999–2000167Calgary, ALTAOct 1, 1973 7Kyle HavilandD1998–2000278Windsor, ONTOct 8, 1971 Lannie McCabeD2000–2001164Sudbury, ONTJuly 13, 1977 33Luciano CaravaggioG2000–2001140Toronto, ONTMar 10, 1975 Marco EmondG1998–199915Valleyfield, PQNovember 20, 1977 Marcus NilssonR1998–199913 10Mark EdmundsonC2000–2001165London, ONTNov 3, 1975 39Michal PodolkaG1998–2000239Most, Czech Rep.Nov 8, 1977 33Mike DegurseL1999–200019Amajinnang, ONTApr 10, 1974 44Mike HiebertD1999–2000118Winnipeg, MANApril 16, 1975 Mike MigenD1998–199912 28Mike RuskD1998–20002129Milton, ONTApril 26, 1975 Mike Tilson‡D1998–19991 Pickering, ONTJune 28, 1978 9Oleg TsirkounovF1998–2000292Kiev, UkraineMarch 15, 1977 Paul GodfreyR1998–1999110Sault Ste. Marie, ONTOctober 30, 1976 61Paul StrandL2000–2001164Sudbury, ONTJan 12, 1971 20Peter BrearleyR2000–2001166Chatham, ONTJune 27, 1975 14Randy BestD1999–2000115Woodsbury, MNMay 3, 1974 23Rod BranchG1998–2000293Fort St. John, BCApril 14, 1975 4Roy GrayD1998–199913Toronto, ONTApril 22, 1976 7Ryan HartungD2000–2001156St. Paul, MNMay 26, 1977 21Ryan McCormackR2000–2001110Thunder Bay, ONTApr 3, 1978 Ryan PhillipsL1998–1999149North Vancouver, BCAug 7, 1975 33Scot BellR1999–2000126Ottawa, ONTApril 18, 1972 Scott DicksonC1998–1999130Brandon, MANMay 12, 1976 31Scott HayG2000–2001131Scarborough, ONTMar 4, 1975 11 & 63Sergei DeschevyD1999–20012111Kiev, UkraineJune 25, 1977 47Sergei OlympievL1998–2000253Lipetski, RussiaDec 1, 1975 12Shawn GervaisR2000–2001167St. Albert, ALTADec 7, 1976 26Shawn RandallR1998–1999147Montrose, MINovember 13, 1972 77Stephane DesjardinsD1998–1999160Anjou, PQJune 23, 1972 Steve AdamsD1998–199913Edmonton, ALTANov 4, 1975 Steve MooreC1999–2000167Gardiner, MEJune 21, 1971 Sylvain ThibeaultD1999–200018St. Jerome, PQOctober 30, 1970 24Tom GomesR1999–2000129Harrow, ONTApril 29, 1972 Tom StewartR1998–1999126Brantford, ONTMay 19, 1975 Travis RigginF1998–1999132Kincardine, ONTApril 26, 1977 Travis SindenG1998–199911Phoenix, AZMarch 31, 1976 21Trevor HanasR1998–2000299Regina, SASKJanuary 20, 1975 10Troy FrederickL1998–1999164Virden, MANApril 4, 1969 9Virgil RutiliD1998–199912Addison, ILFebruary 17, 1973 17Yuri MoscevskyW1999–200014Milwaukee, WIOctober 20, 1978 8 & 25Zbynek NeckarD1998–2000216Pisek, CzechSeptember 22, 1978Source
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