The Toledo Walleye will open their 15th season in the ECHL when they open the 2024-25 season. Within that time came amazing players, big moments, and appearances at the conference final. Toledo has always been a hockey city, and that rang true with the arrival of the Walleye. The Toledo Storm hockey team will never be forgotten, but the Walleye have been special since their day one arrival.
The Walleye became a part of the ECHL in 2009 after Toledo went two years without hockey due to a financial move that would see the Toledo Sports Arena, the former home of the Storm, being bought and torn down. Hockey in Toledo was in a hiatus while the new team was being constructed. After many months had gone by, the team had a name- the Toledo Walleye- and a new head coach in Nick Vitucci, one of the greatest goaltenders in the ECHL to wear a pair of goalie pads.
The Walleye would become a part of the American Conference and be placed in the North Division, which also included the Cincinnati Cylcones, Elmira Jackals, Johnstown Chiefs, Wheeling Nailers, and Kalamazoo Wings. Toledo would announce an affiliation agreement with the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings as their primary affiliate, but would add a second affiliation agreement with the Chicago Blackhawks as announced on August 5, 2009.
Before the season started, Vitucci named defenseman Ryan Stokes as the first captain in Walleye history. The Walleye opened their inaugural season on October 16, 2009, against the Florida Everblades, losing 2-1. Toledo would get their first win in franchise history the next night against the same Everblades, 5-2, as goaltender Jordan Pearce stopped 35 of 37 shots.
On December 31, 2009, defenseman J.C. Sawyer and forward Maxime Tanguay were announced to the American Conference All-Star team. Sawyer would be named captain of the American Conference All-Stars, and the American Conference would win the game 10-9. Sawyer was also named as a first selection to the All-ECHL team and eventually won the Defensemen of the Year in the same season after posting 21 goals and 38 assists for 59 points in 67 games. He would also have 43 penalty minutes. Tanguay was named to the All-Rookie Team after recording 25 goals and 44 assists for 69 points in 66 games.
The Walleye would finish the season in eighth place (35-30-2-5) for 77 points in the American Conference and play the Charlotte Checkers in the first round of the playoffs. Toledo would win game one 7-2 on an Adam Keefe hat trick but would lose the next three games and the series 3-1.
All in all an exciting and successful first season as Toledo hockey would make its return. Hockey was again on the map in Northeast Toledo and the franchise was building a team that could compete in the playoffs. The team had the fan base where it wanted and was ready to make a run at the Kelly Cup. All was good in the city of Toledo as they had a hockey team to cheer on again.
