Toledo: The hockey hotbed you need to know about

“Hit somebody!”

On any given night in the city of Toledo, Ohio, over 8,000 people inside the Huntington Center will bellow out those words between the seventh and eighth lines of the “Star-Spangled Banner,” a call from the passionate patrons to further invigorate their team toward a hopeful victory.

That boisterous phrase will be bellowed out again this Saturday when the Toledo Walleye, the ECHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings, gets set for Game 1 of the Kelly Cup Final against the Trois-Rivières Lions.

It will be just one of many occurrences that make a Walleye game not just a contest between two teams, but an event that enraptures an entire city.

The Walleye has been in operation since the Huntington Center opened in 2009. The undying support for the team comes from generations of love of the sport in one of the best minor-league sports cities in the United States.

Hockey is part of the culture in the Glass City. Similar to what you would see in a major sports town, signs and printed schedules are found all around town, from bars to business buildings. Fans gather together before the game at local establishments, such as Fricker’s or Downtown Johnny’s, talking about their days and the upcoming matchup that night.

Then, they get to the arena, most likely to join the lineup outside the doors to get into the arena well over an hour before puck drop.

Among the nightly chanting rituals, there’s a running gag of booing longtime public address announcer Bobb Vergiels when he introduces himself before the game, only for those same folks to follow Vergiels’ request to “count ’em up” after every Walleye goal.

The atmosphere during the game can be described as the love child between college hockey and pro wrestling. Hundreds of cowbells ring throughout the game, reacting to every play like it’s a game-changer. Fans identify the “bad guy” on the opposing team and let them know how they feel about them. If you’re the goalie wearing the wrong sweater…I don’t think I’m allowed to write the names you’ll be called.

Walleye forward and two-time ECHL most valuable player Brandon Hawkins compares the fandom to that of an Original Six team.

“It’s the same atmosphere as going and watching the Detroit Red Wings in the early 2000s,” Hawkins said. “It’s that special.”

The Macomb, Michigan native grew up going to see both the Walleye and Red Wings, and is infatuated by the NHL-level of interest in Toledo.

“The best way we like to say it, it’s the NHL in ‘The Coast’. … They love a good hockey game. They like the hits. They like the fights. They like everything that goes into it.”

Former Walleye head coach and current Grand Rapids Griffins bench boss Dan Watson says the fans in Toledo are some of the most dedicated supporters in hockey.

“They’re there night in, night out,” Watson said. “The support that we received in my time there…it was incredible. Now, they’ve even taken it to new heights.”

Watson was the head coach of the Walleye for six seasons, having been assistant under former Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde, along with playing one year for the Storm. He recognizes that players want to play in the Glass City because of the fans.

“Guys want to come and play in Toledo because of the atmosphere that’s there, because of the dedication of fans to shows up every single game. It is a knowledgeable fan base. They understand hockey. They know hockey. There’s a rich history there, and you can see that by the way they honor a lot of the teams every year.”

Former Storm forward Iain Duncan says the one word he would use to describe the fan base is “passionate.”

“They’re crazy at the games,” Duncan said. “These jersey auctions at the end of every other game is a joke. … These fans are shelling out $3,500 for a Brandon Hawkins [jersey].”

Duncan spent a good chunk of time in the NHL, playing parts of four seasons with the Winnipeg Jets. He recognizes that the type of community Toledo is means you have to bring your best, or else you’ll hear about it.

“The passion of the fans, blue-collar, you got to bring your lunch pail every single game. I don’t care if I had a hat trick and three fights…if I stunk the next game, they’re going to give it to me. They’re going to boo me. You’re going to get a smack on the shoulder as you’re walking through the crowd back to the locker room.”

Duncan admits the atmosphere at the Huntington Center is a little more “family-friendly” than it was during his time playing in the city, where fans were known to reach over the short side glass and pour beverages down the backsides of opposing players at the old Toledo Sports Arena.

Travis Focht, a longtime fan and co-host of the Hockeytown West Podcast, says the outpouring of support for the Walleye is better than some teams in the higher ranks of minor-league hockey.

 “[The fans] are very passionate. … They know the team. They know the players. It’s a market that honestly it shouldn’t be in the ECHL. It probably should be an [AHL] city.”

The Walleye even have their own theme song. Similar to the Dallas Stars and New York Rangers, Toledo has a jam that connects rock and hockey. Local band In Theory created “Suit Up (T-Town) Hockey” over a decade ago, and is played every time the team steps onto the ice.

It isn’t as if the atmosphere and passion for the Walleye is limited to the Huntington Center. Fans will drive far and wide to see their boys play, and give them the most home-ice feel possible. People have been known to travel to West Virginia and Illinois, even as far as Idaho and Florida.

The following has led to an impressive streak that spans over a calendar year. The Walleye have sold out a franchise-record 78 consecutive home games. The ECHL record for most consecutive sellouts was set by the Colorado Eagles during their tenure in the league. The Eagles posted 140 consecutive sellouts from 2011 through the end of March 2015.

The city’s love for hockey doesn’t just come from a simple appreciation of the sport – there’s a winning pedigree in northern Ohio. From the first team, the Mercurys, to the Blades and Goaldiggers, Toledo was crowned the International Hockey League’s Turner Cup champion nine times, more than any other city in the league’s 56 years of operation.

In 1991, the Storm came into existence in the ECHL, immediately bringing success back to T-Town, as they won the Kelly Cup (then known as the Riley Cup) in 1992 and 1993.

Duncan, who was on that championship team in 1993, loved playing in the Glass City so much that he elected to stay in Toledo instead of playing in the AHL.

“I did get signed by Toledo and Adirondack, but mostly to play in Toledo. …  Detroit wanted me to stay in Adirondack, but I said, ‘No, I’m going back to Toledo.’ I make just as much money. So, I was in my perfect world.”

Hawkins settled in Toledo with his family in the city. While he could arguably play in the AHL, choosing to stay with the team that’s 90 minutes from his birthplace was an easy decision.

“My family and friends come to every home game,” Hawkins said. “So, to be able to lay down some roots and be in a spot as special as this, we thought it was a no-brainer.”

While the vast majority of the hockey world doesn’t quite understand what hockey means to Toledo, Focht invites anyone to come see a game because you’ll be hooked.

“It’s an NHL-level market as far as passionate and loyal fanbases go, Focht said. “You won’t understand unless you come to a game. … It’s absolute bedlam all year and then it gets to the first game of the playoffs and it’s just a whole other level. It doesn’t make sense.”

Watson shares the sentiment, as goers will not just want to view a game but be a part of it.

“Not only will you be there, you’ll feel it,” Watson said. “It’s not just going there and sitting in the stands and watching. If you go there to watch a game, you’re going to become entrenched in the game, and you’re actually going feel what it is to be part of those 8,000 fans rooting on a team.”

Hawkins, who won a Kelly Cup with the Fort Wayne Komets in 2021, knows what winning a championship would mean to the city of Toledo.

“There’s just a different buzz around the city,” Hawkins said. “A different energy every time playoffs starts. … not having a championship here since 1993, it’s definitely special to get the opportunity to try to change that.”

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