New Orleans Brass

New Orleans Brass
City	New Orleans, Louisiana
League	East Coast Hockey League
Founded	1997
Operated	1997–2002
Home arena	Municipal Auditorium (inception through October 29, 1999) New Orleans Arena
Colors	Purple, gold
General manager	Dan Belisle
Head coach	Ted Sator
Franchise history
1997–2002	New Orleans Brass

The New Orleans Brass was a hockey team in the ECHL from 1997-2002. The team was at one time affiliated with the San Jose Sharks. Home games were played first at the New Orleans Municipal Auditorium (until October 29, 1999) and then at the New Orleans Arena.

In 2002, the NBA's New Orleans Hornets moved to the Arena. The state of Louisiana, which owns the arena, then tried to force the Brass to bear the expense of converting the arena from a basketball floor to an ice playing surface as a condition of staying in the Arena. The expense was more than the Brass' ownership was willing to pay. The Municipal Auditorium had recently replaced its floor, and in the process removed its ice plant. Without a suitable home, the Brass folded.

The only head coach of the Brass was Ted Sator. The team was managed by Dan Belisle and owned by future New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin.

The Brass made the playoffs every year, winning three series, two in the 1998-99 season (the same season the Brass got its worst record), and one in the 2000-01 season, putting the Brass in the conference semifinals and quarterfinals, respectively. The principal rival of the Brass was the Louisiana IceGators. The Baton Rouge Kingfish were another, less successful intrastate rival.

The team's games were broadcast in New Orleans on radio station WSMB (now WWWL).

Season results

		Season	GP	W	L	T	OTL	PCT	Playoff Result
		1997-98	70	36	24	10	0	.586	Lost in Round 1
		1998-99	70	30	27	13	0	.521	Lost in Round 3
		1999-00	70	36	27	0	7	.564	Lost in Round 1
		2000-01	72	35	25	12	0	.569	Lost in Round 2
		2001-02	72	36	32	4	0	.528	Lost in Round 1

External links

• Archive of the Brass website