St. Louis Heartland Eagles

Pro hockey team
text_color = white
bg_color = #FF2400
team = St. Louis Heartland Eagles

logosize = 150px
city = flagicon|Missouri Chesterfield, Missouri
league = USHL
division = Eastern
founded = 2003
arena = Hardee's Iceplex
colors = Blue, Red, Yellow
owner =
coach = Rick Zombo
GM = Rick Zombo
media = 104.5 FM KSLQ
name1 = Topeka ScareCrows
dates1 = 2001 to 2003
name2 = St. Louis Heartland Eagles
dates2 = 2003-2004
name3 =
dates3 =

The St. Louis Heartland Eagles was a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the East Division of the United States Hockey League (USHL). The USHL is the top Junior hockey league in the United States, the league is geared for the development of 17- to 20-year-old players as a step between High school and lower Jr. Hockey levels and College and Professional ice hockey.

The Eagles's home ice was The Summit Center in Chesterfield, Missouri (about 30 minutes west of downtown St. Louis on I-64/40/61). The Summit Center, now Hardee's Iceplex, is now the home to the NAHL's St. Louis Bandits.

History

The Franchise was part of the United States Hockey League as the Topeka ScareCrows from 2001-2003 [ [http://www.ushl.com/about/timeline.cfm USHL Timeline - USHL.com ] ] . In 2003 the USHL ScareCrows was became professional and joined the Central Hockey league The junior frachise was moved to St. Louis, Missouri for the 2003-2004 season and renamed the Heartland Eagles. The team struggled on and off the ice in St. Louis. The team finished in last place in the East Division and also suffered from low attendence. The Heartland Eagles were granted a one-year voluntary suspension of operations and did not play during the 2004/2005 USHL season. The Frachise folded in the summer of 2005 after failing to find a more suitable home for the team in the St. Louis metro area [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4179/is_20040206/ai_n11809352 Former USHL players, coaches succeeding while St. Louis struggles | Topeka Capital-Journal, The | Find Articles at BNET ] ] .

The Eagle's head coach and general manager for the team's only season in St. Louis was Rick Zombo, an ex-Detroit Red Wings, ex-St. Louis Blues defenseman. Assistant coach was Joe Coombs.

Coombs went on to coach the Topeka Tarantulas of the CHL for the 2004-05 season, but the team folded after only one year.

Phil Giubileo was the team's broadcaster and he departed for the Danbury Trashers after the Eagles' collapse [ [http://www.playbyplay.biz/resume.htm Untitled Document ] ] .

Regular season records

References

= External links =]
* [http://www.ushl.com/ USHL website]
* [http://www.hardeesiceplex.com/ Hardee's IcePlex website]