Team Info
The Toledo Walleye will begin play in October of 2009 at the brand new Lucas County Downtown Arena which is currently under construction.
About The Team
The Toledo Walleye will be a member of the ECHL. The team will be coached by Nick Vitucci.
A native of Welland, Ontario, Vitucci has won a record five ECHL championships - four as a player and one as an assistant coach - and has been involved with the league as a player and coach every season since the league's inception. Named the post-season Most Valuable Player twice, he played 14 seasons and is the career leader among goaltenders in games (479), minutes (27,291) and wins (265) for both the regular season and the postseason. Vitucci played in two ECHL All-Star Games and was named First Team All-ECHL in 1991-92 and 1997-98. He was officially inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame on January 23, 2008 in Stockton, CA in conjunction with the ECHL All-Star Game.
Vitucci was head coach of the Toledo Storm from 2003-07 and was named ECHL Coach of the Year in 2004-05. His overall record as head coach of the Toledo Storm was 140-104-18.
About The ECHL
The third-longest tenured professional hockey league, behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, the Premier ‘AA' Hockey League has grown from five teams in four states in 1988-89 into a coast-to-coast league with 25 teams playing in 17 states and British Columbia in 2007-08. More information on the ECHL can be found online at www.echl.com.
About The Team Name
Many criteria went into the decision making process of naming the team the Toledo Walleye, including but not limited to the following:
- Will appeal to all age groups (men, women & children)
- Unique name – one of a kind
- There is a historical connection between the name and the region
- Logos can be easily embroidered and screen-printed for merchandise
- Not already trademarked or registered with the federal government
- Can be easily spelled and understood when spoken
- Name should include city name (Toledo) for regional and national identification
- Mascot names and characters can be developed from name
- Team colors are different from regional professional and major collegiate teams
About The Mascot
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The official mascot of the Toledo Walleye Hockey Club is Wally The Walleye™.
Wally makes his home at the Lake Erie Exhibit in the Toledo Zoo's Aquarium and fans are encouraged to visit him year round. The easiest way to spot Wally is the white spot located on his caudal fin.
Wally is excited and slightly overwhelmed with ideas to help motivate and entertain his new fans. His problem is that he really would be "a fish out of water" if he tried the things he was hoping to do. Therefore, in the months to come, Wally will be doing his own recruiting for other team representatives that he can send over to the arena to execute his cheer tactics.
Wally's journey certainly has been an interesting one. It all started on February 20, 2008 when the official word came that Toledo's ECHL team would be known as the Toledo Walleye. Head Coach, Nick Vitucci found himself looking for some inspiration.
After checking out the construction progress of the new arena, Vitucci was taking a stroll along the Maumee River, eyeing some of the local fish when, lo and behold, one in particular literally jumped to get his attention. Vitucci took the bait - hook, line and sinker! Nick looked at his feet and there was Wally.
Impressed with his moves, Nick knew this fish would have the talent & heart to be the official team mascot but where would he live? Nick knew he needed a good home with lots of water and people who could take good care of him. That's when it hit him like a ton of fish food... the Toledo Zoo.
* Wally The Walleye's™ name was picked based on suggestions from a "Name The Mascot" contest in conjunction with the Toledo Blade & The Andersons.
Other famous live mascots include Uga (University of Georgia Bulldogs), Bevo (University of Texas Longhorns), Ralphie (University of Colorado Buffalos)
Walleye Fun Facts
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- As spring approaches, and the Great Lakes begin to thaw, warming waters send the signal to tens of thousands of walleye to start their annual migration to where their life began, The Maumee River.
- During Spring Run time on the Maumee River, up to 50,000 people or more will arrive to participate in a seasonal ritual unparalleled on the Great Lakes.
- The Maumee River offers the largest population of migrating walleye east of the Mississippi River.
- Between late March and mid-April, the Maumee River swells from melting snow and rain, opening the way for a half-million walleye to swim upriver to spread their eggs among the protective gravel and cobblestone just below the Fallen Timbers Rapids.
- Anglers will begin to wade in the river in late February or early March depending on river conditions.
- Spawn usually takes place around the second week of April.
- Pre-spawn and during spawn is a good time to get a trophy fish (10-14 lbs).
- Post-spawn takes place usually the third week of April thru May and into June. This time of the run is when fish are hungry (after spawn).
- Most of the fish will be males (jacks) because once spawn is over, the vast majority of females go back to the lakes they came from. Males will stay behind in the river and feed for weeks before going back to the lakes.
