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'We want to win a championship.' ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones return with high expectations

shelby dermer, cincinnati enquirer
·4 min read
The Cincinnati Cyclones held their media day to invite journalists out to meet players and get on the ice on Wednesday October 11, 2023. Players and mascots were available to answer questions and entertain.
The Cincinnati Cyclones held their media day to invite journalists out to meet players and get on the ice on Wednesday October 11, 2023. Players and mascots were available to answer questions and entertain.

The Cincinnati Cyclones will soon hang another banner at Heritage Bank Center celebrating last year's division title, but the team has much bigger aspirations going into the 2023-24 campaign.

Forty-seven wins were enough to capture the ECHL's Central division crown in the Western Conference, but the Cyclones were swept by the division-rival Toledo Walleye in the second round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs.

"We want to win a championship," third-year Cyclones head coach Jason Payne said at Media Day on Wednesday. "We've come close, obviously, making the playoffs the last couple seasons. We talk about it all the time, there's unfinished business we have right now, and we want to take care of that."

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Cyclones looking to build upon last season

Despite the second-round defeat last year, the Cyclones set franchise records across a historic year. Cincinnati recorded at least one point in a franchise-best 21 consecutive games, going 19-0-2 in that stretch. Cincinnati also posted a record 10-game road winning streak and recorded over 100 points for the third time in club history to go with its second division championship.

"It was a ton of fun. That (records) is something I've never been a part of," center Louie Caporusso said. "It was a special season, but its in the rearview now and hopefully we can top that this year."

The Cincinnati Cyclones held their media day to invite journalists out to meet players and get on the ice on Wednesday October 11, 2023. Players and mascots were available to answer questions and entertain. Cyclone's Head Coach Jason Payne speaks with media at the event.
The Cincinnati Cyclones held their media day to invite journalists out to meet players and get on the ice on Wednesday October 11, 2023. Players and mascots were available to answer questions and entertain. Cyclone's Head Coach Jason Payne speaks with media at the event.

Payne added: "When you recognized by teams, coaches and organizations at the high levels, you know you're doing the right thing, you're developing players and you're going in the right direction."

Cyclones bring back key pieces

In a league with a high turnover rate, the Cyclones were able to retain a slew of pieces from last year's roster. Leading scorer Zack Andrusiak posted a career year in 2023 and has 72 goals in 168 career ECHL games. Patrick Polino re-signed Sept. 28 and scored 23 times with 31 assists. Caporusso is coming off career-high marks in goals, assists and points and is a veteran of over 500 professional games.

"It's huge," Caporusso said. "To have a group of core guys back again will definitely get us going quicker than most teams."

Team captain Justin Vaive, 34, is back for his 13th professional season and ninth in Cincinnati. He's totaled 236 career points in 360 games with the Cyclones, tied a team-high with 32 goals last season and is 55 points shy of the franchise record for points, set by Jesse Schultz.

The Cincinnati Cyclones held their media day to invite journalists out to meet players and get on the ice on Wednesday October 11, 2023. Players and mascots were available to answer questions and entertain.
The Cincinnati Cyclones held their media day to invite journalists out to meet players and get on the ice on Wednesday October 11, 2023. Players and mascots were available to answer questions and entertain.

"Seeing what we have here, seeing the support we have and the city we have behind us, I don't see why we shouldn't have goals set on winning a championship this year," Vaive said.

Other key returners include forwards Luka Burzan, Lee Lapid, James Hardie and Adam Berg along with defensemen Jalen Smereck, Steven MacLean and Matt Cairns. They'll round out a roster with high hopes to blend with the new faces fresh to Cincinnati like defensemen Malcolm Hayes, 22-year-old Billy Constantinou and rookie Nick Favaro along with third year forward Jack Bricknell.

"When you get those key pieces back, that's your foundation. When you bring in anyone new, you have that foundation, and the base is there. The building part is easy from that because everything else falls into place," Payne said.

Cyclones enter first season in new affiliation

New York Style cheesecake, Reuben sandwiches and pizza were on the menu Wednesday to honor an exciting time for the franchise. The Cyclones are entering their first season as the ECHL affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers in a move that was announced this summer. The Cylones were affiliated with the Buffalo Sabres for the previous six seasons.

"Based on our relationship with the hockey world and how well we've done developing our players, we've jumped into a great relationship with the New York Rangers and the Hartford Wolf Pack," Payne said. "It's an original six team and it's pretty exciting. We just finished up training camp with them. The treatment they've given us and the help they've signed so far, it's a great working relationship."

The Cincinnati Cyclones held their media day to invite journalists out to meet players and get on the ice on Wednesday October 11, 2023. Players and mascots were available to answer questions and entertain.
The Cincinnati Cyclones held their media day to invite journalists out to meet players and get on the ice on Wednesday October 11, 2023. Players and mascots were available to answer questions and entertain.

Cyclones open at home

For the first time since 2019, the Cyclones will open the season at home when they host the Wheeling Nailers at Heritage Bank Center on Saturday, Oct. 21.

The Cyclones ranked eighth in attendance last season, according to HockeyDB.com, and have won 23 home games in each of the last two seasons (46-19-4-3 overall).

"We have some of the best fans and it's a wonderful building to play in," Payne said. "The fans come here, they pack it, they love our players. They're that extra guy on the ice for us. We love Cincinnati, we're a part of this city's heartbeat and we're all as one."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Cyclones enter 2023-24 season with championship aspirations