Who were the Madison Monsters?
The Madison Monsters were a Colonial Hockey League (CoHL) (later United Hockey League, UHL) team that originated in Madison, Wisconsin. They didn’t last particularly long but had mostly successful seasons from 1995-1999. They are remembered for their connections to reputable players within the hockey community and for having one of the coolest, most 1990s logos in the minor leagues.
Madison Monsters program cover from Fun While it Lasted
Building the Monsters
When the Monsters franchise was being created, several names were thrown around as the team came to fruition: Madison Mallards, Madison Cold Front. But the opportunities presented with the Monsters mascot and logo proved to be the most exciting, and the decision was finalized.
Perhaps the best decision in the team-building process was the Monsters’ logo. Three decades later, hockey fans are still seeking out Monsters merchandise with its wild colours, strange creature and undeniably 1990s style. Two of the biggest forms of revenue for minor league hockey teams in the ‘90s were merchandising and PR for colourful logos. Fans couldn’t get enough of the colourful monster tearing through the front of jerseys, t-shirts, and hats. And the odd look certainly garnered minor league teams more attention than a run of the mill logo.
The team gained even more traction by announcing Mark Johnson as head coach. Johnson was a former University of Wisconsin (UW) athlete and an Olympic gold medal winner. He was UW’s all-time leading goal scorer as well. Johnson caught the attention of many fans with his heartfelt interviews. Local newspapers published his comments about looking forward to imparting his knowledge to the young men on his team, and how he wished his dad could see him coaching in Madison. Madison had always held a special place in Johnson’s heart, and he wasn’t shy about sharing how happy he was to help the community by building their hockey program. With a coach playing on the heartstrings of Wisconsin’s hockey fandom and some unique merch hitting stores, the Madison Monsters were gaining a following before ever hitting the ice. The franchise sold 1,000 season tickets before they signed their first player. It wasn’t unusual to build a program up before adding players to the team. Johnson revealed in another interview that he was only expecting to have five or six players by September, as many players were hanging on to their NHL dreams. He knew that once NHL tryouts were complete, many hockey amateurs would be looking for a minor league team to help sharpen their skills.
He was right. Potential players were just as intrigued by the catchy logo and Coach Mark Johnson as the Monsters’ fans.
Monsters on the Ice
The Monsters proved to be a solid team on the ice, despite only playing four seasons in Madison. They finished over .500 in three of the four seasons, making the playoffs in each of those three seasons as well. The high water mark was 1996-97, year two, when they recorded an impressive 46-21-0-7 line. That was the team that was led by Dave Schultz. Their top scorers were Matt Loen and Kent Hawley, who both had over 100 points. Despite the regular season successes, the Monsters would lose in the first round of the playoffs in each of their three post-season appearances.
The Monsters' Legacy
The Monsters' memory lives on through their logo, of course, but they are also remembered because of their Broad Street Bully connections. While Mark Johnson helped the team get established their first year, he left after one season. The 1996-1997 season was led by Dave Schultz, a Philadelphia Flyers alumnus. He was inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame in November of 2009 and still holds the record for most penalty minutes with 472 minutes accumulated in a single season. They also made headlines when NHLer Reggie Leach suited up for a game at age 47 after about 14 years of retirement. He might be the only hockey player in history to have a 10-plus-year gap between their two “final” seasons. The Monsters franchise moved to Knoxville in 1999 and became the Speed, but their original logo will remain one of the best in minor league history.
This would make a unique gift for the hockey fan in your life or a neat find for yourself of a vintage hockey team.
All t-shirts and hoodies ship from Victoria, BC via Canada Post, with expected delivery in 6 –10 business days. Please note that we are a print-on-demand shop, which means that we will create your products upon receiving your order.
About the hoodie from the manufacturer:
- Brand: Gildan | Product ID: 18500
- Medium-heavy fabric: 8.0 oz/yd² (271 g/m²), 50% cotton, 50% polyester fleece
- Air-jet spun yarn for a softer feel and reduced pilling
- Double-lined hood with colour-matched drawstring
- Front pouch pocket
- Rib-knit cuffs and waistband
- Classic, true-to-size fit
