From The Ground Up: Central Names
The five markets with the most votes, to be included in the Central Division of our fantasy hockey league are final. Almost 10,000 individual votes were cast in the poll.
In this post, I'm outlining those markets (alphabetically) along with the acceptable locators (listed below) for your team name nominations — which I'll begin accepting today by comment only.
- CHICAGO, Illinois
Illinois | Chicago | Joliet | Rockford - DETROIT, Michigan
Michigan | Detroit | Troy | Dearborn - MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin
Wisconsin | Milwaukee - MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota
Minnesota | Minneapolis | St. Paul | Bloomington - ST. LOUIS, Missouri
Missouri | St. Louis
DO NOT SUBMIT NAME NOMINATIONS VIA EMAIL. THEY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Submit your team name nominations by leaving a comment below. Email submissions will be discarded. I will accept nominations for one week at which point new comments on this post will be closed. All name submissions that fit within the following parameters will be included in the name selection process which will begin next weekend.
If you want your submission included, DO NOT:
• use the name of any current or past NHL or WHA team.
• use the name of any current AHL or ECHL team.
• use the name or close variation of any current or past professional sports team within the same market or geographical area.
• use the name of any team from Project: IHA.
• use any name that would be considered vulgar, obscene or in any way inappropriate. (Sorry, this is my call.)
If you decide to use a locator not already on the list above, be prepared to have it discarded. I'm not setting that in stone as a restriction, but I'm also not guaranteeing I'll include anything not on the list. Sorry for all the restrictions but sometimes you have to "guide" originality.
Late addition: I'll also probably be weaning out some of the more ridiculous and absurd names. I don't mind fun ones, but I think you guys know what I mean.
It was suggested that when submitting names you also submit a short reasoning for that name. I won't require that but I will recommend it since it might help your submission get votes later on if folks know where you got your idea.
Don't forget to make your submissions for the Pacific Division. You have until September 13.
Start submitting!
fantasy, fantasy central, info, project 
Reader Comments (153)
although i agree with the restrictions, i think that one exception should be considered in this decision. Detroit Generals. I know its the same as the IHA's Hamilton Generals, but thats a reference to military, whereas this could be contributed to detroits HUGE automaker history.
but if not...
Spirit of St Louis (refernce to the famous flight, also name should be in this form instaed of St Louis Spirit)
Minnesota Walleyes (state fish and reference to the lakes, but i dont want to do minnesota lakers, as there was an nba team named that i believe)
Wisconsin Cheezeheads (id like to see those logos)
Detroit Generals (refernce to automaker history)
Chicago Towers (reference to many skyscrapers, especially sears tower. I love logos with skylines so im a little biased here)
I totally second Spirit of St. Louis.
Yeah, before this gets out of hand... The St. Louis Spirit was part of the IHA Project. It will not be part of this league. Generals will not be permitted either. There are no exceptions to the restrictions. Be creative!
Minnesota Mere- a mere is an expanse of standing water, in other words a lake, just a fancier word
Dearborn Stags
Chicago Mob
Chicago Wind
Detriot Demons
Milwuakee Bulls
Minnesota Lakes
St. Louis Savage
Walleye can't be used, its a ECHL Team in Toledo.
Chicago Inferno(the great chicago fire)
Detroit (something to do with the auto industry)
Millwaukee(have no idea)
Minnesota Saints(WHA team)
St Louis Explorers?
Chicago Cyclones - Windy City, cyclone, etc.
Detroit Cannons - Detroit was nicknamed the Arsenal of Democracy
Milwaukee - not sure, but perhaps something Germanic
Minneapolis - not sure
St. Louis Voyageurs - St. Louis was part of New France, and voyageurs traded fur all over the place
St. Louis Portal
Minnesota Gemini
Detroit Rockers
Chicago Gale
Wisconsin Cheese
Chicago Steel
Detroit Protectors
Milwaukee Infantry
Minnesota Lumberjacks
St. Louis Pioneers
Chicago Giants
Detroit Demolition
St. Louis-or-Missouri Royals
Milwaukee-or-Wisconsin Warriors
Chicago Gangsters (Al Capone, etc.)
Michigan Trolls (Mackinac Bridge)
Milwaukee Blitz (blitzkrieg - German, shorten and Americanize the word)
St. Paul Gemini (Twin Cities)
St. Louis 19-4's (This one sucks. I couldn't think of anything else. Celebrating the Olympics and world's fair of 1904)
Chicago Obamas
Detroit Turbines
Wisconsin Bulls
Minnesota Rush
St. Louis Brewers
-Detroit Bears: "lions and tigers and bears" well football has the lions, baseball has the tigers, lets make the other major pro team the bears.
-Chicago Whirlwind: windy city.
-Milwaukee Divers: after the state bird being the common loon (also known as great northern diver) and all of the lakes there.
-St. Louis Expeditions: after the louis and clark expedition beginning there.
-Minneapolis Muskie: state fish and its got a great flow to the name.
Milwaukee Keggers
Milwaukee Eis (German word for Eis)
eis - german word for ICE*
If I could I would make it the Windy City Whirlwind not Chicago. Please don't make minneapolis the Gemini, lets save that for the city of brotherly love, philadelphia. It just fits better with the story.
St. Louis Arch Rivals
Minnesota Rink Rats
Milwaukee Ironhides
Chicago Quadrostars
Michigan Guardians
St. Louis Voyageurs- Voyageurs (French for explorers) set out from St. Louis, and it was the Midwest's fur trading center for a while.
Minnesota Loons- The state bird of Minnesota has nice symbolism.
Chicago Towers- Chicago's towering skyline could make for a great logo and an even better nickname.
Milwaukee Creamers- One of the city's nicknames is The Cream City, and of course Wisconsin's dairy industry is the nation's largest.
Michigan Mastodons- Mastodons are the state fossil of Michigan, and "Michigan Mastodons" has a nice ring to it.
Actually eis is also the German word for ice cream so I don't think its a good fit, however Blitz is a great name for it because it means lightning in German (Blitzkrieg being lightning war).
Milwaukee Blitzkrieger(s) (maybe adding an s onto the end to americanize it into a plural)meaning lightning warriors would be the best fit IMO for a Germanic name being that I speak the language.
the best I came up with were
Chicago Mobsters,
Illinois Stovepipes (in reference to Lincoln)
Oh, and the windy city refers to the politicians, not the wind.
Detroit Drive or
Detroit Rust
And detroit Generals? Really? I get that you're going for a GM reference, but Ford and Chrysler would be pissed as hell.
And I like Minnesota loons.
Detriot Champs...because their jus too damn good in hockey!! And in other sports!
i've been thinking about this all week, and, as a st. louisan, i think the best name for a st. louis team would be the St. Louis Brewers due to Anheiser-Busch being located in st. louis. something germanic would also be appropriate due to the cities huge german influence
Chicago Chill ("CHIcago ILLinois", also a reference to "windchill," since Chicago is the Windy City)
Detroit Engine (the Motor City, and engines are motors)
Milwaukee Machine (power tool companies, plus blue-collar history)
Minnesota Voyageurs (after Louis Hennepin, for which Minneapolis' Hennepin County is named)
St. Louis Archers (City's centerpiece. 'Nuff said.)
walttears youre thinking of Milwaukee
Milwaukee Ice Wolves - sounds cool I guess
and I really like the Minnesota Mere
Milwaukee Mannschaft (german word for team, sounds funny)
Milwaukee Schlägers (Schlaegers, hitters or sticks auf Deutsch)
wow i totally forgot about the iha with the spirit thing, and i even pointed it out with detroit.
i feel like an idiot now
i was gonna post minnesota moose also, but thats an ahl team. this is harder than i thought
love st louis archers though
How about the St. Louis Pilots?
Not only the whole Spirit of St. Louis/Charles Lindbergh angle, but you also have a lot of barge traffic on the Mississippi. (The dude who steers the barges is called a Pilot.)
Chicago Checkers
Detroit Autos
Wisconsin Cheese-Heads
St. Paul Lumberjacks
St. Louis Archers
i just checked the echl, and it says walleye wont be used until 2000-10. Just wondering if thats restricted, and if so, i completely understand. just clarifying
Wisconsin Iron Brigade (after a famous civil war regiment from there)
Bloomington Blizzard (it is the team name the minnesota wild should have had, and there is a rich hockey tradition in bloomington)
Chicago Mission (Blues Brothers!)
alternately, the Joliet Jailtime...;)
the Troy Horses (I can't believe no one thought of this yet!)
Missouri (Mizzou) Mules
Missouri Independents (flatter a city that's not KC or St.L)
Dearborn Generators (Henry Ford)
Milwaukee Herd (okay, so the cows are generally outside Milwaukee, but I think it sounds better than Wisconsin Herd)
Minnesota/Bloomington Woebegons (props to anyone who gets this, but in the Bloomington context I consider it restitution for the North Stars.)
Rockford Rinkrats (terrible I know)
Detroit Runners (in refernce to the rum runners of the prohibition era)
Milwaukee (no idea)
Minnesota Woodsmen
St. Lou(is) Mizzou
Minnesota Skeeters (as in mosquito), there was alot of underground talk of naming the wild this when we were awarded the franchise. Also it works because of the amount of mosquito's in minnesota.
also the names 'loons' can't be used because it was a minor league baseball team in the 90's as well as 'muskees' which was the name of our arena football team for 1 season.
Minneapolis Lakers (Land of 1000 lakes, also the name of a former NBA team, I belive...)
Milwaukee Freeze (It's cold up there in Wisconsin?)
I saw some great ideas above, I liked the Detroit Drive and Chicago Cyclones.
Chicago Outfit
Detroit Mustangs
Milwaukee Choppers
Minnesota Redtails
St. Louis Arsenal
Wisconsin Cranes -- (double reference to the bird and the equipment they make in Manitowoc)
That's all I got. I'm liking the above ideas!
I agree with:
St Louis Voyageurs
Milwaukee Herd
Chicago Whirlwind
And suggest:
Minneapolis Vikings, Minnesota has a rich scandinavian history.
Chicago Breeze, again the windy city thing.
Detroit Forts, The city was founded as a French fort.
Any old-time military name would also do. Someone suggested Cannons and Generals.
I like Detroit Muskets.
Detroit Siege is another possibily.
St Louis Crusaders, The city was named after King Louis IX of France. He was a major contributer to the 7th and 8th Crusades.
Bill - Detroit 'River Runners' would work much better - I wish that Border Cities was an appropriate market name - since the Rum runners were running the booze from Windsor to Detroit
So I am going to formally submit
'Detroit River Runners' into the running (no pun intended)
Chicago Outfit - The name of Al Capone's gang.
Detroit Model Ts - In honour of Henry Ford.
Milwaukee Malts - Beer = Good.
Minnesota 10,000 - The land of 10,000 lakes.
St. Louis Gatekeepers - Inspired by the Gateway Arch that dominates the skyscape.
ATTN: CHRIS
If there are two similar names that may split the votes (ie Bill's Detroit Runners and my Detroit River Runners) will you select one, or throw both into contention. I think it would be nice - since they would split a vote later on.
St. Louis Gatekeepers
St. Paul Shovels
Milwaukee Beermen
Chicago Mafia
Detroit Assemblers
So I take it you won't be accepting the 'Detroit Crooked Kwames'?
Detroit Iron (For the Iron Brigade during the Civil War)
Chicago Slicers (For the pizza of course)
Wisconsin Red (For the Wisconsin River)
Minnesota Rock (For Minnesota having some of the oldest rock in the world)
Missouri Eights (For Missouri bordering 8 states)
St.Louis Mafia
Kansas City Sprawl
no im not. the AB headquarters and main brewery is in st. louis, not milwaukee
Detroit Diesel
HC Chicago
Milwaukee Moose
Minnesota Wolverines
St. Louis Saints