1993 RHI season

The 1993 RHI season was the 1st season of operation of Roller Hockey International (RHI). The season started on July 1, 1993. The Anaheim Bullfrogs defeated the Oakland Skates in the 1993 Murphy Cup Final 2–0 to win the first Murphy Cup.

League business

Teams and divisions

The league premiered with 12 teams, the Anaheim Bullfrogs, Calgary Rad'z, Connecticut Coasters, Florida Hammerheads, Los Angeles Blades, Oakland Skates, Portland Rage, San Diego Barracudas, St. Louis Vipers, Toronto Planets, Utah Rollerbees, and Vancouver Voodoo. The teams were broken up into three divisions each with four teams. The divisions, like the National Hockey League at the time, where named after key figures in the league. The Murphy and King Divisions were named after league co-founders Dennis Murphy and Larry King respectively. The Buss Division was named after Anaheim Bullfrogs owner Jerry Buss.

Season schedule

Each team played a 14 game home-and-away schedule that ended with a championship game on September 7, 1993. Teams in the Buss and King Divisions played every team in their own division four times (twice at home, and twice on the road), and played two teams from the other division once (one team at home, one team on the road).

Due to the extended travel needed, teams in the Murphy Division only played games within their division. They played two teams four times (twice at home, and twice on the road), and one team six times (three times at home, and three times on the road).

Players' salaries

After extended research, the league officials decided that guaranteed contracts did not work. Each player earned $314 per week, with $672,000 in prize pool money to be divided between each team based on overall finish.

Inaugural Draft

The Inaugural RHI Draft took place on April 25, 1993, at the Sheraton Los Angeles Airport Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Vitally Makarkin was selected first overall in the draft by the Oakland Skates. John Redinger was picked second by the Los Angeles Blades.

Rule differences from the NHL

Though the basic rules of Roller Hockey International (RHI) were the same as the National Hockey League (NHL) at the time, RHI brought in a number of rule changes aimed at increasing offense. First RHI did not play on ice as in the NHL, but a plastic tile surface known as Sport Court. A regulation ice hockey puck, is 5½ to 6 ounces and made of black rubber, the RHI puck was 3½ ounces and made of red plastic.

The game time was reduced from three 20–minute periods in ice hockey, to four 12–minute quarters in roller hockey. The overtime format was changed. The NHL's format saw a maximum 5–minute sudden death overtime in the regular season, and unlimited 20–minute sudden death periods in the playoffs. RHI had a four-on-four shootout in the regular season.

The playoffs followed a best of three series format however the third game was not a full 48 minute game. Rather it was just a regular 12 minute quarter called "the mini game". If the teams were tied at the end of the quarter a sudden death quarter would follow.

RHI decreased the number of players on the surface at full strength from six (five skaters and one goaltender) in the NHL, to five (four skaters and one goaltender). Thus they also reduced the minimum number of players after penalties from four to three. With fewer players on the playing surface, RHI reduced the number of players dressed for a game from 20 players (18 skaters and two goaltenders) in the NHL, to 14 players (12 skaters and two goaltenders).

The RHI's penalty times were also decreased by about 25%. Minor penalties were decreased from two minutes to 1 and 1/2 minutes. Major penalties were decreased from five minutes to four minutes. Misconduct penalties remained the same at ten minutes, but major game misconducts, which was a game ejection in the NHL, was increased to a game ejection, a suspension from the next game, and a penalty shot to the non-offending team. Fighting penalties were also increased from just a major penalty, to a major penalty, and a suspension for the remainder of the game plus a suspension from the next game.

The league also removed the blue lines which eliminated two line pass calls. However the RHI still had a different version of off-sides. A player could skate over the red line before the puck however a player couldn't receive a pass over the line. Also, whereas in the NHL, icing was called when a defensive player touches the puck, in RHI, illegal clearing was automatic as the puck crosses the goal line. RHI also increased the distance from the boards to the goal line from 11 feet to 15 feet.

Regular season

Standings

The Anaheim Bullfrogs placed first overall, having the best record and home advantage throughout the playoffs.

Note: Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.

By Division

By League

Note: Bold – clinched playoff spot, y – clinched division title, z – clinched best overall record

Tiebreaking procedures

If two or more clubs are tied in points during the regular season, the ranking of the clubs is determined in the following order:

1. The fewer number of games played.
2. The greater number of games won.
3. The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs. If two clubs are tied, and have not played an equal number of home games against each other, points earned in the first game played in the city that had the extra game shall not be included. If more than two clubs are tied, the higher percentage of available points earned in games among those clubs, and not including any "odd" games, shall be used to determine the standing.
4. The greater differential between goals for and against for the entire regular season.

Playoffs

The 1993 playoffs started on Saturday, August 21, 1993 and ended with the second game of the Murphy Cup Final on Tuesday, September 7, 1993.

Playoff bracket

RHI awards

Statistical leaders

Scoring leaders

Leading goaltenders

See also

• 1993 RHI transactions
• 1993 RHI suspensions and fines
• 1993 RHI Draft
• 1993 in sports