# 2000–01 IHL season

The 2000–01 IHL season was the 56th and final season of the International Hockey League, a North American minor professional league. Eleven teams participated in the regular season, and the Orlando Solar Bears won their first Turner Cup. Following the season, six teams (Admirals, Aeros, Griffins, Grizzles, Moose and Wolves) joined the American Hockey League as expansion teams. The Cyclones rejoined the East Coast Hockey League where they had previously played from 1990 to 1992. The remaining teams ceased operations.

## Regular season
### Eastern Conference

| | GP | W | L | SOL | GF | GA | Pts |
| Grand Rapids Griffins (OTT) | 82 | 53 | 22 | 7 | 279 | 196 | 113 |
| Orlando Solar Bears (ATL) | 82 | 47 | 28 | 7 | 241 | 193 | 101 |
| Cincinnati Cyclones (CAR) | 82 | 44 | 29 | 9 | 267 | 258 | 97 |
| Cleveland Lumberjacks (MIN) | 82 | 43 | 32 | 7 | 270 | 258 | 93 |
| Milwaukee Admirals (NSH) | 82 | 42 | 33 | 7 | 244 | 217 | 91 |
| Detroit Vipers (TBL) | 82 | 23 | 53 | 6 | 184 | 311 | 52 |

### Western Conference

| | GP | W | L | SOL | GF | GA | Pts |
| Chicago Wolves (NYI) | 82 | 43 | 32 | 7 | 267 | 249 | 93 |
| Houston Aeros | 82 | 42 | 32 | 8 | 229 | 245 | 92 |
| Manitoba Moose (DET) | 82 | 39 | 31 | 12 | 222 | 230 | 90 |
| Utah Grizzlies (DAL) | 82 | 38 | 36 | 8 | 208 | 220 | 84 |
| Kansas City Blades (VAN) | 82 | 37 | 42 | 3 | 239 | 273 | 77 |

## Turner Cup Playoffs

| Turner Cup-Quarterfinals | Turner Cup-Quarterfinals | Turner Cup-Quarterfinals | Turner Cup-Semifinals | Turner Cup-Semifinals | Turner Cup-Semifinals | Turner Cup-Final | Turner Cup-Final | Turner Cup-Final |
| E1 | Grand Rapids | 4 | | | | | | |
| E4 | Cleveland | 0 | | | | | | |
| E4 | Cleveland | 0 | E1 | Grand Rapids | 2 | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E1 | Grand Rapids | 2 | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E2 | Orlando | 4 | | | |
| E2 | Orlando | 4 | E2 | Orlando | 4 | | | |
| E3 | Cincinnati | 1 | | | | | | |
| E3 | Cincinnati | 1 | | | | E2 | Orlando | 4 |
| | | | | | | W1 | Chicago | 1 |
| W1 | Chicago | 4 | | | | | | | W1 | Chicago | 1 |
| E5 | Milwaukee | 1 | | | | | | |
| E5 | Milwaukee | 1 | W1 | Chicago | 4 | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W1 | Chicago | 4 | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W3 | Manitoba | 2 | | | |
| W2 | Houston | 3 | W3 | Manitoba | 2 | | | |
| W3 | Manitoba | 4 | | | | | | |

### Quarterfinals
#### (E1) Grand Rapids Griffins vs. (E4) Cleveland Lumberjacks

* Grand Rapids wins series 4–0

#### (E2) Orlando Solar Bears vs. (E3) Cincinnati Cyclones

* Orlando wins series 4–1

#### (W1) Chicago Wolves vs. (E5) Milwaukee Admirals

* Chicago wins series 4–1

#### (W2) Houston Aeros vs. (W3) Manitoba Moose

* Manitoba wins series 4–3

### Semifinals
#### (E1) Grand Rapids Griffins vs. (E2) Orlando Solar Bears

* Orlando wins series 4–2

#### (W1) Chicago Wolves vs. (W3) Manitoba Moose

* Chicago wins series 4–2

### Turner Cup Final
#### (E2) Orlando Solar Bears vs. (W1) Chicago Wolves

* Orlando wins series 4–1

## Player statistics
### Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Derek King | Grand Rapids Griffins | 76 | 32 | 51 | 83 | 19 |
| Steve Larouche | Chicago Wolves | 75 | 31 | 52 | 83 | 78 |
| Brett Harkins | Houston Aeros | 81 | 16 | 64 | 80 | 51 |
| Brian Bonin | Cleveland Lumberjacks | 72 | 35 | 42 | 77 | 45 |
| Rob Brown | Chicago Wolves | 75 | 24 | 53 | 77 | 99 |
| Niklas Andersson | Chicago Wolves | 66 | 33 | 39 | 72 | 81 |
| Greg Koehler | Cincinnati Cyclones | 80 | 35 | 36 | 71 | 122 |
| Vyacheslav Butsayev | Grand Rapids Griffins | 75 | 33 | 35 | 68 | 65 |
| Christian Matte | Cleveland Lumberjacks | 58 | 38 | 29 | 67 | 59 |
| Gilbert Dionne | Cincinnati Cyclones | 80 | 23 | 43 | 66 | 46 |

### Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts
| Player | Team | GP | MIN | GA | GAA | W | L | T | SO |
| Norm Maracle | Orlando Solar Bears | 51 | 2,963 | 100 | 2.02 | 33 | 13 | 3 | 8 |
| Richard Shulmistra | Kansas City Blades/Chicago Wolves | 33 | 1,855 | 64 | 2.07 | 21 | 11 | 0 | 4 |
| Mike Fountain | Grand Rapids Griffins | 52 | 3,005 | 104 | 2.08 | 34 | 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Chris Mason | Milwaukee Admirals | 37 | 2,226 | 87 | 2.35 | 17 | 14 | 5 | 5 |
| Rick Tabaracci | Utah Grizzlies | 30 | 1,648 | 67 | 2.44 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 1 |

## Awards

AHL Awards :
| Turner Cup | Orlando Solar Bears |
| Fred A. Huber Trophy (Best regular-season record) | Grand Rapids Griffins |
| Commissioner's Trophy (Best coach) | Peter Horachek, Orlando Solar Bears |
| Leo P. Lamoureux Memorial Trophy (Player with most points) | Steve Larouche, Chicago Wolves and Derek King, Grand Rapids Griffins |
| James Gatschene Memorial Trophy (Most valuable player, regular season) | Norm Maracle, Orlando Solar Bears |
| Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy (Most valuable player, playoffs) | Norm Maracle, Orlando Solar Bears |
| Gary F. Longman Memorial Trophy (Best first-year player) | Brian Pothier, Orlando Solar Bears |
| Ken McKenzie Trophy (Best American-born first-year player) | Brian Pothier, Orlando Solar Bears |
| Larry D. Gordon Trophy (Best defenceman) | Brett Hauer, Manitoba Moose |
| James Norris Memorial Trophy (Goaltender(s) of team with fewest goals against) | Norm Maracle and Scott Fankhouser, Orlando Solar Bears |
| John Cullen Award (Perseverance, Sportsmanship, and Dedication) | Rusty Fitzgerald, Manitoba Moose |
| Ironman Award (Played all team's games while showing offensive and defensive skills) | Brian Chapman, Manitoba Moose |
| IHL Man of the Year (Leadership and community activities) | Wendell Young, Chicago Wolves |

### All-Star teams

| First team | Position | Position | Second team |
| Norm Maracle, Orlando Solar Bears | G | C | Brian Bonin, Cleveland Lumberjacks |
| Curtis Murphy, Orlando Solar Bears | D | C | Greg Koehler, Cincinnati Cyclones |
| Brett Hauer, Manitoba Moose | D | LW | Derek King, Grand Rapids Griffins |