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History of the |
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The Atlantic Coast Hockey League was a rough and tumble league that carried the torch for lower-league minor hockey in the eighties. Epitiomized by lots of banging and fighting, this league kept hockey alive in the Southeastern United States and directly led to the formation of today's ECHL (although the ECHL does not recognize a direct link to the ACHL). Without the ACHL it is possible that AA hockey might have gained a stronghold in the Central or Western part of the US rather than the Southeast.
Hockey on the southern Atlantic Coast of the US can be traced back to a fateful winter night in Baltimore. On January 23, 1956 the Baltimore Clippers arena was destroyed by a fire. The last few home games of the season were rescheudled in Charlotte NC, and the response was so positive that the team officially moved there the following season. The Eastern Hockey League, which previously had only operated as far south as Washington DC, saw many southern US cities in a new light.
Within a few seasons the league expanded to Greensboro NC, Nashville TN, and Knoxville TN. Jacksonville FL, Salem VA, and Roanoke VA were not far behind. The league settled into a two-division format, with one division based in the North and the other in the South.
This geographical expansion fueled the growth of the league; the number of teams more than doubled in the decade following the southern experiment. However the expansion also led to the breakup and demise of the league -- the two divisions had differing opinions over various issues like the number of players to dress per game, and how many interdivisional games should be played (bus travel in the EHL was not for the faint-hearted, especially when Clinton NY visited Jacksonville FL).
After the 1972-73 season the EHL split into two leagues, the North American Hockey League and the Southern Hockey League. The seventies were a tough time for minor league hockey, and the leagues were one of the many casualties; both folded after the 1976-77 season. AA hockey took a break from the eastern US for the 1977-78.
The ACHL can trace its history directly back to the second incarnation of the Eastern Hockey League, which operated from 1978-79 (under the name Northeastern Hockey League) until 1980-81. The EHL was not the most stable of hockey leagues; it's brief 3-year tenure saw far too many teams either move or fold.
In the NEHL's first season (1978-79) both the Jersey Aces and the New Hampshire Freedoms relocated mid-season. The Aces moved on to Hampton VA. And when the bills began to mount in New Hampshire, Sandy Reiss, owner of the Freedoms fled with his franchise to the Cape Cod Coliseum and became the Cape Cod Freedoms.
The 1979-80 season brought with it a new name for the league; it became simply the Eastern Hockey league, possibly trying to establish a more direct link to the glory days of the original Eastern Hockey League. The season saw the introduction of a new franchise and the relocation of another. The Baltimore Clippers were the new entry, while the Cape Cod Freedoms skipped down to Richmond VA. This aligned the league very geographically: It formed two natural loops -- Richmond-Baltimore-Hampton, and Utica-Johnstown-Erie.
Also, several of the teams developed secondary affiliations with NHL teams. The Minnesota North Stars had strong interests in Baltimore; Richmond was affiliated with the New Haven Nighthawks, a NY Rangers farm team; and Johnstown was affiliated with the Adirondack Red Wings, who were the farm team of the Detroit Red Wings.
Several of the other teams were affiliated with NHL teams on paper, but there was no player movement from those NHL teams' primary affiliates to their EHL affiliates.
For the 1980-81 season, the Utica Mohawks were moved to Salem VA and were renamed the Salem Raiders. The Johnstown Wings dropped out and the Syracuse Hornets were brought on board. However Syracuse never really got off the ground. With inadequate players and a late start (the team was formed in September), they went 0-9-1 in their first 10 games and then folded.
Rumours sprang up that the EHL was on the brink of going under. The Hampton Aces were financially supported by the league for the final two weeks of the season. There was money missing from the Commisioner's office. All this contributed to the image that the EHL was an unorganized league destined for failure.
At a meeting of the EHL team owners on July 19, 1981, it was decided to fold the EHL and create the Atlantic Coast Hockey League. Several cities expressed interest in an ACHL franchise at this time. Baltimore and Salem were strong contenders. Winston-Salem (which was originally slated to play in Cincinatti) and Mohawk Valley (Utica) were new entries. The Erie Blades were out, having jumped to the American Hockey League. Richmond, with new owners, expressed interest.
But the geographic alignment of the league was troubling. Mohawk Valley was the only northern team, and the four other franchises insisted on adding a sixth team close to Utica to help the financial stablilty of the Mohawk Valley franchise.
Johnstown was to be that sixth team, but shortly after, due to ownership illness, they were forced to drop out.
The Boston Bruins, along with a group of people from Cape Cod were approached to field a team. An Indianapolis investor, Fraser Gleason, was scheduled to purchase a franchise, but he failed to pay the $15,000 entry fee. The owner of the Cape Cod Coliseum, wrestling promoter Vince McMahon purchased the franshise instead.
Worried about the league's stability, Richmond withdrew from the league. This left the league with only five teams, and both Baltimore and Cape Cod refused to play in a five-team league.
While all this was happening, another league was attempting to form. The Intercontinental Major Hockey League was planning to place its flagship franchise in Clinton NY. It was to be called the Comets, forcing the ACHL Mohawk Valley team to rename themselves the Stars.
Lou B*dnar from Toronto was the leader of the IMHL, but although they had grand plans they had no financial base from which to draw. It is thought that the whole idea of the IMHL was merely a ploy to gain leverge with the ACHL, but at the time the IMHL had several franchises scheduled to be formed; Clinton NY, Schenectady NY, and Fitchburg MA.
The ACHL was getting desparate for a northern team. In late August, the IMHL made a formal application to join the ACHL. Lou Bodner had apparently skipped off with the money that the league had raised so far. Their proposal, presented by former RPI hockey coach Jim Salfi, was to drop the Clinton team and enter Fitchburg and Schenectady into the league for one $15,000 franchise fee. Due to the lateness of the proceedings, the Schenectady Chiefs and the Fitchburg Trappers were accepted into the league, making it a seven-team field.
[Note: Lou Bodner allegedly has a history of taking the money and running; he was the owner of a team in the Continental Hockey League, the Billings Marlboros, and skipped off with that team's advertising proceeds, forcing the team to fold in 1985-86.]
The league opened with seven teams; Salem Raiders, Winston-Salem Thunderbirds, Mohawk Valley Stars, Baltimore Skipjacks, Cape Cod Buccanners, Fitchburg Trappers, and the Schenectady Chiefs.
From the start, problems ensued. Vince McMahon was unhappy with the fact that both Schenectady and Fitchburg were owned by the same man, Robert Critelli. McMahon requested that the league investigate the finances of the Chiefs and the Trappers when it became apparent that both teams were fielding questionable talent. Fitchburg, placed under suspension, folded after 6 games. Schenectady folded after 9 games.
It was just as well. Neither city had a suitable arena for hockey. Schenectady played in the downtown Schenectady Civic Center, which could only be entered through a drug store. They averaged less than 500 fans per game. Fitchburg played in the Wallace Civic Center. With a capacity of 1,800 seated, it is considered unsuitable for anything but amateur hockey.
A new schedule was drawn up and the league operated with only five teams. But the lack of northern teams took its toll on Cape Cod. Despite earlier pronouncements that they were on firm financial ground, Vince McMahon tried to borrow $15,000 from the league, citing a slow cash flow. It was apparent to the other members of the league that McMahon was trying to recover his franchise fee. After the loan was denied, McMahon folded his franchise at the end of January 1982. McMahon bizarrely announced that Winston-Salem was folding as well, but that team was financially sound and continued to operate.
The remaining 4 teams met in Philadelphia and decided to prematurely end the season, in February, and enter right into the playoffs. Unknown to anyone, the playoff pairings were determined before the season even ended; Mohawk Valley was to play Baltimore and Salem was to play Winston-Salem, to cut down travel expenses. In the end, it all worked out, with the #1 team playing the #4 team and the #2 and #3 teams meeting.
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TEAM HISTORY
Canadian Division --
Halifax Citadelles - Halifax, the birth place of ice hockey, according to some people, has an amazing hockey history starting with the Crescents which played for the Interprovincial Professional Hockey League for the 1910-11 season and then Maritime Professional Hockey League in 1911 thru 1914. The MPHL also had a second Halifax team competing: the Socials. The Citadelles were an Ameican Hockey League team from 1988-93. They played in the Halifax Metro Center which now is home ice for the Halifax Mooseheads.
Windsor Spitfires - Originally they were the Windsor Hecht Spitfires during their seasons with the International Hockey League (1945-49), of which they were an inaugural team and would win the Tuner Cup in 1947 and 1949. Later, the Spitfires would return as an Ontario Hockey League entry, still playing in Windsor Arena.
Moncton Alpines- The Alpines played in the Moncton Coliseum in Dieppe,
New Brunswick from 1982-84 while in the American Hockey League, the Golden
Flames would then play in the Moncton Coliseum from 84-87, then in 1987 the next
version of Moncton AHL hockey was the Hawks, who played until 1994. The
original Hawks played in the 1930s, winning the Allan Cup in 1933 and 1934.
But Moncton hockey dates even further back to the Victorias who played in the
Interprovincial Professional Hockey League 1910-11 and then the
Maritime Professional Hockey League 1911-13. Currently, the
Wildcats play in the QMJHL.
Quebec Aces - Originally the Aces played in the Québec
Senior Hockey League. Played in the Québec
Hockey League 1953-59.
An AHL team from 1959-60 -- 70-71. Hall of Famer Bernie
"Boom-Boom" Geoffrion coached the Aces during the 1964-66 seasons and later
another pedigree,Walter "Turk" Broda, coached the Aces during the 1969-70
season. Quebec moved to Richmond, VA, in 1971.
Professional hockey in Quebec is long and very complex but in a brief, very brief history the first team was the Quebec Bulldogs who played in the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association 1908-09, the Canadian Hockey Association 1909-10 and the National Hockey Association 1910-17. One of the four founder members of the National Hockey League in 1917 but did not operate during the inaugural season. The franchise was sold to P J Quinn of Toronto in 1918 on the condition that the team played in Québec but the team did not play in the second NHL season. The team played its only NHL season in 1919-20 before the franchise was transferred to the Hamilton Tigers. The Bulldogs won the Stanley Cup, then an amatuer award in 1912 and 1913, while a member of the National Hockey Association.
For American Hockey League history Quebec originally had the Castors who played in the Candian-American Hockey League from 1926-28 then from 1932-34. In 1934 the Castors became the Beavers for just one season. The Rafales played in the International Hockey League in 1996-1999. Later, the AHL would have the Citadelles as the Montreal Canadians farm team from 1999-2002.
The of course, there was the Nordiques of both the WHA. They bought
their franchise from
San Francisco
Sharks in 1972 and were one of the original ten franchises to play in the
WHA in 1972-73. The Nordiques
were one of four franchises that completed all seven WHA seasons 1972-73 to
1978-79. They joined NHL after the last WHA season and then tragically moved to
Colorado where the Avalance would go on to win the Stanley Cup twice.
Hamilton Steelhawks- Formerly the Brantford Alexanders. Played in the Ontario Hockey League from 1984-88. Hamilton also has a long history of Professional Hockey with the Hamilton Tigers, who played in the NHL in 1920-5. The Québec Bulldogs franchise was purchased by H P Thompson of Hamilton and the team joined the National Hockey League in 1920 as Hamilton Tigers. Hamilton won the NHL in 1924-25 but the players went on strike over a demand for US$200.00 each for additional playoff games. The NHL suspended all the players and fined them US$200.00 each. The NHL franchise transferred to the New York Americans in 1925. Hamilton Tigers played in the Canadian Professional Hockey League 1926-29 and the International-American Hockey League 1929-30. The Tigers won the NHL in 1924 and the Allan Cup in 1919
The Allan Cup is a trophy that was donated in 1908 by Sir Montagnue Allan to the Victoria Hockey Club in Montréal (Victorias). It's the most prestigious senior amateur hockey award - made to the Canadian Senior Hockey Champions. The winner of the Allan Cup often represented Canada in the World Championships (until 1963).
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds - Started play in the OHL in 1972 in the Sault Memorial Gardens. Before the Greyhounds, the Thunderbirds played in the Eastern Proffesional Hockey League from 1959-62. A great team history can be found on the Greyhounds website written by Russ Ramsay.
While the Soo Greyhounds have only been members of the Ontario Hockey League since 1972-73, the name dates back to just shortly after the First World War. According to local hockey historian, Wilf Ross, an un-named Soo team was to begin competing in the now-defunct Upper-Penninsula Hockey League. Officials considered having a name selected by the general public, but the team's coach, George MacNamara, had an idea of his own. He apparently asked that the team be called the Greyhounds because "a Greyhound is much faster than a wolf," a reference made to the already established rival club, the Sudbury Wolves.
The team competed for just a few seasons in the Upper-Penninsula League before moving in the N.O.H.A. Senior "A" loop. The team won the Allan Cup in the 1924 season, and many believe should have won the Cup the year previous as well.
Besides MacNamara, other coaches of the Greyhounds included the likes of Bun Cook and Don Grosso. The team competed in the senior ranks for several seasons before the formation of the N.O.H.A. Junior "A" League. It is this version of the Greyhounds which immediately preceeded the current OHL Greyhounds.
Ross says that the only other name he can remember attached to a Soo team prior to the Greyhounds were the "Marlboroughs". Three MacNamara brothers, George, Howard, and Harold played on that team, as well as the legendary Newsy Lalonde.
American Division --
Springfield Indians- Hall of Fame defenseman, Eddie Shore played/owned the Springfield Indians while playing for the Boston Bruins in 1939-40. He owned the team until 1978. The Indians would win the Calder Cup seven times in 51 years of hockey, including three in a row from 1959-60, 60-61, 61-62. The last two championships came back-to-back in 1989-90, 90-91. Bill Sweeney led the AHL in scoring for three straight season from 1960-3. The Indians were bought by Roy Boy, former New York Islanders owner, and moved 30 miles east to Worcester, MA. The Falcons now play in Springfield and will celebrate their tenth anniversary in 2002-3.
Hartford Whalers- Formed in the World Hockey Association, the one-time rival of the NHL, the Whalers would win the AVCO Cup, a horrible little trophy. Gordie Howe played for the Whalers and his #9 still hangs in the Hartford Veterans Memorial Civic Center where the Hartford Wolf Pack play their AHL games today. During the 1980's the Whalers consistently made the playoffs simply because the Quebec Nordiques were so bad and the top four out fo five teams in each division made the playoffs. The Whalers would never win the Stanley Cup and their front office bungling is the main reason. Remember this team drafted Chris Pronger.
Mr. Whaler is a tie between Gordie Howe in the WHA days and Ron Francis in the NHL days. Francis now plays for the Carolina Hurricanes, the team the Whalers morphed into, and lost to the Detroit Red Wings in the 2001-2002 Stanely Cup finals. Patty Verbeek and Mike Luit were both pretty good.
New Haven Nighthawks- A former AHL team that shut its doors after the 1993-4 season. The Nighthawks never won a Calder Cup but played in the finals twice and loosing once to Eddie Shore's son Ted Shore in 1974-75, and to the Adirondeck Red Wings in 1988-89. The New Haven Eagles played in 1936-7, the inaugural season of the American Hockey League, finishing last at 14-28-6 for 34 points. Later the Ramblers took the ice for New Haven in the fifties. The last version of New Haven hockey was as the Knights for the United Hockey League in 2001-02. Today, the New Haven Civic Center stands empty and, as of summer 2002, is slated for demolition.
Toledo Goaldiggers- Toledo has a long International Hockey League history starting with the Toledo Mercurys.
The Mercurys were founded in 1947 (Virgil Gladieux bought the franchise rights for US$1,000). Played in the International Hockey League 1947-49. During the 1948-49 season the team competed as Toledo Mercurys North in the IHL North Division and Toledo Mercurys South in the IHL South Division - because the Toledo owners wanted more games. Toledo's Leo Richard lead both divisions in scoring and Alex Nicholson lead both divisions in goaltender average. Toledo Mercurys North won the J P McGuire Trophy. The team moved to the Eastern Amateur Hockey League as the Toledo Buckeyes during the 1949-50 season but returned to the IHL the following year and played in the league 1951-62.
The Toledo Blades played in the IHL from 1963-70, winning the Turner Cup in 1964 and 1967. The Blades then became the Hornets for four years before turning into the Goaldiggers from 1974-1986, winning the Turner Cup in 1975, 1978, 1982 & 1983.
The Storm now represent Toledo, playing in the ECHL.
Erie Golden Blades - First the Blades were an EHL team from 1979-1981 and then they became an actual ACHL team from 1982 thru 1986. The Golden Blades never finished out of second place in the fives seasons of ACHL play before jumping to the American Hockey League after the ACHL folded. Later in Erie, the Panthers would play for the ECHL before folding. Then the Erie Otters were formed in the OHL from the defunct Niagra Falls Thunder in 1996 and still currently play in the Ontario Hockey League.
Port Huron Comets - Port Huron has seen teams iced in the Colonial Hockey League as the Port Huron Border Cats in the late 1990s and then in the UHL in 2000. Prior the Port Huron Flags skated in the defunct-International Hockey League. Then the Flags became the Wings and then later the Flags again. The Comets are the name of the ACHL Mohawk-Valley outfit which later changed its name to the Stars, so in honor of Mohawk-Valley, Port Huron is now the Comets.
