Springfield Indians

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Springfield Indians
founding 1926
resolution 1994
history Springfield Indians
1926–1951
Syracuse Warriors
1951–1954
Springfield Indians
1954–1967
Springfield Kings
1967–1975
Springfield Indians
1975–1994
Worcester IceCats
1994–2005
Peoria Rivermen
2005–2013
Utica Comets
since 2013
Stadion Eastern States Coliseum (1926–1972)
Springfield Civic Center (1972–1994)
Location West Springfield , Massachusetts
Team colors blue, red, white
league American Hockey League
Calder cups 1959/60 , 1960/61 , 1961/62 ,
1970/71 , 1974/75 , 1989/90 ,
1990/91

The Springfield Indians were a professional ice hockey team from West Springfield , Massachusetts and are a founding member of the American Hockey League . With three interruptions, they played 52 seasons in the league (from 1926 to 1994). From 1951 to 1954 the team went under the name Syracuse Warriors and from 1967 to 1975 as the Springfield Kings . The Indians have won seven Calder Cup championships, one of them while they were playing as Kings (1971).

history

In 1926 the Indians started in the Canadian-American Hockey League . Can-Am, as the league was called, was founded in Springfield and the Indians were one of the five founding members. As a farm team for the New York Rangers , they played until the 1932/33 season, only to become a New York Americans franchise from the 1935/36 season .

Due to the Great Depression in 1930 the Can-Am was merged with the International Hockey League to form the International-American Hockey League , which from then on appeared under the name American Hockey League .

During World War II , the United States used the home of the Indians, the Eastern States Coliseum , for war purposes and the club lost its venue. Eddie Shore , who bought the club in 1939, loaned his players to the Buffalo Bisons until 1946 . After that, the club could not build on its earlier successes despite well-known players, so that the team in Syracuse 1951-54 went as the Warriors in the race (while Shore had a local team in Springfield play in the lower-class Quebec Hockey League ). The only successes during this time were winning the MVP Award for Ross Lowe , the Rookie of the Year Award for Jim Anderson and All-Star-Team nominations for Eldred Kobussen 1948, Billy Gooden 1951, Ross Lowe, Gordon Tottle and Don Simmons 1955 as well as Gerry Ehman and Cal Gardner 1958 and Harry Pidhirny in 1959.

In the following years there were again various franchise changes - so the club played 1967–1974 as the Springfield Kings as the Los Angeles Kings farm team and from 1974 to 1994 again as the Springfield Indians.

The 1990s

In 1990 it came to the merger with the New York Islanders from the NHL. In an outstanding series they wrestled the favored Rochester Americans down in six games and secured the Calder Cup trophy for the sixth time. The future NHL goalkeeper Jeff Hackett was awarded as MVP of the playoffs.

After a dispute over the Springfield Civic Center , the team was reassigned to a new franchise - this time the Hartford Whalers . In the 1990/91 season, the Indians were the second strongest offensive team in the league and won the division title of the North - the first title after winning in 1962. The following year they won this title again, but this victory should mean Springfield's seventh and final title.

The end of the era

In the fall of 1994, the team finally withdrew from Springfield. The new home was Worcester , Massachusetts , and they formed the Worcester IceCats .

The original franchise finally moved to Peoria , Illinois in 2005 , where the team played until 2013. There are few franchises that are older: The Canadiens de Montréal , the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Boston Bruins from the NHL.

The last active player in the franchise to wear the Indians jersey was Michael Nylander of the Washington Capitals , who played four games for the Indians in 1994.

From 1994 to 2016, Springfield was home to the Springfield Falcons .

Members of the Hall of Fame

Known players

A list of former Springfield Indians players

Records

  • Goals in one season: Michel Picard , 56, 1990–1991
  • One-season assists: Bruce Boudreau , 74, 1987–1988
  • Points in One Season: Bruce Boudreau, 116, 1987–1988
  • Penalty Minutes in One Season: Mick Vukota , 372, 1987–1988
  • One season shutouts: Marcel Paille , 8, 1960–1961
  • Most games: Jim Anderson , 943
  • Most goals: Jim Anderson, 426
  • Most assists: Brian Kilrea , 442
  • Most points: Jim Anderson, 813
  • Most penalty minutes: Rod Dallman , 844

Season results

Regular season

First places are marked in bold

season Games Victories Defeats draw Extension
lost
Points Gates counter
doors
space
1926-27 32 14th 13 5 - 33 59 53 2nd, C-AHL
1927-28 40 24 13 3 - 51 90 71 1st, C-AHL
1928-29 40 13 14th 13 - 39 60 58 4th, C-AHL
1929-30 39 14th 23 2 - 30th 96 120 5th, C-AHL
1930-31 40 29 9 2 - 60 167 99 1st, C-AHL
1931-32 40 10 25th 5 - 25th 85 136 6th, C-AHL
1932-33 13 6th 5 2 - 14th 29 29 6th, C-AHL
1935-36 48 21st 22nd 5 - 47 131 129 3rd, C-AHL
1936-37 48 22nd 17th 9 - 53 117 125 2nd, East
1937-38 48 10 30th 8th - 28 96 140 4th, East
1938-39 54 16 29 9 - 41 121 179 3rd, East
1939-40 54 24 24 6th - 54 166 149 3rd, East
1940-41 56 26th 21st 9 - 61 157 149 3rd, East
1941-42 56 31 20th 5 - 67 213 167 1st, East
1946-47 64 24 29 11 - 59 202 220 2nd, East
1947-48 68 19th 42 7th - 45 237 308 5th, East
1948-49 68 22nd 37 9 - 53 240 276 3rd, East
1949-50 70 28 34 8th - 64 245 258 3rd, East
1950-51 70 27 37 6th - 60 268 254 3rd, East
1951-52 68 25th 42 1 - 51 211 272 4th, East
1952-53 64 31 31 2 - 64 213 201 3rd, AHL
1953-54 70 24 42 4th - 52 215 317 6th, AHL
1954-55 64 32 29 3 - 67 251 233 3rd, AHL
1955-56 64 17th 45 2 - 36 212 297 6th, AHL
1956-57 64 19th 41 4th - 42 217 274 6th, AHL
1957-58 70 29 33 8th - 66 231 246 4th, AHL
1958-59 70 30th 38 2 - 62 253 282 5th, AHL
1959-60 72 43 23 6th - 92 280 219 1st, AHL
1960-61 72 49 22nd 1 - 99 344 206 1st, AHL
1961-62 70 45 22nd 3 - 93 292 194 1st, East
1962-63 72 33 31 8th - 74 282 236 5th, East
1963-64 72 23 44 5 - 51 238 292 5th, East
1964-65 72 29 39 4th - 62 237 273 4th, East
1965-66 72 31 38 3 - 65 207 235 3rd, East
1966-67 72 32 31 9 - 73 267 261 4th, East
1967-68 72 31 33 8th - 70 247 276 2nd, East
1968-69 74 27 36 11 - 65 257 274 4th, East
1969-70 72 38 29 5 - 81 287 287 2nd, East
1970-71 1 72 29 35 8th - 66 244 281 3rd, East
1971-72 76 31 30th 15th - 77 273 266 3rd, East
1972-73 76 18th 42 16 - 52 265 344 5th, East
1973-74 76 21st 40 15th - 57 251 327 6th, North
1974-75 75 33 30th 12 - 78 299 256 4th, North
1975-76 76 33 39 4th - 70 267 321 4th, North
1976-77 80 28 51 1 - 57 302 390 5th, AHL
1977-78 81 39 33 9 - 87 348 350 3rd, North
1978-79 80 33 38 9 - 75 289 290 4th, North
1979-80 80 31 37 12 - 74 292 302 5th, North
1980-81 80 34 41 5 - 73 312 343 4th, North
1981-82 80 32 43 5 - 69 278 319 4th, North
1982-83 80 31 43 6th - 68 282 324 7th, South
1983-84 80 39 35 6th - 84 344 340 4th, South
1984-85 80 36 40 4th - 76 322 326 4th, South
1985-86 80 36 39 5 - 77 301 309 5th, South
1986-87 80 34 40 - 6th 74 296 344 6th, South
1987-88 80 27 44 8th 1 63 269 333 7th, North
1988-89 80 32 44 4th - 68 287 341 6th, North
1989-90 80 38 38 4th - 80 317 310 3rd, North
1990-91 80 42 27 10 - 96 348 281 1st, North
1991-92 80 43 29 8th - 94 308 277 1st, North
1992-93 80 25th 41 14th - 64 282 336 4th, North
1993-94 80 29 38 13 - 71 309 327 4th, North
1 Quebec Aces defeated 4-3 in a playoff playoff game.

Playoffs

Playoff championships are marked in bold.

season 1 round 2nd round 3rd round final
1926-27 ?? - - W, 9-5, New Haven
1927-28 ?? - - W, 11-7, Quebec
1928-29 unknown .
1929-30 unknown .
1930-31 ?? - - W, 3-2-2, Boston
1931-32 unknown .
1932-33 unknown .
1935-36 unknown .
1936-37 unknown .
1937-38 unknown .
1938-39 unknown .
1939-40 unknown .
1940-41 L, 1-2, Pittsburgh - - -
1941-42 L, 2-3, Indianapolis - - -
1946-47 L, 0-2, Buffalo - - -
1947-48 No playoffs reached.
1948-49 L, 1-2, Cleveland - - -
1949-50 L, 0-2, Providence - - -
1950-51 L, 0-3, Pittsburgh - - -
1951-52 No playoffs reached.
1952-53 L, 1-3, Cleveland - - -
1953-54 No playoffs reached.
1954-55 L, 1-3, Pittsburgh - - -
1955-56 No playoffs reached.
1956-57 No playoffs reached.
1957-58 W, 4-3, Cleveland - - L, 2-4, Hershey
1958-59 No playoffs reached.
1959-60 W, 4-1, Providence - - W, 4-1, Rochester
1960-61 W, 4-0, Cleveland - - W, 4-0, Hershey
1961-62 W, 4-2, Cleveland bye - W, 4-1, Buffalo
1962-63 No playoffs reached.
1963-64 No playoffs reached.
1964-65 No playoffs reached.
1965-66 W, 3-0, Hershey L, 0-3, Cleveland - -
1966-67 No playoffs reached.
1967-68 L, 1-3, Providence - - -
1968-69 No playoffs reached.
1969-70 W, 4-3, Hershey 2nd, RR vs. BUF & MTL - L, 0-4, Buffalo
1970-71 1 W, 3-0, Montreal W, 3-1, Cleveland - W, 4-0, Providence
1971-72 L, 1-4, Nova Scotia - - -
1972-73 No playoffs reached.
1973-74 No playoffs reached.
1974-75 W, 4-2, Providence W, 4-1, Rochester - W, 4-1, New Haven
1975-76 No playoffs reached.
1976-77 No playoffs reached.
1977-78 L, 1-3, Nova Scotia - - -
1978-79 No playoffs reached.
1979-80 No playoffs reached.
1980-81 L, 3-4, Maine - - -
1981-82 No playoffs reached.
1982-83 No playoffs reached.
1983-84 L, 0-4, Baltimore - - -
1984-85 L, 0-4, Binghamton - - -
1985-86 No playoffs reached.
1986-87 No playoffs reached.
1987-88 No playoffs reached.
1988-89 No playoffs reached.
1989-90 W, 4-2, Cape Breton W, 4-2, Sherbrooke - W, 4-2, Rochester
1990-91 W, 4-3, Fredericton W, 4-1, Moncton - W, 4-2, Rochester
1991-92 W, 4-3, Capital District L, 0-4, Adirondack - -
1992-93 W, 4-2, Providence W, 4-3, Adirondack L, 0-2, Cape Breton -
1993-94 L, 2-4, Adirondack - - -
1 Quebec Aces defeated 4-3 in a playoff playoff game.

literature

  • Dan Diamond (Ed.): Total Hockey. Andrew McMeel Publishing, 1999.
  • Gordon Anziano (Ed.): American Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book. AHL, 1989 through 1995 editions.
  • Larry McDermott (Ed.): Springfield Union-News. Springfield, MA.

Web links