Springfield Indians
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
- Springfield Indians 1926–1933 ( Canadian-American Hockey League )
- Springfield Indians 1935-1936 (Canadian-American Hockey League)
- Springfield Indians 1936–1940 ( International-American Hockey League )
- Springfield Indians 1940-1942
- Springfield Indians 1946-1951
- Syracuse Warriors 1951-1954
- Springfield Indians 1954-1967
- Springfield Kings 1967-1974
- Springfield Indians 1974-1994
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 |
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 | - | - | - |
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.