American Hockey League (1981-1988)
Tombstone
Born: 1981 – AHL expansion franchise
Moved: June 22, 1988 (Halifax Citadels)1ASSOCIATED PRESS. “Fredericton AHL team to move to Halifax”. The Daily Item (Sunbury, PA). June 23, 1988
First Game: October 8, 1981 (L 7-4 vs. New Brunswick Hawks)
Last Game: May 12, 1988 (L 4-2 vs. Hershey Bears)
Calder Cup Championships: None
Arena
Aitken Centre (3,458)21982-83 American Hockey League Yearbook-Guide
Opened: 1976
Marketing
Team Colors: Blue, White & Grey31985-86 American Hockey League Media Guide
Ownership & Affiliation
Owner: Quebec Nordiques (Carling-O’Keefe Brewing Company)
NHL Affiliations:
- 1981-1988: Quebec Nordiques
- 1982-1988: Vancouver Canucks
Attendance
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Source: 1994-95 American Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book
Our Favorite Stuff
Fredericton Express
Logo T-Shirt
This Fredericton Express tee calls back to the bygone days days when the Canadian Maritime provinces were a pro hockey hotbed, with multiple teams competing in the American Hockey League each winter.
This design is available from American Retro Apparel in several colors and in sizes small through XXXL today!
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Background
The Fredericton Express was an American Hockey League team in the Canadian Maritime province of New Brunswick. The club was founded as an expansion team in 1981 to serve as a farm club to the NHL’s Quebec Nordiques. In 1982, the Vancouver Canucks entered a partnership with the Nordiques to jointly operate and provide prospects to the club. Quebec continued in the lead role, including appointing the Fredericton club president and the farm team’s Head Coach.
Strains in the arrangement between the two NHL clubs came out in the open after the Canucks hired Brian Burke as Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations in 1987. Burke visited Fredericton for the first time in October of that year. The previous season the Express had the 2nd worst record in the AHL and the team’s top five scorers were all sent down by the Canucks. Burke made clear to the local press that the Canucks were unhappy with the partnership and with Quebec’s track record in contributing worthy coaches and players to the farm club.
Move To Halifax
Despite the management turmoil, the Express had their finest season in 1987-88. The team advanced to the Calder Cup championship series for the first and only time. The Hershey Bears swept Fredericton in four games. The losses to Hershey in the Finals series turned out to be the final games ever played by the Express. The following month, Vancouver, as expected, bought out the final year of its agreement with Quebec. The Canucks set up their own farm team at Milwaukee in the International League to replace Fredericton. The Nordiques, meanwhile, moved the former Express franchise to Halifax, Nova Scotia in June of 1988. The team re-branded as the Halifax Citadels prior to the 1988-89 season.
After a two-year absence, the AHL returned to Fredericton in 1990 with the arrival of the Fredericton Canadiens (1990-1999).
Fredericton Express Shop
Links
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