Eastern Hockey League (1980-1981)
Atlantic Coast Hockey League (1981-1983)
Tombstone
Born: 1981 – The Utica Mohawks relocate to Salem, VA
Re-Branded: 1982 (Virginia Raiders)
Folded: August 1983
First Game:
Last Game:
EHL Championships:
ACHL Championships: None
Arena
Salem-Roanoke County Civic Center
Opened: 1967
Branding
Team Colors:
Ownership
Owners:
- 1980-1982: Robert Payne
- 1982: Telstar, Inc. (Robert Connor)
- 1982-1983: Henry Brabham
Background
The Salem Raiders were a minor league hockey club that operated in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the early 1980’s. The Raiders played, at first, in the Eastern Hockey League and the roster consisted mostly of minor-league lifers. There were a few exceptions. Raiders Pierre Lagace and Bruce Greig both saw time in the World Hockey Association in the late 1970’s. Greig also had a cup of coffee with the NHL’s California Golden Seals. Raiders head coach Pat Kelly was the head man for the NHL’s Colorado Rockies in 1977 and 1978.
After the 1980-81 season, the EHL re-organized itself as the Atlantic Coast Hockey League. The ACHL endured a brutal debut season. Two of the league’s seven franchises folded during the first month of the season. A third, the Cape Cod Buccaneers owned by World Wrestling Foundation mogul Vince McMahon, withdrew after 39 games. The four remaining clubs voted to cut short the 1981-82 regular season and move directly to the playoffs. Salem had the best record in the league at the time at 32-15. The Raiders lost to the Mohawk Valley Stars of Utica, New York in the championship series.
End of the Road
The team returned to the ACHL and the Salem Civic Center in the fall of 1982 with a new name (Virginia Raiders), new owner and new colors.
Henry Brabham, an oilman who owned several mid-Atlantic minor league hockey franchises during the 1980’s and 1990’s, operated the Raiders during their final season in Salem. He folded the Raiders in August 1983, citing $100,000 in losses during the 1982-83 season.1SPORTS BRIEFS. “Salem hockey owner wants rink”. The Daily Press (Newport News, VA). August 21, 1983
Several months later, however, Brabham purchased the ACHL’s struggling Nashville South Stars club and moved the franchise back to the Salem Civic Center, in the middle of the 1983-84 season, renaming them the Virginia Lancers.
In Memoriam
Bruce Greig (Raiders ’80-’82) died in a car accident in Nanton, Alberta on May 24, 2008 at age 55.
Robert Payne of Utica, New York, who owned the Raiders from their arrival in 1980 until February 1982, passed away on October 25, 2012 at the age of 98.
Links
Eastern Hockey League Programs
Atlantic Coast Hockey league Programs
##
3 Responses
I was a referee in the EHL&ACHL in the early 80’s. I went on to become a linesman from 82-97. Some of the games were quite memorable to say the least. But I would not change anything. The nickname of the ACHL was anything can happen league
So true. I remember when John Tortarello play in the Echl. Was a wing nut when he played also.
If you saw the movie Slap Shot with Paul Newman in the 70’s. That was minor league hockey.