New Haven Ramblers

American Hockey League (1946-1950)

Tombstone

Born: 1946 – Re-branded from New Haven Eagles
Re-Branded: 1950 (New Haven Eagles)

First Game: October 15, 1946 (W 7-0 vs. Providence Reds)
Last Game: March 19, 1950 (L 13-1 @ Indianapolis Capitals)

Calder Cup Championships: None

Arena

New Haven Arena
Opened: 1927
Demolished: 1974

Marketing

Team Colors:

Ownership

Owners:

Background

The New Haven Ramblers were an American Hockey League farm club of the New York Rangers for four seasons in the late 1940’s. The Ramblers replaced the AHL’s 20-year old New Haven Eagles team at the New Haven Arena in 1946.

Recently retired Rangers star Lynn Patrick served as the Ramblers head coach for the club’s first two-and-a-half seasons. The former NHL All-Star occasionally skated for the Ramblers during the 1946-47 season. The Rangers promoted Patrick midway through the 1948-49 season to take over head coaching duties with the parent club.

Another Ramblers notable was defenseman Ott Heller, the Rangers’ captain from 1942 to 1945. After 15 full seasons with New York, Heller skated two full campaigns for the Ramblers from 1946 to 1948.

The team managed only one winning effort over four seasons. The 1947-48 Ramblers squad finished 31-30-7, good for second place in the AHL’s East Division. The Buffalo Bisons swept New Haven out of the Calder Cup semi-finals in two games.

The New York Rangers withdrew their support of the Ramblers in June 1950. The Podoloff family, owners of the New Haven Arena, assumed operations of the club and restored the old New Haven Eagles identity that the club used from 1926 until 1946. The revival of the Eagles was short lived, however. The team closed down midway through the 1950-51 AHL season.